Gorilla Trekking Tours For A Solo Traveler

Gorilla Trekking tours for a solo traveler

Gorilla Trekking tours for a solo traveler.  

Gorilla Trekking tours for a solo traveler : If you want to go gorilla trekking safari in Africa but you’re going to be on your own, this guide to Uganda will help you out. Rwanda Where better to get one of the greatest gorilla trekking guides than in Africa? Many people choose to visit Africa in order to participate in the once-in-a-lifetime activity of gorilla trekking safari. Watching gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda, or the Congo is one of the best wildlife safari experiences most traveler would do on their safari, despite the high expenses, time, and discomfort from booking to doing the safari through the forest to hunt for these endangered apes.

Gorilla trekking safari is a physically demanding activity that needs you to go through the jungle, through rivers and marshes, and through thick vegetation in order to find the endangered mountain gorilla. In Rwanda, Uganda, and the Congo, you may go on a gorilla trekking safari and spend an hour observing these incredible animals in their natural habitat. Visit Bwindi Forest for a Gorilla Habituation experience, which allows you 4 hours encounter with the gorillas in their natural habitat, if you’re a lone or solo traveler who wants to spend more time with the gorillas in their natural home.

Where is Gorilla Trekking Done in Africa?

The last remaining mountain gorillas may be found in only three national parks. That is in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Rwanda’s Volcanoes, and Congo’s Virunga are just a few examples. Kahuzi Beiga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is where you can find Lowland gorillas. In order to go gorilla trekking safari in any of the aforementioned national parks, you will need to obtain a gorilla permit. Given that services and permits sell out quickly, especially if you plan to do the trek during the peak season of June to September, it is always better to book at least 5 months in advance of travelling to ensure you get the dates and location you want for your gorilla adventure. Booking a Gorilla Trek in any of the aforementioned parks is possible either independently or through a reputable Tour Operator.

Cost and Getting Gorilla permits in Uganda

Permits to visit Uganda’s national parks, including Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, cost $700 for non-Ugandan citizens, $ 600 for Ugandan citizens, and 250,000 UGX for citizens of neighboring East Africa citizens. The 136 daily licenses for gorilla trekking in Uganda are distributed among the country’s 17 habituated gorilla family groups (16 in Bwindi and 1 in Mgahinga). A gorilla habituation permit costs $1500 per person and allows you to spend 4 hours encountering the semi-habituated mountain gorillas under the guidance of trackers and researchers, as opposed to the standard trekking time of 1 hour. This safari experience is only available in Bwindi forest, where gorilla trekking takes place. You can book your gorilla permit from the Uganda Wildlife Authority or with a reputable Ugandan tour company.

To spend one hour in close proximity to the mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park requires a permit that costs $1500 per foreigner per trek, $500 per foreign resident, and $200 for citizens of East Africa. Due of the large number of gorilla families (12) in Rwanda, only 96 permits per day are made available for gorilla trekking at Volcanoes National Park. Gorilla permits in Rwanda can be obtained either directly from the Rwanda Development Board or through a reputable Rwandan tour company with us.

gorilla trekking for solo traveler

Cost and Getting Gorilla Permits in DR Congo.

Virunga National Park is where you’ll go if you want to see Mountain Gorillas, while Kahuzi Beiga National Park is where you’ll see Lowland Gorillas. Permits to visit the mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park cost $450 per person, per trek, during the park’s peak season (mid-December to mid-March and mid-June to mid-October), and $200 during the park’s low season (mid-March to mid-May and mid-October to mid-December). Kahuzi Beiga National Park charges $450 for non-African citizens, $200 for East African citizens, and $20 for citizens of the country of residence for a gorilla permit. Permits to see the mountain gorillas of the Congo can be obtained either directly from Virunga National Park or through a reputable tour company with us.

Note that the cost of your gorilla permit does not cover accommodation, transportation, meals, or other incidental costs; check with your tour operator for specifics on the package you’re purchasing.

What is the age limit for Gorilla Trekking in Africa?

Gorilla trekking has a minimum age requirement of 15, up to and including 85 years old (depending on the individual’s degree of fitness). Sedan chair carriers have made gorilla trekking accessible to the elderly, particularly in Bwindi forest; these chairs are used to transport people who are physically unable to walk into the forest at the time of their trek; you will be transported to and from the forest by potters; hiring the sedan chair can be done in advance or on the day of the trek; the cost is 300 USD.

Gorilla permit cancellation penalties and policy in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo.

A gorilla permit is necessary for a solo traveler to go gorilla trekking, and it is customary to allow the person who books the permit to use it for the scheduled period of time. When you fail to show up within zero to eight days of your scheduled gorilla expedition, you will not be refunded for your permits in Uganda, Rwanda, or the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

What is the best time for Gorilla Trekking in Africa?

The best time to go gorilla trekking in Africa is during the drier months of January, February, June, and early September, when the park is more accessible and the gorillas can be seen more clearly because the vegetation cover is not too high grown. 

What to pack for Gorilla Trekking for a solo traveler.

You should wear sturdy, comfortable shoes or boots on your gorilla trekking expedition.  When it rains, the forest usually becomes extremely muddy. There may be some steep and laborious ascents.  Wear a long-sleeved cotton shirt and lightweight long pants to protect yourself against stinging nettles and biting ants in the bush.  What to Bring on a Gorilla Trek;

  • Insect Repellent.
  • Flashlight or Torch – with Extra Batteries.
  • Wet Wipes /Masks.
  • Hydration Packet.
  • Camera equipment (lenses, etc.).
  • Comfortable walking/hiking boots & socks.
  • Gardening gloves for gorilla tracking.
  • Sandals/strops/walking shoes.
  • Hat and Sunscreen.
  • Waterproof coat.
  • Sweater or Fleece.
  • Binoculars (game/bird watching).
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