For one to enjoy a gorilla tracking, one has to buy a permit issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority. It is necessary to book permits as early as possible, as only 8 people per group per day are allowed. For one to ensure tracking on the requested date, one is advised to book at least three months earlier. Prices may increase in the future, though Gorilla permits cost US $ 500 per person.

By a boding by the above rules, you too are contributing to the conservation of the mountain gorilla. The funds generated from the sale of these permits are used by the Uganda Wildlife Authority for the management of the national parks. Part of the sum of the funds raised from the park entrance fees is donated to local communities that live near the parks, for their development and improvement of the natural resource management in the region.

Sale conditions of the gorilla permit:
* Any tourist who shows signs of illness will not be allowed to join the gorilla tracking.
* A tourist shall be declared unfit to track due to illness by a Warden-n-charge in the park, 50% of the touring fee will be refunded.
Sickness is determined at the discretion of the Warden-in-charge. This policy will apply to tourists who fall sick prior to their trek to the park.
* Permits are not refundable, but tourists who travel the whole day and fail to see the gorillas for whatever reason, will be refunded 75% of the tracking fee.
* The gorilla permit is not a guarantee that the gorilla will be clearly viewed.
* 15 years is the minimum age limit for visiting the gorillas.

They live in small numbers of about 25 to 35 members per group. They usually have one leading male, accompanied by several females with their young. A Gorilla that has just been born weighs on average 2.5Kgs. This is approximately half the weight of a human baby.

Within 40 weeks however, the gorilla can walk, and reaching 3 years, it slowly becomes independent; hence develops twice as fast.
At 6 years, they are about 1.20 meters tall and weigh almost 70Kgs. The gorillas continue gaining weight for the next 4 years, though the female one matures at this age. On the other hand, males don’t reach maturity till they are 10 years old. When that black back begins turning into grey, it is time for them to depart the parental group. These wonder alone or join other males for some time, before attracting females who will join them. They form their own family in this way.

Their world population doesn’t increase rapidly as they reproduce slowly. Gestation period is approximately 8.5 months and gorilla mothers give birth to a baby once every 4 years. Due to diseases and accidents, at least 30% doesn’t survive their first year. Another incident that leads to death among the baby gorillas is when their father dies and another silverback takes over. The new male often secures his own genes in the posterity, killing all the babies of his predecessor.

The great ape family includes the Chimpanzee and Orang-utan, with the gorilla being the largest. This can be divided in three subspecies;

* The Western lowland Gorilla, which are mostly seen in zoos with a population of about 50,000 lives in West central Africa.
* Eastern lowland Gorilla with about 2,500 living in the wild. They are harboured in the Eastern Congolese rainforest.
* Mountain Gorilla, which are the most endangered of all, with only 620 remaining.

They are harboured in the afro montane forests in North Wets Rwanda, Eastern DRC and South West Uganda.

Incidentally, the most dangerous specie of the ape family is the Mountain Gorilla. Since they can’t survive in captivity, one will never see them in the zoo.

The dense parts of the tropical forests are the homes of the Mountain gorillas in East Africa. The whole world’s population is spread out over only 2 different places.

About 320 individuals inhabit the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes, stretching out from the border area in Congo to Rwanda. The remaining 300 are found in Bwindi National park in Uganda; occupying an area of about 330 sq. Kms.

The gorilla resembles us in even more aspects although the chimpanzee is our closest living relative on the planet. Their hands and feet are like ours, they spend more time on the ground and consequently gorillas are better able to walk. They share almost 98% of the DNA!

The gorillas’ relationships within the family are very important, hence have high social qualities. They bring out their feelings, varying from loving and hating to shame and jealousy, by at least 20-distinct vocalisations, all with different meaning. They also use beating on the chests or falling on the ground as a common form of communication. The silverback mainly does this to show his power and intimidate others.

Despite their impressive looks, they are extremely gentle and peace loving.

Violence rarely happens in the gorilla families. They have solidarity in case of danger. When two leaders of different groups meet each other, then it is only when serious fights might take place.

The lowland and mountain gorilla is the most extinct of all the apes, and a few mountain species, estimated to not more than 600 are left in the volcanic region that spreads over the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in East Africa. This is the remaining frail environment in which they are able to endure since they have never been successfully reared in confinement and there is none in the zoos.

Only a few of these mammals have been habituated in the conserved forest, part of the Virungas for humans to visit, which makes gorilla tracking both a special opportunity and an thrilling adventure. While on a gorilla safari, be prepared to trek through some uneven trails such as thorny trees, steep hills, and twisted vines. Finding out that you are sitting only a few metres from a gorilla in the bushes is a spine tingling incidence.

The first glance at these apes might be a baby gorilla up on a tree branch, a female quietly playing with its babies, or a silverback beating his chest. You can book for a Uganda gorilla tracking tour in two national parks: Bwindi, a tract of impenetrable forest and Mgahinga on the Ugandan side of the Virunga Volcanoes. Trekking the gorillas in Rwanda will be in the forest of Virunga Volcanoes National Park.

Permits to trek gorillas must be booked in advance with African Safaris Travel tour offices since the number of trekkers is limited for conservation purposes. An one hours audience with the gentle apes while on these tour.

While looking into the innocent brown eyes of a gorilla in its natural environment, you realize that tracking these mammals is Africa’s greatest wildlife encounters.

More findings on Mountain Gorillas in Uganda

* Gorillas and People
* Habitats of the Great Apes
* Gorilla Life styles
* Gorilla Permits
* Gorilla Trekking Safari Rules
* Gorilla Trekking Tour 4 days
* Gorilla Tracking Safari 7 days
* Gorilla and Chimp Tracking