Is It Possible to Undertake A Last-minute Gorilla Safari in Uganda?
You are possibly in Uganda for business- a conference or an NGO Project, and wondering whether it is possible to add a last-minute Gorilla safari. The good news is that it is possible to do so. However, you will be limited with choices of where to trek the mountain gorillas, where to stay/accommodation facilities, and safari vehicles.
It is important to note that the possibility of undertaking your last-minute Gorilla Safari in Uganda is determined by two main factors- the availability of gorilla trekking permits and accommodation, which vary with season (high or low season). For instance, with the peak season- June through September and December to January, gorilla permits tend to be highly demanded, compared to the low season (February to May, October to November) when gorilla permits are not so highly demanded. Therefore, you might have limited choice on where to trek the mountain gorillas (Mgahinga or which sector in Bwindi) and sometimes be forced to adjust your program to suit the availability of gorilla permits.
Booking a last-minute Gorilla permit is very possible but is very uncertain because you might not know in what sector the permit will be booked (especially when planning to book permits in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park). There is also a possibility of securing a last-minute gorilla permit from Tour Operators that are reselling theirs, and this is only applicable when the Company is a registered member of AUTO (Association of Uganda Tour Operators).
Gorilla Trekking Certificate
How much does a last-minute Gorilla Permit in Uganda cost?
Whether you book Gorilla permits in advance or at the last minute, they cost the same- $700 per person for Foreign Non-residents, $600 per person for Foreign Residents, and Shs. 250,000 for East African Community Residents. However, the only difference is that someone that books in advance will get to trek gorillas from any sector of choice (case of Bwindi) compared to one booked at the last minute.
When is the perfect time to book your last-minute Gorilla Safari in Uganda?
Even with last-minute Gorilla Safaris, adequate time is required to secure Gorilla permits, book accommodation facilities, and any other logistical support to make the trip a success. For this reason, one month is perfect to make every necessary arrangement for your last-minute Gorilla Safari. Ideally, Gorilla safaris should be booked in advance (6 months to 2 years) and they are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Generally, Gorilla trekking is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity whereby visitors are provided the chance to walk through the jungles of Bwindi, Mgahinga, Volcanoes, or Virunga National Park to search for and watch the endangered Giant Apes go about their daily routines (foraging, resting, playing, grooming, and nursing infants) in their natural habitats. On the day of trekking, you will be expected to converge at the Park Headquarters/Visitor Center for a briefing, registration, and getting acquainted with the trekking guidelines.
Gorilla trekking Bwindi
Visitors then venture deeper and deeper into the jungle in search of the mountain gorillas, and the duration of the walk depends on the terrain of the area, the movement of the mountain gorillas, and to a lesser extent the pace of the slowest person in the group. After several hours (2-5 hours or more) of walking, the mountain gorillas are finally found and visitors have a maximum of one hour to watch and take photos as they interact with one another. This is usually the best time of the experience as you get to see the dominant silverback show authority or the infants play and interact with each other.