How to Prepare for Your Gorilla Safari in Uganda: Gorilla Trekking safaris in Uganda are the ultimate difficulty for many tourists; many guests believe that planning and preparing for gorilla trekking is never simple. In most situations, in order to satisfy all of your expectations, you must plan and prepare thoroughly for your gorilla trekking safari in Uganda.
How to prepare for your Gorilla Safari in Uganda.
There are only 1063 mountain gorillas left in the world and half the population is found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda are also done in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
In Uganda, two locations are now known to house mountain gorillas, with a population of around 500 individuals, presenting half of the entire population of these Giant Apes. With around 18 habituated gorilla families residing in Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks, Uganda Wildlife Authority only sells roughly 144 gorilla permits each day. Whether you want to hike the mountain gorillas in Bwindi or Mgahinga, here are some simple strategies to prepare for gorilla trekking and create wonderful memories:
Exercise Before months before your Gorilla Safari.
While gorilla trekking in Uganda is doable for people with limited mobility (impaired), tourists who wish to do so on foot should exercise first. If you expect a casual stroll around a leisure park, you’re in for a tremendous treat. As a result, we always advise our clients to do some simple exercises like hill climbing, 30 minutes to an hour of jogging, or long-distance walks to prepare their bodies for mountain gorilla trekking, which typically lasts 1-5 hours or more and takes place at high altitudes ranging from 2000 to 4000 meters above sea level. Anyone who has walked mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park, Volcanoes National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park will tell you that the latter is more rigorous and physically demanding, therefore workouts are essential.
Do not set unrealistic expectations.
It is indisputable that when you travel to a new country, you are likely to have a lot of expectations based on previous travelers’ evaluations. These might include political interactions, good or awful accommodations, or service experiences from three or five years ago. You will have so many expectations if you base your judgment on these stories, so treat each piece of information with a grain of salt to prevent getting nervous. Relax, get rid of everything, and be ready to accept new experiences as they arise.
Stick to your itinerary.
As you may have read, mountain gorilla trekking is often a planned activity, and changing your itinerary by even a single day will have an impact on the entire safari. Incidents such as a car breakdown, oversleeping and arriving late at the Park headquarters for briefing, food illness, incurring a knee injury, or any other unforeseen complications will undoubtedly have an impact on your gorilla trekking expedition. To prevent such last-minute disappointments, visitors should always focus on what they can control and leave the rest to chance. For example, you can avoid food poisoning by sticking to familiar meals rather than experimenting with new ones. You can avoid arriving late in the park by managing your time well.
Get your packing list right.
For gorilla trekking in Uganda, you don’t need your high heels, a gorgeous red dress, or sandals. We recommend bringing a warm sweater for the cold mornings and evenings, a waterproof rain jacket, sturdy and comfortable hiking boots with ankle support, a first aid kit (containing, among other things, muscle strain liniment, anti-septic wipes, bandages, plasters, disposable gloves, sterile gauze dressings, cotton swabs, and pain relievers), insect repellant, safari pants in brown, khaki, black, and dark blue color, energy giving snacks, a reusable water bottle, gardening gloves, long-sleeved shirts/blouses, safari hat, good non-flash camera, sunglasses, binoculars, rainproof backpack, and long cotton socks.
Get your Gorilla permit.
Before embarking on your gorilla safari in Uganda, endeavor to ensure that you have secured your gorilla permit. There are only a total of 144 gorilla permits in Uganda available on a daily basis and visitors are advised to purchase your gorilla permits at least 3 months in advance in order to avoid any disappointments that come with late bookings. You can always book your gorilla permit in Uganda through a trusted tour operator company like Explore Rwanda Tours, Achieve Global Safaris or Focus East Africa Tours.
What is the best time for Gorilla Safaris in Uganda?
As a result, the ideal months to undertake gorilla trekking in Uganda are June, July, August, and September. If that isn’t doable, January and February should be OK. Although monitoring mountain gorillas may be done all year in these two nations due to the slightly wet seasons in the national parks where these gorillas live, the bulk of people choose to visit from June to September, as well as from December to February.
