Planning to visit Uganda for a lifetime Safari? Mountain Gorilla trekking and Chimpanzee tracking are some of the most exciting activities you should not miss. Dubbed “The Pearl of Africa”, Uganda is among the popularly known and exciting destinations to visit in the African continent.

It is geographically located in the Eastern Africa sharing borders with Kenya in the East, Rwanda in its south western side, Tanzania in the South, Democratic Republic of Congo in the West and South Sudan in the North.

Reasons are many that travellers visit this amazing destination. One of them is its diverse Wildlife species recorded in its biodiversity including Wild animals, Primates, insect species, reptiles plus bird species.

Wildlife and other physical touristic features are the main reasons why the first European explorer Sir Winston Churchill decided to declare this country as “The Pearl of Africa”.

Some of the major key attracting factors that lead to high flow of tourists from multiple countries include ease of accessibility, wide range of attractions, favourable climatic conditions, welcoming locals, good service providers, flexibility, stable financial status and stable security.

How to get there

All visitors to Uganda access get there by air transport arriving at Entebbe international airport. This airport is 37kms south west of Kampala “the capital city of Uganda”. To be issued with entry permission in Uganda you must have three documentations required at the customs.

These documents include valid passport, valid yellow fever vaccination card and entry visa which costs $50 USD per person.

Usually in Uganda a passport is considered to be only when it’s still six months or more to its expiration date.

Mountain Gorilla trekking.

This is an amazing activity which involves meeting with these shy endangered Mountain Gorillas in the Jungles.

The trekking is often started in the morning. Before starting, a briefing is first conducted at the park offices or starting point to highlight the group of trekkers about how to behave, what to do and what not to do while in the Jungle and in presence of these shy endangered apes.

After this short briefing, park ranger guide and armed officers are assigned to a group of eight people to start the Journey following the permanently established trails heading to the Jungle in search of these apes.

Park rangers usually communicate with Gorilla trackers via radio calls to know where these apes spent their last night.

Once you locate these apes in the Jungle, tourists are allowed to stay in their presence for only one hour. See them playing with their young ones, feeding, laughing plus taking photos and videos of them. Get to know that you are not allowed to use a flush camera.

After one hour session, the next step is to vacate the place back to offices for certificate award. It’s advised to come with packed food and water when you are going for your Gorilla trek. Most of the times lunch time reaches when you are still in the jungle.

This activity requires a permit which costs $700 USD per person in Uganda. It is usually booked in advance before your trekking dates.

Chimpanzee tracking.

This is another excursion to take while in Uganda. It involves moving in a group following the permanently established routes heading to the Jungle in search for these primates.

There are ranked to be the closest primates to human being features. It’s advised that you move slowly and maintain your voice at low tone while in the Jungle such that you do not scare these primates.

After locating them, you are allowed to be in their presence and see them feeding, laughing, swinging in tree branches. The excursion requires a permit that goes for $200 USD per person for those who to track the chimps in Kibale Forest National Park.

Where to go for Gorilla trekking.

While in Uganda for Mountain Gorillas, the only known exciting places to go for these apes include Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

There are both located in the South western part of Uganda along Uganda’s border with Democratic Republic of Congo.

Among the two major Gorilla hosting destinations, Bwindi Impenetrable National park has the biggest percentage of Uganda’s remaining Gorilla population.

It is home to over nineteen habituated Gorilla families that enjoy the cool atmospheres in its four major sectors which include Buhoma sector, Nkuringo, Ruhija and Rushaga sector. Each sector has more than two Gorilla families.

Where to go for Chimpanzee tracking.

Some of the best exciting places to go for the chimpanzee primates while in Uganda include Murchison falls National Park in Budongo forest, Queen Elizabeth National Park in Kyambura gorge side, Kibale Forest National Park where variety of Chimpanzee primates are habited.

Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary is another place to go. It is located on the waters of Lake Victoria on Ngamba island which is part of Koome group of islands.