27 Sep Bespoke Gorilla Safari and Wildlife in Uganda

Uganda is the Pearl of Africa due to its distinctive and exceptional wildlife in her national parks and reserves plus other attractive nature resources that Uganda also has. Uganda is made up of 10 national parks which include: Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Murchison Fall National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable Forests National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Kibale Forest National Park, Semliki National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Rwenzori Mountains National Park and Mountain Elgon National Park.

Gorilla Tracking in Uganda:

Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda are the only three countries in the world which protect the world’s rare endangered mountain gorillas in their national parks. The world’s total population for these mountain gorillas is almost 1200 gorillas according to the recent census but almost 700 of them exist in Uganda’s two national parks (Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park).

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park protects the largest number of mountain gorillas compared to other national parks which protect the gorillas too. Bwindi protects over 500 mountain gorillas which is almost half of the world’s population and the tracking in this park takes place in four different sectors which include: Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija and Nkuringo which offers gorilla tours experiences.

The park consists of 14 habituated gorilla families of which three of them are found in Buhoma sector including the oldest and historical gorilla family (Mubare gorilla family), seven are found in Rushaga, other three found in Ruhija and the other one found in Nkuringo. The most ideal sector for the tracking in Bwindi is Buhoma due to its easy access and inhabiting the oldest and historical gorilla family but if you want to see many habituated gorilla families, the best sector would be Rushaga though most trekkers prefer tracking from Buhoma since the sector is also close to Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park where the tree climbing lions are viewed from, thus offering the trekkers more advantage of viewing the amazing tree climbing lions.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the smallest of all Ugandan national parks but blessed to be one of the only four parks in the whole world to inhabit the rare endangered mountain gorillas. The park consists of more than 100 mountain gorillas and in the park, there is one habituated gorilla family called Nyakagezi. Birding activity also takes place in the park and it mostly take place between Mountain Sabyinyo and Mountain Gahinga of which the Mountains will also provide beautiful scenery thus forcefully you will have to take their photos and it is the reason as to why you are encouraged to move with good and clear cameras whenever you are visiting the park. Other activities at the park include cultural encounters where you will interact with the Batwa hunter gatherers, hiking of the three Park’s volcanoes (Gahinga, Muhabura and Sabyinyo) plus the nature walks. A gorilla permit in Uganda costs US$ 600 for Uganda’s gorilla tours in all its two parks.