Which Country is Best For Gorilla Trekking?

Which Country is Best For Gorilla Trekking: Comparing Uganda Vs Rwanda

Gorilla trekking in Africa is an exciting adventure that most of the travelers are always looking out for to engage in while on a trip holiday. However, often times the question that puzzles first-time travelers is deciding on “which country is best for gorilla trekking in Africa?”.  On record, the best countries to visit for gorilla trekking have always been Uganda and Rwanda and this is evident as they attract the largest flock of tourists every year in and out, however, there is still a debate on a comparison between Uganda and Rwanda on which country among these is best for gorilla trekking tours and safari itineraries. In this precise blog, we bring you the answers to satisfy the comparison between Uganda and Rwanda to the ultimate question of:

Which country is best for gorilla trekking? Uganda or Rwanda?

Before we give you our insights about the whole comparison, you should definitely understand that we can’t ultimately choose for you which country is best, our comparison is only meant to give you a guideline and insights for your solo decision to choose which country is best for gorilla trekking. You will understand that quite a number of factors will influence your decision in choosing the perfect gorilla trekking destination for you as you plan your trip.

Time and travel: Which Country is best for gorilla trekking

When considering which country to visit for gorilla trekking, you can choose to visit either Uganda or Rwanda landing in the international airports in the respective countries to start off your gorilla safari. For tourists considering Uganda as an entry port, the meeting point with your tour guide is at Entebbe international airport where you embark on a somewhat 8-9 hours journey before ultimately reaching Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where your gorilla tour is carried out from.

Alternatives to such a long hours journey is a pre-arranged charter a flight to Bwindi Impenetrable forest with Aerolinks flight services, which of course comes at an additional cost. You can choose to access entrance to the park through any of the four sectors; i.e. Rusahga and Nkuringo in the north or Buhoma and Ruhija in the south, it all depends on the travel arrangements of your tour operator.

For flying-in-safaris to Bwindi using Aerolinks, you can visit and trek the gorillas in 1-2 days, however, If you choose to use road transport, you will need a minimum of 3 days for the gorilla trekking activity and this will also gift you with additional tour experiences in the park, such as chimpanzee trekking, golden monkey tracking, and cultural experiences with the Batwa people.

For those who prefer landing in Kigali, Rwanda, you are very lucky that the capital of Rwanda is very close to Bwindi Impenetrable National park with only a +4 hours drive before accessing the park through the Buhoma sector in the south of the park. Alternatively, you can also choose to organize a gorilla trekking expedition to the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda or opt for a short day tour in Akagera national park and or go for a chimpanzee or golden monkey tracking in addition to the gorilla trekking safari.

Comparing the gorilla permit costs: Which country is best for gorilla trekking?

Despite the fact that both Uganda and Rwanda require visitors to present valid gorilla permits for gorilla trekking, In Uganda, the cost of the gorilla permit is cheaper compared to that of Rwanda. A permit in Uganda for gorilla trekking costs only USD600.00 compared to Rwanda where it is priced at more than a double price of Uganda, USD1500.00. With such a difference in price, this often influences the decision by visitors to choose which country is best for gorilla trekking and of course, they ultimately end up choosing Uganda as their destination, though reaching to the gorillas in Uganda is quite harder and strenuous than it is in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park.

Comparing the Gorilla Trekking Experience in Uganda Vs Rwanda

The whole gorilla trekking experience in Uganda especially in the thick and misty forests of Bwindi is strenuous and will require physical fitness levels and stamina to hike through the muddy and hilly slopes of the park. This whole physique often makes visitors choose Uganda as the best country for gorilla trekking as it is more exciting and thrilling to navigate through the trails of this forest until you finally meet the gorillas.

The gorilla trekking experience in Rwanda, on the other hand, is carried from the volcano areas of Virunga Massifs Rwanda on the other hand which makes the tracking a bit more easier than it is in Uganda.

Which country is best for gorilla viewing and photography:

For visitors who have trekked the gorillas in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable forest, they say that Bwindi is quite dark and therefore one may not be able to take good pictures yet FLASHLIGHT IS NOT PERMITTED but this often largely depends on which gorilla family you are assigned to visit the day you go for trekking. Therefore, that is not a factor to influence your decision since it is still very possible to get good pictures of the gorillas depending on the time and weather of the day.

For gorilla trekking in Rwanda, hiking up and down the volcano hills and trailing through the thick vegetation of Volcanoes National park sets a clear picturesque tracking experience for one to take very good pictures of the gorillas. Therefore, whether it is Rwanda or Uganda, viewing and taking good photos of the gorillas is 100% guaranteed.

Uganda Vs Rwanda Gorilla Trekking: Best Lodging and Accommodation

For a typical gorilla trekking visitor, you will find that safari lodges in both countries are quite good and perfect for your stay at affordable prices. You will be able to book an accommodation package based on your budget type; i.e Luxury budget, Mid-range, and economy budget accommodation types. In Uganda for example, there are a number of lodges and camping sites near Bwindi Impenetrable forest and the nearby villages to offer you the immediate access to the park for gorilla trekking and most interestingly, majority of them overlook the forest giving you a perfect view. If planning accommodation in Bwindi for gorilla trekking, you can contact us anytime to choose the best lodge/campsite for you.

For visitors opting to Rwanda, the accommodation for gorilla trekking is not far different from Uganda as you still find lodges and hotels closer to the park headquarters and offering different budget types just as we discovered in Uganda.

Mountain gorilla families and population: Uganda Vs Rwanda gorilla trekking

With over 800 mountain gorilla families recorded to be in Africa, Uganda’s Bwindi is a habitat to more than half of the remaining gorilla population. That’s a huge number with no doubt! these are divided into 12 gorilla families in the four sectors of Buhoma, Rushaga, Nkuringo, and Ruhija. You can discover more about Uganda Gorilla Families here. In Rwanda, Volcanoes National park is a destination to 1/3 of the mountain gorillas and the remaining gorillas are said to be living in Mgahinga and Virunga national park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Therefore if you are still pondering on which country is best for gorilla trekking, you can make a decision basing on the previous factors plus the population of the gorillas you will be visiting to see.

Which country offers the best additional experience after gorilla trekking?

Well if you are an adventurist and more into the exploration of the wilderness, you will note that each country has a lot to offer in addition to the mighty gorilla tracking experience. For example, for visitors who choose Rwanda over Uganda, you can go for chimpanzee and golden monkey tracking in Nyungwe and Volcanoes national park respectively, or still opt for a game drive experience in Akagera National Park. You can also go for a canopy walk in the forest of Nyungwe or still take on hiking trails leading you to the banks of Congo river.

For visitors to Uganda, you find a lot of exploration activities in the 10 national parks of Uganda. For instance, you do chimpanzee tracking in Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, and Bwindi National Parks, go for the Big Game Viewing in Queen Elizabeth, Murchison, Kidepo, and many other game reserves in the country. Other remarkable activities you can do in Uganda other than gorilla trekking include; bird watching, sights of the tree climbing lions, white water rafting on the Nile in Jinja, Boat Cruises and Launch Trips on Murchison Falls and Kazinga Channels, enjoy some mountain climbing and cultural tourism in a wide range of cultural heritages and tribes in Uganda.

Therefore, both offer a lot to explore by the visitors in the different tourist sites and activities. So you can go for your gorilla trekking safari in whichever one feels right and more adventurous for you. We are now very sure that your decision about which country is best for gorilla trekking is now 90% answered, make your decision and let us know to plan for your next gorilla trekking trip.