Luxury Gorilla Trekking Guide for Uganda and Rwanda

LUXURY GORILLA TREKKING

Join us on a personalized luxury gorilla trekking adventure in Uganda or Rwanda, a great opportunity to traverse the lush jungles to watch mountain gorillas in the wild. Each of the destinations promises a rare experience on your luxury gorilla trekking tour. A well-planned luxury gorilla safari in Uganda and Rwanda includes high-end accommodation and exclusive services. Expect to relax in some of the finest high-end gorilla lodges, travel in luxury safari cars, and be accompanied by personalized experts.

Choosing a Destination for a Luxury Gorilla Trekking Tour

Before embarking on the actual luxury gorilla trekking tour, you should have an idea of where to go. It is the initial stage of planning any successful gorilla tour. Uganda and Rwanda are perfect places to start your luxury gorilla safari holiday. In each of these luxury gorilla trekking destinations, expect amazing encounters with families of mountain gorillas.

Luxury Gorilla Trekking Tours in Uganda

When you book a luxury gorilla trekking tour in Uganda, Bwindi and Mgahinga should be your target destinations. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park & Mgahinga are not only Uganda’s spectacular destinations but also important habitats to half of the mountain gorilla population, that have been estimated to be still thriving in the natural forests.

A luxury gorilla safari in Bwindi involves starting your trek from the 4 trailheads: Rushaga, Buhoma, Ruhija, and Nkuringo. In the Buhoma sector, expect to visit gorilla groups such as the Kanywanyi group, the Mubare group, the Katwe group, the Muyambi group, the Habinyanja group, and the Binyindo gorilla group. In the Eastern sector (Ruhija), expect to visit any of the following groups: Happy group, Bitukura gorilla group, Oruzogo, and Kyaguriro B.

The Rushaga sector comprises habituated gorilla groups such as the Busingye group, Tindatine, the Bweza gorilla family group, Kahungye, Kutu, Mishaya, the Mucunguzi group, Bikingi, and the Nshongi gorilla groups. Whereas in the Nkuringo sector, expect to embark on a trek to explore gorilla groups such as the Posho group, Christmas, Bushaho, and Nkuringo gorilla groups.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a rich destination, home to not just mountain gorillas but also other wildlife, including African elephants, l’hoest monkeys, chimpanzees, butterflies, reptiles, and over 350 species of birds. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest also supports other animals such as red-tailed monkeys, sitatungas, blue monkeys, bushbucks, yellow & black-fronted duikers, baboons, & many more.

Approximately 350 species of birds inhabit Bwindi, including mountain oriole, handsome spurfowl, regal sunbirds, bar-tailed trogons, Doherty’s bush shrikes, handsome francolin, black bee-eaters, Rwenzori nightjar, African emerald cuckoos, and white-tailed blue fly-catchers, rock pigeon, red-necked spurfowl, and many others.

Other than gorilla trekking, Bwindi is also known to offer excellent hiking experiences. The Park features iconic hiking trails such as the Habinyanja trail, Mubwindi swamp trail, and Kashasha River trail, Munyanga waterfall hiking trail, Muzabajiro Loop, Bamboo trail, Rushura Hill trail, Ivy River trail, Ruizi River trail, and others. Luxury gorilla trekking tours in Bwindi can also be combined with nature walks/hikes, gorilla habituation experience, birding, and many other experiences.

Luxury Lodges to Stay in & around Bwindi national park.

Top luxury accommodation choices to book on the Bwindi luxury gorilla tour include Mahogany Springs, Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge, Buhoma Lodge, Trackers Safari Lodge, Gorilla Heights Lodge, Gorilla Forest Camp, Chameleon Hill Forest Lodge, and Bwindi Lodge. Other luxury accommodation options to book in Bwindi include Kaara Gorilla Mountain Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Four Gorillas Lodge, Gorilla Leisure Lodge, & Silverback Lodge.

Luxury Gorilla Trekking Tour in Mgahinga National Park.

Located in the Great Virunga Region, Mgahinga National Park is one of the best places to visit to enjoy luxury gorilla safaris in Uganda. Mgahinga was officially declared a National Park in 1991, and today, it covers 33.7 sq. km, inhabited by about 76 mammal species. The diverse mammal species in this Park comprise mountain gorillas and also other species such as golden monkeys, leopards, buffaloes, bushbucks, giant forest hogs, elephants, bush pigs, and about 180 species of birds.

A luxury gorilla tour in Mgahinga involves visiting the Nyakagezi group, the only group that is available for tourism. This gorilla group has a capacity of only 8pax per day, and this makes Mgahinga National Park the perfect place to experience an intimate gorilla holiday. Gorilla safaris in Mgahinga can be enjoyed together with other experiences such as golden monkey tracking, birding, golden monkey habituation, and nature walks.

A birding tour in Mgahinga takes you on a search for birds, including a variety of Albertine Rift endemic species. The expected birds to find on a birding tour in Mgahinga National Park include speckled mouse-bird, African paradise flycatchers, Double-collared sunbirds, Alpine chat, Hadada Ibis, Black kite, Grey crowned hornbills, yellow-billed ducks, Blue-billed teal, Mountain yellow warblers, regal sunbirds, Rwenzori turacos, malachite sunbirds, and brown-crowned tchagra.

Luxury Lodges and camps in and near Mgahinga national park.

The ideal luxury accommodation options to consider for an overnight stay in and around Mgahinga National Park include Mount Gahinga Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Ikoro Lodge Kisoro, Lake Mutanda resort, Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge and more.

Getting to Bwindi & Mgahinga for Luxury Gorilla Trekking

Mgahinga and Bwindi National Parks can be safely accessed by road from Kampala, which is about 8-9 hours. En route, you can drive through the beautiful towns like Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, and Kisoro. Visitors can also cross from Rwanda from the Katuna/Chanika border, starting from Kigali.

Booking permits for luxury gorilla safaris in Bwindi & Mgahinga.

Gorilla permits in Uganda still cost USD 800 per person for foreign non-residents. If a visitor on a luxury gorilla tour is visiting as a foreign resident, the permits can be reserved at US Dollars 700, and Ugandans/East African citizens –the charge still stands at UGX 300,000. Besides the traditional gorilla treks in Mgahinga or Bwindi, expect to also obtain permits for habituation. Gorilla habituation is best for tourists with plans to spend more time with a family of gorillas. The permits for mountain gorilla habituation cost US Dollars 1500 per visitor (foreign non-residents). The foreign residents on a habituation tour can also secure a permit at US Dollars 1000 per visitor, while East Africans pay UGX 750000.

A guide to luxury Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda.

The luxury gorilla safaris in Rwanda offer the best of high-end gorilla trekking adventure compared to any destination. While in Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park is the best location to experience a high-end adventure. The Volcanoes National Park lies in the misty Virunga Volcanoes region, Northwestern Rwanda. This Park is one of the oldest on the African continent, having been gazetted in 1925.

Volcanoes NP extends about 160 sq. km, and the park’s landscapes mainly feature bamboo forests, rainforest, and other landforms. While in Volcanoes, expect to explore already habituated gorilla groups including Umubano, Agashya group, Ugenda, Amahoro group, Sabyinyo group, Hirwa gorilla group, Muhoza gorilla group, and Noheli group.

Visitors require a valid permit to enjoy a luxury gorilla trekking tour in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. A single gorilla permit in Rwanda costs US Dollars 1500 per person, and all the permits can be booked through the trusted tour company. Talk to one of our experts now to secure your Rwanda gorilla permit in advance and be part of the mesmerizing encounters with the Volcanoes National Park mountain gorillas. Like in Uganda, the luxury gorilla permits in Rwanda should also be booked early, and it is recommended that you do it at least 2-6 months before the actual planned date of visiting mountain gorillas.

Besides trekking Rwanda gorillas, expect to also add golden monkey trekking, volcano hiking, bird-watching, & cultural tours, especially at Iby’Iwacu Village Walk. You should also expect to experience the best of Dian Fossey’s tomb hike with an experienced guide.

Luxury/High-end Accommodation Choices in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Choosing the right luxury accommodation in and around Volcanoes National Park shouldn’t be challenging to you. Here are some of the best luxury accommodations to book on a high-end gorilla tour in Rwanda: Singita Kwitonda Lodge, Amarembo by Touch down, Sambora Kinigi, Bisate Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, One & Only Gorilla’s Nest Lodge, etc.

How to get to Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking?

Visitors can reach Volcanoes National Park with ease by road, whereby they can take just 2-3 hours when driving. You depart from Kigali city in a 4×4 safari car with a professional driver guide. You can also take less than an hour to reach Ruhengeri while on a helicopter flight tour. From Ruhengeri Airport, expect to be picked up by our driver guide, and you can transfer safely to Volcanoes National Park.

When is the Best Time to go for a Luxury Gorilla Trekking Tour?

The best time to plan and embark on a captivating luxury mountain gorilla safari in Uganda/Rwanda is during the peak dry months. Each travel calendar in Uganda and Rwanda records peak dry months around June, July, August, and September –while the shorter dry months for high-end visitors to consider include December, January, and February.

These are the best months for trekking gorillas due to less rains and drier trails, which makes the entire adventure more enjoyable than the wet/rainy seasons (March-May/October to November).

What to Carry for the Luxury Gorilla Trekking Safari (Uganda/Rwanda)?

Whether luxury gorilla safaris or budget tours, you should be conscious on what to pack or carry. Top items to pack for your luxury gorilla tour in Rwanda and Uganda include long-pants, waterproof and strong hiking boots, gardening gloves, a bottle of water, insect repellents, snacks, a sweater, a pair of binoculars, extra camera batteries, sunscreen, a safari hat, sunglasses, and others.

Cost of Luxury Gorilla Trekking Package – How Much is it?

Wondering how much an average luxury gorilla trekking adventure can cost? The overall cost of the luxury gorilla safari varies, and by estimate, it can be from USD 5000 to USD 10,000 per person depending on how many days you plan to spend in this gorilla destination. The cost of lodges and transportation often have an influence on the general cost of the luxury gorilla safari package. To plan for the best luxury gorilla safari in Uganda/Rwanda, feel free to contact our reservation team to book a tour.