Uganda Gorilla Safari from Ireland: Planning a Uganda gorilla safari from Ireland can be challenging, especially for starters. However, with the help of a local tour agent in Uganda, your Uganda gorilla safari can be planned successfully from anywhere including Ireland. Gorilla trekking adventures or safaris are some of the most interesting trips that you can enjoy this year.
A typical gorilla trekking safari in Uganda starts the day you decide to take on this challenge. Let us say you are in Ireland and dreaming of an amazing safari in Uganda; you will have to get your phone or computer and search the best companies on the web. You will find many tour operators on the internet offering Uganda gorilla safaris. Choosing a reliable tour operator from a pool of them can be intriguing. There are a few things you must look out for while planning a Uganda gorilla safari from Ireland. It could be the number of reviews on trusted platforms like TripAdvisor or Safari Bookings.
Additionally, you may have to read through different company websites and see what they offer. Choose one and send them an inquiry about Uganda gorilla trekking. If you are planning a Uganda gorilla safari from Ireland, below are some of the parks that you must add to your bucket list.
Please note that gorilla trekking is only done in East Africa. There are only a few national parks that are home to these critically endangered species. Gorillas can be found in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Congo, one can see gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park and Virunga National Park. On the other hand, gorillas in Rwanda are found in Volcanoes National Park. In this article, we are focusing more on gorilla safaris in Uganda from Ireland. Let us look at the best places to visit for gorilla trekking in Uganda.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi is located in southwestern Uganda, at the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is one of the largest protected areas for mountain gorillas in the area. In this park, travelers can encounter about 19 gorilla-habituated families on their safaris. These gorilla families are first habituated so that they can get used to the human presence.
The habituation process of the mountain gorillas takes about 2 years for the gorillas to get used to the human presence. The park is divided into 4 sectors which include Rushaga, Nkuringo, Buhoma, and Ruhija. The park also offers gorilla habituation to travelers where travelers are supposed to visit the Rushaga sector to track gorillas. In this activity, travelers have more time with the gorillas. In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, there are about 172 gorilla trekking permits each day that travelers can encounter on their safaris. There are also about 12 gorilla-habituated permits that are available each day.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
This is the smallest park in Uganda that is located in southwestern Uganda at the border of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo within the Virunga region. In this park for the gorilla safaris, there is a view of the Virunga ranges that are within the park. These Virunga ranges include Gahinga, Muhavura, and Sabyinyo. In this park, there is about 1 habituated gorilla family that travelers can encounter on their safaris though other unhabituated families are there in the park. On planning to do the gorilla trekking, there are about 8 gorilla trekking permits each day.
How much is a Uganda gorilla permit for the Irish?
A gorilla permit is a legal document that allows travelers to see mountain gorillas and is limited to a day. The gorilla permits are purchased from the Uganda Wildlife Authority where the permits are sold through the reliable tour operators only. Travelers who acquire these permits are supposed to use these reliably. The cost of a gorilla trekking permit for travelers from Ireland is 800 USD for foreign nonresidents. For travelers to engage in gorilla habituation, they are supposed to acquire a gorilla habituation permit where which permit costs about 1500 USD for the foreign nonresidents.
Flights from Ireland to Uganda
There were several airlines offering flights from Ireland to Uganda. However, flight schedules and routes can change, so it is advisable to check with airlines or travel websites for the most up-to-date information. Here are some airlines that commonly operate flights from Ireland (Dublin Airport or Shannon Airport) to Uganda (Entebbe International Airport).
Turkish Airlines: Turkish Airlines offers connecting flights from Dublin to Entebbe with layovers in Istanbul.
Ethiopian Airlines: Ethiopian Airlines provides connecting flights from Dublin to Entebbe with layovers in Addis Ababa.
Emirates: Emirates offers flights from Dublin to Entebbe with layovers in Dubai.
Qatar Airways: Qatar Airways operates flights from Dublin to Entebbe with layovers in Doha.
KLM: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines provides connecting flights from Dublin to Entebbe with layovers in Amsterdam.
Brussels Airlines: Brussels Airlines offers flights from Dublin to Entebbe with layovers in Brussels.
Please note that flight availability, schedules, and routes may change due to several reasons. It is recommended to check directly with the airlines or use online flight search engines to find the most current information on flights from Ireland to Uganda.
Best lodges for the Irish to stay on a Uganda gorilla safari
While on a Uganda gorilla safari from Ireland, there are several accommodation facilities that travelers can stay in during the safaris. The accommodation facilities are ranked budget, midrange, and Luxury facilities. All these facilities are situated around the parks that are home to the mountain gorillas and they include; Gahinga Lodge, Volcanoes Lodge, Traveler’s Rest Hotel, Chameleon Lodge, Lake Mutanda Lodge, Nkuringo Lodge, Katara Lodge, Rushaga Havens Lodge, Gorilla sanctuary lodge, Buhoma lodge, raid for a woman lodge, Bakiga lodge, Ruhija community lodge, and many others.
What is the best time to do a Uganda gorilla safari from Ireland?
Uganda is open for travelers throughout the year. However, the best time is during the dry season since the trekking trails are dry and clear for the gorilla safaris.
