Which is better for gorilla trekking, Rwanda or Uganda?
Are you embarking on a gorilla trekking safari to view the magnificent primates that share 98.3% DNA with humans? Do you want to observe the mountain gorillas few meters in their habitats while they are foraging, having social interactions or resting? Are you debating on whether to go for gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda? Both Rwanda and Uganda offer excellent gorilla treks where you spend 1 hour with the selected gorilla families upon finding them. In Rwanda, gorilla trekking is done in Volcanoes national park while in Uganda gorilla trekking is done in Bwindi Impenetrable national park and Mgahinga national park.
So how do you choose whether to go to Rwanda or Uganda for gorilla trekking? There are assortment of considerations taken that may be based on individual preference such as costs involved, lodging options, safety, landscape, best time to go for gorilla trekking in both Uganda and Rwanda.
Where can you trek mountain gorillas from in Rwanda or Uganda?
With only 1,063 world’s population of mountain gorillas by 2025 thanks to conservation efforts that the numbers have increased, you could be wondering where you can trek them, mountain gorillas are endemic to Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo with them living in high elevation montane and rain forests.
Volcanoes national park in Rwanda. Situated in North Western Rwanda, it is home of 12 habituated mountain gorilla families and inhabits the steep slopes of magnificent Virunga extending from sea level to 4507m encompassing the summits of five of East Africa’s dormant volcanoes that is to say mount Karisimbi, Sabinyo, Gahinga, Muhabura and Bisoke. It is approximately 160 square kilometers and 2-3 hours drive from Kigali. Other attractions in it include; the Dian Fossey’s tomb, Iby’iwacu cultural village, twin lakes making it an awesome destination.
Bwindi Impenetrable nation al park in Uganda. It is located in South Western Uganda along the Albertine rift valley, it is a UNESCO world heritage site covering 330.8 square kilometers, home of half of the world’s population of mountain gorillas constituting 24 habituated gorilla families. It is 8-10 hours journey from Entebbe airport. Other attractions include variety of bird species, Batwa experience.
Mgahinga national park. It contains the least number of mountain gorillas in Uganda with only 1 habituated gorilla family. It is also home of the golden monkeys, other mammals like the forest hogs, buffalos, pigs and inhabits the Batwa. It is 33.7 square kilometers making it Uganda’s smallest national park.
What can you consider when choosing whether to go for gorilla trekking in either Rwanda or Uganda?
Choosing to trek mountain gorillas in either Rwanda or Uganda varies according to individual preferences, whereas others might consider going for gorilla trekking in Rwanda, others choose Uganda as their gorilla trekking destinations as explained bellow;
Cost of Gorilla permits.
Rwanda’s gorilla permits cost US$ 1500 for foreign non-residents, US$ 500 for foreign residents and Rest of African citizens, US$200 for East African citizens while Uganda’s gorilla permits cost US$800 for foreign non-residents, US$700 for foreign residents, US$500 for rest of Africa and UGX300,000 for East African citizens. Rwanda’s gorilla permits are more expensive than Uganda’s gorilla permits because of conservation efforts and community projects, Rwanda also targets high-end travelers whereas Uganda targets broader segments.
Vegetation cover and Landscape.
Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable national park is a tropical forest with dense undergrowth that requires cutting through, muddy and slippery trails, it has uneven terrain requiring trekkers to navigate through the dense forest making the gorilla trekking activity more challenging since it can even limit visibility of the mountain gorillas.
Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park is characterized by bamboo forests, grassland with the park having an higher elevation making it easily accessible to spot the endangered mountain gorillas and take photographs due to scenic views that it offers.
Gorilla families and availability of gorilla permits.
Uganda has 25 habituated gorilla families with 24 gorilla families found in Bwindi impenetrable national park and 1 gorilla family found in Mgahinga national park making Uganda to host half of the world’s population of the endangered and endemic mountain gorillas while Rwanda has 12 habituated gorilla families for tourism activities in Volcanoes national park therefore, the gorilla permits offered in Uganda in a day is higher than that of Rwanda since 8 gorilla permits are given out each day to visit a gorilla family in both countries.
Accommodation options.
Volcanoes national park offers luxurious, high-end and world class accommodation facilities that offer exceptional services and amenities. Even though its main target is luxurious travelers, it also offers mid-range and budget-constraint accommodation facilities. Whereas Bwindi Impenetrable national park offers budget-friendly accommodation options with also some luxurious lodging options.
Accessibility and location.
Accessibility is a vital considerartion when choosing to either do gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda. Bwindi impenetrable forest and Mgahinga national park are approximately 8-10 hours drive from Entebbe International airport with winding roads and sometimes rough terrain however, the beautiful scenery along the road makes the trip worth it. Though there are flight options available, tourists who might be wanting to go for gorilla trekking by road and they have enough time always find difficulties because of the long distances involved to access the national parks with mountain gorillas.
Volcanoes national park is 2-3 hours journey from Kigali International airport with well maintained roads making the journey smooth and quick for business travelers who might want to experience the gorilla trekking experiences and have no much time to spend in Rwanda.
Best time for gorilla trekking.
Volcanoes national park, Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga national park offer all year-round gorilla trekking experiences howbeit dry seasons are the best time for gorilla trekking because of easy navigation as the trails are less muddy, offering better visibility and ideal conditions for photography.
There are two dry seasons in Uganda ranging from June to August which is a peak tourism season and December to February. There are also two dry seasons in Rwanda ranging from long dry season of June to mid-September that is a peak season and a short dry season from December to January. But in wet seasons the trails are muddy with reduced visibility hence not favoring gorilla trekking activities.
