Cheap gorilla trekking tours in Bwindi
Cheap gorilla trekking tours in Bwindi: Located in the southwestern part of the country, Bwindi gorilla park is one of the destinations where travelers can have cheap gorilla trekking tours all throughout the year. The national park harbors the highest population of mountain gorillas in the entire world and other mountain gorillas are seen in Mgahinga national park, Virunga national park, and volcanoes national park.
Cheap gorilla trekking tours in Bwindi are designed for those that have little money and would still want to encounter mountain gorillas said to be closest relatives to human beings in their natural habitats. Gorilla trekking is every person’s dream come true and most of the travelers think it’s an activity for the rich travelers which is not true.
Budget travelers can also visit Bwindi gorilla park and encounter the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitats by booking the normal gorilla trekking permits, budget accommodation facilities, and coming in a season where some of the services are on discount. Cheap gorilla trekking safaris in Bwindi are normally 2 days, and 3 days to reduce on the cost of food and accommodation since these depend on the number of days you spend in the park.
Cheap gorilla permits in Bwindi
The cheapest gorilla permits in Bwindi are the normal gorilla trekking permits. These permits are issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority and can be best got using a trusted local tour operator. Gorilla trekking permits do cost $700 for foreign non-residents, $700 for foreign residents, and UGX250,000 citizens of East Africa. Travelers most especially those intending to visit Bwindi in the high season of June to September and December to February are advised to book their gorilla trekking permits in advance of at least 3-4 months and this is done to avoid inconveniences or last-minute booking disappointments.
The cheapest way to get to Bwindi
The best way to get to Bwindi when coming for cheap gorilla safaris is by using road transport. Road transport to Bwindi can be from Kigali or Kampala/Entebbe. Travelers from Kigali get to Bwindi gorilla park in the shortest time which is 4-5 hours by crossing to Uganda using the Katuna birder in Kabale or Cyanika border in Kisoro and connecting to any of the sectors of the park. Travelers from Kampala/Entebbe will use Masaka, Mbarara, Ntungamo, Kabale, and Kisoro roads to connect to any of the gorilla trekking sectors. The road transport is long and takes some time but it’s very rewarding with great views of the surrounding areas and different stopovers.
stay at Buhoma Community haven lodge
Cheap accommodation in Bwindi gorilla park
Budget accommodation is what travelers going for cheap gorilla trekking tours in Bwindi gorilla park should use. Each of the sectors where gorilla trekking safaris in Bwindi are done has cheap accommodation facilities where travelers on cheap gorilla trekking safaris can stay for a night or more.
The cheap accommodations in Bwindi do include Broadbill Forest Camp, Buhoma Community Bandas, Bwindi Backpackers Lodge, Bwindi Forest Lodge, Bwindi Guest House, Wagtail Eco Safari Lodge, Banda View Bandas, CPTH Gorilla Conservation Camp, Mutanda Eco Community Center, Nshogi Camp, Ruhija Community Rest Camp, 3 Way Gorilla Resort, Ruhija Gorilla Friends Resort, and Virunga Campsite among others.
The gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi is done in all the sectors of the park at the different office headquarters is where the activity starts. Budget travelers and luxury travelers all gather here early in the morning from their lodges where they meet the park wardens. These teach them about the rules and regulations of the gorilla trekking activity, check permits if they are valid, group trekkers not exceeding 8, and get armed ranger guides to lead the trek.
Each group is allocated a gorilla family to trek and trekkers must follow armed ranger guides till they meet the mountain gorilla family assigned. The trekking activity takes you through different trails of the park where you meet different park mammals, primates, and birds before meeting the gorilla family.
The gorilla trekking can take 2-7 hours and the total time taken depends on the location of the mountain gorilla group and the speed of the trekkers. The moment the mountain gorilla family is located, the trekkers must keep the rules and regulations of the exercise as taught at the briefing centre. Ranger guides will give trekkers 1 hour to be around the mountain gorilla family watch the members do daily activities, take photos, and learn about their habits. Later they will trek out of the jungle, meet their drivers, and collect their trekking certificates.
Best time to have cheap gorilla tours in Bwindi
Cheap gorilla trekking tours in Bwindi can be done at any time of the year but the best time would be the rainy season. The rainy season occurs from March to May and October to November and it’s during this period that the lodges are very cheap and so travelers would enjoy huge discounts. Travelers should however note that in the rainy season, there is plenty of rainfall, the trekking trails are muddy and slippery, the vegetation is tall and thick giving unclear views of mountain gorillas, and the roads leading to the sectors of the park are in bad condition.
Travelers can still have cheap gorilla trekking safaris in Bwindi gorilla park in the dry season of June to September and December to February. During this season, there is little or no rainfall in the park, the trekking trails are dry and passable, vegetation is short and scattered giving good views of the mountain gorillas, photography is clear and the roads leading to the park are in good condition.
