Trekking gorillas in Uganda on your wedding anniversary.

Spending your wedding anniversary trekking with gorillas in Uganda. Are you trying to find the finest places to go on a gorilla trek safari for your wedding anniversary and wondering what to anticipate in Uganda? If so, you are in the correct place since we will describe gorilla trekking, how to organize the anniversary, and how to keep costs down. Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi National Park are Uganda’s two national parks where gorilla trekking is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that has drawn many tourists throughout the years.

One of Uganda’s two gorilla trekking sites is Mgahinga National Park, the country’s smallest national park. The national park is conveniently accessible from both Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and it is situated in southwest Uganda near their borders. The Nyakagezi family is the only gorilla family in Mgahinga that is accessible for hiking all year round.

In addition to being less congested than Bwindi, Mgahinga offers a variety of additional activities, such as Golden Monkey trekking, bird viewing, the Batwa trail, which teaches about Batwa culture, and primate hikes through the park.

Similar to Mgahinga, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is situated in southwest Uganda and is the ideal location for your wedding anniversary celebration. With roughly 19 habituated gorilla groups available for hiking, Bwindi is home to half of the world’s remaining mountain gorilla population. There are distinct gorilla families in each of the four sectors that make up Bwindi: the Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo, and Rushaga sectors. You can trek with the following other gorilla families in Bwindi:

The Bitukura, Oruzongo, and Kyaguriro gorilla families are found in the Ruhija area.

The Habinyanja, Rushegura, and Mubare gorilla families are found in the Buhoma area.

The Nkuringo gorilla family is found in the Nkuringo sector.

The Gorilla families of the Busingye, Nshongi, Bweza, and Kahungye are found in the Rushaga area.

Permits for gorilla trekking

Obtaining a gorilla permit is the first step in planning a wedding anniversary. You can get the gorilla permit directly from the Uganda Wildlife Authority or through a reputable local tour company like us. Buying it from a tour operator is preferable because the procedure is easy and involves only a few steps. The first step is to get in touch with us and provide the names and dates you would want to use, as they appear on East African nationals’ passports or national identification documents.

We then verify that the gorilla permits are available for the dates you have selected, and you will be notified as soon as this is confirmed. Paying for the permit online is the next step. Make sure you pay using the company account rather than a personal bank account, and submit the whole cost for the gorilla permit. If payment is not received, no reservation will be issued.

A copy of the permit will be emailed to you as soon as we confirm payment and make the reservation. The price of a gorilla permit varies based on the type of visitor; non-resident foreigners pay $800, residents pay $700, and East African natives (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and South Sudan) pay 300,000 UGX.

In order to increase your chances of trekking the gorillas on your wedding anniversary, you should make reservations at least six months in advance of the dates you want to celebrate your wedding anniversary in either Mgahinga or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, as there are approximately 136 gorilla permits issued daily for both parks.

Uganda gorilla habituation

The process of studying gorillas for scientific objectives and to make sure the primates become accustomed to human presence is known as “gorilla habituation.” Only in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is gorilla habituation conducted. In contrast to the one hour spent on a typical gorilla walk, guests can spend up to four hours with the gorillas during the habituation process. The habituation permit costs $1500 per individual, which is higher than the regular permit.

Since gorillas are an endangered species, there are a few guidelines that must be adhered to both before and during the walk. These guidelines include the following:

Trekking with the gorillas is permitted for those who are at least 15 years old. Because those over 15 are considerably simpler to manage than those under 15, who are more likely to flee when gorillas approach, the minimum age limit was established. They also find it challenging to abide by all the guidelines.
It is recommended that you avoid eating or drinking while around the gorillas. This is because food scraps could easily fall to the ground, putting humans at danger of infection if the gorillas manage to get to them.

Make sure to turn off the camera flash before snapping pictures of the gorillas because flash photography is prohibited.
Because sunglasses reflect the gorillas and could give the impression that another gorilla is challenging them, it is also forbidden to wear them while around the gorillas.
Every day, groups of eight people are permitted to trek a gorilla family. This is to make sure that big crowds don’t interfere with the gorillas’ regular behavioral patterns.
Because gorillas are extremely prone to illness, offer to stay behind if you have a viral ailment, such as the flu or a cough.

Everyone should stay seven meters away from the gorillas.
To prevent disturbing the gorillas’ tranquility, refrain from making noise or moving around needlessly. You can also put your phones on flight mode or turn them off.
You must always keep the park clean, so when you leave, you must take all of your trash with you.
There are no restrooms, so ask the guide for a machete, dig a hole 30 cm deep away from the crowd, and cover it up when you’re done using it.

What to bring on a safari with gorillas

There is a packing list that will help you have a happy and comfortable wedding anniversary celebration with the gorillas in Uganda, in addition to packing whatever you believe you might need for the occasion.

You should bring the following essentials for the gorilla trek safari:

Ankle-length hiking boots that are comfortable, waterproof, and fit well to prevent foot blisters.
Bring warm, appropriate clothing for the hike. The finest shirts are long-sleeved ones since they keep you warm and shield you from insect bites and tree and branch cuts. For the trek, trousers are also suitable, but stay away from jeans. Additionally, steer clear of brightly colored clothing—black absorbs heat, while blue draws tsetse flies—and stick to neutral hues like brown, green, or khaki.

Some of these amenities are offered by the hotels, while others include wet wipes, biodegradable toilet paper, and personal toiletries like soap, sanitary towels, and toothpaste.
Use sunscreen to shield your skin from the sun and insect repellant to prevent mosquito bites.
devices such as binoculars and cameras. All required equipment, such as spare lenses, lens cleaners, batteries, and a tripod, should be included with the camera.

Whether traveling in the dry season (June to September and December to February) or the wet season (March to May and October to November), a warm sweater and waterproof rain gear are essential.
If at all possible, use thick socks to stay warm. To keep insects from climbing up your leg, trousers are typically tucked into socks.

To prevent scrapes on your hands when trekking, wear garden gloves.
These and gaiters are typically utilized in the rainy season.
There will be a first aid kit, a walking stick in case you need it, snacks, a daypack to help you carry all the luggage required on a trekking day, sandals for after the hike, and a refillable water bottle.

The price of a gorilla safari in Uganda

Due to the high cost of the gorilla permit, which is $800 per person per day and does not cover park entrance fees, lodging, personal purchases, or transportation, gorilla trekking in Uganda is regarded as one of the most costly safari activities. Prior to now, Uganda offered a low-season permit discount, but this is no longer the case. The following are a few variables that impact the gorilla safari’s price:

Travel season: There are two seasons in Uganda: the dry and the wet. Depending on which one you select, your chances of having a luxury or low-cost gorilla trek safari will be affected. A gorilla trek can be costly during the peak-season dry season, which runs from June to September and December to February.

Prices are raised because of the high volume of tourists. In contrast, fewer tourists visit during the rainy season, which runs from March to May and October to November. The majority of lodging establishments lower their prices in an effort to draw in more guests.

Accommodation type: There are three types of lodging available in the Mgahinga and Bwindi area: basic/budget, mid-range, and luxury. The cost of the safari will depend on the kind of lodging selected. Budget and mid-range lodging options are available for tourists on a tight budget, while luxury lodging options are available for those who wish to indulge.

The route to Mgahinga and Bwindi National Park

There are two methods to get to the national parks of Bwindi and Mgahinga, which are in the southwest of Uganda: by car or by airplane.

We provide fairly priced client transportation from Kampala using a fleet of well-maintained specialized safari vehicles. A knowledgeable and well-trained guide and drinking water are provided in the 4×4 safari cars. Keep in mind that this is the most popular way of transportation and that it takes 9 to 10 hours to go to the National Parks from Kampala.

It takes about four hours to travel from Rwanda to Mgahinga National Park via the Gatuna border, but you must have all of your documentation ready, and the simplest way to do this is to buy an East African Visa.

Every day, charter flights can be scheduled from Kajjansi Airstrip or Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro or Kihihi Airstrip. You will then be driven to the park headquarters in a 4×4 safari vehicle. To ensure that your dates fit the charter flight timetable, you must make your reservation in advance.

To sum up, gorilla trekking in Uganda is an amazing experience that will make your anniversary special, and we’ll make sure to assist you in planning your private safari. Get in touch with us to plan a stress-free safari if you have any more queries about going on a gorilla safari in Uganda or if you want to do it on your wedding anniversary.

Our friendly staff is here to assist you with any questions you may have at any time. To avoid missing out on the most thrilling activity in Uganda’s woods, begin organizing your wedding anniversary with the gorillas with us as soon as possible.

In addition to gorilla trekking, there are additional activities in Uganda that you can partake in during your wedding in various safari locations. These include game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, and Semuliki National Park; boat trips; white water rafting; and bungee jumping in Jinja along the River Nile.