Last-minute Bwindi gorilla safari booking

Last-minute Bwindi gorilla safari booking: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is the most famous gorilla trekking destination in the world. It has the highest mountain gorilla population as well as the mountain gorilla families that are open for visits. The 321 sq.km piece of land was gazetted in 1993 and has been divided into four sectors with each having mountain gorillas.

Last-minute gorilla safari booking to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is usually organized by tourists who are on a holiday or a short visit in the country but would love to leave after seeing endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. These safaris simply need a gorilla permit which is easier to get during the low season and a bit difficult in the high season on days when the permits sell out.

With a licensed local tour operator, a last-minute gorilla safari to Bwindi is always possible. They will be quick to check which gorilla sector has gorilla permits still available and also lodges that still have space. Tourists can contact Africa Adventure Vacations our consultants will be in a position to organize a perfect and memorable safari.

The cost of last-minute gorilla permits to Bwindi

The cost of gorilla permits for Bwindi stays the same for a given period of time and the prices are set by the Uganda Wildlife Authority which is a government body controlling and managing park activities. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park has gorilla trekking permits and habituation permits and each costs different.

A single gorilla trekking permit for Bwindi costs $800 for foreign non-residents, $700 for foreign residents, $500 Rest of Africa, and UGX300,000 citizens of East African Member States. A gorilla habituation permit costs $1500 for foreign non-residents, $1000 for foreign residents, and UGX750,000 citizens of East African Member States.

With only 4 gorilla habituation permits in the whole of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, we cannot guarantee that they will be available for tourists who do last-minute bookings, especially during the low season. Gorilla trekking permits may be available in the low season but tourists should know that they will have no choice but to trek in a sector that has gorilla permits.

Seeing mountain gorillas in Bwindi

Gorilla trekking and habituation are the only ways how tourists can see mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Trekking allows trekkers to be around the fully habituated mountain gorillas for 1 hour in all park sectors while habituation allows trekkers to be with semi-habituated mountain gorillas in Rushaga sector.

The day of visiting mountain gorillas starts very early with trekkers of the day moving to the sector headquarters of different sectors of the park. Here they gather and get a briefing from the rangers who teach the rules and regulations of the activities. Trekking is done by 8 people who are led by armed ranger guides while habituation is done by 4 people who are joined by rangers, researchers, and doctors.

Trekkers are driven to the starting points of the trek where they are left with the armed ranger guides to go into the jungle and search for where the mountain gorillas could be. The search for mountain gorillas in Bwindi takes 2 to 4 hours depending on the location of the apes and the speed of the trekkers.

While searching for the mountain gorillas, trekkers get to get some of the forest attractions which include mammals, primates, birds, and rare vegetation covers. Once the mountain gorillas are spotted, trekkers get to have time with them and they are able to learn about their habits, take photos, and record videos. For semi-habituated gorillas, trekkers take part in the activities that make these apes get used to the human presence around them.

The best time to visit Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

The Impenetrable Forest Tourists can have gorilla safaris in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park at any time of the year however the dry season is the best. June to September and December when the park is receiving little rainfall and plenty of sunshine is when tourists need to visit Bwindi. The trekking trails are dry and passable, the vegetation is short with nice views of gorillas, and roads leading to the park are in good condition.

Tourists can still have gorilla safaris in Bwindi during the rainy season of March to May and October to November. Those who travel in the rainy season will find the trekking trails muddy and slippery, the vegetation tall and thick and the roads leading to the park in poor conditions. Tourists who travel in the low season find the tour packages discounted since lodges reduce prices.

Accommodation on a last-minute gorilla safari in Bwindi

Tourists who are visiting Bwindi for gorilla safaris stay in accommodation facilities in the sector where they are going to trek gorillas. Each of the sectors has accommodation facilities of budget, mid-range, and luxury with tourists staying where they can afford. With last-minute gorilla booking, tourists can end up staying at accommodations, not of their choice if a preferred lodge is fully booked.

Lodges in Bwindi include Gorilla Leisure Lodge, Mahogany Springs Lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Lodge, Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge, Buhoma Lodge, Bweza Lodge, Four Gorillas Lodge, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla Heights Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Bakiga Lodge and Broadbill Forest Lodge among others.