COVID 19 pandemic | Gorilla trekking

Covid 19 pandemic | Gorilla trekking : The infestation of the COVID 19 brought the whole world into a period of ramble and tumble. Thereby, all the economic fell into a Punic for survival and how everything can easily move on. The developed world always got its way around obstacles, contrary, the developing world fell in great pit of the pandemic. As a result, all airports and transport systems where put under a lockdown. The tourism industry has also seen darkness in the COVID 19 pandemic era. However, there is always hope for travel especially now that the world is getting back to stabilization.

The COVID 19 pandemic has separated the whole world into two batches of people; the vaccinated and the ones who are not vaccinated. However the requirements to travel to Uganda vary basing on each batch you belong. The travel situation due to the COVID 19 pandemic is not that easy as it was before the apocalypse, and this has raised a number of doubts about gorilla trekking in Uganda and other safaris around the world. The world seems to be shifting further away from the normal due to the COVID 19 effect on the world travel and tourism industry.

Despite of the forth projected darkness in the world due to the disrupted normal, there is a silver lining for travelers in the world. Therefore, you can enjoy your gorilla trekking during this pandemic, following the right procedures. Gorilla trekking during the COVID 19 pandemics is still being conducted in Uganda in Bwindi impenetrable and Mgahinga National Parks, and volcanoes national park in Rwanda. The requirements of gorilla trekking in the whole world don’t vary so much; however, still something changes according to the different government policies in the three countries of the democratic republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda.

COVID 19 gorilla trekking in Uganda

Generally, Uganda is the best destination in the whole world for the most exhilarating mountain gorilla trekking in Africa. Regardless of the size of Uganda, and its land locked situation, it receives a good number of travelers coming to enjoy seeing the endangered mountain gorillas. In fact the size of Uganda does not matter here since it harbors almost half of the whole world’s mountain gorilla population.

Due to the infestation of COVID 19, Uganda was forced by the wavering pandemic, to close down all the national parks and the international airport. Thereby, no travels where allowed inside and outside the country for any tourism business. However after a long time of lock down, in 2020, the boarders and all the national parks in Uganda where reopened in October. Now the hope is alive for you to enjoy mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Requirements for COVID19 gorilla trekking

For long, the most paramount requirement for gorilla trekking has been the gorilla trekking permit, and this has not changed still. All foreign travelers are obliged to pay a fee of 700USD for the mountain gorilla trekking permit in Uganda. 600USD for the foreign residents in Uganda, and ugx250,000 for all the members of the east African community. However, children below the age of 15yrs are not allowed to join in the mountain gorilla trekking activity in Uganda. Besides, they can enjoy other primate safari activities like chimpanzee trekking and watching monkeys among others.

For now, the situation is tough and a gorilla trekking permit cannot be just enough for COVID 19 gorilla trekking experience in Uganda. The government bodies of Uganda came together, following the international standard, and formulated a few standard operating procedures for travelers during the COVID 19 pandemic. The SOPs are put in place in order to ensure the safety of all visitors and the local people near the destination, not forgetting the mountain gorillas themselves. These include;

  • For anybody to be allowed to trek the mountain gorillas in Uganda, you need to have a face mask. Most preferably N95 or one of the clinical masks or surgical masks, which should be worn all the time.
  • Body temperature examination, this is a must when entering any protected area in Uganda, and perhaps the whole world. This is also needed before trekking mountain gorillas in Uganda. The normal and acceptable body temperature should be below 37.5 degrees.
  • Extra face musk, the tour operator will provide face masks but you can also carry extra face masks and a hand sanitizer, for safety reasons.
  • Also the social distance is very much emphasized for all visitors in Uganda for mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable and Mgahinga National Park.
Current COVID 19 travel restrictions
  • The Ugandan borders are open to all the foreigners coming into the country for tourism such as mountain gorilla trekking. However, citizens from COVID 19 torn countries are not allowed to come into Uganda, especially the travelers from India.
  • All the foreign travelled from countries with COVID variant strains are not allowed into Uganda, unless with a negative PCR test certificate. The citizens from such countries like turkey, South Africa and Brazil must do another PCR test upon reaching Entebbe International Airport.
  • On a contrary, the vaccinated travelers are not allowed to carry their PCR test certificate, however they can carry the vaccine card for verification purposes. For all the others travelling to Uganda for mountain gorilla trekking, you must present a valid PCR test certificate of not more than 120hours, upon arrival at Entebbe international airport in Uganda.
Where COVID19 tests are taken in Uganda?

This is all taken care of if you book with us for your gorilla trekking in Uganda during the COVID 19 pandemic era.  It is the duty of the tour operator to direct you to the COVID 19 testing centers at the airport in Entebbe, or anywhere according to your actual location in Uganda. You can always receive your COVID 19 test results via email. In fact, this saves you the hustle of travelling back and to the laboratory to pick the COVID 19 test results. Always remember to take your tests in the accredited laboratories by the Ministry of Health in Uganda.

You should always keep in mind that COVID 19 is real and present in almost all places in the world. Therefore, always take self-care precautions, and follow the SOPs as stipulated by the management of different national parks in Uganda. For more information, you can contact us via email. the supporting team is always available to assist you in any way possible. Therefore, do not hesitate to travel now, book for you gorilla trekking permit now.

Gorilla Trekking Experience Now | Uganda & Rwanda

Gorilla Trekking Experience Now | Uganda & Rwanda : Gorilla trekking is a famous term used by almost all the travelers to East Africa. In fact, this activity is mainly known for the East African countries of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In fact, this part of the world harbors the largest population of the endangered mountain gorillas in the whole world. However, the biggest percentage of the population being in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.

However, you can also find some mountain gorillas in other places around the world. For example,  the low land gorillas in central Africa, and a few scattered in the animal sanctuaries and zoos in the world. As a matter of fact, mountain gorilla trekking is one of the most entertaining tourist activities in the East Africa. In fact, most of the travelers and tourists to Africa come mainly for the primate safaris. They are called mountain gorillas because of their way of life whereby they live in the mountain areas. Interestingly, they only tend to come down when it is very cold during the rain seasons of East Africa.

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of the tourist stop centers for mountain gorilla trekking in the whole world. The Park is a big part on the vast Virunga conservation area of East Africa. These covers parts of Volcanoes in Rwanda, Virunga in DRC Congo, Mgahinga and Bwindi National Park in Uganda. Bwindi is basically a safe haven to over 450 endangered mountain gorillas in the world. The population of the mountain gorilla is estimated to be like half of the total population of mountain gorillas in the whole world. Furthermore, the group of mountain gorillas in Bwndi Impenetrable National Park is scattered among families. The biggest family is found in buhoma sector of the park and thus making it famous for travelers in whole the world.

What is gorilla trekking?

In fact, mountain gorilla trekking is such a thrilling activity for all the travelers that visit Uganda. This activity basically involves watching the mountain gorillas in their natural habitats which is an aspiration for most travelers when asked. Gorilla trekking generally takes you around the mountainous terrain of Bwindi, Volcanoes, and Virunga National Park.

Therefore, the activity  involves hiking short and long distances looking for the gorilla family intended to be visited.The time taken to watch the visited mountain gorilla family is such a reward to life. Here, you get to learn a lot about the life styles of these primates. Interestingly, is how you can relate the mountain gorilla way of living to that of humans. For example, copulation, the feeding habits and communication, not to mention but a few.

Best destination for mountain gorilla trekking

There is a good number of places you can go to visit the mountain gorillas in Africa; central Africa and East Africa. It is easy also to find the low land gorillas in other parts of the world being kept in cages and circus wagons. However, the mountain gorillas are rare and endangered which makes them special and unique. These gorillas are found in a number of national parks in East Africa. These include; Virunga National Park in DRC of Congo, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Mgahinga and Bwindi in Uganda.

Uganda is generally the best destination for mountain gorilla trekking activity. This is attributed to the big mountain gorilla population Uganda protects in its western highlands. Uganda has two mountain gorilla trekking destinations which can be combined to make the best gorilla trekking package. These include; Mgahinga National Park, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Both, these destinations are part of the great virunga mountain ranges which makes up the virunga conservation area.

Why gorilla trekking now?

As tourism continues to awaken from the long pandemic slumber, a lot of travelers wish to travel. Many are still  planning their safaris to tourist destinations of the world including Uganda. Uganda is the best destination for primate safaris including mountain gorilla trekking. If at all you have not realized where to travel to now, you can take a fortune to visit the gorillas in Uganda. The gorillas rank among the most endangered animals in the world and according to the records and the population is still deteriorating. To support the conservation of the mountain gorilla population in the world, perhaps, this is the time for you to consider visiting Uganda for mountain gorilla trekking now.

When to do gorilla trekking?

In Uganda, seasons don’t matter; you can see you mountain gorillas any time throughout the year. With enough choses, you can also decide your best mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda now and have your safari experience elevated now. Taking this to be a holiday, mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda gets better. You can spend more time with the gorillas during the holidays. This is made possible by the few tourists in the national parks during holiday season.

And now, travel has been weakened by the corona virus pandemic. However, with the good measures put to curb the pandemic, you can travel to Uganda and enjoy gorilla trekking. You can always talk to us for the best planning of your travel to Uganda for mountain gorilla trekking now.  We have put in place the most effective SOPs to help curb the spread if corona virus. Travel now to avoid regrets later. Follow your heart to the Pearl of Africa, with Great Nest Image Safaris.

Gorilla family in Bwindi

Gorilla Habituation Experience | Bwindi-Uganda

Gorilla habituation Experience | Bwindi-Uganda : is the primate safari activity you can enjoy while in Uganda. It is also such an exhilarating experience which you should never miss during your African primate safari. This was initially not created for visitor enjoyment, but rather, a professional exercise aiming at taming the wild mountain gorilla to human encounters. Due to the high demand of mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda, gorilla habituation was added onto the activity list for travelers who come for trekking in the low season. 

What is gorilla habituation?

Mountain gorilla habituation activity basically allows you to spend more time with the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. The time you spend with the gorillas is the time that allows you to get familiar to them and also to win their trust. This process is such rewarding to all travelers as they spend time learning intrinsically about all the behaviors of the mountain gorillas. Some of these include; the eating habits, communication language, copulation, reproduction, among others.

Where to do Gorilla habituation

Uganda is blessed with over 450 mountain gorillas which live in Bwindi impenetrable forest; which is almost half of the world’s mountain gorilla population. The gorillas in Bwindi are habituated and live in the four major sectors in the park. These include; Buhoma sector, Ruhija sector, Nkuringo sector as well as Rushaga sector. However, only two gorilla families are put aside for the tourists to enjoy the gorilla habituation experience in rushaga and Nkkuringo sector.

These families include; Bushaho and Bikingi gorilla groups within Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. In fact, gorilla habituation is majorly a research done by real scientists and researchers assigned by Uganda wildlife authority. However, there is a chance always for six other travelers to join the researcher’s team in a day to enjoy the gorilla habituation. Besides, the number of people for the habituation process is always maintained since the habituation is a sensitive activity for research purposes.

Gorilla Habituation process

The mountain gorilla habituation process is a time consuming activity at times and mostly takes about two to three years. However, it is done by a few people every round until the duration elapses and the gorillas are maturely habituated. In fact, the habituation of mountain gorillas is aimed at making them more accommodating for the tourist. As a matter of fact, mountain gorilla habituation is only done in Bwindi and volcanoes national park in Uganda and Rwanda respectively. Gorilla habituation is not favorable in Virunga National Park of DRC since the gorilla families are few and mobile.

The habituation exercise or process involves trekking a selected family of wild gorillas which are not yet familiar with human encounters. However, the exercise is not a one day activity but done for more than one day over period of about 3 to 4 years. As the process goes on, the different members of a mountain gorilla family under study are given identity. This is based on their gender or sex as well as age and size. As time goes on, the mountain gorillas are given names to identify them from one another. However, the naming process happens at the climax of the habituation process. 

Rules and regulations

This process has got a number of regulations and procedures to follow and these include;

  1. Remember to always follow instructions given by the game rangers. The rangers have more knowledge about the forest and the gorillas therefore, listen and do what they tell you to do  for safety reasons.
  2. Stay near your colleagues as well as in the group assigned to you by the tour guide. Staying in groups will help you from not getting lost or even getting attacked by the wild gorillas. A group of about six people treks for the gorilla family intended to be habituated for about 4 hours a day. 
  3. Always don’t forget to keep your voices low while trekking for the gorillas in the forest. The loud noise while habituating the mountain gorillas might spark off violence in some gorillas. Thereby attacking you and end up spoiling your habituation experience. Therefore, keep silent to enjoy your habituation experience.
  4. Try as hard as you can to keep a safe distance of not less than 7 meters away from the mountain gorillas. These gorillas are not yet familiar to humans so you might not need to get close to them or else trouble follows. This helps you to say safe and also saves the gorillas from contracting human communicable diseases.
Other Rules and regulations
  • Remember not to use flash photography if at all you want to take good mountain photographs. The flash photographs can interfere with the behavioral patterns for the mountain gorilla. Therefore, take your flash off or do not take any photographs while trekking the mountain gorillas.
  • Do not dare make a mistake of imitating the mountain gorilla habits. For example when the silver back confronts you and charges in front of you. Imitating the gorillas during habituation might win you a fight with them since they are new to humans.
  • Children under the age of 15 years are not allowed to do gorilla habituation or any primate activity in Uganda. Little children might pose a problem to the coordinators. Also little children and elderly people are sometimes not fit for the hikes in Bwindi.
  • Also sick people are not allowed to join the team for mountain gorilla habituation. As a result, gorillas too can catch human diseases, like cough, and flu.
  • The permits for gorilla habituation experience goes for USD1500.00 per person. Mountain gorilla habituation experience offers you a chance to spend about four hours with the gorillas.

We can always help you secure your gorilla habituation permit and all the required documents. All you need to do is to consult with us. Take time this season and book for your gorilla habituation, the experience is worthy.

Explore the Kisiizi Waterfalls | Uganda

Explore the Kisiizi Waterfalls | Uganda : The waterfalls are approximately 30 meters high on the Rushoma River that pours into Lake Edward. This pretty waterfall has a gory history whereby pregnant unmarried Bakiga girls were punished to death. This practice was discontinued and what had been a place of despair became a place of hope and healing. As a result, the Church of Uganda established Kisiizi Hospital in 1958. You can as well visit these falls while on your gorilla safaris, wildlife safaris, birding tours, etc.

Cultural history of Kisiizi falls

Generally, these falls are believed to have contributed to the good morals of the unmarried Bakiga girls in the area. When a girl got pregnant out of wedlock, the father and brother would escort her to the top of these falls. While here, they could release her to fall off the cliff where she would meet her death. This was basically done to scare off other girls from engaging in premarital sex that often lead to pregnancy. As a result, this ensured girls to stay virgins until marriage.

It is alleged that a young pregnant lady was brought to the top of the cliff to be pushed down the waterfalls as usual. Little did they know she had a plan, when the brother and father pushed her. In the process, she held unto them and the three fell to their death. Later, the practice was stopped because they realized more girls would pull their brothers or fathers down the same path.

Activities done around Kisiizi falls
Bird watching at Kisiizi falls

Because of the ever present water and trees in the area, there are numerous birds one can locate in the area. In fact, these birds use the area for breeding while others enjoy the presence of food. Some of the birds seen in this area include; Scarlet chested sunbird, African black headed oriole. Haddad Ibis, Black kite, African firefinch, African harrier hawk, African paradise fly-catcher. African pied wagtail, African pygmy kingfisher, Nubian woodpecker, Augur buzzard, Black headed weaver.

Black-winged red bishop, Ross’s turaco, Bronze mannequin, Double toothed barbet. Emerald-spotted wood-dove, Grey crowned crane, Grey heron, Speckled mouse bird, Hamerkop. Lesser striped swallow, Yellow mottled widow birds, Long crested eagle, Mackinnon’s fiscal, Malachite kingfisher. Pied crow, Purple-breasted sunbird, Ring necked dove,  Rufus chested swallow. White browed robin chat, Yellow-backed weaver, Yellow-billed stork, etc.

Forest walks at Kisiizi falls

There is a small forest surrounding Kisiizi falls whereby one can take a picnic in the area. You can also take a short forest hike for beautiful views of the Kigezi hills and valleys. One of the good views is hiking up the Kisiizi falls and watching them from the top and the surrounding area.

Community experiences around Kisiizi falls

Kisiizi is occupied by the Bakiga tribe and while in this place you have an opportunity to visit a local family and interact with them. Visit their gardens them and learn about the farming methods thereby harvesting food. You can as well get involved in preparing a local dish which you will also partake of. While in their homes, you will hear stories of the local traditions and how these have changed over the years.

Maramagambo Forest Uganda | The Bat Cave

Maramagambo Forest Uganda | The Bat Cave : located in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth national park and famous for the cave bat experience. The forest is from Kichwamba escarpment all through Lake Edward and its canopy shade is good for activities. These include; hiking, bird watching, nature walks as you view different trees, waterfalls, and also the impressive bat caves.

Additionally, a view point was constructed where you will be able to see bats and big pythons that live in here. Some of the primates here include; vervet, colobus, red-tailed monkey, L’Hoest monkeys and baboons. Animal species include; the giant forest hog, African buffaloes, pygmy antelopes, etc. Bird species include; the white napped pigeon, Rwenzori Turaco, forest flycatcher, red tailed bristle, among others.

Activities in Maramagambo forest
Cave bat experience

Maramagambo forest is basically well known for its cave bats with a volcanic tube like caves that attract a given number of bats. On the other hand, the bats also attract large numbers pythons to this place since they are their source of food. Information about this place circulated after a tourist from Netherlands was believed to have acquired Marburg from the bat cave in this forest. Later, the outbreak led to the closure of the area until a viewing platform was constructed by the American Centre for Disease control.

Apart from bat cave experience, the forest also inhabits primates, birds as well as other animals. It also has an historical cave at Nyanzibiri community which is used as a place for sacrifices and cleansing misfortunes. Besides, the historical cave is also considered as hiding grounds for the past Ugandan presidents during the dictatorial regimes.

Birding

This is the best activity for bird lovers which cannot be missed out while on your tour here. The forest is generally a home to several bird species which include migratory and raptor birds. Common bird species seen around here include; purple headed starling, Rwenzori turaco, White-spotted fluff tail, etc.  Therefore, don’t forget to pack your binoculars and a camera for the best adventure.

Hiking and nature walk

The forest has some well designated hiking trails that can easily be accessed while hiking and during nature walks. Trails include; the waterfall trails leading to Kilyantama waterfalls, river trails leads towards river Kajojo and the forest trails. During hiking and nature walks expect to come across some primates such as monkeys, baboons, chimpanzees.  Along the way, also expect to spot a lot of bird species, butterflies and different caves.

Primate viewing

The forest harbours different primate species such as colobus monkeys, chimpanzees, L’Hoests monkeys, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, etc. However, chimpanzees in Maramagambo forest are not yet habituated so they are not easy to track. They keep running away from human presence however it’s easy to see them roaming around in search of fruits.

Best time to visit Maramagambo forest

This can be done all year round but best in the dry months of December and February then June and September. This is due to the fact that the bush is always minimal for easy viewing and hiking trails have fewer terrains.