What are the chances of seeing gorillas in Uganda is one of the frequently asked questions by travelers planning to come for Uganda gorilla tours. YES, most if not all travelers coming for mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda are always concerned about the possibility of them seeing the endangered gorillas in their natural habitats. A single gorilla permit in Uganda costs $800 and no one is willing to miss out on the gorillas after paying this huge amount.
The cost of gorilla permits in Uganda is determined by Uganda Wildlife Authority, the government body responsible for wildlife conservation in the Pearl of Africa. Uganda gorilla trekking tours take place in the jungles of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park and Mgahinga Gorilla National park both located in south western Uganda.
The reasons why the chances of seeing the mountain gorillas in Uganda are high
The chances of seeing the mountain gorillas on any trek in Uganda has been at 95% meaning that the chances are so high that when you pay for the permit, you will see these primates. The reasons explaining why chances of seeing gorillas are high is that this activity is so organized in Uganda and by the time the tourists leave for the trek in the forest, the guides already know where the gorillas are and their movements of the day.
In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a group of trekkers or advanced group wakes up so early in the morning to go to the forest to trace where all the gorilla families are. Once they are found. They keep following them until time for communicating to the park headquarters comes. They will call the headquarters to inform them the where about of the different gorilla families and it’s from where the tourists with their gorilla guides will start the trek into the forest following instructions from the advanced team. This means that every tourist who comes to Uganda has a chance of seeing mountain gorillas.
The other point that explains why the chances of seeing the mountain gorillas are so high is the preparation for any gorilla trek that starts three months to the real date. The tour operators advise their clients about gorilla trekking, what to pack, and about the exercise of gorilla trekking in advance. You can as well be advised to take up porter or a sedan chair in case you are weak. This can be followed by a briefing at Bwindi forest headquarters to make sure that everything moves on well.
Chances of viewing mountain gorillas are improved by the fact that gorilla family allocation these days is done wisely. Those who are not strong are allocated easier families compared to the energetic ones. This means, therefore that even those who could have failed because of physical fitness end up making it to the gorillas. With the help of the porters and sedan chairs, even the people with disabilities and the elderly have been able to achieve their dream of trekking the mountain gorillas. We, therefore, call upon all those that are hesitant to book their gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda to do so immediately, since the chances of seeing these gorillas are extremely high.
The other reason why the chances of seeing the mountain gorillas are high in Uganda is that the gorilla families are fully habituated. Members of these gorilla families are habituated for a period not less two years and as such, they are used to people. The chances of them running away when you reach them are extremely few.