Bwindi Gorilla Trekking from Kigali in Rwanda

Ultimate Guide for Gorilla Trekking in Uganda from Kigali

Below are some of the highlighted benefits of booking gorilla tours from Kigali.

Benefits of Booking Gorilla Tours from Kigali

Why book Kigali to Bwindi gorilla trekking?

Booking Uganda gorilla tours from Kigali will save you a lot. If you are visiting Bwindi or any other Southern Uganda destination then booking your trip this way will still help you a lot.

Its much easier to transfer from Kigali to Southern Uganda then from Entebbe. Below is list down some of the major benefits of starting your gorilla tours from Rwanda.

Save Money: Uganda gorilla tours from Kigali is way much cheaper than starting from Entebbe or Kampala. You can arrive and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park on the same day just like you can trek gorillas in Bwindi and transfer to Kigali for departure on the same day.

If you choose to start from Kampala, you will have to spend money on accommodation for the first and last night of your safari.

The Uganda gorilla trek cost is also friendly. Instead of blowing $1500 on Rwandan permits, you will spend $800 on each Ugandan permit.

Short Drive: It is about a four to five hours drive from Kigali in Rwanda to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. If it wasn’t for the fact that Rwanda limits driving speed form 40-60 kilometers per hour, it would have been a three hours drive.

The journey is approximately 176.8 kilometers, almost thrice shorter the distance from Entebbe to Bwindi.

Please also note that the border does not close. You can even arrive at 6PM and transfer to Bwindi on the same day.

Shorter Trips: The short distance makes it easy to carry out shorter trips. You can even visit Bwindi in two days; you arrive in Kigali and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest on day one then trek gorillas and transfer back to Kigali for departure on the second day.

However, we recommend staying for at least two nights in Bwindi. Three to four day Bwindi tours are awesome.

Save on Flights with Rwandair: Rwanda has their own airlines called Rwandair. Visit their website and check out their routes and prices.

You could chance cheap fares and save some money. Some routes are direct with no stopovers hence, less traveling time.

Visit the Kigali Genocide Monument: The Kigali genocide monument is a must visit for all clients who arrive in Kigali.

This landmark paints the dark history of Rwanda on your face. You will get to learn a lot about the 1994 Rwandan Genocide:- how it started, what caused it and how it stopped. The Kigali Genocide Audio Experience costs $25 per person and makes your experiential tour even more better.

The visit takes about two hours hence, you have to make sure you are at the entrance by 12:00 am as the closing time is 4pm (EAT).

Distance from Kigali to Bwindi

Transferring from Kigali to Bwindi is approximately 176.8 kilometers, about four to five hours of driving.

This journey could have taken less time if it wasn’t for Rwanda’s low driving speed limit. Please note that there are no direct flights from Kigali to Bwindi. You can only travel by road.

Choosing Uganda Gorilla Safaris from Rwanda

Opting for Uganda gorilla tours from Kigali is the best decision you can make; especially for shorter gorilla trips.

On this website, we specialize in offering such trips hence, guarantee the very best of your adventure.

We can make this trip a reality to you at very affordable and discounted costs.

Just like mentioned earlier and above, if you book a trip that lasts for twelve days or more or rather travel in a group of eight tourists, we shall offer you a free Uganda gorilla permit worth $800.

To claim a free Rwanda permit, you have to book in a group of eleven people or more. Contact us now for Bwindi gorilla tours from Kigali.

About Gorilla Trekking in Africa

Uganda is one of the countries in East Africa that are inhabited by mountain gorillas and therefore supports gorilla trekking tours in some of its thick tropical rain-forests. Gorilla trekking safaris are done in the southwest of Uganda in strictly two Ugandan national parks – Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park offers extraordinary gorilla trekking tours in its isolated sectors – Rushaga, Nkuringo, Ruhija and Buhoma sectors. All these sectors are inhabited by habituated gorillas that are comfortable with human beings in their habitat. The different gorilla sectors have various gorilla families.

The Four Trailheads of Bwindi (Gorilla trekking sectors)

The four trail heads (gorilla trekking sectors) of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park include; Rushaga sector (South of Bwindi), Nkuringo sector (West of Bwindi), Ruhija sector (East of Bwindi) and Buhoma sector (North of Bwindi).

• Rushaga gorilla sector. This sector is made-up of 8 gorilla families. It is located in the South of Bwindi forest and gorilla families.
• Nkuringo Gorilla sector. Nkuringo is also located in the southern part of Bwindi impenetrable national park and is made-up of four different families scattered in its thick rainforests.
• Ruhija gorilla sector. Ruhija is located in the eastern part and is made-up of four different exciting gorilla families that visitors enjoy to encounter in the tropical rainforests of Bwindi. Ruhija has four families.
• Buhoma Sector. This is the most popular sector, situated in the northern part of Bwindi impenetrable forest and thus the most accessible for visitors from the northern direction. The sector is made-up of five gorilla groups that can be tracked by visitors in the forest.

It is important to note that all these families are habituated though there are other non habituated gorillas in the jungle of Bwindi extending southwards to the Virunga massif. Therefore, it is important for visitors to be accompanied by Rangers as they trek gorillas to avoid running into non habituated gorillas that are not familiar with human beings and could possibly see them as a threat.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has over 18 gorilla families and groups. Mountain gorillas are descendants of ancestral monkeys and apes found in Africa and Arabian continents from the start of Oligocene (24-34 million years ago). They are one of the rare and critically endangered primate species found in the world.

It was 9 million years ago that this group of primates later evolved into gorillas, originating from common ancestors with humans and chimps. This is when the genus ‘gorillas’ came up.

Mountain Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park (Virunga Conservation Area)

Mgahinga National Park is one of the areas inhabited by the mountain gorillas, staying on the slopes of the three of the 8 dormant Virunga Volcano Mountains which are Gahinga, Sabyinyo and Muhabura. The gorilla family here inhabits the slopes of these volcanoes that are forested and that is where they can be trekked well from.

Mgahinga National Park sits on an area of 33 square kilometers in the southwestern part of Uganda and is comprised of 1 habituated gorilla family known as Nyagakezi. The welcoming Nyakagezi gorilla family is comprised of 11 members and with 3 silverbacks including Mark, Matthew and Mafia. They are responsible for migration patterns in the forests, feeding and offering full time protection to other members in the family.

Mgahinga National Park provides extraordinary gorilla tracking experiences and is located 510 kilometers from Kampala City via the Kampala – Kabale – Kisoro Highway. It should however be noted that visitors to the park can also fly, boarding from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi airstrips to Kisoro airstrip in the southwest of Uganda. A visitor can be received by a professional tour guide and embark on the journey to the National Park for unforgettable gorilla expeditions.

Uganda gorilla permits

For anyone planning a trip to trek mountain gorillas in Uganda, they should know that permits in Uganda can be obtained from the reputable, licensed and registered tour operators. Gorilla permits in Uganda cost a non-negotiable fee of $800 for foreign non-residents, $600 for the foreign residents and Uganda shillings 250,000 for East African citizens.

What to wear when going for a gorilla trek?

Visitors embarking on the gorilla trekking adventure are highly advised to dress properly for the adventure in order to have uninterrupted experiences in the jungle.

• Visitors are advised to put on long sleeved shirts to keep the biting insects away and trousers to ensure that the sticky plants don’t get to the skin.
• Mosquito repellents are also paramount in the jungle since they help prevent one from the unwanted tiny bloodsuckers, therefore preventing diseases such as malaria and yellow fever.
• Strong all-terrain boots are important since they help a visitor to get through the shrubs and irregular slippery and steep slopes with no difficulty.

What is the best time to go for gorilla tracking in Uganda?

The best time to go for gorilla trekking in Uganda is during the dry months. Dry seasons are always in mid-year and at the end of the year – long dry seasons of June up to late September and the short dry seasons running from December up to mid February. These seasons are characterized by steady grounds that make it easy for the visitors to maneuver through these forests.

It Is however important for visitors to know that gorilla trekking is not only possible in dry seasons but it can also be done during rainy season though it can be a little bit hectic. This is because of the slippery grounds and the disturbing rain in the forest that makes it less enjoyable than in the dry seasons.

Rules and regulations governing gorilla trekking in Uganda

Gorilla tracking tour is a highly regulated but an exciting adventure which is governed by a set of rules to ensure that the habitat is conserved for the next generations while the present-day visitors enjoy their time in the jungle.

• Do not litter. Visitors are required not to litter the forest in order to keep it in its natural state and also leave it clean. A clean environment also improves the lives of gorillas and so they do not have to get diseases from the dirty plastics and polythene bags left by visitors while trekking.
• Gorilla trekking minimum age. Visitors embarking on gorilla trekking safaris are required to be of 15 years and above. This guideline helps to regulate the playful nature of the young ones and the risk of not managing the long hikes. It is also however important to note that children of below 15 years’ age normally have communicable diseases such as flu, colds, cough which could possibly be transmitted to gorillas.
• No illnesses. Visitors going for gorilla tracking are required not to be sick especially of contagious diseases such as flu cough, cold and COVID-19 which could possibly lead to their death and extinction of the entire species.
• Gorilla trekking permit regulation. Visitors going for gorilla trekking tours are required to show a gorilla tracking permit that they received from the regulating body – Uganda Wildlife Authority. This helps ensure that all visitors have met the requirements that support the conservation of gorillas in this national park.

How difficult is gorilla trekking in Uganda?

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is precisely a mild adventure. It is moderate since it is not so difficult and not that easy. This is because the adventure requires patience from trekkers and also the guts to be able to maneuver through the thick rain-forests in all weather conditions, the slippery terrain, thorny bushes and shrubs, hiking the highlands, sloping the valleys, and crossing streams to get to the assigned gorilla family.

All those petty hardships are quickly forgotten the moment you encounter a habituated group of gorillas therefore making the activity worthwhile and rewarding.

Are Bwindi gorilla sightings guaranteed?

People willing to see mountain gorillas should know that a tour to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park guarantees them a chance to view mountain gorillas. However, this is not 100% but it is a matter of fact that no one has ever missed seeing mountain gorillas in Bwindi national park. Gorillas live in habituated groups that are well monitored by park guides and game Rangers, therefore they are monitored, tracked and observed 24/7.