Gorilla Trekking: Uganda Versus Rwanda

Gorilla trekking; Uganda versus Rwanda.

Have questions about which country is the best when it comes to gorilla trekking, can I choose for you?, no I won’t but will compare the two and let you choose which one deserves to be on your bucket list as you plan a gorilla trekking safari. There are a lot of factors that you need to consider before deciding on your gorilla trekking destination.

Permit costs.

A gorilla trekking safari requires you to have a trekking permit and this costs differently in these two countries. In Rwanda, a permit goes up sssssto 1500$ and in Uganda, it costs 700$. The cost of a gorilla permit in Rwanda can get you 3 gorilla trekking permits by just adding 100$.  A gorilla safari to Uganda can be done with other activities like game viewing.

Ultimate gorilla trekking experience.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda’s Bwindi impenetrable national park requires enough fitness since the forest is thick however this makes the experience more exciting and thrilling.

In Rwanda gorilla trekking is done in volcanoes national park mostly and trekking is a bit easier.

However no worries you are given a gorilla family to trek based on your physical fitness.

Photography and viewing.

Bwindi impenetrable national park is darker compared to Rwanda gorilla destinations making photography a bit harder however you can still get clear pictures since this has been done before.

In Rwanda viewing may be challenging since tracking is done through vegetation however gorilla trekking is still a lifetime thrilling experience and you will enjoy seeing the gentle giants in their natural habitats be it in Rwanda or Uganda.

Where to stay.

Both countries have to best lodges around gorilla trekking destinations and these cater to luxury, midrange, and budget safaris which gives you more options to choose what you like basing on your pocket or budget

Gorilla population.

Which country among the two has the biggest population?

Rwanda has 1/3 of 880 mountain gorillas in Africa and Uganda takes the rest. Rwanda has got 10 habituated gorilla families and Uganda has 21 habituated families. Habituated gorilla families include habituated gorillas that are trained to stay in human presence and these are the ones open for visitors.

Travel time.

To reach the gorilla destination in Uganda from the airport takes about a 9-10 hour drive by road meaning you will need at least three days in Uganda for a thrilling gorilla trekking safari however in Rwanda traveling from the main airport in Kigali takes around 3-4 hours meaning a two-day safari is ideal with a visit to Akagera national park for golden monkey trekking.

Other activities are ideal to be added to your gorilla trekking safari.

Uganda and Rwanda have more than gorilla trekking.

While on a safari in Rwanda, you can choose to go for chimpanzee tracking, golden monkey tracking, and canopy walk in Nyungwe forest among others.

Uganda has many attractions and things to do. While on a safari in Uganda you can decide to do gorilla trekking and golden monkey tracking, game viewing in parks like queen Elizabeth, lake Mburo, Murchison falls, and many more, bird watching in Mabamba swamp, and mountain climbing among others.

Both countries are good, rich with tourist attractions and all in all they are all African countries with favorable environments so you can choose the one you prefer it will be fun and memorable.