GORILLA TRACKING

The highlight of any trip to Uganda. With the exception of Mgahinga National Park, where the possibilities are more uncertain, all gorilla trackings take place in Bwindi Park. It is essential to book your permit several months in advance through an agency or directly with the UWA in Kampala. This will cost you the princely sum of US$800 (including park entrance fees and guide emoluments) for an encounter with the great apes strictly limited to one hour. In the event of illness, it is highly recommended that you ask for your permit to be reimbursed, for the health of the gorillas. Expeditions are carried out in groups of a maximum of 8, an inflexible rule, and each person must be at least 15 years old. They are supervised by a guide equipped with a walkie-talkie to keep in touch with the team of trackers. Three other men, armed with machetes and rifles, lead the way and provide protection for the group. Appointments are made at 7.45 a.m. for a briefing, with departure for the tracking at around 8.30 a.m. The approach can take from one to four hours, depending on the position of the monkeys. You can ask to be assigned to the nearest group. You can also hire a porter (US$20 minimum). Now you're ready for a great adventure, a magical, timeless moment: watching our big hairy cousins eat, play and frolic in the tall grasses of the thousand-year-old forest, just as they did in the first days of the world.