Uganda Gorilla Trekking is fast becoming one of the most sought after wildlife experiences in the world. A permitted and closely controlled experience, the cost of a permit, $600, to undertake a Uganda Gorilla Trek is not cheap! But for those who decide to partake, there are likely very few travel memories you will treasure that will rival this experience. So it begs the question, if you are travelling so far, spending so much, is it worth doing two Uganda Gorilla treks?
There are few experiences in the world that can match the exhilarating thrill of tracking a Mountain Gorilla family through the thick forests of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda.
In years of selling Uganda Gorilla Treks I have never had as many requests as I do these days to buy multiple permits for their Uganda Gorilla Trek. Why? The reasons are varied, but can range from concerns about not finding your assigned Gorilla group to an hour not being enough.
One or Two Uganda Gorilla Treks?
First, let’s consider the question as to what the chances are of finding the Gorillas on your Uganda Gorilla trek. Officially the rate is pegged at about 95%, but in my experience this more likely to be pretty much guaranteed. I have never sent or met anyone who was unsuccessful in his or her quest. The guides excel at their jobs and the Gorillas have become so well monitored that you would have to be extremely unlucky to not find your assigned group that day.
Second, I most often get questioned as to whether an hour is really enough? To be sure, this is somewhat a matter of opinion. Are you an avid photographer? And if so, will you get enough time to both snap as many pictures as you would like, but also importantly, save enough time to put down the camera and appreciate the whole environment? Will you be able to study and comprehend the social interactions of the family you are visiting? Should you wish to shell out that extra $600 and do a second Uganda Gorilla trek, you can be assigned to a different family group with an experience that will be a completely different one. With such a shared genetic code to us, a new Gorilla group, just like humans, will have their own dynamic and their own social interactions and hierarchy.
Last, is the extra cost worth it? Assuming you are not stretching your finances already, a Uganda Gorilla trek is one of those ‘once-in-a-lifetime experiences’. If the total cost of flights, accommodations, meals and transportation is factored in, the marginal cost of an extra permit and accommodation may become more of an acceptable addition.
I have never had anyone report back that they wished they had not opted to organize a second Uganda Gorilla trek. Perhaps this speaks more loudly than any of the aforementioned reasoning.
If you decide to do two treks (or more) it does require more prudent planning. Instead of finding only one available day with a permit, you will need to find two consecutive days with permits.
So when should you book? The high season for trekking is July and August every year, and to a lesser extent, September. If you are looking to travel in these periods, at least six to nine months ahead is essential. Waiting to book your permits never results in a benefit, so if you know you want to go, take the plunge and organize the Uganda Gorilla Trekking experience you want!
Happy Trekking!
Chris.