BEST Uganda Gorilla Trekking From Arusha

Bwindi Gorilla Trekking From Arusha

Uganda gorilla safaris from Arusha by Air. Fly from Arusha to Entebbe and join a gorilla trekking team in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. A three days flying safari from Arusha to Entebbe is a suitable package for you. On the first day, you fly from Arusha to Entebbe and then drive to the respective gorilla park. On the second day, you trek gorillas and on the third day you depart. If you have shorter schedule, fly from Arusha to Kajjansi and join another chattered flight from Kajjansi airstrip in Entebbe to either Kihihi airstrip in Kanungu or Kisoro airstrip in Kisoro district.

This saves you from long hours (full day) of driving from Kampala to Bwindi. Alternatively, you can fly from Arusha into Kigali - Rwanda and thereafter connect to Uganda. Rwanda Uganda gorilla safaris have presently become popular given the short distance from Kigali to access mountain gorilla parks in southern Uganda.

The driving time from Kigali to Bwindi Forest is roughly 5 hours via Cyanika border in Kisoro or Buhoma border in Kisoro district. After trekking gorillas in Uganda, travelers transfer back to Kigali and connect with their departing flight. The prominent airlines for your Tanzania Uganda flying safari are Rwanda air, Tanzania air, Kenya airways and Precision Air. If you want to fly from Kajjansi to Bwindi/Mgahinga Gorilla National parks, the recommended domestic flight companies in Uganda are Aero link and fly Uganda which charge fairly to quicken your connection.

Uganda gorilla tours from Arusha by road. Alternatively, board a bus connecting from Arusha through Nairobi to Kampala. This is a long journey bus scenic drives via different regions make offer you a great pre gorilla trekking experience. The drive time from Arusha to Kampala through Nairobi takes roughly 12 hours by bus. On reaching Kampala, travelers drive for another full day to reach Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks, homes to the endangered mountain gorillas. Modern Coast and Tahmeed bus companies ease your connectivity. Your driver guide from our company will pick you up from the bus tops, brief you on the itinerary and setoff for Bwindi Forest.

Top Uganda gorilla trekking from Arusha packages

2 Days Uganda Flying tour from Arusha

This trip is the easiest way to trek Uganda gorillas starting from Arusha Tanzania. Fly into Kigali Rwanda and connect to Bwindi Forest/Mgahinga for your gorilla encounter.

Day 1: Fly into Kigali – Drive to Bwindi / Mgahinga NP

After your morning breakfast, check out and transfer to Arusha airport for your flight to Kigali International Airport Rwanda. The flight takes roughly 14 hours and 40 minutes. On reaching Kigali, meet up with your driver guide and transfer to Bwindi Forest. The entry points from Rwanda to Uganda are Katuna border in Kabale and Cyanika border in Kisoro. Driving time from Kigali to Bwindi takes roughly 5 hours.

Day 2: Gorilla trekking & Departure

Today you wakeup very early, have a hot cup of coffee and with your packed lunch transfer to the respective park have quarters for registration and briefing on the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking. At 8:00am, you start up a hike to meet the endangered gorillas in the jungle. Trekking time before meeting these endangered gorilla’s range between 2-7 hours but you are 99% sure of meeting these endangered apes at the end of the trek. The allowed time with a gorilla family is strictly an hour to take pictures, capture live moments and enjoy this lifetime experience. Enjoy how a silverback gorilla guards his family like a dad in a human home while adult female nurse and carry babies just like our mothers in a human home.

The trek through the jungle also offers you chance to meet other wild animals such as baboons, black and white colubus and birds which make your whole experience amazing. In the evening, transfer back to Kigali for your connecting flight.

3 Days Bwindi Flying Safari from Arusha

This 3 Days flying tour entails you flying from Arusha to Entebbe airport Uganda and then a drive to Bwindi Forest National park for gorilla trekking.

Day 1: Fly to Entebbe – transfer to Bwindi Forest

After, morning cup of coffee, fly from Arusha to Entebbe international airport. Meet your driver guide in Entebb e and embark of a full day drive to Bwindi Forest/Mgahinga Gorilla National park both located in southwestern Uganda. This scenic drive via rolling hills, Ankole cattle farms, tea plantations and banana plantations with a stop over at Uganda Equator for photography is an amazing experience. Overnight stay in the gorilla perk.

Day 2: Mountain gorilla trekking & Batwa cultural tours

This great day for trekking the endangered gorillas. Early in the morning, enjoy a hot cup of coffee, get your packed lunch and transfer to the park head quarters for briefing on the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking. You will be registered and assigned a gorilla family to visit.

The trek to see gorillas starts at 8:00am lasting from between 2 -8 hours depending on where gorillas will be that day, their speed of movements and speed of the slowest person in the group. You will spend an hour with gorillas, take as many pictures as possible and enjoy this magical moment. A face-to-face encounter with silverback gorilla is reviewed as the best wildlife experience in the world.

In the evening if time allows, visit Batwa communities to learn and experience Batwa’s traditional forest life. You will learn and enjoy stories of how these indigenous people lived harmoniously with wild animals.

Day 3: Departure

Today marks the end of our three days tour. After having breakfast, checkout of the lodge and depart from your connecting flight. You can depart through Kigali Rwanda or Entebbe airport.

5 Days Bwindi gorilla safari from Arusha by Bus

Day 1: Depart from Arusha and drive through Nairobi

You will have early morning breakfast and board a bus from Arusha to Nairobi and then to Uganda. This is a long journey, which takes roughly 15 hours.

Day 2: Relax

You will obviously be tired from the previous long drive. Spend this whole day relaxing at your hotel in Kampala.

Day 3: Kampala- To Bwindi Forest

After breakfast, our driver guide will pick you up from your hotel in Kampala, brief you on the flow of the itinerary and start off a journey to Bwindi Forest or Mgahinga depending on where you want to trek from. Drive time from Kampala to Kabale/Kisoro takes roughly 9 hours via Masaka- Mbarara highway.

Day 4: Mountain gorilla trekking and Batwa community tours

Wakeup early and have breakfast and go for gorilla trekking. The day starts with registration and briefing on the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking. You will be allowed to spend ah hour in the presence of mountain gorillas. However, trekking time can last between 2 -8 hours depending on the location of the gorillas. If time allows, you will visit batwa local communities to learn and experience Batwa’s traditions, norms and customs. Spend an overnight in the park.

Day 5: Departure

Have breakfast and transfer to the respective airport for your connecting flight.

How to book Uganda gorilla trekking safaris from Arusha?

The first thing you should do is securing your gorilla permit. Gorilla permit booking can be done directly with Uganda Wildlife Authority (a government body responsible for gorilla tourism and conservation in Uganda. Alternatively, you can book through trusted registered travel agent in Uganda offering gorilla safari packages to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National park. A gorilla permit in Uganda costs $700 for foreign non-residents, $600 for foreign residents and UGX 250,00 for Ugandans and East African residents.

Gorilla permit booking is recommended at least 4 months before the trekking date. On booking, travelers are asked to pay 30% deposit and the balance is required at least 45 days before the trekking date. Failure to pay full balance leads to loss of a gorilla permit and no refund given.

Booking Bwindi Gorilla Trekking from Arusha

There are terms and conditions that govern gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Travelers are always reminded to read, read and read again the terms of gorilla trekking before going ahead to book a gorilla tour to Africa. These terms are almost similar in all gorilla parks which include Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park, Mgahinga Gorilla national park, Virunga National park and Volcanoes National park.

Each tour company should have an updated list of gorilla trekking terms and conditions to give travelers before any confirmation is made. Any traveler who goes on to confirm any gorilla safari to Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo is seemed to have read, understood and agreed to the terms and conditions of gorilla trekking. In addition to general terms and conditions, each travel company has its terms and conditions governing its operations. You ought to understand these ones also. The terms and conditions of gorilla trekking in Africa include:

Trekkers aged below 15 years are not allowed

Mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo is limited to 15 years and above. Those below 15 years are therefore not allowed to trek the endangered gorillas even if one looks mature. The major reason for age limit in gorilla trekking is the strenuous nature of the experience which entail hiking up and down hill through jungle forests. It’s feared that children may not abide to the rules and regulations of trekking such as keeping a distance of seven meters’ way and keeping quite in the presence of the gorillas. Also, the endangered nature of gorillas is another reason for age limit.

During the booking process, travelers are asked to submit their passports to confirm the age. However, in times when a traveler is almost celebrating his/her 15th birthday, he/she will be allowed to trek. However, the parents of the child are asked to write a letter to Uganda Wildlife Authority in Uganda or Rwanda Development Board in Rwanda. In this letter, the parents of a child consent and takes the fully responsibility of whatever happens to the child during the trek. Incase anything bad for example a leg rapture happens to the child during the trek, the park management will not be responsible for it.

One must have a gorilla permit

A gorilla permit is a key document for everyone visiting the endangered gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. YES, a gorilla permit is a password to trek gorillas without which no one will be allowed to see these endangered gorillas. Travelers are therefore advised to first confirm the availability of gorilla permits in the desired gorilla park on the preferred date. The gorilla permit cost vary from country to country. Apparently, Rwanda offers the highest gorilla permits at 1500 each.

This amount is paid by all people interested in visiting these endangered species including Rwanda nationals. The Democratic Republic of Congo offers cheap gorilla permits at $450 for foreign non-residents and $400 for foreign residents, Uganda offers a gorilla permit at $700 for foreign non-residents, $600 for foreign residents and UGX 250,000 for Ugandans and East African citizens. The making Congo the best and ideal gorilla destination for budget travelers.

Gorilla Permit booking

Gorilla permit booking is advised at least 6 months before the trekking date. Travelers are asked to pay 30% deposit fee and the permit is then removed from the available list of gorilla permits. This applies in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Payment to zero balance is required 45 days to the trekking date. After 45 days without paying to zero balance, a gorilla permit will be put back on sale and a traveler loses it without any refund. Payment for a gorilla permit can be done using a credit card, bank transfer or cash depending on which one is convenient for a traveler.

Gorilla permit cancellation policy

In case you want to cancel a gorilla permit, first understand the gorilla permit cancellation policy to avoid any regret and losses. Gorilla permits are non-refundable whatsoever. However, rescheduling to a later date is allowed but a small cost. Travelers are therefore advised to avoid cancellations in order to avoid these unnecessary loss of huge amounts of money.

A gorilla Permit is a property of the government

A traveler never owns a gorilla permit even after paying to zero balance. A gorilla permit remains a property of the respective government body responsible for Gorilla tourism and conservation. At the stat of the trekking day, travelers are asked to resubmit gorilla permits to the park rangers. No traveler is therefore allowed to hike into the jungle with a gorilla permit. However, a gorilla permit comes along with a receipt which shows the names of a traveler and the region where he or she is trekking in for the case of Bwindi Forest. It’s this receipt that a traveler keeps as a confirmation that he/she paid. In-depth understanding of gorilla trekking terms and conditions is essential before confirmation of any gorilla safari. For more advice, contact your trusted travel agency or government body to avoid any disappointment.

What to pack for bwindi gorilla tour from arusha?

What to pack for Uganda gorilla tour is a common question in all gorilla safari bookings in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. After confirming a gorilla safari and paying for the trip, the next question by a traveler is what to pack for gorilla trekking. Carrying the right attire for gorilla trekking assures you of a stress free, peaceful and enjoyable mountain gorilla encounter. Whereas it’s a memorable experience, mountain gorilla trekking is a strenuous adventure which entails hiking up and down hill. You will fall, pant, sweat and get tired in the jungle in search on the endangered gorillas. The gentle giants live in mountainous regions of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Mgahinga Gorilla park, Virunga National park and Volcanoes National park. Your gorilla trekking packing list should include:

Hiking boots/shoes. Waterproof and light hiking boots/shoes should be number one on your travel bag. You need these shoes to ease your movements through the jungle in search of the gorillas. These shoes should be closed to protect your soft feet from getting hurt. Hiking boots eases your movements through slippery and muddy forest grounds especially in the rainy season. However, the hiking boots should be dark colored and not very new. For those who have no private shoes, there are plastic hiking boots for hire at the respective park headquarters in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Garden gloves. You need garden gloves for your soft hands. In cases when you touch the ground and hold onto tree stems for support, your hands will be safer in garden gloves. These gloves also protect you from insect bites and thorny bushes.

Rain jacket. Forest weather is unpredictable! Rain can fall any time of the day regardless of the season. You therefore need to carry a rain jacket to deal with rain in case in case it falls. The rain jacket should be waterproof, light and long to cover-up your whole body from head down to the legs.

Clothing. Endeavor to carry the right clothing for your gorilla trekking experience in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The recommended attire for gorilla trekking include long sleeved shirts/blouses to protect your arms from scratches by thorny bushes and insect bites. Also, you need long pants to protect your legs from getting hurt by thorny bushes. Remember to tuck your trousers into the stockings to be safe. Other clothing that you need for your gorilla trek include sweaters and scarf.

Insect repellants. You need an insect repellant to protect yourself from insect bites which can be poisonous at times. Apply the repellant before the start of the trek and you will be assured of safety

Energy giving snacks. You are uncertain of how long you will spend in the jungle before meeting the gentle giants. You therefore need to carry energy giving snacks to keep you string throughout the trekking period. These snacks may include some yellow bananas, boiled egg, some fruits and simple eats to keep you going. Gorilla trekking time ranges between 2-6 hours which require use of energy.

Extra battery for the phone and camera. There is nothing that disappoints like a battery shutting down when you are approaching the endangered gorillas. This is a horrible experience that you can ever have. To avoid this, carry extra battery for your phone and camera and you will be on a safer side. Photos and videos is the only thing you take with you after the trek. You therefore need a fully charged camera to take as many pictures and live videos as possible for memory.

Hat and sun glasses. You need a hat to protect your hair and bold head from direct sun. A hat keeps your hair clean from bird droppings falling down from trees and dry tree leaves. Also, you need sun glasses to protect your eyes from insects and direct sun.

Walking Stick. A walking stick eases your movements through the jungle. It gives you support through slippery grounds which at times gets difficult to hike through. You can get a walking stick from your hotel and return it after the trek. Alternatively, you can hire a walking stick from the respective park headquarters at a cheaper cost. You need a porter to carry your baggage to and from the jungle. Porters are local people some of which are former poachers. The cost of hiring a porter is between 15 to 20 dollars.

What to do in Arusha city?

Located in the northern region of Tanzania, Arusha City is an exceptional safari destination in Tanzania. Arusha is one of the largest cities in Tanzania, a must visit on your game safari in Tanzania. Are you wondering which travel experiences you can do and see in Arusha? No need to worry, the green city of Arusha has special things for you. Arusha is a gateway to most national parks in Tanzania but it’s also a tourist destination of its own. There are lots of amazing things that travelers can see and do in this city to complement other experiences across the country. Among the things to do in Arusha City include:

Shopping. Go for shopping in different malls, super markets and local markets in Arusha and you will than me later. Arusha has the busiest in Tanzania offering quality and quantity products at affordable rates. Do you want a test of fresh fruits and vegetables? Kilombero market has the best fresh foods in Arusha. Meet local people in the market, bargain for the best price and support local business. Shopping malls have all kinds of essential products such as local fabrics, art pierces, wood carvings, dresses, shoes, bags, hats, jewelry, lotions and perfumes that you surely need at cheap prices. The top shopping areas in Arusha include Shanga & Shanga Foundation, House of Gems, Isle of Jewels, Sidai Centre Workshops & Retail Store, AIM Mall, Masai Central Market, Maasai Market Curios and Crafts and Iheartz Collections among others. Honestly, you can’t dare miss shopping in Arusha.

Visit Arusha National park. Visit Arusha National park to explore and enjoy the true wilderness. The small park is home to numerous wild animals, which include Elephants, Zebras, Black and white colobus Giraffes, Blue monkeys, Bushbucks, waterbucks, wildebeests and warthogs among others. Game drives through the park offer you great views of wild animals grazing, browsing and hunting in the wilderness. The best safari activities in Arusha national park, include game viewing, nature/forest walks, canoeing and climbing Mount Meru. A combination of these makes a complete safari packages to meet and satisfy your expectations.

Hiking Mount Meru. guided hike to the summit of Mount Meru, the second highest volcano in Tanzania after Mount Kilimanjaro is a lifetime experience you can’t dare miss. Mt Meru is a strata volcano standing at 4,562 meters above the seal level making it the second highest in Tanzania and the fifth highest peak in Africa. A stand at the summit of Mount Meru offers you great views of Arusha National park, Mt. Kilimanjaro and the neighboring local communities. The slopes of Mount Meru are covered by forests, which shelter different animal and bird species. Physical fitness and mental readiness is key for whoever is visiting to hike Mt Meru. The mountain has five peaks and is a sacred for people of Tanzania taken as a Centre of spiritual universes in Tanzania.

Visit Lake Natron. A visit to Lake Natron is a not miss on your Tanzania safari in Arusha. Located in the Natron basin, Lake Natron is a soda lake whose most waters come from southern Esawo Ng’iro River originating from central Kenya. Some Fish survive in less salty regions of Lake Natron which support some fishing. The lake is a regular breeding area for birds with over 2.5 million lesser flamingoes and its hence the best bird watching area in East Africa. The proposed development of soda ash plant is a threat to Late Natron. You will see many flamingoes on your visit to Lake Natron.

Ol Doinyo Lengai. Also known as “Mountain of God” by local Maasai people, Oi Doinyo Lengai is an active volcano located south of Lake Natron in the Gregory Rift. The active volcano stands at 2,962 meters above the sea level surrounded by Mt Kilimanjaro in the east, East African Rift valley in the west and Ngorongoro conservation area in the north. The extreme heat at the summit of the volcano normally does not allow travelers to reach the peak. The summit of the volcano offers you spectacular views of Lake Natron, Mt Kilimanjaro and the beautiful East African Rift Valley.

Other places to visit in Arusha include Arusha Clock Tower, Arusha Declaration, Arusha National Natural history and Tengeru Cultural Tourism Program. In general, Arusha city is a not a place to miss on your Tanzania safari. Spare time, stay in this beautiful city and explore all the natural and manmade beauties in this region! Uganda gorilla trekking safaris from Arusha offer you great opportunities to enjoy Tanzania game safari and mountain gorillas in Bwindi Forest/Mgahinga Gorilla National park. Fly from Arusha to Uganda or drive from Arusha via Nairobi to Uganda and enjoy this wonderful experience.