What Is the Best Time to see Mountain Gorillas?
What Is the Best Time to see Mountain Gorillas? Mountain gorillas are present all year, with a high number of sightings; the rain merely serves to keep people away. The optimal time to go gorilla trekking is thus entirely up to you. It is frequently due to permit availability, since they sell out over a year in advance during peak months. The dry seasons, which are better suitable for hiking, are from mid-December to early February, and from June to September. Don’t be put off by the rains in November and March-May since you’ll have the woods and mountains to yourself, as well as the guides and gorillas.
Where can you find Mountain Gorillas?
Mountain gorillas are only found in only three countries in the world and that is Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Congo, you can find mountain gorillas in Virunga national park and in Uganda you can trek mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga Gorilla national park. In Rwanda, mountain gorillas are found in Volcanoes national park.
How much does it cost to see Mountain Gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo?
If you don’t mind rain, permits in Uganda can be lowered to as little as US $450 (promotional offer only) during the wettest months of April, May, and November (compared to the typical US $700 – or US $1,500 in Rwanda).
Gorilla permits in the Democratic Republic of the Congo might be considerably cheaper during the rainy season. This does not happen every year, so talk to your tour operator about it before you book. Finally, if you want to go on a family trip, the minimum age for a gorilla permit is 15.
Only eight permits are provided per gorilla group, each day, allowing you to see one gorilla family for an hour. Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda has 80 permits for its ten habituated groups, while Bwindi in Uganda has over a dozen habituated gorilla families. The bulk of gorilla trekking safaris take place in these two nations, and viewing gorillas in the wild in these countries is motivated by conservation rather than profit. According to research, gorillas should not be exposed to people for more than one hour every day in order to minimize suffering and restrict their susceptibility to infections – even a normal cold may be fatal to a gorilla.
What does gorilla trekking entail?
Most significantly, because of the great demand for the restricted permits that allow you to see the gorillas, you should plan your gorilla safari holiday as long in advance as possible. We recommend booking a year to 18 months in advance to ensure a suitable date, especially if you want to go during peak season. The good thing is that you can view gorillas all year, so you’re not restricted by the seasons.
As seen by the rising number of mountain gorillas, this system of small, carefully controlled tour groups paying large fees that are reinvested in conservation is regarded a significant success in wildlife tourism. If one hour isn’t enough, you may get a second permit for another day of your holiday, which is recommended by most tour companies. The first visit is typically so overwhelming, with visitors hurrying to snap photographs, that by the second visit, you are more relaxed and can just sit back and take it all in.
Because gorilla trekking begins at 7 a.m., you will spend the night before at a nearby lodge. Depending on how far you wish or feel able to travel, you will be divided into groups of up to eight individuals, occasionally six. However, you should be aware that you will be trekking and that some physical effort will be required. This is neither a safari holiday, nor is it a journey across Nepal. Depending on which gorilla family you are assigned to, you might be trekking for an hour to eight hours in total, so discuss with your guides carefully.
Every morning, at daybreak, gorillas leave in quest of a new ‘nest’. the rumor of the day. proved to people. These may be anywhere from an hour to a five-hour trek away. You will be given the services of a porter to carry your daypack before you begin your walk. You may not believe you require it, but it is a critical source of income for men and women in local communities. They are also terrific company and will make your vacation more enjoyable, therefore don’t hesitate to support this fantastic tourism activity.
When you locate the gorilla family, you are instructed to remain silent and obedient. You can enter their world and witness them interact with each other, mother to kid and father to mother, utilizing barks, screeches, and grunts as they move around on all fours using the knuckle walking technique. Prepare for 60 minutes of intense stimulation, whatever they do.
The gorillas that may be followed in Rwanda and Uganda’s national parks have gone through a habituation procedure that can last up to two years, during which each family is gradually introduced to human presence so that they are not startled when a group of tourists comes. This is a very carefully regulated process, and it is not a training method in any manner. It is a gradual acclimatization process backed by revenues collected via the sale of tracking licenses. Some tour providers offer the opportunity to accompany the specialists on a day of habituation, giving you more time with the gorillas and a wilder experience.
Because you will only encounter gorillas once or twice, tour companies usually organize alternative activities such as chimp tracking or a typical safari during your gorilla watching trip. You won’t want to plan too much on the day of the gorilla hike since you’ll be fatigued, both emotionally and physically.
