MOUNTAIN GORILLAS

The price of Mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda depends on a number of factors involved and these are what we need to look at to establish Uganda Gorilla trekking cost because when looking at the cost, it involves the whole package and not the single event / item of Gorilla Trekking Uganda

Gorilla permit Cost; to be able to take part in Gorilla trekking, you must obtain a Gorilla permit so the cost of the Gorilla permit largely determines the cost of Gorilla trekking in Uganda. The Gorilla trekking permit now costs $700 for foreign nonresidents, $600 for foreign residents of East African countries, and 250,000 UGX for East African citizens throughout the year. There are no low-season.

Gorilla Habituation Experience ; Gorilla Habituation permit costs $1,500 for foreign nonresidents, $1,000 for foreign residents in East Africa, and 750,000 UGX for East African Citizens.

Other factors consider in the adventure include;

Vehicle hire, this ranges from $50 to $300 depending on the comfort

Accommodation, this ranges from Budget accommodation of $50 per night to Luxury accommodation $1000 per night

Porters this is a support team around the trekking sectors to help give a hand those who are NOT physically fit by carrying you or your equipment and can give a hand during the difficult points of the trekking activity and these can be hire at $10 to $20 each depending of the load.

 About Gorillas

The mountain gorilla is an iconic ape that often is portrayed in “King Kong” movies as a savagely and fierce beast. On the contrary, the mountain gorilla is a gentle and shy primate yet big and so powerful. Tourists have a once in a lifetime opportunity via Guenon safaris to see up close these gentle giants in their natural environment through our gorilla trekking packages in Uganda.

1. Mountain Gorillas are called so because…you guessed it…because they live in mountains at altitudes of 8000 to 13000 feet. Their thick fur keeps them warm.
2. In the whole world, Mountain Gorillas are found in only 3 countries: Uganda, Rwanda the Democratic Republic of Congo which shares an area called the Virunga massif, a mountainous zone home to the mountain gorillas. Yes, you may have seen a gorilla in the zoo but that is a lowland gorilla and not a mountain gorilla. Mountain Gorillas do not survive for long outside their environment.
3. Mountain Gorillas and other gorilla species share 98% DNA with humans. This makes the gorillas susceptible to human diseases. Hopefully they do not catch covid 19!
4. The Mountain Gorilla is the most powerful of the great apes. The strength of one adult male gorilla is said to be equivalent to 5 – 8 adult human males
5. Mountain Gorillas are largely herbivores eating vegetation and fruit. However they have been observed to eat snails
6. Mountain Gorillas eat their dead babies. When a baby gorilla dies, the gorillas will know it is dead when it starts to decompose after which they will devour the remains. It is said the reason for this bizarre cannibal behavior is so that other animals do NOT eat the remains which would entice them to go after gorilla babies. The mountain gorillas however do not eat remains of the adult gorillas.
7. Mountain Gorillas live in small family units of about 10 to 20 individuals. This is in contrast to chimpanzees that live as a big community comprising of smaller units just like humans.
8. A mountain gorilla family is led by a dominant male. The dominant male is in most cases a silverback which is an adult male that has developed a silver wash on the back. The silverback protects the family and directs the movement and activities of the group.
9. Gorillas make new nests every day to sleep. Gorillas make new “beds” each day in the new place where they will have ended the day.
10. Mountain Gorillas have unique nose prints the way humans have unique finger prints. This is also the way park rangers are able to identify each individual gorilla.

CHIMPANZEE

Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale National Park, requires one to budget for a chimp permit of $200 per person, per trek, for foreign nonresidents, $150 for foreign residents of East African countries, and 150,000 UGX for East African citizens throughout the year. Trekking in Kyambura Gorge-Queen Elizabeth National Park,$50 for foreign nonresidents, $40 for foreign residents of East African countries, and 30,000 UGX for East African citizens There are no low-season. Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale National Park can be done either in the morning or afternoon. The walk is interspersed with birdwatching, butterfly watching and plants identification.

About Chimpanzees

Chimpanzees are said to be our closest relatives in the animal kingdom. Below are some of the interesting facts about chimpanzees that will leave you surprised at how similar they are to humans.

1. Chimpanzees share 98.7% DNA with humans. Scientists say Chimpanzees and Humans share the same ancestor of evolutionary origin.
2. Chimpanzees live in communities like humans. Unlike other primates like monkeys and Gorillas who live in groups, Chimpanzees live in communities that can be as large as 100+ chimps. Within the community are smaller units of groups, families, friends, etc… who can go about their lives independently from other chimps in the same community.
3. Chimpanzee communities have classes. Within a community of chimps are three classes; upper class, middle class and lower class, and of course the higher the class the more privileges a chimp has…much like in human communities
4.  Chimpanzees communicate with each other with over 20 different voices/ sounds and they tell stories laugh and you can easily tell its either happy or hungry.
5. Chimpanzees vote their leaders in communities. Unlike in other primates like monkeys and gorillas where the most powerful becomes the leader of the group, chimpanzees are highly democratic and vote their leaders depending competencies and skills a chimp possesses. They do change leaders every now and then once a leader becomes unpopular.
6. Chimpanzees have binocular vision. Chimps have an incredible eyesight that is said developed to spot snakes in the thick jungle.
7. Chimpanzees can’t swim.
8. Chimpanzees do not become sexually active until they about 10 years.
9. Infant chimpanzees are born every 4 – 5 years and stay with their mothers until they are 8 – 10 years
10. Chimpanzees are endangered. Due to the low birth rate of chimps and the immense pressure on their habitats, their numbers continue to dwindle.
11. Chimpanzees can make and use tools. Chimpanzees have been observed to make and modify tools from their environment such as trees.

Never seen chimpanzees before? Book with us  an excellent tour of chimpanzee trekking and habituation in Uganda  that will give you an opportunity to encounter a community of chimps in their natural home, observe their classes and leadership, see how they use tools and communicate with each other with over 20 different voices, and other interesting behaviors