Gorilla Safaris

Gorillas are our closest living relatives among the World’s great apes, studies of fossils, genes, physiology and behavior have revealed just how recently our shared lineage divided. There are only about 706 mountain gorillas in the world to day, surviving in the isolated habitat of the Virunga volcanoes region, which straddles Uganda, Zaire and Rwanda. This has led to increased number of visitors to the above countries and there tourism drive has been the “endangered mountain gorillas”. Half of this population is found in Bwindi impenetrable National park in Uganda.

Gorilla Tour Packages
Gorilla Tour Bwindi 3 days
Gorilla & Chimpanzee Safari 6 days
Gorillas & Wildlife 7 days.
Best of Uganda safari 15 days

Information on Gorillas
Gorilla Tracking - general info and what to bring
Gorilla Trekking Rules
Gorilla Permits & Habituated groups.
Gorilla Safaris Main Page

The mountain gorilla is perhaps the best known of the three gorilla subspecies, being the first to be habituated to human presence and the subject of countless books, films and documentaries. It is also regarded as the most endangered of the three subspecies because of its small numbers and low rate of reproduction. In the ensuing century, a combination of hunting and habitat destruction has driven this very rare primate to the verge of extinction.

Characteristics of the mountain gorillas

The mountain gorilla has longer pelage (coat) and a very broad face, with relatively narrow nostril lines and massive jaws and teeth.

The males are thicker set than the western lowland gorillas, weighing on average, about 160kg (3521bs). The females, with an average weight of 85kg (1871bs), are larger than those of the two lowland species.

Mountain gorillas are the hairiest of the three subspecies and adult males are sometimes bearded for good reason: they live at altitudes of between 2,133m (7,000ft) and 3,962m 913,000ft) where temperatures can fall to below freezing point at night. The fatty deposits on the top of the mountain gorilla’s head also help protect the ape against the cold conditions of the mountains.

The animal’s basic colour is black, which makes the silvery grey saddle of the adult male a striking contrast. This black pigmentation is useful in two ways; first, it helps to attract and trap heat in the high altitudes of the mountains, and second, since mountain gorillas love to sunbathe, the pigmentation makes them less susceptible to heat stroke. Combined with its long and shaggy hair, it is obvious that these characteristics of the mountain gorilla subspecies are eminently suited to high altitude living.

Gorillas are complex, highly intelligent apes besieged by threats on all sides, including poachers, diseases and confined to a dwindling habitat that is in constant danger of being further eroded or depleted.

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Diet of the gorillas

  • The diet of the gorillas consists largely of foliage
  • At Rwanda’s virunga national park, studies have shown that the mountain subspecies consumes 58 different plants, of which leaves, shoots and stems account for about 86 percent of its diet; fruits and small insects making up the rest.