Luxury Uganda Safari Tours

May-October

Choose comfortable and casual clothing in natural, "breathable" fabrics and versatile styles that can be layered as temperatures may vary considerably in the course of the day.

Both Uganda and Rwanda are home to the endangered mountain gorilla (G. beringei beringei).

The day begins early. Set your alarm clock for an early-morning call, as you will need to be washed, dressed and breakfasted in time to leave camp at 7:45 am. Wear neutral colors and bring your rain gear. Long sleeves and long trousers tucked into your socks are a must for protection against ants, stinging nettles and whipping foliage. After arriving at the Park Headquarters, join your guide(s) and tracker(s) and begin tracking. Your lead tracker looks for clues — footprints, gnawed bamboo, dung — that indicate the location of a gorilla group. As you move closer, your tracker makes soft smacking and groaning sounds to assure the group that friends are approaching. If your morning trek has not been unusually long, you are likely to visit gorilla during their midday rest and play period. Your group will be instructed to crouch down and stay together while observing the animals. Stay low, maintain a submissive posture and watch them sideways or from below.

Dian Fossey began her famous studies of mountain gorilla in the Virunga Mountains, establishing the Karisoke Research Center in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park, which continues with gorilla research and conservation activities.

Tourism finances habitat preservation, anti-poaching and community conservation efforts, assists in the habituation of gorilla families and helps limit the number of visitors and prevent exploitation of the species.

Choose comfortable and casual clothing in natural, "breathable" fabrics and versatile styles that can be layered, as temperatures may vary considerably in the course of the day. For game viewing, wear neutral colors (though not camouflage, which is illegal in most national parks and reserves). Black, navy or other dark colors tend to attract insects. When primate tracking, wearing long pants and shirts made of sturdy fabric is recommended to protect against scratches from stinging nettles and thorny vegetation. Also bring a good pair of comfortable, waterproof walking/hiking boots with textured soles, and ideally a good pair of protective leather or garden gloves should also be worn. Gaiters are also highly recommended. Avoid wearing perfume or cologne. Those with longer hair may wish to wear it in a ponytail or tuck it under a hat to avoid being tangled with thorny vegetation or flying insects.

Tracking with a properly trained guide is the only legal and ethical way to observe mountain gorilla in the wild. Drawing on their extensive knowledge of gorilla movements and habits, your guide leads your small group through Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in search of one of the 14 gorilla troops known to inhabit the forest. Should you succeed in finding them, you are allowed one hour in the presence of these stunning creatures — more than enough time to appreciate their extraordinarily human-like social bonds.

No, all gorilla tracking takes place in small groups of from four to six people per gorilla family. There are several different gorilla families. To guard the gorilla against stress, visits are limited to one hour per family per day, regardless of the number of people in the visiting group. With the available time already so limited, private visits cannot be arranged.

Absolutely not. Gorilla are curious creatures, and younger animals especially may approach or attempt to touch human visitors. Don’t reciprocate! Your guide may take steps to discourage this curious behavior, as it could create a threatening situation with the dominant male. You yourself should never attempt to approach or touch a mountain gorilla.

A yellow fever vaccination is currently required of ALL travellers in order to enter Uganda. The vaccine must be administered at least 10 days prior to your arrival, and you must carry an International Certificate of Vaccination provided by your physician; without it, you may be denied entry. You may also be asked to show proof of yellow fever vaccination when leaving Uganda. In addition, applicants are required to upload a copy of their International Certificate of Vaccination when applying for their Uganda tourist visa.