Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19) & Its Effect on Safaris and Gorilla Trekking in Uganda, Rwanda & Congo

The whole world has been engulfed by the highly contagious Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) which started from Wuhan in China back in 2019 and has eventually spread everywhere. The virus can be spread through coughs, sneezing or talking so it can enter the human body through the nose, mouth or eyes.

To date, there is no known medicine or cure for COVID-19 and the number of infections worldwide have continued to soar forcing most countries to declare total lock-down to control / slow down the spread to enable the health systems to cope.

Africa has not been an exception and most countries have announced travel bans and total lock down. As a result, Africa’s famous safari industry has greatly been affected as bookings continue to plunge and cancellations on the increase.

Tanzania, which is one of the leading destinations for safari in Africa has not yet announced a lock down but the number of infections there has rapidly increased which is worrying to the rest of the East African countries.

Gorilla trekking is the next big thing for most travelers to Africa and because of the pandemic, the Gorilla parks have all been closed. Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park will be closed up to 1^st June 2020 but the closure could be extended if the situation doesn’t significantly improve.

Congo’s Virunga, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, remain closed as the authorities continue to monitor the situation and advise on the next steps. The gorilla parks in particular were closed because the Gorillas share 98% human DNA and as such can easily contract the virus which has no known cure and they are already highly endangered species!

The survival of these Gorillas however, depends much on the revenue obtained from selling the Gorilla permit to visitors looking to take part in Gorilla trekking which supports the authorities in executing their duties to protect the park, fend off poachers and ensure their survival.

The local communities where these Gorillas live also earn a living by working as porters and selling souvenirs to visitors who go trekking. With this closure therefore and the looming Coronavirus pandemic, there is surely much at stake.

So, what next? Because of the uncertainty of this situation, some tourists have panicked to cancel their trips and lost money while others have abandoned the idea of visiting Africa altogether and you might now be contemplating what to do!

Should I cancel my safari / Gorilla trek in Africa? Is it possible to rescheduled my safari or when will the parks open?

If you are planning to go on a safari in Africa or Gorilla trek, here is what to expect and what you can do;

1.      Stay safe; the virus has no known cure yet so follow the guidelines provided by the authorities in your country and stay safe and protect everyone around you from the virus.

2.      Do not cancel your booking; if you have already booked a trip, you do not cancel. This will hurt the industry more and threatens the survival of the wildlife. You can instead reschedule your trip to a later date or move it to 2021. This is what the park authorities advise. Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) for example, allows tour operators to reschedule the already booked gorilla permits twice up to March 2022. This means, you can change your dates twice between now and March 2022 so you do not have to cancel your trip.

3.      Book your trip; yes, the situation is uncertain but if you have concrete plans of going on safari or Gorilla trek this year, you need to plan early and confirm your booking. There is a faint chance that this virus will be controlled and tourism will resume especially towards the end of the year (September to December)!

If that happens, there will be many looking to go and you could miss out. It is best that you book with a local operator and agree to make payment on arrival so you don’t have to commit any deposit upfront

If you are planning a Gorilla trek in particular, you can book only the Gorilla permit so that if you are unable to go, you can always reschedule or your permit can be sold and get your refund. You can get in touch with a reliable local tour operator like Gorilla Holidays Uganda for your gorilla trekking trips in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo.

All in all, it is important to observe the following guidelines;

·       Stay home and away from public gatherings

·       Regularly wash your hands with soap and water

·       Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60% and above alcohol

·       Do not touch your mouth, nose and eyes with unwashed hands

·       If you have to step out, wear a face mask

·       Lastly, find some form of exercise which you can do from home.

STAY SAFE and we will travel again soon.

Uganda Named on cool 19 list for 2019 by National Geographic Traveler

Uganda makes it on the top 19 destinations list for 2019 by National Geographic Traveler

Dubbed “the cool list 2019”, the list features the 19 destinations that are believed to make the travel headlines in the coming year – 2019. Uganda stands out among other African destinations including Zimbabwe, Eritrea and KwaZulu Natal and the reasons are clear;

Gorilla trekking continues to stand out as a bucket list adventure for African travelers and there is no better destination than Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park. It should be noted that after Rwanda doubled its Gorilla permit price from $750 to a whopping $1,500 in 2017, Uganda Gorilla Permits remained at $600.

That, coupled with the closure of the Virunga National Park in Congo due to insecurity, leaves Uganda as the hot spot for mountain Gorilla trekking in Africa! However, there’s more to explore and adventure in Uganda considering the country has 10 National Parks, the source of the Nile River and a host of adrenaline activities in Jinja, diverse cultures and the friendliest people on the African continent!

You can read about the full National Geographic cool list 2019 here. http://www.natgeotraveller.co.uk/smart-travel/features/the-cool-list-2019/

Gorilla Trekking Price increased in Rwanda

Silver back Mountain Gorilla.

The price of gorilla permits in Rwanda has been increased from 500 USD to 750 USD, a 50% increase! The decision to increase the price was reached by Rwanda Development Board as announced on Friday last week and will take full effect from 1^st June as a measure to conserve Rwanda’s mountain gorilla environment and the park’s biodiversity however, the news have not been welcomed by some tour operators in Rwanda claiming the permit price has been hiked, something that might affect their clients and reduce the number of tourists to Rwanda since gorilla trekking is the major tourist activity in the country! A gorilla permit allows one access to the mountain gorillas and an opportunity to view them for only one hour so whether as to pay such a price is reasonable leaves a lot to be desired!

Apart from the mountain gorillas in Parc De volcanoes, Rwanda tourism offers wildlife tours in Akagera national park among other park activities like a boat cruise on Lake Ihema inside the park, chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe forest national park, and is home to golden monkeys and numerous bird species. You can also visit the genocide memorials, do karisimbi hiking, and visit Dian Fossey’s grave, Kigali city tour among others. However, most of the safari activities in Rwanda can be put together in one single itinerary!

That said, travelers and tour operators are waiting to see whether Uganda & DRC will also increase their gorilla trekking costs or take it as an advantage to market gorilla tourism. Gorilla trekking is such an adventure that involves long walking hours and trekking through thick vegetation and bearing some challenges at times including heavy rains until you reach the particular gorilla family you are supposed to visit. Uganda has the largest number of these primates, with 12 gorilla groups in Bwindi however, many say Rwanda gorillas are easier to find and offer better chances of photography and filming!

Have you been on gorilla tours to Uganda or Rwanda recently or before? Have you done any of the mentioned activities before? Have you visited both gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda? What’s your take?

As if that was not enough, in may 2017, Rwanda doubled the Gorilla trekking price from $750 to a staggering $1,500 for a single gorilla permit in Rwanda! This left many in a shock but luxury tourists and celebrities are still flocking Rwanda for its mountain gorilla trekking.