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Tag: gorilla tracking

Gorilla Safari PlannerBloggorilla tracking
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another gorilla born in bwindi impenetrable forest

Happy gorilla year 2021! The new year brings another gorilla baby Bwindi Impenetrable forest fold! On January 4th, Nkuringo family’s Adult Female Nderema gave birth to a new baby bringing the family size to 12 members. The new birth marks Nderema’s second infant following her first birth in 2018 that saw her baby sadly not make it due to environmental extremes within its first 15 days of birth.

“We have another gorilla baby Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (BIF) fold!” revealed Gessa Simplicious.
“The good news happened January 4th, to the Nkuringo family where an adult female called Nderema gave birth. This brings the number of newly born little ones to 12 members.”
The new birthmarks Nderema’s second baby following her first birth in 2018. Unfortunately, the first baby died after 15 days.

“You should have seen the mood among the group members when the baby passed on,” recounts Gessa. “They declined to eat and the forest lacked the hoots and banging of tree barks as it is usually.”
Fortunately, gorilla trackers are slowly trickling back to Bwindi impenetrable Forest National Park and are expected to increase given the prevailing discounts.
“Uganda is globally the cheapest place one can track these endangered Mountain Gorillas found only in Rwanda, DR Congo and Uganda,” noted Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) executive director Sam Mwandha.
“Given the peace, cultural diversity, birds, mammals and reptiles – it is irresistible.”
The Minister of State for Tourism, Geoffrey Kiwanda sums up saying after having Bwindi impenetrable Forest National Park connected to social media, it is every tourist’s dream destination.
“There are bonuses like meeting the Batwa, seeing more than 250 mountain birds, organic fruits and lots of food to whet any appetite,” stressed Kiwanda.
He added, “There is no need to see guests off with a “Come Again” farewell because they have to come back for some more.”

Gorilla Tracking
By safariplanner 0 Comments uncategolised ,

Top Equipment to Carry for Gorilla Trekking

Whereas gorilla trekking is regarded as the most captivating and inspiring adventure, you ought to be well prepared before partaking it in any destinations of your choice and which is why we encourage you to make sure that you pack appropriately for this lifetime experience. Mountain gorilla trekking clothes are not different from those in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Southwestern Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Northwestern Rwanda and the Virunga National park in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Below are some of the items that you should consider while packing

Waterproof hiking boots

Gorilla trekking involves hiking through the thick jungles and steep slopes of Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo and hiking boots are a must to have for this adventure. They should be light weight to ease your movement in the steep slopes and muddy areas when it rains. The terrain can be rough and at times muddy when it rains that is why gumboots, hiking boots and not sandals or slippers are recommended for this. You need comfortable hiking boots that offer appropriate support for your ankle and balance.

Rain jacket

The weather pattern in gorilla habitat is unpredictable and you are required to include a rain jacket or poncho in your gorilla tracking packing list. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a tropical rain forest like any gorilla destination and given the nature of weather you can’t tell easily when it is going to rain and you need a rain jacket for this matter to protect yourself from rain. Most tourists prefer visiting the park during the drier months from June to September and December to February to avoid rainfall in the months of March, April and May but given the fact that this is a tropical rain forest, you have to expect rains at any time of the day. When planning your gorilla trek, make sure that you don’t forget a rain jacket or poncho.

Day pack

The only way for you to enjoy the trek is simply to get a good day pack. This is to help you carry your accessories like cameras, note book, rain jacket and many more. Since the weather is unpredictable, it would be better if you got a waterproof day pack.

Long sleeved shirt/T-shirt and trousers

Gorilla trekking is conducted in the forest and just incase you fall down, your long sleeved shirt or T-shirt can help guard your hands from the falling tree branches, stinging insects, vines, thorns and many other things that may cause harm to due to body exposure. While packing, at least get the color that matches with the natural environment and for long sleeved shirts it is better for you to get cotton type to offer you warmth and protection to your skin.

Gardening gloves

You need good gardening gloves to help guard your hands during gorilla trekking. As you move in the jungle, it can be slippery and somehow you need to catch support and gloves can help protect your hand from any harm especially if you touched some itching plant, tree or even climbing trees that can cause harm to humans. The gloves will help you get protected from germs and other items that may scratch your hands that is why it is a must for you to pack them.

Cameras and extra batteries

Photo taking is very useful in every safari that is why a camera is very important. Imagine striking your imaginations with these dramatic creatures and you have no camera or the battery dies and you have no extra and the rest of your colleagues are all busy taking, we don’t need you to be part of this scenario that is why you need a good camera without flashlight and if does turn it off while taking photos.

Hat and sun glasses

Just incase it is hot; you will need a hat to help protect you from the scorching sun heat as well as the sun glasses for sun rays.

Bottled water, energy giving snacks

The length of the gorilla trek is not certain and given the nature of the tough terrain you will need some water and snacks to boost some energy to help you hike through out the entire trek. The normal trek goes from 30 minutes to eight hours or even more and this means that you need some packed lunch and enough drinking water.,

Pair of binoculars

Gorilla trekking in these protected areas doesn’t mean there are only mountain gorillas, but there are incredible bird-life for you to also sight along the way. In Bwindi Impenetrable National park, about 350 species live within this stunning protected area and several mammals and primates. For bird lovers, you need a binocular to sight these amazing bird species.

Insect repellent

Insect repellent is very important for you as it will help protect you from the mosquito bites especially in the evening. You can simply spray your clothes or body to prevent them from biting you.

In conclusion, appropriate packing for gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda and DRC is necessary. By following the above packing list you will certainly not regret in your safari. Given the nature of terrain, you also need a walking stick to help you hike through the jungles and this will be provided to you at the park.

best time for gorilla trekking
By safariplanner 0 Comments uncategolised ,

What is the best time for Gorilla Tracking?

Regardless of mountain gorilla trekking being an all year round adventure, a number of questions have been raised concerning this lifetime experience. Among many questions, most tourists are left asking themselves when is the best time for gorilla tracking in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo; When is the best time to track the rare mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo others are still confused which month should they travel for gorilla tracking in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo – which months are ideal for mountain gorilla tracking? All these have been raised but majority of travelers are still not satisfied due to limited up to date information concerning this lifetime adventure in Africa and thus leaving it the most debatable questions across travelers.

What may seem the best time to you may turn out to be the worst time to another traveler! The fact remains that mountain gorilla tracking in Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo is an all year round experience however, most tourists tend to dodge wet season forgetting that these protected areas lie within the Equator and there are higher chances of it raining at any time whether wet or dry season.

In the whole world, the rare mountain gorillas are only inhabited in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Southwestern Uganda, the Virunga National Park in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and Volcanoes National Park in Northwestern Rwanda. Gorilla trekking is conducted in the thick tropical rain forests in the above countries and there are fewer than 900 individuals that are still surviving in the whole world, however Uganda and Rwanda take the largest population compared to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Whereas this fascinating adventure can be done at any time of year, tourists need to consider the climate or seasonality of three countries.

Across the 3 destinations where the rare mountain gorilla tours are conducted, there are 2 wet (rainy) seasons from which the trails tend to be muddy and the steep slopes become slippery but at times it doesn’t rain in almost the entire day.

The wet season starts in March to May and October to November. During this period, trekking is really challenging but adventurous tourists still come to achieve their dreams in Africa. When it is raining during, the ground becomes slippery and this makes it too challenging for tourists to track gorillas during the wet season and for those who may prefer traveling during this period, a 4 by 4 safari car is very ideal for your safaris. The vegetation also tends to thick and may make photo taking a bit challenging. On the other hand, the habitat is drier in the month of June and September and December to February.

This means that it is easier tracking these Great Apes during this season as it is simpler for tourists to hike through the thick jungles and steep slopes of these magnificent wild creatures.
For tourists who are planning their safari to Uganda Rwanda and DRC for this lifetime experience, the dry season is best time to visit any of the mountain gorilla destinations (June, July, August, September and December, January and February. However, with the ongoing global warming, it is hard to predict whether it is going to rain or not and this calls for you to be prepared at all times. Even during the dry season it can rain given the nature of the gorilla habitat.

Usually the first rains come late in February through March, April and May and during these months the ground is muddy and it explains why most tourists tend to dodge traveling for gorilla trekking. However, this doesn’t mean that there is no trekking for these Great Apes in Uganda, Rwanda or DRC. The advantage with the wet season is that there is plenty of food and most of the gorilla groups are kept within the base of the park making it easier for visitors to catch a glimpse of these dramatic creatures in the wild. For those who are planning their safaris to Uganda Rwanda and DRC, they need long sleeved shirts/T-shirts, waterproof hiking boots or gumboots that are light weight, insect repellents, gardening gloves, hat, rain jackets and many more.

In conclusion, when it comes to gorilla trekking in Uganda Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo, it is best to travel during the dry season which falls from the month of June to September and December to February. However, gorilla trekking is also conducted during the wet season and visitors who come during this season; they equally get rewarded with astonishing encounters while in the natural habitat with these rare apes.