Short Mountain Gorilla Tours
A complete guide to short mountain gorilla tours in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo. Short mountain gorilla tours provide an exceptional option for visitors with limited time or demanding schedules to actively participate in a compelling gorilla trekking adventure deep in the African jungle. Standard short mountain gorilla tours prioritise the trekking experience and last fewer days. Typically, a short mountain gorilla safari ranges from 1 to 5 days while offering all essentials for a rewarding primate vacation.
Best places to go for short mountain gorilla tours
Top destinations for short mountain gorilla tours include Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, Uganda’s Mgahinga National Park, and the misty Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Mountain gorilla tours can also be arranged in Congo’s renowned Virunga National Park.
Explore Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, on Short Mountain Gorilla Tours
Volcanoes National Park is a favorite destination in Africa for short mountain gorilla tours. This is where over 30% of the world’s mountain gorilla population lives peacefully. Additionally, the park features 13 habituated families. Volcanoes National Park is considered an ideal location for short mountain gorilla tours due to its proximity to the city centre (Kigali).
It can take a visitor just 2-3 hours to reach Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. Due to its proximity to Kigali, it is possible to embark on even a 1-day gorilla tour. On a one-day gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park, a visitor can depart early from Kigali to attend a briefing and be allocated a gorilla group at Kinigi.
After trekking with mountain gorillas, a session that often begins at around 8:00 am and lasts for 2-6 hours, you can be transferred back to Kigali. This is a perfect opportunity, especially if your schedule is too tight.
A 2-day gorilla tour to Volcanoes National Park can include normal gorilla trekking, one night in the park, and a city tour. 3-5-day tours even offer a more flexible opportunity for you to explore mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park.
Current cost of Rwanda permits
About 104 valid gorilla permits are available for booking for gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park alone. Each of the permits in Rwanda’s Volcanoes costs USD 1500 per person. Permits can be booked through your trusted expert-Native Africa Tours. Book your Volcanoes gorilla permit in advance, and it is safe to do so about 2-6 months.
Accommodation to book/stay in or around Volcanoes
Available places to book for overnight stay in and around Volcanoes include Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Mountain Gorilla’s Nest Lodge, Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel, Best View Hotel, Wilderness Bisate Lodge, Singita Kwitonda Lodge, and Da Vinci Lodge.
Short Uganda Mountain Gorilla Tours (Guide)
Uganda offers abundant opportunities for you to engage in the thrilling encounter with the mountain gorilla on short tours. Bwindi and Mgahinga all offer amazing opportunities to visitors on short mountain gorilla tours to engage in the trek with the Uganda gorillas. Mgahinga and Bwindi can also be explored on a 1-5-day gorilla trekking tour. The extremely short tour to Bwindi or Mgahinga may require you to depart from Kigali and access Uganda through Katuna/Chanika.
A 3-day mountain gorilla tour can begin from Entebbe or Kampala, as well as Kigali. Driving from Entebbe/Kampala to Mgahinga or Bwindi National Park takes longer hours, about 9-10 hours. While in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, visitors begin their treks from the 4 regions, including Ruhija, Nkuringo, Buhoma, and Rushaga gorilla trailheads. In each of the 4 sectors, visitors have gorilla groups/families that have been opened for gorilla tourism.
Bwindi National Park
Bwindi currently boasts 24 habituated gorilla groups that can be safely tracked, each having a capacity of 8pax per session. Visitors on short mountain gorilla tours in Bwindi get a chance to stay in some of the comfortable places for easier access to the gorilla trailheads. The main places to consider for overnight stay in and around Bwindi include Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge, the Luxury Bwindi Lodge, Mahogany Springs Lodge, Bakiga Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla Forest Camp, and many others.
To enjoy short mountain gorilla trekking holidays in Bwindi, you should also consider how to reach the park. The safest options to get to Bwindi include road or air transport. By road, you can begin your journey from Entebbe or Kampala and enjoy 9-10 hours while driving. Or you can cross from Kigali to Bwindi, and you can use the Katuna or Chanika border.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Short mountain gorilla tours to Mgahinga National Park take you on a trek to explore the Nyakagezi group. This is the only family that is fully open for gorilla trekking in this particular Uganda safari park. Mgahinga is also the smallest of Uganda’s parks with an area coverage of only 33.7 sq. km. Established in 1991, Mgahinga National Park offers unmatched gorilla trekking experiences. It only takes a maximum of 8 guests each day. This makes it the best place if you want more intimate mountain gorilla experiences.
Access to Mgahinga is possible starting from Entebbe/Kampala, and this can involve driving for 9-10 hours through the Masaka-Mbarara route. From Kigali, you can also safely get to Mgahinga via the Chanika border to Kisoro, and your journey can cover just 4-5 hours. Given the terrain in the Kigezi region, a 4×4 safari vehicle is ideal for your road connectivity.
Mountain Gorilla Permits
A gorilla permit is a special tool that anyone who is interested in mountain gorilla adventures in Bwindi/Mgahinga should have. Each permit costs USD 800 per visitor if you are reserving it as a foreign non-resident. USD 700 for foreign residents, USD 500 (for the Rest of Africa). And shs. 300,000 per person for all Ugandans (East African citizens). Valid mountain gorilla permits in Uganda can be reserved through our experts. You do not need to be physically present on the ground to go through the stages of booking your permit.
While on short mountain gorilla tours in Mgahinga, expect to have a night stay in Mgahinga Gorilla Triangle Lodge, Mount Gahinga Lodge, or find a place to stay in Kisoro, including Travellers’ Rest Hotel, Mucha Hotel Kisoro, and others. Accommodation options around Rushaga and Nkuringo also offer convenient places for stay and connectivity to your gorilla trekking starting point (Ntebeko).
At the Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors, you can opt for lodges such as Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Lodge, Albertine Gorilla Campsite, Gorilla Heights Lodge, Bweza Gorilla Lodge, and others.
Short mountain gorilla tours to Congo
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, you can experience the best of your short mountain gorilla tour in the Virunga National Park, home to 200 mountain gorillas. This Park is situated in the Eastern part of Congo and holds around 8 groups. Congo’s mountain gorilla permits cost USD 400 per person, offering more affordable tours than any destination. But before you fly to begin your actual gorilla trekking holiday, you should have the current safety status of the destination. Always secure a gorilla tour through the tour operator. Make the best use of the updates in the Congo embassy in your home country.
Best time to book short mountain gorilla tours
Short mountain gorilla tours can be booked at any time of the travel calendar. But the peak dry season is the best. You can opt for a short gorilla tour any time from June to September or book it December -February. Even during the wet or rainy season (March to May/October –November), gorilla tours can be organised, especially for budget travellers.
Short mountain gorilla tours present a unique alternative to tourists with a tight schedule to embark on a journey to appreciate the world’s Great Apes (mountain gorillas). Book your short gorilla tour with an expert with in-depth knowledge and vast experience, that’s Native Africa Tours.
