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Gorilla discovery is a safari tour and travel company based in Uganda, fully licensed to conduct safaris within Uganda and Rwanda. We offer several tours and safaris in Uganda including Gorilla Tours, wildlife adventures, mountaineering trips

A flying safari to Buhoma to trek mountain gorillas

A flying safari to Buhoma to trek mountain gorillas

A flying safari to Buhoma to trek mountain gorillas is a once in a lifetime safari that comes with memorable experiences. The safari is organized for luxury travelers and those who hate traveling long distances. Flights are usually from Entebbe International Airport and Kajjansi Airstrip to Kihihi Airstrip which is the closest airstrip to the park.

Buhoma is a sector in the northern sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park a home of mountain gorillas. The sector is the second to receive the highest number of trekkers because it has over 6 mountain gorilla families. Each family is fully habituated and open to mountain gorilla trekking activities at any time of the year.

On a flying safari to Buhoma sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park tourists have an opportunity to trek gorilla families Muyambi, Mubare, Katwe, Rushengura, Habinyanja, and Binyiindo. Each of these mountain gorilla families can be trekked by a maximum of 8 people on a day. Trekkers get to have a maximum of 1 hours around the members of each group.

Flights to Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Buhoma is one of the Bwindi sectors on the northern side of the park and tourists who want to fly can only use Kihihi airstrip. Different airline companies are available to transfer tourists to Buhoma for their gorilla trekking safari at any time of the year. Flights are organized by Aerolink Uganda, and Bar Aviation Uganda from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Kihihi Airstrip taking about 2 hours.

Gorilla trekking experience in Buhoma

On the day of gorilla trekking, all trekkers wake up very early in the morning and drive to Buhoma headquarters for a gathering. Tourists are entertained by the local dancers as they wait for all the trekkers of the day to arrive. The rangers teach the rules and regulations of the activity and group trekkers not exceeding 8 people.

Trekkers who need porters can get them at the briefing point at a very affordable fee to help them carry luggage inside the jungle. Armed ranger guides are given to each group to lead them into the jungle. The driver guides transfer trekkers to the starting point where they are left with the armed ranger guides to go into the jungle and search for the mountain gorillas.

Inside the jungle, different trekking trails are used to search for the mountain gorillas, and as the search is going on the trekkers are able to meet some of the attractions of the park laming which include mammals, primates, and birds. The search for a mountain gorilla family takes 2 to 4 hours depending on the nature of the trekking trails, and the speed of the trekkers.

Seeing endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi is a must and the moment the trekkers spot the mountain gorillas they are given 1 hour to be around them. Trekkers are free to ask rangers any questions about the gorillas and they are able to learn about their habits. While around the mountain gorillas, trekkers are allowed to take photos and record videos for future memories.

What is the cost of a gorilla trekking permit for Buhoma?

Gorilla trekking permits cost the same price in all sectors of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. Each gorilla trekking permit costs $800 for foreign non-residents, $700 for foreign residents, $500 Rest of Africa and UGX300,000 citizens of East African member states. Uganda Wildlife Authority is the only government agency that sells gorilla trekking permits to anyone who would love to visit them in the wild.

Tourists who are looking at trekking mountain gorillas of Buhoma are advised to purchase their trekking permits in advance of 3 to 4 months to avoid last-minute booking disappointments. There are only 6 mountain gorilla families in Bwindi which are few compared to the number of people that are interested in trekking every day.

When is the best time to fly to Buhoma for mountain gorilla trekking?

Tourists who are interested in visiting Buhoma for mountain gorilla trekking can fly there at any time of the year. The dry season in June to September and December to February is however the best time to fly to the park. These months have the best weather which is characterized by little rainfall and plenty of sunshine.

Tourists who will fly to Buhoma during the dry season will find the trekking trails dry and easier to walk through, the vegetation is short and scattered with good views of the mountain gorillas, and roads leading to the park are in good condition. The weather in the dry season favors flight at any time of the day.

Tourists who find time in the rainy season March to May and October to November can still fly to Buhoma to trek mountain gorillas. These months are characterized by plenty of rainfall and little sunshine which in most cases affects the gorilla trekking experience. The trekking trails are muddy and slippery making the trekkers take longer to locate the gorillas.

In the rainy season, the vegetation grows at a very high speed and this leads to unclear views of mountain gorillas and other forest attractions. The roads from the airstrip to the lodge and the lodge to the park tend to be muddy if it rains heavily and some cars get stuck in the mud causing traffic. If the weather is very bad, it might cause delays in flights to Kihihi airstrip.