Bwindi Gorilla Trekking in May
Is May a good time to see gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park? Planning Bwindi gorilla trekking in May is possible because this is an all-year-round adventure. Like other months, May is a good time to see gorillas, especially for budget trekkers. Explore the ultimate guide to planning Bwindi gorilla trekking in May with Native Africa Tours.
What to Expect on the May Gorilla Trekking Tour
Inconvenience from rain. Visiting gorillas in Bwindi in May tends to be challenging due to heavy rainfall that makes the forest trails slippery and muddy. A certain level of physical fitness is needed to be able to enjoy a complete trek with mountain gorillas. May marks the end of the long wet season and transitions into the drier spell in June. Being the rainy months, you should be ready in the jungle with gear since it can start raining at any time of the day.
Trek gorillas with fewer crowds. May is a shoulder/low month of the year, and visitors get to enjoy treks with no interferences from crowds. The number of tourists often drops in May or any low/off-peak season. This makes it the best month for trekkers who are interested in intimate primate trekking experiences.
Affordable safaris and accommodation. When it comes to planning a gorilla safari, the overall cost matters a lot. But being the off-peak month, a visitor can save a lot on a gorilla safari holiday in May. It is possible to enjoy discounted offers from accommodation and transportation or the entire trip, when you book a gorilla tour in May.
Scenic Vegetation cover. Bwindi is largely a natural forest, and with heavy rains recorded during the month of May, the park tends to be more scenic, making it more appealing.
Where to go for Bwindi gorilla trekking in May
During the May gorilla trekking session, expect to visit Rushaga, Buhoma, Nkuringo, and Ruhija sectors. Each of these gorilla safari sectors exists in different parts of Bwindi, whereby Nkuringo and Rushaga are mainly in the Southern part. Buhoma is found in the North, and Ruhija in the East, each with its habituated gorilla families for you to explore.
The gorilla groups per sector include: Ruhija groups include Oruzogo, Bitukura gorilla family, Mukiza group, and Kyaguriro family. The four groups translate to about 32 permits for tourists to book.
Besides gorilla encounters, Ruhija is one of the best regions in Bwindi to visit for bird-watching. The ideal birding sites in Ruhija include the Bamboo trail, Mubwindi swamp, and Ruhija Hill. May falls in the breeding month of the year, thus offering insights into resident and migratory birds for birders to identify during the guided birding tour.
Rushaga sector in the south is Bwindi’s premier region with diverse habituated gorilla groups. The checklist of gorilla groups to visit in Bwindi Forest includes Bikingi group, Mishaya group, Nshongi gorilla family, Mucunguzi group, Kahungye family, Bweza gorilla family group, and Kutu. Rushaga also supports groups such as the Rwigi and Tindatine groups. It is in the Rushaga sector where you can also enjoy thrilling mountain gorilla habituation tours, a great opportunity to search for the semi-habituated group of mountain gorillas.
Nkuringo groups consist mainly of the Nkuringo group, Posho, and Christmas. Whereas Buhoma supports gorilla families such as the Katwe group, Habinyanja, Binyindo, Muyambi group, Rushegura gorilla family, and Kanywanyi gorilla group.
May Gorilla Trekking Permits for Bwindi
Booking a valid gorilla permit in May is a must for anyone with plans to track gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The cost of the Uganda gorilla permits varies depending on the category of visitors. The main visitor categories include foreign non-residents who book Uganda gorillas permits at US Dollars 800 per person, foreign residents US Dollars 700 per tourist, US Dollars 500 per visitor for the Rest of African residents, and East African citizens-a category that includes Ugandans who book permits at UGX 300,000 per person.
May Weather Conditions in Bwindi National Park
May comes with varied weather conditions. It is the month of the year when temperatures rise to 25 degrees during the day and 16 degrees Celsius at night. The park generally enjoys heavy rainfall at any time of the day. To experience the best of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s wonders, expect to have waterproof walking/hiking boots, a sweater, and a rain jacket (poncho).
What else to find in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a biologically diverse Protected Area, home to over half of the global 1063 mountain gorilla population. The additional mammal species to locate in the lush Bwindi Forest include the red-tailed monkeys, elephants, blue monkeys, chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, and baboons.
Bwindi also boasts of more than 350 species of birds, including handsome francolins, black bee-eaters, great blue monkeys, African green broadbill, Regal sunbirds, strange weave birds, lizard buzzard, blue-headed sunbird, cinnamon-chested bee-eaters, African goshawks, black & white casqued hornbill, and more.
The actual gorilla trekking session in May
When it comes to the May gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, expect to begin the adventure with the pre-trekking orientation. During the pre-gorilla trekking orientation, you get to know the dos and don’ts –also referred to as rules and regulations. These are key guidelines to be followed during the trek to find gorillas in the wild and include, among others, keeping a distance of 10m, maintaining the trekking group of visitors you depart with to see gorillas, you should be free from infectious diseases, and respecting the acceptable age limit, which is 15 years and above, etc.
Additional gorilla trekking guidelines/regulations include no taking photos when using a flashlight camera, each gorilla family must be visited by a maximum of 8 (eight) guests per day, and you should have a valid permit to be allowed to visit a group of mountain gorillas in May. When you set off for the actual gorilla trek, there shouldn’t be noise –you can try to lower your voice to avoid disrupting the daily behaviors of gorillas. Do not be tempted to touch gorillas when you are in the jungle interacting with them –at least keep a safe distance.
The gorilla trekking rules and regulations are available to ensure that you enjoy the May gorilla adventure with safety. The guidelines presented are essential for visitor and gorilla protection.
Where to stay during the May gorilla trekking in Bwindi
In May, you can book the available lodging options in and around Bwindi that range from budget, midrange, and luxury. They include Chameleon Hill Lodge, Mahogany Springs Lodge, Buhoma Lodge in Buhoma, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge, Bweza Gorilla Lodge, Bwindi Neckbiew Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, and others.
Getting to Bwindi for the May Gorilla trek
Plan for road or air transportation for you to reach Bwindi National Park, Uganda. Taking road travel involves driving for 8-9 hours starting from Kampala/Entebbe city or 4-5 hours from Kigali city. Visitors can also use air to reach southwestern Uganda, and this includes using Aerolink, the reputable airline that offers domestic flights. From Entebbe Airport to Kihihi Airstrip or Kisoro Airport takes on average 1-2 hours, and from there, you can again connect by road to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
End the peak off-months/season in a memorable way by embarking on the budget-friendly Bwindi gorilla trekking in May. Contact Native Africa Tours to secure your May gorilla safari slot to Bwindi and get a reward of captivating encounters with a group of mountain gorillas in the jungle.
