When you talk about Gorilla tracking or trekking in Uganda, its definately Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park and definately in the south western part of Uganda near Congo and Rwanda. There are many Gorilla familys/groups in Bwindi and many entry points to Bwindi National Park where adventure “Uganda Gorilla Safaris” start the tracking experience in the thick rain forest. Gorilla tracking is an un-forgattable experience which almost every one longs to do at least once in their life time when they visit Uganda.Today the Gorilla Permit will set you back 500US Dollars but many visitors have saved their Gorilla tracking fees for years in order to track the Gorillas once they get a chance of visiting the Pearl of Africa Uganda. the briefing done by your driver/guide on receiving you at the Airport/Hotel and the briefing done in the morning before tracking will confirm to you that there is a great adventure expedition shortly.to some people tracking is tough and others it seems easy may be just because of the nature of work they do which has some daily exercises.getting to the scenic moment,is just amazing as you see the Gorillas relaxed in the middle of the jungle and if not carefully observed,you might pass them.normally the group will be recognized by the playful babies and the guarding silver back. Bwindi National Park is unique itself which actually appears as if it is at the end of the Globe,visitors have to brave the 540kms long journey of which about 150kms is on a rough and bumpy road.driving 40kms for about 1:30mins.reaching the tracking area or your lodge in Bwindi indicates to you that indeed there is some thing un-usual and different from what you see every day.the forest it self is impenetrable,very thick,rains almost every day and the big tree canopys cover the sound of the rain making it hard for you to realize that there is rain ,no through roads,many tall trees,the indigenous Batwa people still in the forest probably similar to the Kombai people of Papua Western New Guinea still living in the thick jungles , no electricity only solar power.you really can’t understand the nature of this forest.it just seems that this is a forgotten world. The nights in Bwindi are characterized by total silence as you cannot hear any noise apart from the rubbing of tree branches and leaves falling apart and may be a few forest insects. I some times Compare “Gorilla trekking in Bwindi” to my Secondary History i studied of the Great Trek of the Boers in South Africa of 1835-1846. When you look at the two,both treks have some similarities.the Great trek of South Africa was un-predictable as the trekkers did not know of how long they would get to the destinations.Gorilla trekking is un-predictable too as the trekkers can never know what time to see the Gorillas.it takes from 5-minutes to the whole day of seeing the Gorillas in the impenetrable forest. Because it is some times long Gorilla trekking hrs,some visitors cannot make it to the Gorilla viewing moment or even back after the 1-hr viewing that they have to be carried by the local village people to and from the destination.
Rescued client in Bwindi forest on a stretcher.
The most amazing adventurous item on the Gorilla trekking Menu is,some visitors will be briefed about the experience and despite the fact that they know they can neither make it to the viewing area of the Gorillas nor back to the lodge,they come prepared about hiring porters to carry them on make shift stretchers for a once in a life time adventure expedition. The un-physically fit and the lame are always carried to and from the Gorilla experience in Bwindi.
A local stretcher
Most of the successful Gorilla trekkers will describe the experience in so many words. Wonderful experience,i will be back,amazing,beautiful country, Gentle Giants,i liked the silver back,the Baby Gorillas playing were amazing,plus sharing photos with fellow travellers.
Some Safaris to Bwindi with Gorilla Trekking:
- 3-Days Gorilla trekking in Bwindi.
- 5-Days Gorilla tracking and tree lions tour.
- 11-Days Best of Uganda.