Last Minute Gorilla Trekking

Although it is possible to book a gorilla trekking trip at the last minute, we strongly recommend that all of our guests book their gorilla permits well in advance, preferably between two and four months before the date they plan to visit Uganda, Rwanda, or the Congo in order to go on a gorilla trek. The earlier you book your gorilla permit, the less worry and disappointment you will have, particularly in the event that you are unable to obtain a gorilla permit.

Be sure to book your gorilla permit with our reservation staff as soon as possible. You may simply make a reservation with one of the local or ground tour companies in Uganda, which hold up to 80 percent of the available gorilla licenses. The remaining twenty percent of spots can be reserved through the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s reservation team (UWA).

Even if you email an enquiry 12 hours or 24 minutes in advance, a local tour operator may organise a gorilla trekking trip for you at the last minute. This is true whether you are interested in a cheap, midrange, or luxury gorilla safari. The advantage of making a last-minute reservation for gorilla trekking through a reputable tour operator such as us is that we have a common understanding with the majority of the safari lodges located inside the various gorilla parks, which makes it simpler to put together your trip.

There is still time to plan a gorilla trekking adventure lasting between three and five days in Uganda or Rwanda. This is the case regardless of whether you intend on going on a gorilla safari in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, or Volcanoes National Park on a budget or in luxury.
Last minute gorilla trekking in Uganda

Only the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda allow visitors to participate in gorilla trekking safaris at the last minute. These parks offer gorilla tracking and are located in the southwestern region of Uganda. The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in Kabale and encompasses a total land area of 331 square kilometers. It is known for its dense, impenetrable forest.

Bwindi National Park was established in 1991 and has since been given a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. While on a gorilla trekking safari at the last minute, there are 20 habituated gorilla families to visit while in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This equates to around 160 gorilla permits being issued per day.

Permits to go gorilla trekking in Bwindi at the eleventh hour cost USD700 for non-resident tourists, $600 for foreign residents, and UG. Shs. 250,000 for nationals from East African countries. Guests have the option of participating in a gorilla trekking adventure that lasts 3, 4, or 5 days, or a gorilla habituation experience that lasts 3, 4, or 5 days.

At Bwindi National Park, gorilla tracking may be done in one of four different sectors: Nkuringo, Ruhija, Buhoma, or Rushaga sector. Each of these places is worth a visit. There are already habituated families of mountain gorillas for tracking in each of these areas and sectors. Some of these families include the Mubare, Katwe, Rushegura, and Habinyanja group in the Buhoma sector, and the Mukiza, Oruzogo, Kyaguriro, and Bitukura gorilla family in the Ruhija sector. There are several habituated gorilla families in the Rushaga sector, including the Kutu, Rwigi, Bikingi, Kahungye, Busingye, Mucunguzi, Bweza, Mishaya, and Nshongi families. Some of the Nkuringo gorilla groups are Bushaho, Nkuringo, and Christmas.

Other primates and mammals that can be found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park include forest duikers, leopards, elephants, giant forest hogs, and bats. Blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, bush babies, black and white colobus monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, red tailed monkeys, and l’hoest monkeys are also found there. There are over 360 different species of birds that can be found in Bwindi, including giant kingfishers, grauer’s rush warblers, yellow streaked greenbul, Rwenzori nightjar, handsome francolin, dwarf honeyguide, bar tailed trogon, African wood owl, short tailed warblers, African green broadbill, white bellied robin chat, black bee-eaters, and mountain yellow warblers. Bwindi Among the others are the blue headed sunbird, the dusky crimson wing, the lagden’s bush shrike, the montane oriole, the dusky twin spot, the red fronted antpecker, the royal sunbird, the purple breasted sunbird, Shelley’s crimson wing, and still others.

Mountain gorilla interactions aren’t the only thing a nature lover can look forward to on a gorilla tour in Bwindi. Walking through nature, observing mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, having cultural exchanges at communities of Batwa and Bakiga pygmies, as well as engaging in activities like birdwatching and cycling, are among the top reasons to travel to this park.

On your last minute gorilla trekking adventure in Bwindi, you can choose to stay at one of the following lodges or accommodations: Volcanoes Safaris Bwindi Lodge, Ruhija Gorilla Friends Resort & Campsite, Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Buhoma Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Gorilla Forest Camp, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, or one of the many others.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

The Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the finest place to go gorilla trekking in Uganda if you don’t want to deal with a lot of other people. There is just one group of mountain gorillas that can be visited in Mgahinga National Park, and that is the Nyakagezi gorilla group. Nevertheless, last-minute gorilla treks in the park may be organized. The search for these giant apes begins in Ntebeko and lasts tourists anywhere from two to six hours, with the highlight being a one-hour encounter with mountain gorillas up up and personal. This gorilla group only allows eight people per day.

The Mgahinga Gorilla National Park covers an area of 33.7 square kilometers and has an elevation range that goes from 2,227 meters to 4,127 meters. It is the smallest of Uganda’s 10 national parks. Although though it is very small, the park preserves a wide variety of animal species, such as golden monkeys, forest elephants, buffaloes, bush pigs, bush bucks, and more. Over 180 bird species also share the same habitat with mountain gorillas including olive pigeon, brown woodland warblers, cinnamon bracken warblers, Kivu ground thrush, greater double collared sunbirds, white starred robin, waxbills, striped breasted tit, Rwenzori batis, scarlet tufted sunbird, Rwenzori turaco and others.

During their time in Mgahinga National Park, visitors have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities in addition to gorilla trekking. Some of these activities include tracking golden monkeys, birding, nature walks, cave exploration, hiking to Dian Fossey’s tomb, hiking or climbing volcanoes, experiencing the Batwa trail, and more.

The Mount Gahinga Lodge, the Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, the Traveler’s Nest Hotel, the Mucha hotel, the Kisoro Tourist Hotel, and many more are among the finest places to stay in the Mgahinga sector.
National Park of the Volcanoes

Another fantastic place for gorilla viewing is Volcanoes National Park, which can be reached by car from Kigali in around two to three hours. Exploring the 13 habituated gorilla families is the primary focus of the last-minute gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. Some of the gorilla families that can be visited on this trek include Pablo, Susa A, Agashya, Kwitonda, Karisimbi/Susa B, Amahoro, Sabyinyo, Hirwa, Umubano, Titus, and Bwenge.

The Volcanoes National Park was gazetted in 1925 and has a total area of 160 square kilometers. The mountain gorilla is the primary focus of the park. Other animals that live there include buffaloes, forest elephants, giant forest hogs, spotted hyenas, golden monkeys, and approximately 200 species of birds. Some of the birds that live there include red faced woodland warblers, Rwenzori double collared sunbirds, grauer’s rush warblers, archer’s ground robins, and turacos, among many others.

Permits to see the mountain gorillas in Rwanda may be booked at the eleventh hour for a fee of $1500 per person. It is possible to make reservations for a gorilla permit through a travel operator or the Rwanda Development Board.

Hotels such as Villa Gorilla, La Palme Hotel, Garr Hotel, Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge, Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge, Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge, Garden Palace Hotel, Five Volcanoes Hotel, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Bisate Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Virunga Lodge, Mountain Gorillas Nest Lodge, Kwitonda Lodge, and others can be found within Volcanoes National Park.
What is the best time to go gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda?

At any time of the year, travelers to Uganda, Rwanda, or the Congo can participate in gorilla tracking excursions. The dry season is the greatest time to see the gorillas, and this season has two distinct phases: the first phase happens throughout the months of June, July, August, and September, while the second phase is experienced during the months of December, January, and February. The drier seasons encounter little or even no precipitation with roads kept dry making it easy going through when hunting for mountain gorillas.

The months of March, April, and May, as well as October and November, are known as the wet or rainy season. This is the time of year when it rains the most. In general, it is impossible to foresee the weather conditions, so in order to be adequately prepared, you should think about bringing waterproof hiking boots, a daypack, a rain jacket or coat, long pants, insect repellents, and other items. Additional items to consider carrying include sweatshirt, visas, long sleeved shirts, sunglasses, sunscreen, walking stick, water, gardening gloves, snacks and cap.
Gorilla hiking restrictions

The different gorilla trekking rules and regulations that must be followed include keeping a low voice while trekking, keeping an 8-10 meter distance from mountain gorillas at all times, having an age limit of 15 years or older, always wearing face masks that cover the nose and mouth, sanitizing and always keeping the Standard Operating Procedures, spending a maximum of one hour observing gorillas, not being allowed to trek mountain gorillas if a visitor is sick or ill, carrying or presenting a valid
What is included in the gorilla trekking experience at the last minute

All of our last-minute gorilla trekking safari packages include an unforgettable experience with mountain gorillas, as well as park guide fees, transportation, lodging, park admission fees, safari activities (with the exception of any extra experiences), bottled water, meals, and other amenities. The packages do not include things like airfare, beverages, additional activities, visas, passports, travel insurance, gratuities, shopping, plane tickets, any type of charges, hotel fees after the gorilla tour, and other things like that.