Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable National park
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable National park : Bwindi Impenetrable national park located in the southern -western Uganda. Bwindi covers 32000 where by it goes through two district on the end of the rift valley bordering D.R.C.
Bwindi National Park covers a total area on 321skm hence lying at an altitude of 1160ms to 260 above the sea level. The park was gazzetted in 1991 inoder to conserve the endangered mountain Gorillas and it was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its nature and the wild life species. Bwindi Impenetrable has 12o mammals species primates e.g. mt gorillas, and 350 birds species and butterflies plus the different tree spices.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable National park
Gorilla trekking is an activity that involves that hiking through dense forest in search of Gorillas.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park harbors the biggest number of mountain Gorillas which is over 400 mountain gorillas making trekking easy. It also has 19 habituated gorillas. Families which are grouped in to four sectors of the park e.g. Buhoma sector in the northern part of the park. Harbors 4 habituated gorillas families, Ruhija sector located in the eastern part harboring 4 gorillas families, Nkuringo sector in the southern part of the park harboring 3 gorillas families, Rushaga sector located a in the southern part harboring 8 gorillas families.
Gorilla trekking is done in the morning , the guide briefs you about the rules, regulation and is to be done while in the forest. After wards you are to be grouped into a group of 8people and given a a family gorillas to be trekked. The grouping of people is done at the headquarters before setting off to the forest. While going for gorilla trekking , you are grouped according to age, personal preference and physical fitness. This helps or makes it easy for the guide to allocate you with what you deserve like trekking gorillas that are in far places and those that are in the deep ends.
Gorilla trekking begins at around 8;30am with the guidance or leader who is a professional guide with all the trails of the forest . Trekking of the mountain gorillas takes about 1 to 3hrs depending on the location of the gorilla family and when found , you are allowed to spend one hour with them in their habitat having picture ,videos ,and learning their behaviors and lifestyle.
After the time has elapsed , you will trek back to the headquarters of the park where you began from. And after reaching at the head quarters , certificates are awarded showing that you participated in gorilla trekking and this certificate is known and recognized by Uganda Wild life Authority.
While trekking , you are advised to put on closed shoes, light clothes ,long pants or trousers ,long sleeved to avoid getting scratches and bites from insects according to the weather. They are supposed to be having a bag pack having water bottle plus a compass just incase.
Visitors who wish to do gorilla trekking are required to be having permits where by the one for the foreign non– residents is bought at800USD, for foreign resident is 700USD, East African Citizens pay 300000 SH per person . Note ,if u don’t have a permit you are not granted a chance of trekking . And tourists who do gorilla trekking have to be 15 and above years of age as governed by UWA.
Gorilla trekking is a year round activity where by its good in dry seasons . The first one runs from June to late September and the second one runs from December to the end of February these months are good for gorilla trekking .
Note if you have come across the allocated family of gorillas you are advised not to touch the Gorillas because they are harmful and the ranger has to give you instructions when to come nearer with the gorillas so as to get used to them .
