Gorilla Trekking in Uganda: An Unparalleled Wildlife Experience

Where the Gold meets the Silver, Mgahinga National Park is a tiny slice of primate paradise, and the ultimate in Uganda Gorilla trekking.  We started out from our hotel early, it had taken us several bumpy hours to get here the night before our trek.  The terrain from the previous safari day changed drastically to what seemed like driving straight out of Africa and into an evergreen forest in Washington state.  As we snaked our way towards Kisoro, the warm, dusty East African air that had been blowing into our Land Cruiser became crisp, filtered, fresh air from the pine trees, as we ascending higher and higher in altitude.  The evergreens have been planted more recently than their indigenous counterparts, the foreign foliage helps with erosion and fairs well in this cooler climate.  Men climbed the steep sides of the hills that stretched up the road’s shoulder, dragging down trunks and placing them neatly in piles like Lincoln logs.  Deforestation is a popular economy stimulator in this region, another bonus to planting pines is their quick growth cycle, but it has created its own set of issues.  Driving through the tree line, I closed my eyes and filled my lungs with the fragrance of pine needles, transporting me to opening presents on a cold, snow white Christmas morning.  Opening my eyes again, I’m brought back to Africa, with her verdant terraced farmland, roadside shacks and beautiful brown babies, running barefoot next to the dirt road, waving as we roll by.

When you realize the value of all life, you dwell less on what is past and concentrate more on the preservation of the future.”

~ Dian Fossey

Uganda Gorilla Trekking

Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga National Park are the two regions in Uganda where you can find gorillas.  Which is the better trek?  I chose Mgahinga National Park for several reasons, the first being it is one of the smallest but visually stunning parks in the country.  Bwindi is a UNESCO site that boasts about half of the mountain gorilla population living within the impenetrable forest.  Mgahinga however, is a continuous mountain range from Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and within the Congo so there is part of a hike at which you can summit and be on all three countries at the same time!  Mgahinga may have less families of gorillas at the park, but in addition to the gorilla trek you can also hike to observe rare golden monkeys and the ability of doing both treks is not an option in Bwindi.

Bwindi I would say is the more popular choice for Uganda Gorilla trekking, mainly because there are more troops of gorillas but I preferred being in a smaller park, it felt even more remote and unique an experience.  Either trip you choose, there are limited permits to the national parks to help regulate the visitors and keep the animals safe.  These permits can be costly, but if you are looking for a more budget friendly option, Uganda has made their trekking permits much cheaper than their neighbors in Rwanda or Congo.

• A photographer tip: it is said that Bwindi has denser tree tops making it a little darker and may effect your visibility and photography however about half the population of mountain gorillas reside there so take these into consideration when planning your trip.
• A packing tip:  you will have to bring closed toed shoes, I brought hiking boots for this part of my trip and for a few other trekking trips while I was in Africa.  In addition, you’ll want long pants and a light long sleeved shirt, to avoid bugs, scraps and sunburn.  Make sure you have an outer waterproof layer, just in case of a quick African downpour!
• A travel tip:  you want to try and travel in the dry season, May to September or January to February.

We trudged through the thick vegetation, pulling thick vines and bamboo stalks from my eye level trying to keep up with the rangers who quietly float over the ferns.  The terrain is unforgiving and the sun begins to shoot through the brush above.  Gorillas on the move are looking for food and a place to relax, ignorant of the humans following in their footsteps and blissfully unaware of the ease of a worn path.  They shuffle quickly through the bushes, our group silent as we strained to hear the crunching of branches in the distance.  Then just ahead there was a massive sphere of ebony fuzz, coming more into focus the closer we came.  There were two adult males sitting in a small clearing under several trees, pulling seeds off of the leaves above, sitting and gnawing on the small offshoots.  When the sweet treats were out of arms reach, one of the Gorillas tugged on a low hanging branch, testing if it could hold his weight and swiftly flung his body effortlessly onto the branch.  He raised his strong arms above his head, grasping the next branch above and with a mighty jerk he yanked the piece of the tree from its trunk and jumped down to meet it on the forest floor.  They continued to eat the seeds from his new found snack and once finished, they trudged through the thicket.

Armed with machetes, the guards soon followed and we same up to another similar small clearing, this time with both families resting, eating and playing.  I sat on the wet, green, ground and observed in silence, stillness, my eyes teary.  The next hour was the most memorable moment in travel.  To see these animals in their day to day activities witnessing them behave more like people than creatures.  To know there are only a few hundred of these in the world and we are invited to be a small part of their afternoon is nothing short of magical.

We were giving strict instruction prior to our hike, no flash photography, no food or drinks, no sudden movements or running and with keeping a safe distance, no touching the Gorillas.  Most of the time we were told, they do not pay much attention to their voyeurs.  They are habituated to humans which means that even though they are used to seeing and being around people, they are still very much wild animals.  If you happen to peak their curiosity, listen to the rangers and they will instruct you on what to do.  Our group had a show off of a teenager doing somersaults in front of us and then posing on her side, laying with her head on her hand and modeling for us just a few feet away.  She came increasingly closer, and after moving back several times, she advanced to investigate.  Approaching right below my feet, I glanced at the guard next to me, nodding his head to say it was ok to stay where I was.  She reached her jet black, leathery hand up towards me and grabbed for my scarf!  Playing a brief game of tug of war, I glanced to the guard who motioned for me to pull back firmly and then step backwards.  She became uninterested as fast as she engaged and rolled back over to bother one of the sleeping males.

Gorillas of Uganda

A vanishing species, Gorillas are still seriously endangered.  From poaching to loosing their homes due to deforestation, these apes are only found in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo so it is imperative we have safe spaces for them to dwell, thrive and procreate.

There were 2 families eating and napping in the park the day we hiked, we were lucky enough to see 2 babies!  Female Gorillas only have a couple of babies in their lifetime so seeing a baby is a rewarding way to know they are growing their population.  The rangers and guards of the park go with you knowing the approximate location based on their morning monitoring.  Because there are hunters who look to kill these animals, the rangers and guides risk their lives every day to make sure you and the Gorillas are safe.  I did not however, feel unsafe at any point of our trip.  They are our closest cousins in the animal world with a 98.3% DNA match and they are an important part of biodiversity in African jungles making them worth protecting.

Visiting these Gorilla families with a permit, in a National park is a great opportunity to witness wildlife, employ locals, help to foster an endangered species AND be a responsible traveler.

Where to Stay 

Whether you decide to trek in Bwinid or Mgahinga they are both easily accessible from Bwindi Jungle Lodge so you can enjoy lakeside views in close proximity to the popular hikes and treks.  The lodge overlooks the lake, with small terraces and few mosquitos, it is the prime location to open your front door, let the fresh breezes blow over while you nap.

I’d highly recommend finding Moses who works at the property and ask him to take you out on the canoe.  One of his most precious possessions is his bird book, old and worn it depicts every bird in the area and he is more than happy to help you find egrets and kingfishers.  The Bwindi Jungle Lodge is a sustainable accommodation which dovetails perfectly with Uganda Gorilla trekking.

Thanks to Destination Jungle for coordinating my trek, they are phenomenal tour company and as always, my stories, opinions and photos are all my very own.