Trekking Mountain Gorillas Twice in Bwindi

Enjoy the remarkable experience of trekking the endangered mountain gorillas in one of their natural habitats, not just once but twice. These Giant Apes are found in only four National Parks and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to almost half the entire World’s population of mountain gorillas currently at approximately 1063 (according to the 2018 Mountain Gorilla Census).

Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei) silverback in Susa group, Rwanda

Bwindi alone is home to over 18 habituated Gorilla Groups and it is always a life-changing experience to walk through the jungles searching and spending time with the rare creatures to learn about their remarkable behavior. The Gorilla Groups here are distributed in four trekking regions/sectors- Nkuringo and Rushaga in the south, Ruhija in the East, and Buhoma in the North. It is therefore no brainer that this Park is every visitor’s ultimate gorilla trekking destination and visitors that track these Great Apes twice are in for double excitement and double memories.

Maranatha Tours and Travel offers a number of packages for visitors interested in trekking the mountain gorillas twice in Bwindi to maximize experiences.

How can visitors trek mountain gorillas twice in Bwindi?

Trekking mountain gorillas twice in Bwindi literally means visiting the Giant Apes in two consecutive days, during the same Gorilla safari most times meeting a different gorilla group and in some instances seeing different Ranger guides or not, but the experience is worthwhile. You must be thinking it is all the same, but surprisingly, the experience always feels different from the first. One thing for sure is that no two gorilla groups are the same- home range, member composition (number of silverbacks, adult females, and even infants), group size, the story behind its formation/establishment, history, and many other aspects are always different.

Some of our visitors have gotten the opportunity to trek mountain gorillas from the same sector, although there is also an option of trekking from a different region/sector.

Requirements for trekking mountain Gorillas twice in Bwindi

The most important requirement for trekking mountain gorillas twice in Bwindi is securing gorilla permits for the two days, and advance booking is required given the high demand for gorilla trekking adventures. In such cases, you should be prepared to track in either the same or different sectors. For instance Buhoma/Buhoma, Ruhija/Ruhija, or Buhoma/Ruhija but remember these sectors are at least one hour from each other thus we recommend starting the journey to the Park Headquarters early (at least at 6:00

mountain gorilla in bwindi

am if you are staying in a different sector so that you are at the briefing point by 7:00 am). For the southern sectors, you can track in Nkuringo/Nkuringo, Rushaga/Rushaga, or Nkuringo/Rushaga. If you are staying in a different sector from where one or both of your treks are, then be prepared for an early start for the Park Headquarters.

When to trek mountain gorillas twice in Bwindi

Your dream of achieving a double gorilla trekking experience is possible all year round but if permit availability is to be considered, then we recommend trekking in the low season (months of April, May, October, and November) marked by lower visitor crowds. Also, many Safari Lodges offer “low season discounts” during these months hence a perfect opportunity to enjoy double gorilla trekking at even a discounted rate. This comes at a price because the low season is consistent with the rainy season characterized by heavier rainfall hence muddy and slippery trails. However, we all know that from the name, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a dense rainforest, which coupled with its altitude means rains should be expected anytime (even in the dry season) and there have been instances of rains being received in the traditional dry months while some days in wet months go without rains.

We, therefore, advise our visitors to be prepared for any season by always packing rain jackets, warm sweater, gardening gloves, sturdy hiking boots, and a waterproof backpack, in addition to gaiters, the camera, binoculars, a reusable water bottle, and energy-giving snacks.