With Budget Gorilla Trekking, it is possible to book budget gorilla tours in Africa. In the whole world, there are only three countries in Africa where you can trek the might mountain gorillas including Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. In Uganda, gorilla budget tours are conducted in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks. In Rwanda, these are conducted in Volcanoes National Park and in DR Congo; these are conducted in Virunga National Park.
A budget gorilla safari in Uganda can be combined with Lake Bunyonyi which is close to Bwindi forest, game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park, chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest National Park, bird watching in Semuliki National Park, mountain climbing on the Mount Rwenzori as wildlife viewing and boat cruise in Murchison falls National Park. However, you can further combine it with gorilla trekking in Virunga National park and Volcanoes National park according to your budget.
The main advantage of trekking mountain gorilla in Uganda is because of the cheap gorilla permits for both high and low season. A gorilla permit in Uganda costs $600 per person in the high season from June to September and from December to February and a gorilla permit for the low season costs $450 per person in the months of April, May and November. Rwanda gorilla permits were increased from $750 to $1500 per person. DR Congo gorilla permits cost $400 per person.
The main reason for visiting Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and this magnificent part of Uganda is to see and experience time with the endangered mountain gorillas. The park is located far away from Entebbe international airport which is like 8 – 9 hours’ drive and this adds more travelling costs on the side of Uganda but this however it’s scenic journey that offers great insights and attraction alongside other national parks including Lake Mburo and Queen Elizabeth National Parks for game viewing and launch trips on the lakes.
But the short drive in Rwanda is not as scenic as that of Uganda though the visitors can easily access the park with a short of 2 hours. But in case you find the long drive devastating, then you can fly from Entebbe to Bwindi and land in the nearby towns of Kisoro or Kihihi, you can fly with Aero link because it has got cheap and affordable rates that can facilitate these domestic flights.
Known worldwide, Bwindi forest is one of the richest ecosystems in Africa and the diversity of species is a feature of the park. The park provides habitat for some 120 species of mammals, 346 species of birds, 202 species of butterflies, 163 species of trees, 100 species of ferns, 27 species of frogs, chameleons, geckos and many endangered species.
Tracking endangered mountain gorillas remains one of the undisputed highlights of any visit to Africa. Meeting these gentle giants deep in the African rain forests can only be described as an emotionally overwhelming and awe-inspiring experience. This awesome experience commences early in the morning after your early breakfast and transfer to the park headquarters for general formalities before continuing to the ranger’s station. The safari cars are left at the starting point of your gorilla tracking starting point.
Rangers will always tell you about the specific family of the mountain gorillas you are to trek to the real site where the gorillas were seen the previous day and will then trace their movements from there to locate them for the visitors. These gorillas are also monitored daily which helps to keep tracking of their locale, healthy as well as safety. This great search of the mountain gorillas can last many hours since they move around in the thick undergrowth shifting deeper into the forest at most of the times.
Immediately after spending 2 to 8 hours of hiking and searching mountain along the muddy tracks. You will be grateful to come face to face with a family group of mountain gorillas within the forest. Once these are trekked and found, you remain silent and keep a distance of 7metres as you keep your cameras active ready to capture photos and videos of these incredible creatures. You will observe and watch them play, eat, sleep, swinging on branches of trees as the one hour passes by.
The Batwa experience in Bwindi forest rewards you the best cultural experience as you learn all about the local communities and how they thrive in this area in Uganda. The Batwa were forest people who lived peacefully alongside the Mountain Gorillas and Chimpanzees in Bwindi and the surrounding forests. When Bwindi Impenetrable Forest was gazetted as a national park in 1991 the Batwa were evicted from the forest, having to leave their old lives and traditions and integrate into the surrounding villages. The Batwa experience takes you back in time, let the Batwa guide you through the forest, teach you about the plants and their uses, show you the homes they used to live in, how they hunted and survived in the forest.
However this is not the only must do activity in the area. Hike through real, rural Uganda, bird watching in Bwindi and the surrounding pocket forests, canoe across stunning lakes surrounded by volcanoes.
