Gorilla trekking in Uganda & Rwanda is one of the best life experiences one looking a wildlife safari should not miss while on holiday in Africa. The intimacy of being with these endangered species gives exhilarating unexplained feel. Once your eyes are set on your trekking group, one hour will be spent with them since they are endemic to human diseases. The gorilla can only be seen after getting a gorilla permit from governmental organizations (UWA for Uganda and RDB for Rwanda). Gorilla permits cost US $1500 for Rwanda and US$00 for Uganda.
The current number of mountain gorilla is estimated to about 1050 individuals. These gorillas live with the deep tropical rain forests of Rwanda’s Volcanoes Park, in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga National Park. There are several habituated gorilla groups for tourism and some for research purposes! A maximum number of 8 people only can visit the allocated group within a day.
GENERAL COMPARISON IN PRICE – BEST RESULTS OF TREK AND ACCESSIBILITY OF THE GORILLAS
Although gorillas can be visited in the volcanoes OF Uganda, Congo and Rwanda, Rwanda has a slight advantage over the others because of its well habituated groups usually found in the bamboo rather than the dense forest in case of the others making there photographing easier.
The biggest problem concerning the Rwanda gorilla trekking is its gorilla permit which is at US $1500 making it US $700 higher than that of Uganda which is US $00. However amidst the 700 price difference, Rwanda’s strength lies in its ability to trek in one day which is impossible with Uganda. The least days of trekking in Uganda should be 3 days. the distance between Rwanda’s volcanoes is 116 km only a 2 hours drive from the country’s capital Kigali and for Uganda the distance between Entebbe and Bwindi impenetrable national park is 500 km taking around 8 hours plus drive. however this long hours drive gives you a chance of viewing the natural beauty of Uganda like the equator, lake Mburo national park, queen Elizabeth national park the real true jungles of Africa which is not the case with Rwanda.
Though 1 day gorilla trekking is possible in Rwanda, we would recommend the list to be two days to avoid pressure and enjoying enough of your tour in Africa.
The low gorilla permit in Uganda is however without the long distance transport cost and the time spent on the way. Some of the road to Bwindi impenetrable national park are not so comfortable to drive on as it aren’t the case with Rwanda.
With the transport cost from Kampala to Bwindi, the price of the trekking has to be increased since transport is exclusive on the permit cost. You have to travel 2 days to and from. roughly a low budget gorilla trekking for 3 day can cost a bout US$1350 with the gorilla permit, accommodation and transport inclusive. Yet a 2 days Rwanda gorilla trekking goes for about US $1920 gorilla permit, accommodation and transport inclusive and a 3 day Rwanda trek costs US$2280 with the permit, accommodation and transport inclusive.
In case the traveler is not only interested in mountain gorillas alone and wants to venture into other activities and watch more animal species, Uganda can be the best option. Rwanda can be the best choice if the interest is only to see mountain gorillas and that’s why many travelers always cross and come over to Uganda to see more of the wildlife missed in Rwanda. Uganda’s many parks like queen Elizabeth national park along the way to Bwindi has got a number of wild life including tree climbing lions and many other big primates, lake Mburo national park, the equator enticing the real pearl of Africa even before even the actual trekking.
With this information, it’s all a bout ones choice, time and the pocket all countries can give you their best. But a combination of both Rwanda and Uganda can be the best with the gorilla trekking in Rwanda then end up in Uganda for the big 5 among others in the queen Elizabeth national park.
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