#WildlifeWednesday Can Tourism Save the Precious, Highly Endangered Mountain Gorillas? The Integral Key Part!

The Poaching Continues

On Monday, August 26 at 9:26 PM, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) posted to its Facebook Page:

Our Veterinary team and Gorilla doctors rescued and treated this young Gorilla named Tulambule, a member of the Nyakagyezi Gorilla Group in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. He was found caught in a snare wire laid by poachers. We wish Tulambule a quick recovery. Poaching does not only hurt wildlife, it also steals from us all. The Wildlife Act 2018 provides punishments for poachers up to life imprisonment.

UWA Guard & Tracker Mgahinga Gorilla National Park ©Flyga Twiga™ LLC

Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

In 2017 the Uganda Tourism Board invited me to take part in the Pearl of Africa Travel Expo, which included a Gorilla Trek Familiarization (Fam) Trip. Accepting the invitation immediately, I started that day to research, prepare, and get my Gorilla Trekking Kit together. An adventure with one of the most Endangered Species on Earth!

Current estimates suggest there are just under 1,000 Mountain Gorillas left in the world. Of those, the only two safe countries in which to see the Gorillas are Uganda and Rwanda. And, as I have covered extensively on this blog, Uganda has vast wildlife & exceptionally welcoming people, offering spectacular Safaris, in addition to Gorilla Trekking.

Michael & the Mgahinga Alpha©Flyga Twiga™ LLC

Intimate Relationship with Tulambule

My first Gorilla Trek was one of the most – unexpectedly – life altering experiences I have ever had. We woke up at 5:00 am, venturing out into the cloudy, dark Ugandan Mountains. After an Introductory Session, our group of 7 headed off. In Uganda, only 8 Gorilla Trekking Permits are allowed per Gorilla Group each day. Conservationists believe this is perfect balance, not allowing for total habituation. And, as the Gorillas are not “GPSed” it can often take as long as 6 hours to find Groups,especially in places such as Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

We were guided by our armed Uganda Wildlife Authorities into the thick, overgrowth of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Once the Ugandan Trackers found the Nyakagyezi Gorilla Group, we spent just over an hour with our family, the highest allotted time. Tulambule and his brother entertained us with their mock fighting, beating their chests at each other. Developing their skills to one day become Alpha Males.

Our interactions were so intimate that Tulambule’s younger brother played with one of our group member’s legs. The Nyakagyezi Group was so familiar, as the above picture shows, the Alpha Male Silverback decided to inspect what to him appeared to be our (human) Group’s Alpha Male. While my heart was deep inside my throat (and I may have been shaking a bit!), my dear friend and Travel Colleague, Michael English, displayed one of the calmest, and most appropriate under the circumstances, reactions to being inspected by an Alpha Male Silverback Mountain Gorilla.

After Gorilla Trekking, I returned home to cold, snowy South Korea,  from the cloudy, cool Mountains of Mgahinga. The importance of my work seared into my Soul by Tulambule  and his Nyakagyezi Family.

Gorilla Tracking Certificate ©Flyga Twiga™ LLC

The Solution

After years of working in Africa, on the heels of my being with the Wildlife Conservation Society in South Sudan, and utilizing my unique Skill Set, I founded Flyga Twiga™ LLC. International Development, helping the people of East and Southern Africa, and Wildlife Conservation, saving highly Endangered Species, can be achieved through Sustainable Tourism.  

I take Tulambule’s pain from attempted Poaching personally. Gorilla Trekking in Uganda offers some of the closest encounters with a nearly Extinct Primate Species. The Nyakagyezi Gorilla Group of Mgahinga, , Tulambule’s family, will survive due to an integral, key part – tourism. Tourists insure the Ugandan Government and the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s commitment to Mountain Gorilla survival. You, as a Tourist to Africa, have the power to save a Species.

Nyakagyezi Alpha Male Gorilla Uganda 2017 ©Flyga Twiga™ LLC

Awesome News! Over 1,000 Mountain Gorillas in New Census!!!

Mountain Gorilla Numbers Surpass 1,000!

The authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Rwanda, and Republic of Uganda release new census results.  has just issued a Mountain Gorilla Census and the count is now over 1,000. Click here to read the Press Release.

Tourism Promotes Wildlife Conservation

This is truly awesome news and proves onece again how tourism promotes wildlife conservation. Click here or the Alpha Male (above) from the Nyakagezi Group in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda to see a suggested Gorilla Trekking Itinerary.

The below short video is of two Mountain Gorilla Brothers playing. They are part of the Nyakagezi Group in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda. This was shot when I was hosted by the Uganda Tourism Board during the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo in 2017.

Happy Day! Safe Safari!

#TravelTuesday Update Uganda Gorilla Trekking Permits

Below is the statement by the Uganda Tourism Board that it will NOT increase Gorilla Trekking Permits. It is a little hard to see - but one of the five gorilla babies mentioned below is being held by its mother behind the Alpha Male. His name is "Christmas" as he was just born in December 2016!

No price increase for gorilla tours in Uganda

The Ugandan government has confirmed that it will maintain the $600 fee per person for gorilla permits and promises that there will be no price increase in Uganda.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority today announced that there will be no price increase in Uganda for a minimum of 12 months. Gorilla tracking charges will thus be maintained at $ 600 per person in peak season and $ 450 in low season.

In Uganda, sustainable gorilla tourism is a major contributor to the protection of these rare and endangered animals. Revenues from gorilla permits help to preserve the habitat of the endangered mountain gorillas. Through tourism, the protection of animals also attracts worldwide attention and support. And gorilla tourism offers communities around national parks an economic perspective, as 20% of fees go directly to the local population in addition to tourism creating jobs. This avoids long-term conflicts between humans and animals as well as poaching.

“The mountain gorilla population in Uganda has been steadily increasing to about 550 individuals since the 1980s. This shows that our model for gorilla tourism works and both conservation and locals benefit from the tourism. We therefore have no reason to change anything or increase fees,” explains Dr. Andrew Seguya, Executive Director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority has in fact been very successful in the protection of mountain gorillas. Between September 2016 and January 2017 alone, there was a real baby boom with a total of five new-born mountain gorillas. This gives hope to conservationists, in the light of IUCN recently listing the mountain gorilla as critically endangered on the latest ”red list” of threatened species.

“Once you have looked into the eyes of a mountain gorilla, you understand how important it is to protect these primates. We therefore think it is important, that not only a wealthy minority can get the chance to experience these animals in their natural environment, but everyone who loves gorillas and wants to contribute to their conservation. Besides, we feel obliged to our tourism partners worldwide to keep prices stable”, said Stephen Asiimwe, CEO of the Uganda Tourism Board.

To protect these highly endangered primates, gorilla tracking is highly regulated. A maximum of 8 visitors per day are allowed for each gorilla group. Together with specially trained rangers, tourists hike into the rainforest and track the animals. Once the group is found, visitors can stay with them for about an hour only.

In Uganda, gorilla tracking can be done in two national parks: in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which protects the habitat of about 450 mountain gorillas living in 36 families. And the Mgahinga National Park on the border between Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mgahinga has between 50-100 mountain gorillas. According to WWF there are only 880 mountain gorillas worldwide. The remaining population lives in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In light of Uganda’s recent marketing drives in Europe, tour operators in Germany, Austria and Switzerland expect a rise in demand for safaris in favor of Uganda. Uganda is not only absolutely safe for tourists, but also offers other attractions besides the mountain gorillas, such as safari tours in the ten national parks, chimpanzee tracking, hiking and mountaineering, boat cruises on the Nile as well as an immense variety of bird species.

Click here for link to UTB Media Release.

Excellent analysis of the RDB increase in Gorilla Trekking Permits

The below has been reprinted with kind permission from Great Lakes Safaris & Uganda Lodges Ltd. The thoughtful analysis of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) substantial increase in charges for the Gorilla Trekking Permits has sent shockwaves through the Rwanda and Uganda Gorilla Trekking Communities. My sincere thank you to Sheila for her thoughts and analysis. 

Sheila Kogo Malinga
Marketing Manager

Great Lakes Safaris & Uganda Lodges Ltd - Where the journey into the wild begins…!

Differences in Gorilla Tracking : Rwanda vs Uganda

Gorilla Tracking in Uganda and Rwanda is pretty much the same experience although the factors that accompany the tracking are different.

One of the principle tracking difference in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda – is that Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is in a thicker rain forest, with steeper slopes and ridges, compared to Rwanda where the Volcanoes National Park, mountain forest is open and the hiking gradient more evenly spread, making it relatively easier to track the Gorillas in VNP Rwanda compared in BWNP.

The similarity is the Mountain Gorilla, all in rain forest- accessible by a mountain hike. It also the case that Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is closer to Kigali, the Capital of Rwanda, compared to Uganda whose capital city Kampala is 495km away.

Our experience in tracking Gorillas both is Uganda and Rwanda is that different persons arrive at different conclusions in comparing the Gorillas- whereby the younger, stronger and more fit person experience a preference for Uganda where they feel they have worked for the eventual coming to the Gorillas experience as opposed to Rwanda, where they find it easier and more ‘zoo-like’ in their opinion although we do not share that opinion.

For the more elderly person- I would say above 50, whose principal interest is to see the Gorillas and do not necessarily have massive doses of energy to extend in that quest, they tend to have a preference for Rwanda. Also persons who desire to do multiple Gorilla treks also have a preference for the easier option but there is a general tendency for some people to believe that the Gorilla Tracking in Uganda is a more authentic quest in search of these ‘gentle giants’ of the forest.

Also for persons with very limited time, obviously Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda being so close to Kigali, within 2.5 hours drive is a big advantage. However for persons with more time, gorilla tracking in Uganda tends to be more appealing as they have many options of extending their tour in Uganda with her hugely more diverse tourism product as opposed to Rwanda where gorilla tracking seems to be the thing and there is nothing much else- meaning

Rwanda has failed to deliver as a standalone tourist destination.

For the budget sensitive person the lower price of gorilla permits $600 in Uganda versus $1500 in Rwanda, coupled with the hugely attractive low season rate in Uganda of $450 (April-May and November) and not available in Rwanda is a huge appeal.

All the gorilla habituated families in Rwanda are accessible from one starting point , although the distances to the various trail heads differ- while in Uganda the Gorilla families are divided between the Northern section of Bwindi

Impenetrable National Park called Buhoma and the Southern Section called Nkuringo and therefore the difference between the North and the South prohibiting and necessitate persons tracking gorillas in the North to also choose accommodation in the Northern section and vice-versa for the southern section.

This also gives the impression that tracking in Uganda has an added tendency to seem un-crowded.

In the end, Rwanda is Rwanda and Uganda is Uganda – two distinctively different countries. It is hard to really say which is better or not better rather that different persons comparing tend to arrive at different conclusions making it more an issue of personal choice/preferences.

#TravelTuesday Gorilla Trekking Uganda - Amazing Wildlife!

GorillaTrekkingUganda©FlygaTwigaLLC

There is 1 Mountain Gorilla for every 9 million people left on Earth. This Alpha Male Silverback is from Mgahinga National Park in Uganda. While Mgahinga is the smallest of the Ugandan National Parks, it is also one of the easiest in which to find the Mountain Gorillas. We were fortunate that this family of 10 were only 30 minutes in the Rain Forest. More about my experiences with these magnificent, endangered species following #POATE2017. Thank you Uganda Tourism Board for this amazing experience.