Going on a gorilla safari must rank as one of the best wildlife
experiences left in the natural world.
Many people describe it as an overwhelming and awe-inspiring
experience and worth every penny they spent on making it happen.
But it doesn't necessarily have to cost the earth.
You can organise and plan your own trek far cheaper than it
would cost if you used a safari company as they need to work
through the applicable wildlife authorities in each country to
obtain gorilla permits anyway and you can do the same if you
know how.
The trade-off is that it will be more inconvenient for you
because you will need to organise all the logistics yourself
whereas with a gorilla safari company you just turn up and go
along for the ride.
If you are a do-it-yourself traveller, here is what you need to
know to make it possible and save yourself some money...
Where to Find the Gorillas
Mountain gorillas are highly endangered and there are isolated
pockets of them left in Uganda, Rwanda and the Congo. It's
estimated that there are less than 650 mountain gorilla left in
the world.
Travel to the Congo is considered risky because of the political
and military instabilities that exist there but Uganda and
Rwanda are perfect for a gorilla safari.
Your chances of seeing the gorillas are excellent in both Uganda
and Rwanda because they are tracked each day by experienced
trackers so their locations are known down to the last 24 hours.
It's possible but quite rare for visitors not to see the
gorillas.
In Uganda the big apes live in the Bwindi National Park and in
Rwanda they can be found at the Volcanoes National Park.
There are three habituated gorilla groups in the Bwindi forest
and a total of eighteen permits are issued every day at six per
group.
In Rwanda there are four habituated gorilla groups and eight
permits are issued per group bringing the total per day to
thirty two.
There are some simple rules that apply when visiting these great
apes: Don't go if you are sick because you might infect them and
they are very susceptible to human diseases, no flash
photography, maintain a seven metre distance, don't eat or drink
around them and each group can stay for a maximum of one hour.
Best Time to Go on a Gorilla Safari
Bwindi is a rainforest so you can expect precipitation most of
the year with the heaviest rains occurring in March - April and
September - November while other months are reasonably dry.
Annual precipitation is between 1130 mm and 2390 mm.
The annual temperature ranges between 7-20 degrees c with the
coldest period between June- July.
The climate in the Volcanoes National Park is changeable and you
can generally expect both sun and rainfall during the day. At
1,700m above sea level it is generally quite cold particularly
in the evening so warm clothing is advised.
The park receives a high amount of rainfall, over 70 inches
(1,800 mm) per year and daytime temperatures average about 70°F
(21°C). The dry season occurs mid-June-September and
December-March.
Rain is an inconvenience on a gorilla safari but it's not an
insurmountable obstacle. Just make sure that you take a good
pair of hiking boots with you because it can become very muddy
and some parts are pretty steep which can cause you to slip.
Travel and Accommodation
Bwindi in Uganda can be reached from QENP in the north (2-3
hours), from Kabale to the south (1-2 hours), or from Kampala
via Mbarara (6-8 hours). The roads meet at Butogota, 17km from
the Buhoma entrance gate.
Two up-market tented camps, a lodge, community-run budget rooms
and camping are available near the Buhoma entrance gate for
accommodation the night before the gorilla safari.
In Rwanda the day before the gorilla trek you can take a 2 USD
minibus to Ruhengeri (2 hours) or a 2 USD Virunga or Okapi bus
from Kigale. Buses leave every hour (on the hour) from near the
gare routière/bus station. If you want to leave early in the
morning from Kigale it might be a good idea to buy a ticket the
day before, but if you leave in the afternoon, you might buy a
ticket in the morning.
In Ruhengeri you can stay at any of the decent guesthouses
ranging from Home d'Accueil at 5USD, to Muhabura which is clean
with private bathroom at 20USD. The expensive Gorillas nest is
at Kinigi, a taxi car drive out of town.
|
