Is it safe to visit gorillas in Uganda?
Is it safe to visit gorillas in Uganda? Are you intending to travel to Uganda for gorilla trekking safari in African Wildness? Are you concerned about your safety when it comes to visiting gorillas in Uganda? , you need not think a lot, here we are giving you the update of the safety of visiting Gorillas in Uganda.
In Uganda, the endangered mountain gorillas for an important tourist attraction which has attracted several tourists who flock to Uganda for gorilla trekking activity and gorilla habituation process. Uganda is the only country in Africa with the highest number of endangered Mountain gorillas. The mountain gorillas in Uganda can trek in two national parks of Bwindi and Mgahinga.
Because of the availability of numerous gorillas families in Uganda, it has become cheaper for travelers to see gorillas in Uganda parks as compared to the cost of seeing gorillas in Rwanda.
Regarding the safety of seeing gorillas in Uganda, there no doubt, it is safe to visit gorillas in Uganda Africa where you can go see gorillas without any harm or disturbances. For over 22 years now, Uganda has not had any incidences of security happening at gorillas homes in Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks.
Both Bwindi and Mgahinga National parks where gorillas can be seen in Uganda have been given much treasure and attention by the government of Uganda because of the revenue they generated through gorilla tourism. As a result, the government has stepped up the safety and security of travelers coming to these parks for mountain gorillas.
The safety of seeing mountain gorillas in Bwindi and Mgahinga National park is everyone’s priority since the parks harbor more than half of the total remaining gorillas in the world. To maintain and improve the safety of gorillas and trekkers, the government has established a military-backed up police and rangers within the parks in addition to the introduction of a police section dubbed as Tourism police.
All these security personnel within the park are professionally trained and well equipped and motivated to keep the national parks safe for the visitors either from lawbreakers or attacks from wild animals. There are different animals in Bwindi and Mgahinga such as chimpanzees, buffaloes, baboons which are not habituated and thus can become hostile to you as trekker if not well guarded and safely protected.
Additionally, there are frequent border patrols conducted by the Uganda Peoples Congress to ensure that no rebel activity is carried out within Uganda territory. Without proper patrol, rebels would take advantage of forested parks and sneak in from neighboring countries especially the Democratic Republic of Congo that is affected by instabilities some times.
As part of ensuring safety measures, communities adjacent to Bwindi and Mgahinga National parks are organized into security committees, and all safety concerns of the park and the surrounding areas. Communities are very important in managing safety issues because they can easily report any suspicious issues that would affect or threaten the safety of travelers.
It is important to note the gorilla trekking in Uganda happens forested parks of Mgahinga and Bwindi Impenetrable that are forested featuring bamboo species. This makes trekkers navigate via this forested parks in search of habituated gorilla families. You will be put in a group of 8 persons and you will be assigned by ranger guides and trackers who are armed with guns to safeguard you in case of any threat. You will as well be directed on which trails to use and what you should do while on a search for gorillas.