Gorilla trekking is a thrilling and magnificent once in a lifetime activity that can be embarked on in both Uganda and Rwanda. From time to time, we hear our travelers asking, is it better to trek Gorillas in Rwanda or Uganda. Which country offers a better experience. Well, we have drafted a few points of comparison below that will help you decide between the two destinations. we will let you be the judge.
Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda vs Gorilla trekking in Uganda
Location of trekking area
In Uganda Gorillas can be trekked in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. Bwindi has the vast majority of trekkers due to its huge Gorilla population.
Both locations are situated in Southwestern Uganda. Bwindi is approximately 500km from Entebbe International airport, which is the main entry port for most tourists into Uganda.
Whereas in Rwanda, Gorillas can be trekked in Volcanoes National Park. Volcanoes National Park is located in Northwestern part of Rwanda and is approximately 105 km from Kigali International airport, the main entry port into Rwanda for most tourists.
Journey and time taken to get to the trekking areas.
The journey to Bwindi Forest national Park via road is roughly 10hours from Entebbe. However, domestic flights which take roughly 60minutes for the same journey are available on request. In Rwanda, the journey from Kigali International airport to Volcanoes National Park is roughly a 3 hours’ drive.
Number of Gorilla families to be trekked (Population of Gorillas)
Bwindi National Park is divided into four Gorilla trekking sectors, Rushaga in the South of Bwindi, Buhoma in the Northern parts of Bwindi, Ruhija in the East and Nkuringo in the south. Each sector has a number of Gorilla families that can be trekked. In total Uganda has 44 Gorilla families that have been habituated for trekking.
Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park has a total of 15 Gorilla families that have been habituated for trekking by tourists.
The more families available for trekking, the more the number of permits issued out for trekking per day.
Currently a total of 190 Gorilla permits can be issued out per day for trekking in Uganda. Each permit can only be used by one individual for one day of trekking. Each Gorilla family in Uganda can be trekked by a maximum of 8 people in a group per day.
Cost of Gorilla Permits
A gorilla permit in Uganda costs $800 per person per day, while a Gorilla permit in Rwanda costs $1500 per person per day. Please note that the Gorillas are similar in both locations, similar behavior, similar features, similar activities. The price should not confuse you; the gorillas are the same. it is just a marketing and branding preference in either of the countries.
When to go Gorilla trekking
Both Uganda and Rwanda have almost similar climate seasons. The best time to go Gorilla trekking is between June-September and December-February. This is during the dry season and the terrain in the gorilla trekking areas is easier to navigate during this time of the year.
Terraine of the gorilla trekking areas
Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is located within the Virunga Mountain ranges which have steep slopes and elevated terrain. Meaning hiking these ranges will involve going up hills and valleys.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in Kisoro district. Kisoro is one of the most hilly and steep sloped areas in Uganda. Trekking in Bwindi involves hiking up some steep slopes and valleys, that is why a hiking stick is recommended when in Bwindi.
Via road transportation, Bwindi Forest National Park entails a long and tedious journey unlike Volcanoes National Park. However, the journey to Bwindi is one of the most scenic and iconic journeys you will ever have.
There is a lot to see along the way. You will pass through valleys, hills, beautiful crater lakes, the beautiful scenery of Lake Bunyonyi dabbles as the “Switzerland of Africa”, the beautiful landscape of Kabale. The journey is simply amazing and beautiful and helps you witness the beauty that Uganda truly is. We recommend you buckle up and take on Bwindi by road.
Other activities that can be done while in Bwindi and Volcanoes.
Both parks have plenty of other activities that can be embarked on apart from Gorilla trekking.
In Bwindi, one can engage in a cultural tour of the Batwa trail. The Batwa are pygmies, and they are the indigenous people of the Bwindi Forest. They are an endangered tribe their numbers have dwindled down over the years. They used to call Bwindi Forest there home but were evicted by the government back in the day when Bwindi was gazetted as a wildlife reserve to conserve the mountain Gorillas whose numbers were also endangered.
The Batwa reside within the outskirts of Bwindi Forest and a visit to one of their villages will have you engage in their traditions and culture. You will learn about their way of life from back when they still lived in Bwindi Forest, you will learn about their food and will be entertained by their traditional dances.
Besides the Batwa, there are plenty of other animals that can be found within Bwindi, there monkeys, forest elephants.
In volcanoes National Park one can
- Hike the Virunga Mountains
- Visit Dian Fossey’s grave.
- Golden monkey trekking
So, there you have it. In our opinion both locations will give you a satisfactory Gorilla trekking experience.
Our dedicated safari experts will help you plan your dream itinerary to which ever location you decide to take on. Contact us at [email protected]
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