Being the second largest continent, Africa proves the world that it is really a great continent being the only continent on earth to protect the rare endangered mountain gorillas which are resided in Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo.
It is estimated that Africa protects almost 1200 mountain gorillas which are found in four Parks of which Bwindi impenetrable forest national park has the highest number of the primates.
Bwindi has over 500 mountain gorillas almost half of the total, Uganda has two Parks which inhabit these primates of which the other Park is Mgahinga national park protecting over 100 mountain gorillas.
Virunga national park in Congo protects over 200 mountain gorillas and Volcanoes national park resides over 200 gorillas too.
In all these three countries, last minute gorilla trekking safaris can be organized only if you consult the best tour agencies such as the Nature Adventure Africa Safari Limited which prepares your tour there and then.
The Nature Adventure Africa Safari Limited prepares each type of safari you would like to have in any East African and Central African countries with Last minute safaris being inclusive.
The tour agency can be consulted via emails or a phone call of which after receiving your email requiring to visit the gorillas, it will immediately inform the boards governing that particular Park you would like to visit and will then book for you a gorilla permit plus hotel reservation and many more that may make your safari a great one.
After ensuring all those, the tour agency will return back to you and will send you an invoice for payments or you can still clear all your charges on your arrival though it is advisable to pay a certain amount of money as a deposit to confirm your safari with the tour agency such that you don’t get disappointments in your tour.
Your last minute gorilla safari can start from Volcanoes national Park in Rwanda of which you will have to get a flight which flies direct to Kigali international airport such as Rwanda Air flight.
On your arrival in Rwanda is when all your charges will be paid for the gorilla safari in Rwanda and then head to the Park. Volcanoes national park is a two and half hour drive from Kigali city (Rwanda’s capital) and the gorilla permit in Rwanda costs US$ 1500.
All roads from Kigali to the Park are in a very good condition and they are all tarmac thus the Park is easily accessed in whatever weather condition hence having a quick and luxury gorilla safari.
With us we can book your gorilla safaris in Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo that starts with briefings at the Park’s head offices which take place at 07:00am and then begin the tracking at 08:30am thus trekkers are advised to be punctual.
The beauty of the Park is made by its inhabitants which include Mountain gorillas, bush bucks, buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, spotted hyenas, black fronted duiker and a variety of bird species plus its five volcanoes which include; Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo.
The treks are done in groups of 8 individuals per each trekking group and trekkers are emphasized to stay with the primates for strictly one hour and maintain a distance of at least 7 meters while viewing the primates.
Golden monkeys can also be tracked in Volcanoes national park thus making your safari more joyous. Volcanoes national park is situated on the same conservation area with Mgahinga national park in Uganda and Virunga national park in Congo since it was one Park before it splinted into those three Parks and therefore you can access all the three Parks from any of which you will be in.
Therefore from Volcanoes national park, you can decide to either go to Virunga or Mgahinga however if you are to visit all the four Parks it is advisable to start with Virunga and then head to Uganda for the other two Parks of which you will start from Mgahinga which is near to Virunga and Volcanoes and then end with a visit to Bwindi which is also in the western parts of Uganda like Mgahinga though it (Bwindi) is not on the same conservation area with the other three Parks.
Virunga national park is found in northern parts of Congo and the Park has eight habituated gorilla families which you will enjoy their funny and impressive characters.
The young gorillas are always seen clinging onto the adult ones of which it is worthy a remembrance photo; therefore you are emphasized to always move with good cameras because flashlight cameras are prohibited to be used while taking photos.
Trekkers are highly asked to be calm and maintain maximum silence during the tracking such that you don’t scare the primates because if they hear too much noise when you are about to find them, they might run away thus taking you long to find them. A Congo gorilla permit costs US$ 400 a price cheaper than all the other three Parks inhabiting gorillas too.
Besides the rare endangered mountain gorillas, a trekker can also be able to track chimpanzees in the same Park and also view other wildlife species such as warthogs, buffaloes, Okapis and many more plus a sight to a myriad of bird species.
The Park is still the home to the most active Volcano (Nyamulagira) and also a home to a Volcano with the most violet and largest Lava Lake at the summits of which this Volcano is called Nyiragongo Volcano (two days of hiking).
A Nyiragongo Volcano hike permit is sold at US$ 300 of which all these permits will be reserved by the Nature Adventure Africa Safari Limited if consulted earlier.
From Virunga you can access Mgahinga national park and wait for the following morning to start your tracking since gorilla trekking takes place at 08:30am in the morning which requires a trekkers to be in the Park before that time, therefore if you access the Park exceeding that time you will wait for the next day.
In the morning, gorilla safaris resumes with briefings which start at 07:00am after a trekkers has had a cup of coffee from his or her camped shelter/lodge.
Mgahinga has one habituated gorilla family called Nyakagezi and being a small Park yet it protects the world’s rare endangered mountain gorillas it attracts various tourists to give it a visit and then enjoy over 100 mountain gorillas in the Park. Its mountainous landscape plus its inhabitants (primates such as mountain gorillas) also make the Park photogenic.
Your gorilla safari will then end in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park where you will be able to view these endangered primates in plenty since almost half of the world’s mountain gorillas are inhabited in this Park.
The Park has 14 habituated gorilla families and due to its large number of the primates, unlike other Parks, the tracking is done in four sectors of the Park of which all these sectors have different habituated gorilla families.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi takes place in Buhoma sector consisting of three gorilla families, Rushaga sector consisting of seven gorilla families, Ruhija sector with three gorilla families and the other gorilla family is found in Nkuringo sector.
This Park is by no doubt the most ideal for gorilla safari tours since trekkers get chances of viewing a variety of mountain gorillas and by luck trekkers in Buhoma sector will be able to view the tree climbing lions in Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national park since Ishasha is too close to Buhoma in Bwindi.
All the gorilla trekking Parks have good accommodations within for trekkers to live in such that they access the Parks earlier.
After your last gorilla safari tour in Bwindi, you can switch off back to Kampala for a flight back to your home however on the way from Bwindi to Kampala you will stop at the Equator and take some photos there after which you will head to Entebbe airport in Kampala but if you have enough time and you access Kampala earlier, you can still enjoy Kampala city tours where you will visit the Uganda museum, Buganda Kingdom’s palace in Mengo (Kampala) and many other attractive places in Kampala which will make your gorilla safari a memorable one.
