Bwindi gorilla trekking from Nairobi

Bwindi gorilla trekking from Nairobi: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a famous gorilla trekking destination in the southwestern part of Uganda. It was gazetted in 1993 to protect endangered mountain gorillas and currently, it has the highest population of these apes in the whole world. Over 23 mountain gorillas are living in the thick impenetrable forest of Bwindi in four sectors Ruhija, Buhoma, Rushaga, and Nkuringo.

Choosing to trek mountain gorillas of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park from Nairobi is the best thing to do. The park has several mountain gorillas to trek at a very affordable price compared to other national parks like Volcanoes of Rwanda. To trek the gorilla of Bwindi from Nairobi you simply need to use a local tour operator that can help in organizing a successful safari.

So many tour companies are in Uganda but we usually ask tourists to use those that are licensed and registered by the Uganda Tourism Board. To book with a local tour operator a safari to Bwindi, you need to tell them your travel budget, dates of travel, and number of people on the safari.

Gorilla trekking exercise in Bwindi

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi starts early in the morning at different sector headquarters. This is where all trekkers for the day gather for a briefing from the park authorities who teach the rules and regulations of trekking. At the briefing points, trekkers for the day are entertained through dance and drama by the locals of the community before going for the trekking activities.

Trekkers are grouped not exceeding 8 people and given armed ranger guides to lead them into the jungle. Those who have a lot of luggage can hire porters to help in carrying excess luggage at a very affordable fee. Trekkers drive with the team to the starting points of the trekking where they are left to head into the jungle.

Inside the jungle, armed ranger guides guide trekkers through a number of trekking trails searching for where the mountain gorillas could be. The activity takes 2 to 4 hours and trekkers finally see the mountain gorillas. Once spotted, trekkers are given 1 hour to be around the members, and this comes with an opportunity to learn about the habits.

While around the mountain gorillas, trekkers get to see the apes carry out different activities of the day like nesting, hunting, mating, breastfeeding, or playing to mention but a few. Trekkers are allowed to take photos, and record videos for future memories. Once trekking is done, trekkers are asked to move away from the mountain gorilla family and leave the jungle for the next destination or a drive to the lodge.

The cost of gorilla permits for tourists from Nairobi

Uganda Wildlife Authority sets the prices for gorilla trekking permits and sells them to tourists of four categories. From Nairobi Kenya, foreign non-residents get the gorilla trekking permits at $800, foreign residents at $700, the Rest of Africa at $500, and UGX300,000 citizens of East African Member States.

Tourists from Nairobi should know that even though Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is said to be home to the highest number of mountain gorilla families, the gorilla trekking permits sell out quickly. Tourists especially those intending to travel in the high season are advised to book their permits 3 to 4 months or even more in advance to avoid last-minute gorilla disappointments.

When to go for gorilla trekking in Bwindi?

Tourists from Nairobi are advised to carry out gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park during the driest months of the year. These occur from June to September and December to February a period when the park receives little rainfall and plenty of sunshine. The trekking trails are dry and easier to walk through which makes it easy for the trekkers to locate the mountain gorillas.

During the dry season, the vegetation is short and scattered giving clear views of the mountain gorillas and other forest attractions. The roads leading to the park are in good condition which allows tourists to access the areas on time. The rainy season can still be used to access Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

Tourists can still visit Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park during the rainy season from March to May and October to November. The park is open all throughout the year even during the rainy season. This period favors budget travelers who are looking for discounted accommodation facilities and also tour packages.

Tourists intending to travel should know that too much rainfall affects the activity. The trekking trails are muddy and slippery which affects the movement of the trekkers inside the jungle. The vegetation is tall with unclear views of the mountain gorillas and other forest attractions while the roads leading to the park are in poor condition.

Getting to Bwindi for mountain gorilla trekking from Nairobi

From Nairobi, tourists need to fly to Entebbe International Airport and then access Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park by air or road transport. Air transport is the quickest way to Bwindi whereby tourists take flights from Entebbe or Kajjansi Airstrip to Kisoro and Kihihi airstrips of Bwindi then to the sectors park.

By road transport, tourists take 9 to 10 hours to get to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. The journey from Entebbe goes through Kampala, Mpigi, Masaka, Lyantonde, Mbarara, Ntungamo, Kabale, or Kisoro to any of the sectors of Bwindi. The long journey comes with great views of different attractions along the way.