|
Author: Bruce Whittaker Article source: http://www.askcolman.com/. Used with author's permission.
Going on a gorilla safari must rank as one of the best wildlife experiences left in the natural world. Many people describe it as an overwhelming and awe-inspiring experience and worth every penny they spent on making it happen.
But it doesn't necessarily have to cost the earth.
You can organise and plan your own trek far cheaper than it would cost if you used a safari company as they need to work through the applicable wildlife authorities in each country to obtain gorilla permits anyway and you can do the same if you know how.
The trade-off is that it will be more inconvenient for you because you will need to organise all the logistics yourself whereas with a gorilla safari company you just turn up and go along for the ride.
If you are a do-it-yourself traveller, here is what you need to know to make it possible and save yourself some money...
Where to Find the Gorillas
Mountain gorillas are highly endangered and there are isolated pockets of them left in Uganda, Rwanda and the Congo. It's estimated that there are less than 650 mountain gorilla left in the world.
Travel to the Congo is considered risky because of the political and military instabilities that exist there but Uganda and Rwanda are perfect for a gorilla safari.
Your chances of seeing the gorillas are excellent in both Uganda and Rwanda because they are tracked each day by experienced trackers so their locations are known down to the last 24 hours. It's possible but quite rare for visitors not to see the gorillas.
In Uganda the big apes live in the Bwindi National Park and in Rwanda they can be found at the Volcanoes National Park.
There are three habituated gorilla groups in the Bwindi forest and a total of eighteen permits are issued every day at six per group.
In Rwanda there are four habituated gorilla groups and eight permits are issued per group bringing the total per day to thirty two.
There are some simple rules that apply when visiting these great apes: Don't go if you are sick because you might infect them and they are very susceptible to human diseases, no flash photography, maintain a seven metre distance, don't eat or drink around them and each group can stay for a maximum of one hour.
Best Time to Go on a Gorilla Safari
Bwindi is a rainforest so you can expect precipitation most of the year with the heaviest rains occurring in March - April and September - November while other months are reasonably dry. Annual precipitation is between 1130 mm and 2390 mm.
The annual temperature ranges between 7-20 degrees c with the coldest period between June- July.
The climate in the Volcanoes National Park is changeable and you can generally expect both sun and rainfall during the day. At 1,700m above sea level it is generally quite cold particularly in the evening so warm clothing is advised.
The park receives a high amount of rainfall, over 70 inches (1,800 mm) per year and daytime temperatures average about 70°F (21°C). The dry season occurs mid-June-September and December-March.
Rain is an inconvenience on a gorilla safari but it's not an insurmountable obstacle. Just make sure that you take a good pair of hiking boots with you because it can become very muddy and some parts are pretty steep which can cause you to slip.
Travel and Accommodation
Bwindi in Uganda can be reached from QENP in the north (2-3 hours), from Kabale to the south (1-2 hours), or from Kampala via Mbarara (6-8 hours). The roads meet at Butogota, 17km from the Buhoma entrance gate.
Two up-market tented camps, a lodge, community-run budget rooms and camping are available near the Buhoma entrance gate for accommodation the night before the gorilla safari.
In Rwanda the day before the gorilla trek you can take a 2 USD minibus to Ruhengeri (2 hours) or a 2 USD Virunga or Okapi bus from Kigale. Buses leave every hour (on the hour) from near the gare routière/bus station. If you want to leave early in the morning from Kigale it might be a good idea to buy a ticket the day before, but if you leave in the afternoon, you might buy a ticket in the morning.
In Ruhengeri you can stay at any of the decent guesthouses ranging from Home d'Accueil at 5USD, to Muhabura which is clean with private bathroom at 20USD. The expensive Gorillas nest is at Kinigi, a taxi car drive out of town. Where and how to get the gorilla permit and transportation plus accommodation tips, advice and costs for both Uganda and Rwanda so that you can decide between them.
The Top Three gorilla safari companies if you decide to use a guide rather than plan your own trek.
Web Internet Marketing: 10 Magical Secrets To Make Your Ad Appealing
Do you want to make your ad appealing and increase
Your sales?
The Three Most Common Mistakes Sales Managers Make
In most organizations, sales managers are the essential bridge between the company's sales goals and the realization of those goals. The gritty day-to-day inter...
Complete Novice Builds Business Using Press Releases on the Internet
Using less than $500 in a twelve-month period, our web traffic equals customers! I am a complete novice, let me show you how I did it.
Recycling, Reverse Logistics and…..Candy
Is it logical that the producers continuously purchase corrugated boxes and shops throw them away? This is not just a waste of the earth's finite resources - it...
Make A Stunning Dried Hydrangea Wreath
Learn how to make your own stunning dried floral arrangement out of dried hydrangeas.
That Brilliant Vitamin: Vitamin B
Perhaps you first read riboflavin at the back of a cereal box. Perhaps you first encountered folic acid from your first grade science teacher. Perhaps you first...
7 Steps to a New Life Overseas
Research shows that at any one time more than half of us are dreaming of a new life overseas, but few actually succeed in making the transition from fantasy to ...
The Best and Easiest Google-Friendly Change to Your Web Site
No matter who you are or how much you pay for web site advertising, free search engine traffic is probably responsible for a big part of your business. So why ...
Your Words Have Power
By taking your word more seriously, you will find that you are more confident, your self-respect increases, as does the respect you receive from others. Each ti...
Screwed: Is this an inevitability in the SEO World?
The consumers in the SEO world are being fed out and out lies by some of the
people who call themselves experts in the area of Search Engine Optimization. They...
Building Trust in Your Business Relationships - 10 Steps
Trust is formative in how you do your business. Your people will reflect your behaviours with them and at the end of the day, your customers and clients will be...
The Hidden Price of Being Healthy
There is a price you have to pay in NOT being healthy. A price that most people do not want to pay when they realize they are paying it.
The Maharishi Ayurveda Approach to Weight Loss
Maharishi Ayurveda Approach to Weight Loss: 5 Easy Steps to A Healthier Weight Although different people have weight problems for different reason, these 5 tips...
The New Age Movement
What is the New Age Movement? It is similar to New Age Spirituality, but different enough to warrant its own definition. The New Age Movement is a belief that...
The Emergence of the Snow Blower
The first snow blower was built in 1925 to clear snow-covered roads in rural Canada. Designed by farmer and road contractor Arthur Sicard, this first snow blowe...
VIX
No, this is not a symbol for some Latin number. The Wall Street mavens talk about this market timing device as if they knew how to use it to determine which way...
Do Your Autoresponders Drive Your Customers Crazy?
Writing chained auto-responder messages to sell a product is a good idea in principle, but in practice it can LOSE you clients just as well if you don't get rig...
Mortgage: For Those Twilight Years
Tracing back, the concept of reverse mortgages began when one good soul, Nelson Haynes of Deering Savings and Loans wanted to help out the widow of his high sch...
How to Turn Your Promotional Products Expense Into a Profit Center
Did you know there are products that put pens, mugs and keychains to shame? They can cost less and bring measurable profits. Sometimes, these profit-producing...
End Of History? Not Quite
A visitor to Moscow would be immediately struck by the fact that an otherwise dull Kremlin now seduces one to break the sound barrier in a mike, rediscover one ...
You Should Teach Your Puppy Proper Chewing Behavior
As much as you may love your cute, new puppy, if she chews on everything in sight--including you--she will not be cute to you for very long. Puppies that are le...
Which is Better? Exercise or Dieting?
Weight Loss, Exercise or Dieting?
Writing The Book On Great Customer Service
You probably can't compete with the superstore on volume of inventory or on price, but there are other things you can do to help keep the customers coming in yo...
Nine Things You Should Know About Yoga for Children
Here are some guidelines and realistic expectations for parents, who are considering Yoga for their children. For your child, Yoga is much more than a kid's fit...
|
Print this page