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Victoria
DE
Visited:
August 2017
Reviewed: Sep 8, 2017
Email Victoria | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A Challenging Yet Rewarding Adventure
During the briefing, one of UWA's rangers explained to us how the gorilla trek would work, what we should expect, and what we should do when we faced the gorillas. We were also warned that if they discovered we were sick with any airborne illness, we'd be taken back down the mountain, as the gorillas are very susceptible to human illnesses. Each gorilla family has eight permits a day, and on the day
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we were there, they were completely full. We were assigned to track one of the 'further away' groups, the Kahungye family. This group has 18 members including 3 silverbacks, but would involve a hard hike. We were driven the 25 minutes to our trail starting point and then had to walk up the side of the mountain for an hour to reach the edge of the forest. The views were remarkable. Inside the forest, we walked for about an hour more and then we reached the gorilla family. The hour we spent with them was magical. Just being able to quietly observe their behaviour as they sat, eating leaves and picking insects from each others' fur was breath-taking. It also felt quite adventurous, with our rangers hacking at the dense vegetation (and it really is dense) to get us closer to various family members. At one point, a silverback mock charged us to show his strength and we were left in no doubt about who was the boss!The walk back was equally as challenging because by this point, we were out of energy and my legs were feeling sore. The guide gave us a 30 minute lunch break to refuel and recover before we slogged back through the rainforest. As we came out of the trees onto the side of the mountain, we were greeted with a stunning view of the Virunga volcanoes. The weather for the entire trek was warm and sunny, although it was humid in the rainforest and the ground underfoot was slippery in places. On the way down the mountain, we stopped for a mini award ceremony with our guide to receive our certificates and play a hilarious game of 'gorilla charades'.
Our guide was very knowledgeable about the gorillas and the forest, but also very good at reading when the group was struggling and needed a rest. As I was the slowest, he put me at the front so everyone had to walk on my pace. This may have frustrated some of the athletes behind me, but it meant I made it there and back. I also hired a porter, a lovely young girl from a local village, and she carried my bag with all my camera equipment and pulled me up the particularly steep and slippy parts.
All in all, visiting Bwindi was a once in a lifetime experience (although I wouldn't rule out a second experience one day!) Although the hike was tough, there are easier families to access, and if you're prepared, it's certainly achievable. And in any case, the hour you spend with our gorilla cousins is something you will never forget.
Timmerman Trudy
BE
Visited:
November 2018
Reviewed: Nov 18, 2018
Email Timmerman Trudy | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The safari was very good organized by Lifetime Experience.
It was really impressive to see the animals up close. But in a smaller group it would be even better to really get a full score under bush vibe
Kyle
US
Visited:
January 2018
Reviewed: Feb 11, 2019
Email Kyle | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great mountain environment. Had to walkthrough village and farms before reaching the park. Only saw the gorilla there and was a bit underwhelming.
Panagiota Marouli
GR
Visited:
August 2022
Reviewed: Sep 2, 2022
Email Panagiota Marouli | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
This is the scenery for Tarzan & Jane story. Our guide would make way with his machete where there was nothing but dense forest in steep mountainside. One could employ porters to help with the trek, which provides income to members of the community that has been relocated away from the gorillas.
A lot of care is shown towards the gorillas, the trackers have established a trusting relationship with the families they track so the animals feel safe in human presence. And still, this is a visit on their terms. You quietly observe them without interacting with them like you would in eg a circus, thus they remain wild and comfortable in their own environment. Priceless!
job2003
AU
Visited:
May 2008
Reviewed: Apr 18, 2012
50-65 years of age
Exciting but not very challenging
We had paid the obligatory $500 to help with the preservation of the gorillas habitat plus paid for local guides who would help carry our lunch pack and required water bottles, 1litre each, or our cameras over difficult terrain, and we had waited for people to go and get heavy duty footwear on, listened to all the instructions about how to manage the trek and so the anticipation was great. The guides carried guns which all suited the drama I expected.
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All for a 10min walk 30min photo session and 10mins back. Very disappointed....but we did see the gorillas and got great photos.
TheFillip1976
NL
Visited:
July 2009
Reviewed: Aug 21, 2012
Email TheFillip1976 | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Silverbacks, the Golden Experience
As the venture is starting with a good hike to the last known where-abouts of the family, it takes you trough beautifull scenery.
However, as seen every where, Uganda hasn;t been forgotten by us humans in the major destruction of nature.
The clear cutting line of trees and farmland, shows so clearly the pressure of humans on the wildlife. Other scenery is infected with Eucalyptus trees, growing, but with no purpose at all, as it originate from Australia with a specific adapted wildlife.
Back in the nature, and in Bwindi, you will have a perfect picture about how almost whole africa must have looked like over a century ago. Marvelous! and so impressive. With some ''luck'' you will have to find the gorilla's here, deep in the jungle. with some less restraining hike, they are just across the farmland and showing
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their gentle nature close by. Gentle nature..... perhaps with my video you might think differently, but it is all show off! The guides visit the gorilla's every day, for over many years, before they may host the guest from all over the world.The relative high price to pay for the 1 hour visit is worth every dime! and some is used to protect the species and land for future generations.
See, learn and respect the Best!
Hope you will have a wonderfull trip.
Fillip ter Haar
the Netherlands.
RedCany0n
Visited:
September 2013
Reviewed: May 14, 2015
My husband and I felt that the behavior around the wild mountain gorillas was somewhat disrespectful of these animals. The guides hacked the vegetation away from the gorillas with machetes, leaving them suddenly exposed while they had been napping and resting. The gorillas covered their faces with their hands and buried their heads in their arms, as though flinching, and It felt like we had intruded on their peace. When discussing this with a guide, he said that the gorillas were there for our entertainment, an attitude we didn't agree with.
cherepl
UG
Visited:
May 2016
Reviewed: Jun 12, 2016
Email cherepl | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A wildlife memorable hour
On the second morning we left for the Rushaga Gate for gorilla orientation and to meet the ranger, trekkers, guide and porters. Do hire a porter to carry your backpack, camera
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bag, and help you through some physically demanding areas and you are helping the local people. The time it takes to trek the gorillas can vary from a half an hour to 6+ hours. Our guide told us that we would be following the Bweza Gorilla Group. We hiked for approximately an hour and a half before we saw our first subadult. We were instructed to keep our distance to 7 meters but on occasions it can be closer due to the where the animals are feeding next to the trail. Visitors to the forest are allowed 1 hour to observe the gorillas and may take photos, and videos at this time. No flash is allowed. We saw 8 of the family members, feeding, and climbing trees. To spend this hour with these astonishing beautiful animals and the very skilled rangers, and guides was a life time experience. After the gorilla trekking we left the Rushaga gate and drove two hours to visit the Ruhija community Orphanage just outside the Ruhija gate in Bwindi. This orphanage is run by remarkable lady, Happy and the children are taught by a dedicated staff. Ruhija Little Angels Orphanage and Primary School is found on Facebook. We spent the night in the Ruhija community at the Trekkers Tervan which is comfortable.The third morning after breakfast we headed back to Kampala and and on our way we saw Blue Monkeys, numerous birds and gorgeous scenery.
The gorilla permit is now $600 except during the rainy season months which are April, May and November when the permit is $450.00 When you go gorilla tracking, you are not just supporting the protection of the gorillas as well as the surrounding communities, but also helping to preserve the entire Uganda National Park System.
Uganda, a beautiful country with lots of magnificent wildlife and nice people.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is an area where mountain-gorillas live, so main goal was to see a family of gorillas. After a pretty long walk through the beautiful green rainforest it's really breathtaking to encounter gorillas in the wild. An experience I'll never forget. There are guides who lead you through the forrest, so you need to have a rather good condition and good tracking-shoes.
