Combining Rwenzori Mountain hiking with gorilla trekking in Uganda

Combining Rwenzori Mountain hiking with gorilla trekking in Uganda

For anyone interested in visiting Uganda and planning a combined Rwenzori hiking and gorilla trekking safari in Uganda, this is an exciting experience that can either start from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for gorilla trekking and end with hiking Mountain Rwenzori or start with the hike on Rwenzori ending with gorilla trekking in Bwindi. Combining the gorilla and Rwenzori hike safari is one of the easiest things to do when you have the right information and in this article, we are going to be discussing how to organize a combined gorilla and Rwenzori hike in Uganda and the information about the different safari destinations.

Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

Trekking of gorillas in Uganda is one of the leading safari activities done in the country majorly in the Bwindi Forest National Park and Mgahinga National Park. Bwindi consists of four sectors in which the trekking of gorillas takes place and they include; the Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo and Rushaga sectors. Bwindi also has about 27 habituated gorilla families hence one will be required to have a gorilla permit to engage in the gorilla trek. In Bwindi, the habituation gorilla experience takes place in the Rushaga sector, and with that, you receive a four hour duration with the gorillas. Mgahinga National Park is a place for gorilla trekking found in the southwestern part of Uganda and also home to the Nyakagezi gorilla family.

To be able to take part in the gorilla trekking exercise in Uganda, you are required to have purchased a gorilla permit which is a legal document which is issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority and will give you access to the endangered Mountain gorillas. Gorilla permits are sold out first and therefore need to be booked in advance. When you make up your mind to go for gorilla trekking in Uganda, there are guiding rules and regulations which are to be followed and they include; to trek gorillas, you need to be aged at least 12 years, you will not be allowed to trek gorillas if sick, feeding, eating and drinking is not allowed, you are required to keep a 7 meter distance from the gorillas and also avoid touching the gorillas among others.

Getting a gorilla permit in Uganda

Gorilla permits have to be secured in the early periods of at least 3 to 6 months to confirm your gorilla safari in Uganda. They can be purchased by contacting us with the dates you would want to track gorillas and then we will check for the permits availability on the mentioned dates. When we get to prove that the permits are available, we then proceed to ask for more details like the passport number, copy of the passport, and the number of permits to be purchased and the following step is to send you an invoice for the payments to be made. After we prove that the payment is finished, we then continue to the purchasing of the permits and send a copy as evidence of purchase.

The cost of the gorilla permit

A gorilla permit is a legal document that is provided by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to all tourists who wish to trek gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Permits are always in high demand and have to be bought 6 months or more before the trek date. There are few permits that are printed per day and tourists have to book one to be able to participate in gorilla trekking. The trekking permit in Uganda has been increased to improve the trekking experience and also continue with the conservation of the endangered mountain gorillas. Foreign non-residents pay $800 per person, $500 for African citizens, $700 for foreign non-residents and UGX 300, 000 for East African citizens.

When it comes to the gorilla habituation experience which is offered at Bwindi impenetrable National Park in Rushaga region, the cost of the permit is slightly higher as you get to spend more hours with the primates. The cost of the gorilla habituation experience permit is $1500 for foreign non-residents, $1000 for foreign residents, $1000 for African residents and UGX 750, 000 for East African citizens.

Accommodation for gorilla trekking in Uganda

There are several accommodation facilities that you can use for the gorilla trekking experience and these can be found in the four different sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and around Mgahinga National Park. Accommodations you can use around Mgahinga include Mount Gahinga Lodge, Mutanda Lake Resort, Kisoro Tourist Hotel, Mgahinga Rest Camp, Landmark Guest House, Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp, Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge, Mubano Hotel, Montana Guest House, Sky Blue and 3 ways Gorilla Resort among others.

Bwindi, accommodation facilities you can use when gorilla trekking include; Ruhija Gorilla Resort, Wagtail Eco-Safari Camp, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge Jungle View Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Lake Kitandara Camp, Nshongi Camp, Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Buhoma Lodge, Gorilla Friends Lodge, Trekkers Tavern cottages, Engagi Lodge, Gorilla Resort and Silverback Lodge among others.

Bwindi Forest National Park

Mountain Rwenzori hike guide

The Rwenzori mountain hike is one of the most exciting but challenging adventures in the world with different zones including vegetation lakes, cliffs, glaciers, outcrops, and the snow-capped peak. Mount Rwenzori was gazetted off as a national park in 1990 and a World Heritage Site in 1994 and in the year 2008, it was recognized as a Ramsar site.

Mountain Rwenzori is the highest mountain in Uganda and has two types of hike experiences which include the low-altitude hike and the high-altitude hike. The high altitude hikes and treks will take you to peaks that are above 4, 000 meters and above and this hike takes between 4 to 12 days. The low hikes on the other hand will not take you beyond 4, 000 meters and these usually last 2 to 4 days.

The mountain is explored on foot and you have to be physically fit at least above average to be able to participate in the exercise that takes days to complete. There are different routes that can be used to trek to the peak of the Rwenzori ranges and these include:

The Southern Circuit: Also known as the Kilembe trail, the Southern Circuit trail is under the management of the Rwenzori trekking services and was opened for tourism recently. There are new huts that have been constructed and for tourists looking for adventure, this is the route to use to get to the peak.

The central circuit: The central circuit is the most popular and oldest trail along Mount Rwenzori. It is used by both inexperienced and experienced hikers who wish to climb up to the Margherita Peak. The trail goes through the different five vegetation zones along Mount Rwenzori National Park from the valleys to the gorges, till you get to the rocky peak of Mount Stanley. This is the easiest and shortest route to Margherita.

The Bukurungu trail: This was introduced after the central circuit and Kilembe trails and is the ideal hike trail to use for tourists who love nature as it offers some of the most magnificent hikes along Mount Rwenzori. Some of the sceneries that you should look out for when using this trail include Irene Lake, Mughuli Lake, Bujuka Lake and Bukurungu Lake, rivers, green nature and waterfalls among others.

The Bukurungu trail is used for camping unlike the central circuit and Kilembe and there are no huts but the camping grounds are safe and secure. The trail takes 8 days to get to the Margherita peak and gives hikers ample acclimatization.

The cost of a combined Rwenzori hike and Mount Gorilla safari in Uganda

The cost of a combined Rwenzori hike and tracking of gorillas in Uganda is affected by several factors which include the following;

The number of days spent on a safari: A safari is an interesting adventure that everyone should go on and the very first thing you should put into consideration is the number of days you spend on a given safari. The number of days is usually dependent on your traveling budget and the more days you spend on the safari, the higher the cost of the safari and the fewer the days, the lower the cost of the safari.

The size of the trek group: Taking a solo joined safari is far more expensive since all expenses are all on one person and that is not the case with large groups where you can share all the expenses of accommodation, gas/fuel and transport with the whole group.

Accommodation choice; The accommodation facilities you decide to use on your gorilla safari greatly affect the cost of a combined gorilla trek in Uganda and Mount Rwenzori hike safari. Accommodation facilities used during gorilla trekking are in three categories and they are; basic, mid-range and luxury accommodation facilities. When you are looking for lodges on your gorilla safari, make sure that they are found within the sectors of trekking in Bwindi or not far away from the national parks. The chosen accommodation facility greatly affects the cost of the combined safari.

Where to stay on your Rwenzori hiking safari

We have got a wide range of accommodation facilities that you can use and these range from budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation facilities. Some of the lodges that you can use include Margherita Hotel, Mihunga Safari Lodge, Equator Snow Lodge, Ruboni Community Camp, Mariana Tourist Hotel, White House Hotel, Ataco Holiday Inn, Rwenzori International Hotel, Trekkers Hostel and Saad Hotel among others.

When you start hiking up Mountain Rwenzori, there are accommodation facilities that you can use and these are found along the trails. The accommodations along the trails are in the form of huts that were constructed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to cater for the growing number of visitors that hike up Mount Rwenzori. There are however no huts along the Bukurungu route and tourists camp in the safe space that was gazetted for camping.

The huts found along the trails were constructed and designed using wood to give guests a comfortable and warm rest. The huts were constructed along the different trails especially the Kilembe/southern circuit and these include:

• The Nyabitaba hut at 2651m
• The John Matte hut at 3505m
• The Bujuku hut at 3962m
• The Elena hut at 4023m
• The Kitandara hut located at 4023m
• The Guyeoman hut at 3505m.

The Rwenzori trekking services (RTS) which was established by an Australian national in 2010 operates in the south. They operate 8 huts which are clean and good for those climbing Mountain Rwenzori. The huts are found at the different levels of the trek and these include:

• The shine hut at 2585m
• The Kalalama camp at 314m
• The Kiharo camp at 3460m
• The Mutinda Camp at 3688m
• The Butawu at 3974m
• the Hunswick camp at 3974m
• The Bugata camp at 4062m
• The Magherita Camp at 4485m

When planning a trekking safari along Mount Kilimanjaro, you need to carry some warm clothes because it gets extremely cold during the night especially when you get higher so carry some warm clothes.

Best time to go for a combined safari

The combined safari can be carried out throughout the year though the best time is during the dry season of June to September and December to February. Trekking gorillas and climbing Mountain Rwenzori is safer and easier in the dry season.

What to pack for the combined safari

You could be wondering about the things you need to pack and wear for the combined safari and here is a list of the items we have compiled for you to bring on your safari and they are the following;

• Strong waterproof hiking boots
• A pair of binoculars
• A warm sweater, scarf and jacket for the cold weather and when hiking to Margherita peak
• Long-sleeved shirts
• Long trousers at least three pairs and make sure they are not jeans
• Reliable water bottle
• First aid kit
• Snacks
• Insect repellent
• A camera and long-lasting batteries
• Gardening gloves
• A day backpack
• A sunhat and sunglasses
• A waterproof raincoat