Bwindi Gorilla Trekking in November
Bwindi gorilla trekking in November is a preferred period of the year by tourists due to the enormous discounts and affordable accommodation rate offers. Booking a gorilla trek tour in November is perfect for tourists who desire to save on a gorilla safari. November is an off/low month of the year to embark on a budget gorilla trekking tour in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It marks the end of the short wet or low season, and overall, temperatures rise to 23 degrees Celsius during the day.
In the night, temperatures fall to 11 degrees Celsius. On average, November records about 12 days of rainfall. Temperatures remain cool through November, and due to the heavy rainfalls, visitors often experience challenges walking through the rainforest to locate mountain gorillas. The walking trails in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in November become muddy and slippery. Notably, the park welcomes migratory birds and many residents that use November for breeding.
November Gorilla Trekking – Quick insights
Like the rest of the months, gorilla trekking in November begins with morning orientation in the respective park offices. During the briefing, visitors are expected to assemble at the park offices at around 7:00 am and meet the park officials. The orientation session is done by the officials from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, part of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) staff.
Gorilla family allocation and ranger guides is conducted during the morning orientation. This is done in any of the 4 regions/sectors, that is, Ruhija, Nkuringo, Buhoma, and Rushaga sectors. Usually, a maximum of 8 guests get to visit one gorilla family. After the morning orientation (briefing), expect to take about 2 to 6 hours of walking to see a group of gorillas.
As you walk through the lush forest to locate gorillas, expect to find other species, including reptiles, butterflies, floral species, and other mammals. The 331 sq. km Bwindi offers refuge to other animals, including chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, and l’hoest monkeys, etc.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park lies in Kanungu, Rubanda, Kisoro, and Kabale. The Park covers a compact region in Southwestern Uganda, and is at the average altitudinal range of 1160 to 2607m.
The park receives an annual rainfall range of 1400 to 1900mm. The vegetation cover in Bwindi in November tends to be dense due to heavy rainfall. The park’s diverse vegetation offers refuge to multiple habitats, also home to numerous wildlife.
Book November gorilla Permits
High availability of gorilla permits is recorded in November than other months. The heavy rains and other weather conditions keep most visitors away. The number of gorilla permits that are available for your gorilla safari tends to be higher. Obtaining a permit in November can be done at USD 800 per visitor under the category of foreign non-residents. US Dollars 700 for the foreign residents, and shs. 300,000 per person for East African citizens (Ugandans inclusive).
Book your gorilla permit in advance through Native Africa Tours. Securing a gorilla permit early places you at the added advantage of participating in the trek with mountain gorillas.
Gorilla families to visit in November
Up to 24 habituated gorilla families reside in Bwindi and they are distributed in the 4 regions. Popular gorilla groups to visit in November in Bwindi National Park include Kahungye, Mubare gorilla group, Mucunguzi gorilla family, Katwe gorilla group, Tindatine, Christmas, and Nshongi gorilla group.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is also a haven to gorilla groups such as Rushegura group, Habinyanja, Rwigi gorilla group, Mukiza gorilla family, Kyaguriro, Bitukura group, Oruzogo, Nkuringo gorilla family, Bweza gorilla family, Busingye group, Bushaho gorilla family, and Posho gorilla group.
Preparation for the November gorilla trek tour
Consider preparing yourself in advance to enjoy a captivating gorilla trekking experience. The initial stage for your gorilla trekking preparation in November involves ensuring that you are fit enough. You have to conduct some fitness exercise, and on the actual date of trekking with mountain gorillas, you don’t encounter many challenges. November experiences heavy rains, and the habitat won’t be the same like it can be during the peak dry season.
You also need to pack the essential/valuable items to make your travel a success. They include insect repellents, snacks, waterproof hiking boots, long trousers, bottled water, toiletries, a daypack, visas, and safari hats. A gorilla trekking trip packing list should also have first aid kit or medical kit, sunscreen, and many others.
Getting to Bwindi for the November Gorilla Tour
By road transportation
Depart from Entebbe or Kampala for about 9-10 hours and navigate via Masaka-Mbarara to Kabale. Bwindi National Park is strategically located in the Kigezi Highland and has multiple en route stopover locations to consider visiting to make your journey more enjoyable.
Kigali to Bwindi involves driving via the Katuna or Chanika border crossing in just 4-5 hours. The border crossings offer a safe access to Southwestern Uganda for you to start your gorilla safari in Bwindi National Park.
Domestic flights in November to Bwindi National Park
Visitors can also utilise the available domestic flight services for connectivity to Bwindi National Park. Depart from the Entebbe Airport to Kihihi or Kisoro and get picked up for you to connect to the park. Driving to Bwindi from Kisoro or Kihihi can take no more than 1-2 hours, and a 4×4 safari car is suitable for road travel, given the hillside landscape of Southwestern Uganda.
How safe is Bwindi gorilla trekking in November?
Whether you plan to go for gorilla trekking in November or any time of the year, safety is key. The key considerations to ensure the safety of guests include park ranger guide services. A visitor can be assigned an experienced guide who has undergone long training from Uganda Wildlife Authority on how to ensure the safety of both wildlife and visitors. The guides embark on the trek, and visitors follow. They are equipped with guns, and their presence ensures that guests and also gorillas are well-protected.
Explore the habituated gorilla groups. Expect to concentrate on the trek to see the already habituated gorilla group. All four sectors/regions in Bwindi feature some habituated groups of gorillas. Habituation is usually the initial stage in which gorillas get accustomed to human presence. The ranger guides and trackers take years, about 2 less or more, before the gorilla group is opened for tourism.
Observe the health and other safety precautions. All tourists are advised and encouraged to respect the guidelines or safety guidelines in place. Disrespecting any of the rules may come with a penalty as per the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).
They include;
- Stand at a distance from a group of gorillas that you are visiting. The recommended distance to be maintained is 10 m apart from gorillas. This is a health precaution and should be respected during your trekking sessions.
- No making noise. When in the jungle, it is useful practice to avoid noise and ensure that you enjoy a peaceful gorilla trekking adventure.
- Photography with the mountain gorilla is essential, but consider using a flashlight free. If the camera is having a flashlight, consider turning it off and then officially start the photography session.
- Keep your face away from gorillas, for instance, cover your mouth when coughing and your nose when sneezing.
- Respect the instructions given by the ranger guide to you.
Book Bwindi gorilla trekking in November with Native Africa Tours. We can customize a unique gorilla safari package for you to enable you to explore mountain gorillas at a reasonable rate.
