Posts

Mountain Gorilla Safari

Mountain Gorilla Safari in Africa’s Rain Forests Part 2

/in /by

Mountain gorilla safari in Africa part 2

Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Which is the best destination for gorilla trekking?

Mountain gorilla safari in Africa can be difficult because the exact location of the mountain gorillas keeps shifting. The primates keep moving between the forests of Uganda, Rwanda and DRC. Tour operators select which tour based on the location of the gorilla population at the time of the safari. Tourists may find themselves trekking gorillas in either Uganda or Rwanda. Tour operators make the choice.

Primates keep moving within the parks. This causes mountain gorilla trekking to be a little tricky.

Mountain Gorilla Safari Family Group

Mountain Gorilla Safari Family Group

Price differences in mountain gorilla safari

The disadvantage of choosing Rwanda is that its gorilla permit costs $1500 per person. Uganda only charges $600 for the permit. And in terms of costs, different tours in Rwanda and Uganda can be competitive. So one can find deals in either of the countries. Even though tourists may be able to get a better deal in Uganda on gorilla permits, they may find a less expensive operator out of Rwanda. One advantage of trekking in Rwanda is that the park is located near the Airport.

The gorilla permits in Uganda and options of seeing other wildlife

The main advantage of trekking in Uganda is the cheaper gorilla permit and the ability to mix gorilla trekking with other wildlife tours. Tourists can combine a gorilla trekking safari with other options. Such as Lake Bunyonyi, which is also close to Bwindi Park game viewing in Queen Elizabeth. As well as Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National park, or bird viewing in Semliki. Included is mountain hiking on the Rwenzori Mountains and wildlife viewing in Murchison falls National Park.

The Distance in Driving and accessing the mountain gorillas

Travelers will find that Bwindi Forest National Park is not close to Entebbe International Airport, and this adds more expenses while traveling to the National Park in Uganda. Though the drive is long, it’s also scenic and gives good insights into the rural areas. The short drive in Rwanda is not as scenic as that of Uganda. For tourists who find the drive too long, then flying from Entebbe to Bwindi, and landing in the nearby towns of Kihihi and Kisoro is the best way to go. Aero link has the most affordable rates for domestic flights.

How to get to the mountain gorillas

Mountain gorillas are found deep within the forest in Uganda. The gorillas live in groups of about 10 to 20 individuals, with one silverback. Tourists trekking in Bwindi Park will find it more challenging as the mountain gorillas are not close to the entrance to the Park. Trekkers have to hike up a steep slope out of the forests to get back to their lodges or hotels. Eco tourists will find Rwanda‘s gorillas are close to the park entrance, which means shorter hikes. However, in Rwanda, trekkers can’t request a certain gorilla group to track, plus the group might shift inside the forest.

The political considerations as to which country to go to

Political stability is vital when deciding where to go gorilla trekking. This includes the local political conditions in the three countries and the availability of the gorilla permits.

Uganda is a stable and safe country after rebuilding itself after many years of conflict and unrest, especially in northern Uganda. Also traveling in southern part of the country is safe. Uganda as a whole is a peaceful country.

Rwanda is also politically stable, after recovering from the genocide that took place in the early 1990s. The Volcanoes National park is safe and well managed by Rwanda Development Board. Its gorilla permits are functional and effective.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo the civil wars and conflicts are still a problem. Tourists need to check safety conditions before visiting this country. Militant groups and the army are still fighting in the Virunga area, where the mountain gorillas are located. Poachers are also a big threat to the gorilla population, as well as the poverty of the people near the National park. This all leads to habitat destruction. Many advisory organizations consider this area too volatile for travelers and therefore recommend tourists avoid touring the DRC. Tourists need to check traveler’s warnings or check with local tour companies, who will have a good idea how safe it is. The DRC is considered safer than it has been in a long time, but caution is still needed.

How does a typical gorilla safari work

Finding and getting to the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat is not easy as people think, nor are the trekkers guaranteed to see them. The trek looking for mountain gorillas will take trekkers through very dense vegetation, and along the narrow trails with muddy, as well as steep slopes. Searching for the primates can take many hours since the mountain gorillas keep moving around in the thick undergrowth that shifts deep into the forest. Once the gorillas are found, they are wonderful to visitors since they are used to the human presence.

Beginning the gorilla safari

Tracking the mountain gorillas starts early in the morning. First driving to the boundary of the park for the general formalities, then proceeding to the ranger’s station. The safari cars are left behind at the ranger station and tourists walk from there. The group follows instructions of the local ranger through farmland and into the thick vegetation of Bwindi Forest National Park.

What to know about your mountain gorilla safari

A group of gorillas is called a whoop. The rangers will tell visitors about the family of the gorillas they are tracking. Rangers will also give visitors the history as well as in depth the knowledge about the mountain gorillas. The game rangers will trek to the site where the gorillas were seen the night before and then trace their movements from there to try to locate the present location of the gorillas. Gorillas are monitored daily which helps rangers track their location, safety and health. Tourists may spend 45 minutes to 8 hours of challenging search in order to find a family group of gorillas in the forest. When travelers finally get close to them, it is advised they remain silent as they observe these gentle giants. Guests will have a clear viewing platform and are invited to use cameras while with the gorillas.

The real gorilla encounter

The magical moments when a tourist is up to 7 meters (7 1/2 yards) close to these gentle apes lasts around an hour. Tourists will see primates as they feed, play, groom, parent and interact with each other. The similarities between the ways the gorillas behave, as well as relate to each other, is amazingly similar to how humans behave and interact. Seeing it up close brings the point home for most tourists.

After the gorilla encounter

Tourists will trek back to the ranger station after the hour spent with the gorillas. Travelers going back to the ranger station will get a chance to stop for the packed lunch and water. Upon reaching the ranger headquarters, the guide will drive tourists back to their lodging.

Differences in each gorilla safari

Gorilla tracking varies with each safari. The adventure might vary depending on local conditions like the weather, as well as movement of the mountain gorillas. Politics and other unexpected situations can also affect a safari.The mountain gorillas are wild animals and even though they are habituated to humans, their behavior can be erratic. The gorillas also have the freedom to move away from the human group, further into the bush. The movements of the mountain gorilla is not restricted, and if they move away, the ranger can’t do anything about it. Visitors should expect the unexpected while knowing that tour guides and rangers are very experienced and know how to handle each situation.

Submitted by Green World Safaris. Contact them to book a tour to go on a mountain gorilla safari. They are based out of Uganda but cover Rwanda as well as the DRC.

See Part 1 here: Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Africa

See Green World Safaris listing on this site here: Wildlife Safari

 

 

 

 

Mountain Gorilla trekking in Africa’s rain forests Part 1

/in , /by

Mountain Gorilla trekking in Africa’s Rain Forests takes place in their last remaining habitat in Central Africa. Mountain Gorillas are an endangered species and are only found in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This blog is part 1 in a series of 5 about all the ins and outs of gorilla trekking in Africa’s rain forests.

Going mountain gorilla trekking in the rain forests of Africa is a once in a lifetime experience that may be disappearing. National Geographic estimates there are 900 gorillas remaining in the world. The current varying estimates are between 780 to over 1,000. The mountain gorillas have lost a lot of their natural habitat for different reasons, including war.

The areas where mountain gorillas are found are heavily forested mountainous areas. The national parks where the tracking of these primates takes place include; Mgahinga National park, Bwindi Impenetrable National park, Volcanoes National park and Virunga National park.

Mountain Gorilla

mountain-gorilla

Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable & Mgahinga National Parks in Uganda

Bwindi Impenetrable National park has 13 gorilla groups and is located in southern Uganda. Three of the gorilla families are found in the Buhoma region of the park. The gorilla families are named Mubare, Rushegura, and Habinyanja. In the Rushaga region there are 4 gorilla families; Nshogi, Mishaya Businggwe, and Bweza. The Nkuringo family is located in the Nkuringo region. And there are 3 gorilla families in the Ruhinja sector; Oruzogo, Kyaguriro, and Buitukura gorilla families.

Bwindi forest is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s in this forest in south western Uganda that half of the mountain gorilla population lives.

Mgahinga National park has one gorilla family that is named Nyakagezi. The Nyakagezi family group moves between Uganda and Rwanda. For the last two years, the group has been staying in Uganda and includes silverbacks in their group. The park covers an area of 33km of thick montane and lowland rain forests. Because of the terrain, the Nyakagezi mountain gorilla family is a hard one for trekkers to access.

Mgahinga National park is located in the western part of Uganda. The Park borders Rwanda near Volcanoes National park as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo near the Virunga National park. Mgahinga National park is also the smallest park that forms part of the bigger Virunga Conservation.

In Uganda, these National Parks are managed by Uganda Wildlife Authority. Trekkers have to drive over 2 hours to get to both of these National parks. Tourists get the real picture of what this beautiful area looks like during the drive. Tourists can access this area more quickly by taking a domestic flights from Entebbe Airport by Aero Link to the Kayonza airstrip. From there it is a short drive to the National Parks.

Mountain Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National park (Rwanda)

Volcanoes National park covers an area of about 125km and is covered with the mountains and the six volcanoes. Because of this, Rwanda is called the land of a thousand hills. Around 480 gorillas are found along the border of the Virunga Conservation Area, which is in the Virunga Mountains. This is where primatologist Dian Fossey lived and worked with the mountain gorillas. Because of this the gorillas living here are more habituated to humans than any of the other mountain gorilla families. The national park has 10 gorilla families and these include, by name; the Susa, Karisimbi, the Sabyinyo, Agashya, Amahoro, Umubano, Hirwa, Kwitonda, Bwenge and the Ugenda gorilla family.

The National park is located in northern Rwanda and it is 80km away from the city of Kigali. Accessing this National Park is easier and quicker than getting to Bwindi Park in Uganda. The park is a 2 ½ hour drive from Kigali. A mini bus goes from Kigali to Rushengeri town, located at the park entrance. Taxis are also available to get visitors to the park from Kigali.

Tracking the gorillas in this national park is more popular than in Bwindi forest. The mountain gorillas in this area tend to move around less, so easier to track. Visibility and photo taking is much easier because of the open terrain in the bamboo forests that lets more light penetrate.

In Rwanda, the mountain gorilla permit lets visitors track a particular family. There are many dependent factors that decide which family group visitors are assigned. After a briefing about gorilla trekking, the tourists are divided into groups according to their fitness level and age, as well as the location of the gorilla family.

Mountain Gorilla trekking in Virunga National park in Democratic Republic of the Congo

Mountain gorilla tracking in the DRC is done in Virunga National park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The National Park borders both Rwanda and Uganda. Virunga National park covers an area of 7800km and is also home to about 200 of the mountain gorillas. The mountain gorillas live in the southern part of the Park. The Park is managed by the Congolese National Park authorities along with the institute Congolias pour La Conservation de la Nature (ICCN). The Africa Conservation Fund is also a partner. Ruthless attacks in the Park killed 10 gorillas, but their population has increased since the attack and is more stable now. The efforts of the rangers who live within Virunga National park has seen to that.

The National Park is 32km west of Goma, which is the capital city of North Kivu province. Transport from Goma to Virunga National park can be arranged with Virunga National park. The roads to the National Park are very bad and it’s best to travel with someone who knows the area. Another option would be a guided tour from Rwanda or Uganda since tourism infrastructure is not well developed in the DRC. The guided tour operators out of Uganda and Rwanda can find the best border crossings into the Democratic Republic of Congo and into the Park and take care of all the details.

Submitted by Green World Safaris. A tour company based out of Uganda but also doing tours in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. They specialize in Mountain Gorilla Trekking and can be contacted to arrange any of the tours mentioned above.

How Eco Tourism Has Saved the Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda

/in , , /by

How Eco Tourism Has Saved the Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda

According to the 2011 gorilla census, there are only 880 Mountain Gorillas left in the wild worldwide. Making it a critically endangered species of ape. Half of this population is found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in south western Uganda. The other half is found in the magnificent Virunga Mountain ranges. These are shared by Rwanda (Volcanoes National Park), Uganda (Mgahinga National Park) and Democratic Republic of Congo (Virunga National Park).

The mountain gorillas are endangered and at risk of extinction. There are many International and regional bodies working hard to protect the gorillas and their habitat. These include the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP), Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Rwanda Development Board and Gorilla Doctors, among others.

African Jungle Adventures in Rwanda and Uganda

Man is the main threat to the mountain gorilla population in Africa. This threat is through activities of poaching and encroachment to their habitat. Therefore, Eco tourism is the way forward towards the protection of the mountain gorillas in Rwanda through the following ways;

In the first instance, Volcanoes National park Rwanda today has 10 habituated gorilla groups available for ecotourism purposes. Mountain Gorilla trekking is the main tourist activity in the park. A maximum of 8 persons are allowed to visit each gorilla group per day. And tourists are only allowed to stay with the gorillas for a maximum of one hour. Man is a visitor in small groups for a short period of time. This promotes responsible travel and protects the gorillas and their natural setting.

Additionally, gorilla trekking rules have been put in place and clients are briefed before starting the trek. The rules aim at protecting the mountain gorillas and their habitat. These rules include;

  • Not to litter in the gorilla habitat
  • Not to make noise in the forest
  • Not to smoke, drink or eat near gorillas
  • No taking pictures with flash cameras
  • Keep distance of 7 meters from the gorillas
  • Not to touch the gorillas
  • Dig a hole in case you want to ease yourself and bury it after
  • Cover your mouth when coughing to avoid transmitting diseases to the gorillas.
  • If a person has flu or cough, they are not allowed to go gorilla trekking

Other tourist activities in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda include golden monkey tracking, adventurous hikes to Dian Fossey tombs and Iby’Iwacu cultural village tour. The latter is where tourists learn about the ways of life of the local people. Tourists also learn about their cultures and actively participate in local music, dance and drama.

Iby’Iwacu cultural village’s main object is to demonstrate the ways of life of Rwandese to tourists. The Rwandese earn a living from their activities. Through goats for gorilla project, tourists to Iby’wacu cultural village donate US $25-50 to purchase a goat for an ex-poacher’s families, thus saving the gorillas in Rwanda.

Many Eco-lodges and resorts have been constructed around Volcanoes National Park for nature lovers. Such lodges are constructed from local/natural materials such as volcanic stones, bamboo and wood to blend with the environment. Such Eco-lodges include Virunga Lodge, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge and Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge among others.

Through Eco-tourism around Volcanoes National Park, the local communities are sensitized about the value of gorilla tourism, and they directly benefit from gorilla tourism revenues. For example, during this year’s Kwita Izina (Gorilla Naming ceremony in Rwanda), Rwanda Development Board and Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund launched 12 classrooms at Gatebe Primary school. During the 2015 Kwita Izina ceremony, Bisate Learning centre in Musanze was launched and today has over 2300 students. Many other schools get support from eco-tourism revenues around the park. Additionally, the local communities are rewarded with medical centers and piped water from gorilla tourism revenues.

Furthermore, ex poachers have been employed in different sectors of tourism such as eco-lodges and in the park. Most porters and park rangers were ex-poachers, now fighting poaching and saving the Mountain Gorillas. Because they now benefit from the gorillas, they can no-longer go back to poaching, thus saving the mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda. How Eco Tourism Has Saved the Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda

This post was submitted by Paul Basudde, who works with African Jungle Adventures in Rwanda and Uganda.