Types of Gorillas in Uganda

Introduction about the Types of Gorillas in Uganda

The types of gorillas in Uganda are mountain gorillas and these gorillas are major attractions in the country.

Gorillas in Uganda can be seen at anytime of the year and the places where they can be seen include Bwindi impenetrable forest national park inn south western Uganda and also Mgahinga national park.

Characteristics of mountain gorillas in Uganda include the following;

The gorillas live in high altitude in the forests at an altitude of about 1400 to 3800 meters.

The mountain gorillas in Uganda are black in color.

In appearance the mountain gorillas in Uganda are muscular with short arms, they have big nostrils and also thick fur. Their thick fur allows the gorillas to survive in the cold conditions in the high altitudes where they live.

Mountain gorillas are subspecies of the eastern gorillas which are found in the East and central rainforests in Africa.

Half the population of the world’s mountain gorillas can be seen in Uganda which makes it an exciting destination to visit.

Another characteristic of mountain gorillas is that they are 98% similar to humans. Gorillas have a life expectancy of about 35 years. When it comes to giving birth, the females give birth after a period of 9 months which is similar to that of humans.

Among the gorillas, a silverback is a dominant male that takes care of the rest of the group. Other male much younger gorillas are called black backs. There are different gorilla groups in Uganda and they are about 21 in the different sectors of Bwindi national park while Mgahinga national park has only 1 habituated group.

Mountain gorillas sleep in nests and these nests are good places for trackers in Uganda to find out the location of the gorillas during a gorillas trekking activity.

They feed on bamboo shoots, stems, fruits, roots among others. Mountain gorilla males weigh up to about 34 kg while the females can weigh about 18 kg.

There is so much which can be said about mountain gorillas in Uganda. However the best way to see these beautiful creatures and interact with them is during a gorilla trekking experience or habituation experience which takes place in Bwindi national park.

To be able to see the gorillas in Uganda, gorilla permits are issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) which also regulates other national parks around Uganda. The permits can be booked through a licensed tour operator.

Advance booking of gorilla permits in Uganda is encouraged especially for those planning on visiting the country during the months around June, July, August, September, October which are considered the best months to see the gorillas. Gorilla permits are usually sold out during these months.

The two locations where gorillas in Uganda can be seen during a tour include Bwindi national park and Mgahinga national park.

Gorillas in Bwindi national park

Gorillas in Bwindi national park can be seen during a tour to the south western part of the country where the park is located.

In Bwindi national park, gorillas can be seen inBuhoma sector in the northern part of Bwindi, Rushaga and Nkuringo sector in the southern part of Bwindi and Ruhija sector in the eastern part of Bwindi national park.

Gorilla permits for Bwindi national park cost 700 USD for foreign nonresidents, 600 USD for foreign residents and 250,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans. The amounts paid for a gorilla permit includes guide fees, park entrance fees and also community development contributions.

Briefing is done at the park headquarters in Bwindi national park before gorilla trekking. After a briefing, grouping of tourists is done as well as allocation of ranger guides to the different groups.

During the gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi national park, 1 hour is spent with the gorillas after finding them in the forest. This time can be used to observe the gorillas, take photos or record videos.

Gorilla habituation is another activity carried out in Bwindi national park. Habituation is done in Rushaga sector of the national park and involves introducing the gorillas to human presence in their natural habitat with the help of researchersas the tourists get to learn and observe the behavior of the gorillas.

A longer period of time is spent with the gorillas during gorilla habituation which takes about 4 hours. A permit for this experience costs 1500 USD for foreign nonresidents, 1000 USD for foreign residents and 750,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans.

Other activities to do around Bwindi national park include nature walks, hiking, bird watching and also cultural tours.

Bwindi national park can be accessed by road or by flight. Flights to Bwindi national park can be got from Entebbe international airport to Kisoro airstrip or Kihihi airstrip. The drive to Bwindi national park from Kampala takes about 8 to 9 hours using the Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara-Kabale route.

Gorillas in Mgahinga national park

Gorillas in Uganda can also be seen in Mgahinga national park which is also in the south western part of Uganda and is also a part of the Virunga conservation area.

The Nyakagezi group is the family of gorillas which can be seen in Mgahinga national park and the cost for seeing these gorillas is similar to that of gorilla trekking in Bwindi national park which is 700 USD for foreign nonresidents, 600 USD for foreign residents and 250,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans.

Golden monkeys can also be seen in Mgahinga national park as well as Mount Muhabura, Mount Sabinyo, Mount Gahinga. Activities done in the national park include gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking and habituation, hiking, bird watching and also cultural experiences with locals such as the batwa.

Mgahinga national park can be accessed by driving along the Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara-Kisoro route which takes about 9 to 10 hours and tourists can also access the national park from Rwanda via the Cyanika border. Flights to Mgahinga national park can be booked from Entebbe airport to Kisoro airstrip.

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