GORILLA TRACKING

Approximately forty-five gorillas live in the Mgahinga region. But in this "golden triangle" formed by Uganda, Rwanda and Congo, the animals know no borders and no one can predict their exact location. Today, however, two families (Nyakagezi I and Nyakagezi II) live almost permanently in the park, where cross-border groups are regularly observed. As the movements of these hominid placids remain unpredictable, the Uganda Wildlife Authority does not normally issue permits for the Mgahinga National Park in advance. For travellers who have been unable to obtain permits for Bwindi, this is the ultimate opportunity. Simply travel to Kisoro and check with the local UWA branch; allow a few days of patience and keep your fingers crossed. Park rangers monitor the monkeys' movements on a daily basis. If the gorillas are there, you can buy your permit at the last minute and prepare for a 3 to 4 hour round trip (less demanding than in Bwindi) to discover our giant cousins in the bamboo forests. The departure is at 8:30 am from Ntebeko, the number of excursionists is limited (eight people maximum) and the duration of the encounter with the great apes is strictly limited to one hour. At the end of 2020, the two groups accustomed to tourists included twenty individuals (9 for Nyakagezi I and 11 for Nyakagezi II), five fewer than a year earlier (one birth and six deaths).