Planning Your Own Gorilla Safari Will Save You Money - Heres How
Going on a gorilla safari must rank as one of the best wildlife experiences left in the natural world. Many people describe it as an overwhelming and awe-inspiring experience and worth every penny they spent on making it happen. But it doesn't necessarily have to cost the earth. You can organise and plan your own trek far cheaper than it would cost if you used a safari company as they need to work through the applicable wildlife authorities in each country to obtain gorilla permits anyway and you can do the same if you know how. The trade-off is that it will be more inconvenient for you because you will need to organise all the logistics yourself whereas with a gorilla safari company you just turn up and go along for the ride. If you are a do-it-yourself traveller, here is what you need to know to make it possible and save yourself some money... Where to Find the Gorillas Mountain gorillas are highly endangered and there are isolated pockets of them left in Uganda, Rwanda and the Congo. It's estimated that there are less than 650 mountain gorilla left in the world. Travel to the Congo is considered risky because of the political and military instabilities that exist there but Uganda and Rwanda are perfect for a gorilla safari. Your chances of seeing the gorillas are excellent in both Uganda and Rwanda because they are tracked each day by experienced trackers so their locations are known down to the last 24 hours. It's possible but quite rare for visitors not to see the gorillas. In Uganda the big apes live in the Bwindi National Park and in Rwanda they can be found at the Volcanoes National Park. There are three habituated gorilla groups in the Bwindi forest and a total of eighteen permits are issued every day at six per group. In Rwanda there are four habituated gorilla groups and eight permits are issued per group bringing the total per day to thirty two. There are some simple rules that apply when visiting these great apes: Don't go if you are sick because you might infect them and they are very susceptible to human diseases, no flash photography, maintain a seven metre distance, don't eat or drink around them and each group can stay for a maximum of one hour. Best Time to Go on a Gorilla Safari Bwindi is a rainforest so you can expect precipitation most of the year with the heaviest rains occurring in March - April and September - November while other months are reasonably dry. Annual precipitation is between 1130 mm and 2390 mm. The annual temperature ranges between 7-20 degrees c with the coldest period between June- July. The climate in the Volcanoes National Park is changeable and you can generally expect both sun and rainfall during the day. At 1,700m above sea level it is generally quite cold particularly in the evening so warm clothing is advised. The park receives a high amount of rainfall, over 70 inches (1,800 mm) per year and daytime temperatures average about 70°F (21°C). The dry season occurs mid-June-September and December-March. Rain is an inconvenience on a gorilla safari but it's not an insurmountable obstacle. Just make sure that you take a good pair of hiking boots with you because it can become very muddy and some parts are pretty steep which can cause you to slip. Travel and Accommodation Bwindi in Uganda can be reached from QENP in the north (2-3 hours), from Kabale to the south (1-2 hours), or from Kampala via Mbarara (6-8 hours). The roads meet at Butogota, 17km from the Buhoma entrance gate. Two up-market tented camps, a lodge, community-run budget rooms and camping are available near the Buhoma entrance gate for accommodation the night before the gorilla safari. In Rwanda the day before the gorilla trek you can take a 2 USD minibus to Ruhengeri (2 hours) or a 2 USD Virunga or Okapi bus from Kigale. Buses leave every hour (on the hour) from near the gare routičre/bus station. If you want to leave early in the morning from Kigale it might be a good idea to buy a ticket the day before, but if you leave in the afternoon, you might buy a ticket in the morning. In Ruhengeri you can stay at any of the decent guesthouses ranging from Home d'Accueil at 5USD, to Muhabura which is clean with private bathroom at 20USD. The expensive Gorillas nest is at Kinigi, a taxi car drive out of town. Where and how to get the gorilla permit and transportation plus accommodation tips, advice and costs for both Uganda and Rwanda so that you can decide between them. The Top Three gorilla safari companies if you decide to use a guide rather than plan your own trek.
Related News
Gift giving – the outdoors versus the non-outdoors - Evening Sun (subscription)
How to Tame a Cat With a Taste for the Outdoors - Washington Post
How to Tame a Cat With a Taste for the OutdoorsWashington Post, United States -13 hours agoHe has had a taste of the outdoors and wants to go out again. We regularly have to get chairs to reach him when he jumps onto curtain rods and bookcases, ... |
Outdoors Report: Steelheaders getting in some early punches - Seattle Post Intelligencer
GI Janes get outdoors - News & Observer
News & Observer |
GI Janes get outdoorsNews & Observer, NC -13 hours agoDeanna Lampley, MWR business manager for outdoor recreation, told the group of 29 participants the day was designed to show that the outdoors is for ... |
Outdoors With Braz: A Few Tips On How To Keep Warm While Hunting - thejournal-news.net
Outdoors by Wayne Baughman - Pittsfield Pike Press
Outdoors by Wayne BaughmanPittsfield Pike Press, IL -1 hour agoThe tally is in for the first portion of the firearms deer season that was held Nov. 21,22, and 23. Statewide hunters took 71894 deer, which is a decline of ... |
Outdoors briefs - Dallas Morning News
Outdoors briefsDallas Morning News, TX -19 hours agoBy RAY SASSER Outdoors Writer rsasser@dallasnews.com With the 2009 Panhandle pheasant season looming Saturday, Texas Parks and Wildlife is asking hunters ...Outdoors notebookAustin American-Statesmanall 3 news articles |
Great Outdoors Almanac - Green Bay Press Gazette
Great Outdoors AlmanacGreen Bay Press Gazette, WI -11 hours agoA few anglers are starting to fish frozen portions of rivers and harbors, but it's still slushy, open water throughout much of Green Bay. ... |
A handy guide to outdoors gifts - Detroit Free Press
A handy guide to outdoors giftsDetroit Free Press, United States -13 hours agoIt's that time of year again, when outdoors guys and gals have to figure out how to let family and friends know what we really want without appearing too ... |
Want a holiday gift for an outdoors lover? Here are some ideas - Dallas Morning News
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Solo Backpacking
Have you ever gone solo backpacking? If you have, you'll probably agree that it isn't a matter of it being better or worse than backpacking with friends. It's just a different activity altogether.
Planning Your Own Gorilla Safari Will Save You Money - Heres How
Going on a gorilla safari must rank as one of the best wildlife experiences left in the natural world. Many people describe it as an overwhelming and awe-inspiring experience and worth every penny they spent on making it happen.
Hiking in the Forest Knowing When to Slow Down
One morning in mid summer, I headed out for some time to myself on the trails of Fontenelle Forest in Bellevue, Nebraska. As usual, I stopped in at the Visitor Center to pay the entrance fee, then got back in my car and drove a couple miles down a long and winding road to the quieter back entrance.
The Pyramids of Giza
The most famous Egyptian pyramids to be built are the Great Pyramids of Giza, located in the outskirts of present-day Cairo. There are over 100 Egyptian pyramids of various sizes, and over 50 more in neighboring Sudan. However, the three Great Pyramids of Giza earn their fame by being the largest of these.
Costa Rica: Land of Natural Wonders
Costa Rica is a small country - just 75 mi/120 km separates the Pacific Ocean from the Caribbean Sea at the narrowest spot - Costa Rica still has some of the most diverse scenery in the world. Its coasts have both sandy beaches and marshy swamps, while its interior is dotted with volcanoes, dense with rain forests and abundant with unusual flora.
Discount Lift Tickets - Learn what Colorado Ski Resorts Do Not Want You to Know!
How to get discount lift tickets for popular ski resorts in Colorado including Keystone, Breckenridge, Vail, and Beaver Creek.
Topographic Maps 101
The intricate details on a topographic map can be befuddling, even frustrating, if you are learning while out in the backcountry. But once you get familiar with the markings and symbols, reading maps will become a friendly aid, rather than a dreaded assignment.
Spain´s Beaches - You´re Spoilt For Choice
Spain offers the visitor over 4,000 kms of coastline where
s/he can enjoy shining sun and sapphire seas in wonderful
settings.
Motorhome Camp Grounds Stalls should be Astroturf
Having traveled from state to state and every city in the United States over 10,000 population occasionally staying at motor home camp grounds it seems that a few new ideas might be worthy of mention. Motor home campgrounds generally consist of a cement parking stall, which is level and then hook ups for electricity, water, waste and Cable TV if you so need it. Often there is grass in between stalls and sometimes grass between the centers of the cement area you park on, probably to add ambiance for stalls with no motor homes parked there and/or to save the cost of the concrete during construction of the camp ground?
A Review of Popular River Rafting Trips and Services
Organized river rafting trips are a good idea for novices and experts alike. River rafting tours provide all of the equipment, guidance, and instruction necessary. If the trip covers several days, the rafting company may provide camping accommodations as well. Trips are available for rafters of all skill levels, from beginners rafting for the first time, to skilled experts looking for the toughest rivers in the country.
San Diego Beach Hikes ? Cardiff to Carlsbad
San Diego offers a bevy of interesting hikes. With the average home price being around $500,000, they better be interesting!
Things to Make Your Gap Year in Africa Easy!
The kind of things you pack when you go on a trip says a lot about where you're heading and what you're going to be doing.
Unforgettable Cape Cod Vacations: The National Seashore Gift
Take a captivating trip through the Cape Cod National Seashore with miles of white sandy beaches, trails and hikes to take your breath away, and majestic dunes. Just keep reading and you can visit all those places right now.
Visiting Croatia
Croatia has quickly become Europe's hottest destination, and for good reason.
The rocky coastline continues for 1778 kilometres and includes pine-fringed coves,
wide sandy beaches and cozy inlets. As if that weren't enough, there are a good
1185 islands that range from lush and wooded to stark and hilly. Yachties love
the sailing opportunities, sunbathers have an incredible choice of beaches and
scuba divers have a paradise of sea life to explore.
Beyond the pretty scenery, Croatia also boasts a fascinating history and cultural
life.The walled city of Dubrovnik on its southern tip is a must-stop for Mediterranean
cruises but the long coast is littered with remnants of Croatia's varied past.
Tips for Mountain Bikers in Spain
As any keen mountain biker will know, there are some important rules to follow and bike handling skills to master before subjecting yourself and your bike to the thrills and spills of off-road riding.
Although most of us ride within our capabilities most of the time, riding on different trails in hot weather conditions can present a new set of challenges requiring some new biking skills and knowledge.
On Safari in Northern Tanzania ? Back to The Sixth Day of the Creation
Tanzania's natural endowment as a wildlife safari destination is unrivalled. Wild animals roam in vast areas as God intended on that sixth day of the creation. These areas are designated as national parks and game reserves and have a high reputation for being uncrowded and unspoilt. The magnificent collection of game sanctuaries to the north of the country, near the border with Kenya, is referred to as The Northern Circuit. This is the most popular and accessible wildlife safari route in Tanzania. I can positively say that this is one of the finest game viewing areas anywhere in the world.
What You Need to Know About - Camping Vacations
Camping is a delightful and adventurous way to spend your vacations. Camping basically means living in tents that are pitched on specific grounds. The biggest advantage of camping is the cost saving. You can have a good vacation within your budget. For you will have to spend least on accommodation. While if you go for stay in hotels, a large chunk of your money is gone in paying for per day rent of your room. On the top of it camping is not associated with troubles like what type and class of room to take, how much will be too much for this etc. Camping also takes you away from all such hurly-burly of the big hotels and lends you the opportunity to follow your style.
10 Tips to Planning Your Dream Road Trip
Everyone has a travel dream. For many it is hitting the road for a relatively unlimited time, either here or abroad.
Drive Me to WA Today!
Western Australia Driving Adventure
Great Australian Road Trip
Large is not the word for it. Massive doesn't cover it either. Gigantanormous might be a little closer to the mark, but unfortunately you won't find it in any dictionaries. Welcome to Western Australia, where elbow room has never been a problem.
If you're looking for the ultimate Great Australian Road Trip, then flying into Perth is an excellent first step. One of the most popular road trips you can do in the big WA is cruising up the enormous stretch of coastline to the north, stopping along the way to visit tiny towns, romp along beaches with no footprints, and burrow around mind-blowing national parks.
Gearing up and getting outta here!
The adventurous will be aiming for Broome and beyond, to lose themselves in the wilds of Kimberly, freaking out at the alien landscape of the Bungle Bungles before crossing the border and heading for Darwin. Those of us who like to shower a little more often will probably cruise along the North West Coastal Highway as far as the popular holiday town of Exmouth ? possibly popping over to Karijini National Park (well worth a look) ? before turning around and heading home.
Before you rush out into the unending horizon, make sure you've got a trusty car at the ready, able to take punishing distances, and equipped with life-saving air-conditioning. Not having a car isn't even an option in a state the size of India, with the majority of the population clinging to the outskirts of Perth and south coast. So if you don't have your own, grab yourself a good deal for a Perth car hire, chuck your luggage, stores of water and petrol in the back, and put your foot on the accelerator.
Need a car for your road trip? Rent one at Car Rental Perth
Cavorting up the coast
First stop should be the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park near Cervantes with random spooky limestone pillars standing silently in the sand, staring at you. Stay over in Cervantes or keep the wheels turning until you reach Geraldton ? WA's second largest city. If you're a keen diver or like to snorkel, then charter a boat (or catch the seaplane) and check out the Abrolhos Islands, and have a float around the Batavia shipwreck. Just up the road (relative to distances regularly encountered in WA) is the resort town of Kalbarri with its national park ? easily accessible by cars and walking.
Get back in your car and keep your foot on the gas until you get to the World Heritage listed Shark Bay. This unbelievably ecologically diverse area tends to be overshadowed by the fame of Monkey Mia's friendly dolphins, but poking around the bays to spot turtles and serene dugongs can be infinitely as rewarding as an encounter with one of the bottle-nosed dolphins. Visit the Zuytdorp Cliffs and Shell Beach (where the sand is actually composed of ? yep, you guessed it ? little white shells). If you're roaring around in a 4WD you can hike your way out to Francois National Park.
The next mandatory stop is Coral Bay and Exmouth to reward yourself with balmy year-round weather, and Ningaloo Reef, where you can't splash around without bumping into a big underwater creature of some kind.
After this, it's the determination of dusty traveler which will get you past the next many hundreds of kilometers, past the industrial towns of Dampier, Karratha and Port Hedland and on into Broome, the charming doorstep to the wilds of the Kimberley ? one of the last great unconquered expanses of nature left in the world. It's here you can throw around all the over-the-top descriptors you like: rugged, breathtaking, spiritual, bloody brilliant. But you'll have to go there yourself. Save me from using up all my adjectives.
Beyond that, you've only got Kununurra and the Bungle Bungles before you cross the border and into the NT.
Need a car in Perth?
There's a plethora of websites out there which hunt down cheap car hire deals and put them all on the one website. Just do a search on google for "car hire deals" or go to a website such as http://www.vroomvroomvroom.com.au who often have good Perth and Western Australia deals.
Drive Safe and Happy Adventuring!
Scotland - The New White Water Rafting Capital of Europe
Scotland has taken its place as the new Mecca for white water rafting and extreme sports enthusiasts. With over 120 activity centres around the country you can do it all here - from jumping off cliffs, sliding through canyons and rolling down hills in plastic balls, to more traditional activities such as white water rafting, quad biking and clay pigeon shooting.
|
