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/

Uganda Ranked Among the top 10 Destinations for 2017 - Visit Uganda, Africa Safaris

One of the world’s top travel publishers – Rough Guides, ranked Uganda 4^th of the top 10 countries to visit in 2017 in its special feature titled “the Rough Guide to 2017”. This comes as the country has embarked on rigorous marketing and heavy investment in infrastructure to boost the tourism industry.

Uganda has beaten its East African counterparts including Kenya and Tanzania as well as some of the African giants like South Africa. Gorilla trekking still tops the list of activities that drive tourists to Uganda but there are more to do and experience in Uganda including many less explored destinations with a whole lot of adventures.

Besides the famed Gorilla trekking in Bwindi, Chimpanzee tracking provides an equally thrilling adventure and these elusive primates can be found in Kibale forest national park which has the highest number of Chimpanzees in the world, Kyambura gorge and Kalinzu forest in Queen Elizabeth national park, as well as visiting the orphaned and rescued Chimpanzees at Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary.

The fact that Chimpanzees share 98.7 % DNA with humans makes them our closest cousins, giving us a more compelling reason to visit them and they exhibit similar characteristics that a visit to the Chimpanzees will be a rewarding experience as you watch them play, compete and mate!

For adventure lovers, the Nile River in Jinja and Lake Victoria present real adrenaline adventures including Nile high Bungee jumping and white water rafting. There is a lot of fresh organic foods and fruits which you will enjoy on all your Uganda safaris and to spice it all up, the country has some of the friendliest people in Africa!

Many people know Uganda to be a poor country which is true but its people are truly welcoming and visibly happy under the circumstances and every traveler knows that the attitude of the locals add up a lot to the success of the trip and the experience. While on a safari in Uganda, kids will wave you on and chant “Muzungu” referring to a white person and in a good and happy way.

The country has 10 national parks including natural wonders and Snow capped Mountains. It is also the best birding destination in Africa with more than 1000 bird species including endemics and migratory birds making it the giant star of bird watching in Africa.

Uganda is the only East African country on the Rough Guides’ 2017 list and deservedly so. The only other African destination there is Namibia on 9^th position. Read the full article here

Silverback Mountain Gorillas - About Silverbacks

About the Silverback Gorilla

Silverback gorillas are the giant male gorillas with a strong

physique and stronger muscles but the defining feature about the silverbacks is their silver hair at the back stretching to the hips. A silverback is always the leader of the family and usually, this comes at a price; he has to prove his status by putting off several contenders through serious fights that at times, turn out fatal!

What do silverbacks eat?

A Silverback in Bwindi

Like other gorillas, the silverbacks are herbivores and feed on plant leaves, tree roots and fruits. For protein supplements, they feed on safari ants. A silverback eats between 18kgs to 25kgs per day and weighs between 180kgs to 250kgs on average.

Where do silverbacks sleep?

They sleep in nests. Gorillas sleep in nests and each individual makes its own nest every evening where it sleeps and never returns to the same nest even if they spend another night in the same site. It instead makes a new nest next to the old one!

How about Solitary Silverbacks?

Some gorillas are not happy about sharing their females. The dominant male takes the females and as he produces male gorillas, he chases them out of the group, forcing them into a solitary life. During their solitary existence, silverbacks feed intensively and exercise to gain more strength to attack a social group with a weak leader.

If a leader of the social group defeats the silverback, it returns to its solitary life and does more intensive training. With a bit of luck, it may also grab one or two females from the group with whom he may decide to start his own family. However, if he succeeds and beats the leader of the social group, he takes over the group and kills all the young males in it including the breastfeeding ones so that it can begin its new family without any threats!

Planning a visit to the gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda? Get in touch through info@gorillastours.com for advice and help in planning a memorable gorilla safari.