Uganda is one of the most endowed travel destination in Africa. Located just astride the Equaotor, Uganda is condensed in its boundaries with a lot of amazing flora and fauna in its 10 National Parks, as well as a variety of wildlife that include the endangered mountain gorillas.
Gorilla trekking is one of the most popular adventure you can take while exploring Africa. Uganda, the Pearl of Africa is the favorite destination for travelers interested in mountain gorilla tracking. Many prospective travelers visit Uganda mainly to see the endangered mountain gorillas and here is a comprehensive guide to gorilla trekking in Uganda including tips on planning an itinerary, booking gorilla permits and prices for gorilla safaris.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forests
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park offers some of the finest motane forest birding in Africa and is a key destination for any birder visiting Uganda. Amongst the numerous possibilities are no fewer than 23 of Uganda’s 24 Albertine Rift endemics, including spectacular, globally threatened species such as African Green Broadbill and Shelley’s Crimson wing. Bwindi is one of the few in Africa to have flourished throughout the last Ice Age and it is home to roughly half of the world’s mountain gorillas. Of Uganda’s forested reserves, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is best known for its superb gorilla tracking, but it also provides refuge to elephant, chimpanzee, monkeys and various small antelope and bird species.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Uganda’s smallest and probably most scenic National Park is situated in the extreme South-Western corner of the Country, forming part of a large conservation area that straddles political boundaries to include parcdes Volcano in Rwanda and Parc de Virungas in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Three extinct Volcanoes, part of the spectacular Virunga range, lie within the boundaries of the Ugandan portion of this biologically rich area.
Mountain gorillas form the main attraction at Mgahinga National Park, which protects the Ugandan portion of the Virungas, an imposing string of nine freestanding extinct and active volcanoes that runs along the border with Rwanda and the Congo.
Further information
There are several Guidebooks and online websites that can help you in planning a gorilla safari in Uganda. Guidebooks include the from Bradt, Spectrum and Lonely Planet, and a wide range of other books about Uganda, while resourceful online websites include The Tourism Uganda website (www.visituganda.com), that contains information about all tourist attractions and protected areas.