Gorilla trekking in Uganda, wow factor!

Searching for mountain gorillas in Uganda!

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is the most special thing I have ever done in my life.It was always on my bucket list, but I never thought I'd be able to check it off so quickly. Until I started dating my current boyfriend! He's half Ugandan. And suddenly, the gorilla safari went from one day to the next holiday. Before I knew it, my first trip to Uganda a fact! YAY.

My love's family has a house in KampalaI know, you could do worse! I've been to Uganda many times now, and honestly... I'm in love with the country! We hope to go back in 2015. It's so wonderful to drive through the country in a jeep and enjoy the scenery.

A visit to the gorillas in Uganda It's definitely the most spectacular thing you can do there. Perhaps even the most spectacular in Africa... although... shark cage diving is also high on my bucket list.

Plan your trip, buy a gorilla permit!

If you are planning to go on a gorilla safari in Uganda You do need to arrange a few things. For example, you'll need a permit. You can purchase these through the Wildlife Authority in Kampala or from specialized travel agencies. Since my mother-in-law was in Uganda anyway, she arranged it there.

Only a small number of people are allowed to visit the gorillas in Bwindi Forest each day, so you have to plan your visit well in advance. You'll then receive a permit for that day to go out with the guides. Depending on the season, a permit costs at least $500. It's a lot of money, but it's necessary to protect the animals from poachers. >> Click here for the Uganda Wildlife Authority website.

Luxury or budget accommodation during the Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi?

Another tip: don't wait too long to arrange accommodation in Bwindi. There are only a few options when it comes to places to stay. And before you know it, you'll only be able to book that very luxurious lodge for 400 euros a night ;-).

You don't book a tented camp like that through booking.com or something like that, so I'll do some research online and compare. For me, a private toilet is the most important thing during a jungle trip. There's no way I'm going to go to some hut in the dark with a flashlight... I'm a city girl after all ;-). And if I do scream because there's a spider, I'd rather be in my own tent with my boyfriend nearby who can inspect everything. So "self-contained" is the way to go for me.

We stayed at the Buhoma Community RestcampA budget camp where you have the option of booking a tent with a sort of outdoor bathroom (with a private toilet). Perfect! I also think it's great to find a mix between luxury and budget. A tent at Buhoma costs about $120 per night for two, including food. Perfect! For those who prefer something a little more luxurious, there's Silver Back Lodge Highly recommended. I hope to sleep there someday! It's definitely on my bucket list for my next trip to Uganda.

It was so beautiful in Bwindi. Even without seeing a gorilla, it was impressive. The mountains, the jungle, and the sounds. And I haven't even mentioned the stunning sunset. Well, then you can only take a selfie with a smile ;-).

And as is fitting on safari, I'm of course in full regalia. A nice change from heels and a designer bag!

G Gorillas in the mist… the draw!

A few more tips: good hiking boots are a must. You understand, I'm not exactly joking around in those charming shoes either. A hat is also handy! I forgot it, and I immediately got sunstroke. I thought you were walking under the trees in the jungle and there wouldn't be much sun. It turned out there were tons of open spaces, so you were still in the full sun. Good to know!

And as with all safaris, it's not a zoo. There's no guarantee you'll see anything! The jungle is vast, and the gorillas are constantly moving. Searching for the tastiest leaves. A bit like me searching for the best hotspots, haha. But back to business. They don't know exactly where the gorillas are beforehand. It took us over four hours to find them. And that's incredibly tough in the jungle, I can tell you. It's incredibly steep, you're walking on a bed of dead vegetation, and you constantly get your shoe stuck in a tree root. And it's exciting, because besides those gorillas, there are many other animals living in that jungle. Wild elephants and such, other monkeys, and maybe even a leopard!

But how do they find the gorillas? The rangers stay away from the animals in the jungle until dark to protect them from poachers. The next day, they return to the spot where they last saw the gorillas. From there, they try to follow the tracks back to their current location. There are a few gorilla groups in Uganda that are habituated. This means they are used to people being with them at a safe distance.

A special meeting!

The MOST beautiful moment of the trek was, of course, finding them. Because it was already late in the day, they had already eaten. Well, they were really enjoying their meal! Just chilling in the jungle. Only the little gorillas were playing. So cute. It was also special to see how they just went about their business and paid no attention to the handful of people with them. There are really only five people and five rangers there every day.

Your first encounter with a gorilla is SUPER SPECIAL! They're so big and strong, yet not scary at all. When you look at them, you can truly see a soul in their eyes. And that Silverback is enormous. You really don't want him chasing you ;-).

Tip: If you enjoy taking photos while traveling, bring a tripod when gorilla tracking. It might seem excessive, but it can be very dark in the forest, making it harder to get good photos.

This gorilla tracking in Uganda is the most special thing I've done on a trip (so far!). I hope this blog post inspires you to add an encounter with these giants to your travel bucket list!

PS: in the Uganda Travel Guide Find more blogs about my travels to the Pearl of Africa, from a Kampala City Guide to tips for safaris in Uganda.

Plan your trip to Uganda:

* KLM.nl has a direct flight from Amsterdam to Uganda. They often have good deals, too. I once flew for "only" €450! You can use the link to search for "Entebbe" airport.

* Start your Uganda tour in Kampala and explore the city. There are some really nice restaurants and coffee shops! Yourlbb's favorite hotels in Kampala are: Sheraton hotel (you know the one with the pool from the movie King of Scotland), Speke Resort (a little cheaper) and Serena Hotel Kampala (super nice with a very good spa).

Tip: discover more city and travel guides from @yourlbb!