Gorilla Trekking Tours from Germany: Best Uganda & Rwanda Safari Packages
An ultimate guide to gorilla trekking tours from Germany for European travelers planning to encounter the wild Mountain gorillas of East Africa. Discover the essential items, rules and guidelines and all to know about African gorilla trekking tours before visiting from Germany to plan well and have a remarkable time in the continent. Gorilla trekking safari tours are worth considering while organizing an African holiday adventure from Germany due to their life changing nature and awe-inspiring moments.
Gorilla trekking refers to primate tracking for the endangered mountain gorillas in the deep jungles of East Africa such as Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. In the whole of Africa, there are two main places to host gorilla safaris, namely; Uganda and Rwanda in East Africa. Indulge in the Rwanda gorilla trekking experience for a less physically demanding trek, watch gorgeous landscapes and 10 habituated gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park. On the other hand, the Ugandan gorilla trekking safari provides deep jungle adventures where hikers must escape Natural vegetation traps, including creeping plants, and traverse rugged terrains in Bwindi and Mgahinga.
Gorilla Trekking Tours from Germany: Best Uganda & Rwanda Safari Packages
Stepping into the heart of Uganda’s Mgahinga and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park unfolds 21 habituated groups of Mountain gorillas such as Nyakagezi, Mucunguzi, Bikyingi, Bushaho, Habiyanja, Mukiza and many more before German gorilla trekkers. All this comes after obtaining Gorilla Permits and booking a fully paid African safari experience.
From Germany to Gorilla trekking national parks, it will require people to take flights to East African countries and begin their Rwanda Itinerary and Uganda Itinerary in search of the humble creatures in Virunga Massif and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Out of the travel holidays in Africa, the gorilla trekking safari from Germany is one of the best moments that is
worthy it all.
Why You should go for Gorilla trekking Tours in East Africa (Uganda Bwindi and Rwanda Volcanoes National Park) from Germany
Stand among wild gorillas;
Imagine being surrounded by a troop of wild gorillas in their natural habitat, seeing a huge silverback (dominant male), exhausted mothers carrying babies on their backs and infants playing on the tree branches. That’s what it feels like being in Volcanoes Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park spending one hour with the last 1000 remaining Gorillas.
Watch wildlife;
The natural habitat for wildlife is not the land of humans therefore numerous wild creatures unfold before Mountain gorilla trekkers inside primate national parks in East Africa who find African bush elephants, chimpanzees, golden monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, buffaloes, leopards, duikers, impalas, butterflies, moths, chameleon and many others along walking routes and while off-roading into the deeper jungle. Rwanda gorilla trekking unveils the rare golden monkey, an endemic mammal of the Virunga Volcanoes.
Explore the Virunga Mountains
Virunga Volcanoes are a series of peaks standing tall along the international boundaries separating three countries in Africa, namely; Uganda Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The volcanoes are also known as the Mufumbiro Ranges, that consists of eight peaks, to mention;
Mount Nyiragongo (3,462 meters), Mount Gahinga (3,474 m), Mount Mikeno (4,437m), Mount Karisimbi (4,507 meters), Mount Sabyinyo (3,634 m) and Mount Nyamuragira (3,063 m). Murky nights in this region are the best time to witness “Flames of fire” coming out of the active Mount Nyiragongo seen with its red lava flows. This awesome phenomenon can be watched from the balcony of the accommodation facilities in Bwindi and Kisoro areas living people are mind-blown by the marvels of nature.
Adventuring in this high mountain grants hikers with the opportunity of finding the endangered Virunga Endemics, several wildlife not common in other parts of Africa such as silverbacks, golden monkeys and local birds.
Best time to visit Uganda Bwindi and Volcanoes Rwanda for Gorilla trekking tours from Germany
German residents looking forward to the unmatched African gorilla trekking experience can choose the dry season from June to September and December to February as the best time to find the rare primates in the Virunga Mountains and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. While coming from Germany, it is good to hike on less muddy paths after such a long journey to Africa and the Gorilla sanctuaries in Uganda and Rwanda where one would take a whole day traveling on the road.
Although the dry season presents significant hiking advantages, the wet season equally reveals the majestic animals to humans. Moreover, it can be experienced at a significantly lower safari cost compared to the High Season (Dry season), and the parks are less crowded, making it possible to trek near families.
Where to go gorilla trekking from Germany (Volcanoes Rwanda, Bwindi Impenetrable & Mgahinga, Uganda)
1. Volcanoes National Park
Nestled in the northwest district of Musanze Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park is the best place to host a spectacular Mountain gorilla safari in East Africa. Volcanoes National Park is the capital of the humble giants of the African national parks under the protection of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), which controls all the gazetted homes of wildlife like Nyungwe National Park and Akagera National Park. Other than the endangered Gorilla families of Volcanoes National Park, wildlife lovers can observe endangered golden monkeys, black and white colobus, L’Hoest’s monkeys, buffalo, elephants and much more inside the 160 km2 forest.
Volcanoes gorilla trekking is the journey to about 10 habituated gorilla groups still wandering without any disturbance from humans. Prominent families of Volcanoes National Park include; Agashya, Sabyinyo, Amahoro, Umubano, Bwenge, Karisimbi, Igisha, Susa, and Kwitonda to mention. Volcanos gorilla trekking is the most physically friendly hike into the unknown wilderness to spend one hour with a group of gorillas. To be part of this unforgettable Rwanda Wildlife
Experience, Germany citizens pay about $1500 for non-residents of the Rwandan premises.
2. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Immerse yourself in a Uganda Safari like no other during the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Gorilla trekking experience. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the most infested gorilla sanctuary in the world having about 600 Mountain gorillas protected by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). In this Gorilla sanctuary, people get to watch over 19 habituated gorilla families in their untouched home in the section of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park such as Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija and Nkuringo. In otherwards, there are a variety of primate tracking experiences to undertake depending on the age and physical fitness levels of the trekkers participating in the adventure.
The most physically fit person is assigned to Nkuringo which hosts the most challenging hikes into the wild. Other places like Buhoma are for the elderly and sometimes those who may not be ready for much hectic exploration. This makes it easy to have all kinds of individuals taking part in the remarkable African Holiday Adventure in Bwindi.
After subscribing to the Gorilla Permit, the bearers are eligible to stand among the families such as Habinyanja, Nkuringo, Mukiza, Rushegura, Katwe, Kanywanyi, Bitukura, Happy, Nshongi, Kahungye and Busingye. Germans in the Pearl of Africa (Uganda) pay $800 for the Gorilla Permit if they fall in the category of non-residents and $700 for residents.
3. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Discover the gem behind the iconic Virunga Mountains in East Africa, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, the only place where silver meets gold in the jungles. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the last home of the endangered Mountain gorillas and golden monkeys in the remote parts of Kisoro in Southwest Uganda next to the Rwandan border. The population of the primates is over 30 Mountain gorillas traveling between Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Volcanoes National Park parts of the Virunga Massif.
Uganda’s smallest national park (33.7 km 2 ) hosts the Nyakagezi Family, available for the Gorilla expeditions in the dense wilderness. This incredible ecological system of Mgahinga comprises several montane forests, dense bushes, flowing streams and lush green nature. To get to this sanctuary, people have to travel over 540 kilometers southwest from the bustling Kampala City in the Central parts of the country. The drive to the sanctuary offers once- in-a lifetime adventures like taking a photo at the Equator, standing between Northern and Southern hemispheres and viewing landscapes in the country.
How to get to Bwindi Uganda and Mgahinga from Germany for Gorilla Trekking Safari
Where to depart from Germany to the Ugandan Gorilla Safari destination;
Those wondering where to depart from Germany to Uganda gorilla safari homes, there are a number of airlines leaving the major airports for Africa. Travelers from Germany to East Africa can use airports like Frankfurt Airport (FRA), Munich Airport (MUNC) and Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER).
Airlines to use for the travel from Germany to Uganda for the Bwindi gorilla experience and Mgahinga gorilla trek.
During the extraordinary Uganda Gorilla Tracking, there are many airlines to use to get to the Pearl of Africa and enjoy a holiday like no other. The airlines are categorized into Middle Eastern carriers, African carriers and European flag carriers depending on the choice one would prefer. Some of the airlines to the Ugandan airport in Entebbe include; Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa German Airlines.
Final Destination (Ugandan Airport)
Often, the receiving point of visitors embarking on Uganda Safaris such as chimpanzee tracking and Gorilla tracking safari is the Entebbe International Airport (EBB) located 40 kilometers south of Kampala City. It is also the starting point of the Uganda Itinerary.
How to get to Bwindi
To get to the Bwindi gorilla sanctuary, travelers can use road transport using a 4×4 vehicle from Kampala to Kabale district over 540 kilometers. It is truly a picturesque road trip despite being lengthy taking about 9 to 11 hours to check in at the accommodations around Bwindi. Along the way, hikers experience the African massage as they move over the bumpy road to the sanctuary. Another way to get to the sanctuary is by air from the Entebbe Airport to the Kisoro Airstrip or Kihihi. It takes 30 to 45 minutes to reach the airstrips and then start the 2 hours journey to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
How to get to Mgahinga
Depending on the preference of the travelers, they can use either road transport or air transport from Entebbe Town and Kampala City to reach the isolated district of Kisoro. The scenic road trip is a never-ending adventure into the hidden world of Africa and captivates people with the lush green environments dominating the entire place. Such moments contribute to the excitement of travelers to the impenetrable home of Nyakagezi while driving for 11 hours to the national park.
How to get to Volcanoes National Park
Upon arrival at the Kigali International Airport in Rwanda, wildlife watchers can embark on the drive to the Musanze District to immerse in the exclusive African gorilla expedition in the Virunga Mountains. The whole journey lasts 2 to 3 hours driving through captivating landscapes, lush green nature and seeing wildlife. Upon arrival at the Volcanoes National Park, visitors can check in at their accommodations and wait for a whole day of primate tracking.
Types of Gorilla Trekking Experiences (Normal trekking and Bwindi Habituation Experience)
1. Normal Trekking (Volcanoes National Park, Mgahinga and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest)
Normal trekking is the commonest Mountain gorilla trekking experience where humans are allowed to explore the jungles to trace a habituated family and spend an hour with it. The normal trek is the most popular adventure available in all the Gorilla national parks in Africa and it comprises 8 members moving with ranger guides and porters.
2. Gorilla Habituation Experience (Bwindi Habituation)
Gorilla Habituation experience is a rare adventure that rewards trackers with more time (4 hours) of being with the animals and a smaller team of hikers (4 members) together with conservationists, range guides and scientists. Bwindi is the only place that hosts this Uganda gorilla habituation
safari in Rushaga to witness Bushaho and Bikyingi groups.
What are the essential items for gorilla trekking tours? Things you need for the Gorilla Tracking experience.
Day pack;
This is for carrying all the most essential things for the walk inside the wildlife infested jungle. It may contain packed lunch from the lodge, water for drinking (2 litres) to rehydrate, snacks to reenergize, camera gear and many more.
Documents (Gorilla Permits, Passport)
Do not forget to carry the Gorilla Permit which is an important document for one to be allowed into the protected home of African apes. Gorilla Permit for Bwindi and Mgahinga costs about $800 for Germans who are not residents of Uganda and $1500 for non-residents of Rwanda.
Another important document is the German passport to use at the Entebbe International Airport or immigration post at the border. It is an important tool to gain access to the SIM cards in the Gorilla Tracking countries to enable one to use the internet.
Insect Repellants
Carry insect repellants while in East Africa to scare away mosquitoes and tsetse flies to prevent catching malaria and sleeping sickness during the trek. This could lead to cancellation of the trek due to the similarity humans share with Mountain gorillas and the need to protect the hikers. Insect repellants will help you prevent mosquito bites and stay healthy during your time in East Africa.
Cash
Endeavour to have some cash on you when visiting Volcanoes National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. It helps tip guides, porters and other staff at the accommodations and national park. The money is useful when purchasing items along the road to the primates’ national parks and other remote areas where banks may not be found.
Protective clothing
Protective clothing like long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, gardening gloves and breathable materials helps to keep the body and comfortable when walking in the bushy parts in the parks. Strange plants are all over the walking routes and it is unavoidable to touch them. At times, the plants tend to be injurious to the skin and may cause itching. Carrying protective clothing adds comfort to the whole exercise thus successful tracking.
What is the cost of the Gorilla Permit for a normal trek in Uganda?
Normal trek costs about $800 for Germans from abroad and $700 for Germans who are residents and hold Ugandan working permits. The amount is paid directly to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in charge of protecting the endangered primate life.
What is the cost of the Gorilla Permits for Normal Trekking in Rwanda?
While visiting from Germany, the price of the Gorilla Permit in Rwanda is $1500 for foreign non-residents of the country. It only caters to hiking in the jungle, and guides are provided by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).
What is the cost of Uganda Gorilla Habituation in Bwindi?
The impressive Uganda gorilla habituation safari in Bwindi costs $1500 for foreign non- residents of the country and about $1000 for the foreign residents with work permits. After obtaining the document, the bearer is allowed to spend 4 hours with the mountain gorillas in their natural home.