Rwanda or Uganda, which is Better for Gorilla Trekking?
Imagine on one hand you have Uganda, the Pearl of Africa – a country, home to a myriad of attractions – parks, reserves, and diverse culture. The country’s attractions offer unique experiences, including hiking, wildlife views, and cultural exploration.
On the other, you have Rwanda, a peaceful nation where you can watch wildlife, hike volcanoes, and dive into its heart-touching history. Forget its turbulent past, Rwanda is currently a peaceful nation, with much investment in tourism.
And you have to pick just one of them, your gorilla trekking safari. That’s challenging, right? Relax, in this article, we speak of gorilla trekking safaris in Rwanda and Uganda.
If you ever wondered which would be the largest living primate between the chimpanzees and gorillas, the correct answer is gorillas. These giant mammals thrive in African equatorial rainforests – a kind of forests dominant in Rwanda, Uganda, and the DRC. Gorillas are two subspecies: the famous mountain gorillas and lowland gorillas, with their main difference being habitats.
Genetically, these primates are 98% similar to human beings as found in DNA tests. Like humans, gorillas are social animals often living in family groups of up 15 members. A giant silverback heads the group and is responsible for protecting and taking care of it.
Gorilla trekking is more than safari experience, it’s a unique way to connect our closer cousins. It gives you an hour to sit just a few feet away from them and watch them do what they always do in the wild. And for clarity, Rwanda and Uganda are currently the best possible destinations for gorilla trekking because the DRC is not safe right now.
Where to trek gorillas? Rwanda vs Uganda
Rwanda
Rwanda has just five parks, and just one of them, Volcanoes National Park, hosts the gorillas. Located in the northwest of Rwanda, this park is home to about 350 mountain gorillas living in the Virunga Massif.
Uganda
Uganda, on the other hand, has two gorilla parks: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Bwindi is home to a larger gorilla population than Mgahinga than Mgahinga. Bwindi is also larger than Mgahinga.
Bwindi or Mgahinga?
If you choose Uganda, you also have one choice to make: Bwindi or Mgahinga. Bwindi guarantees trekking as it sells more permits (152) than Mgahinga (8). But if you want a remote place, pick Mgahinga. With its gorilla population being at 80, a few trekkers see it as the best option. You’re more likely to enjoy tracking without competing for permits.
But if you want to see gorillas quickly, Bwindi fits you perfectly. It’s home to about 450 mountain gorillas. On top of that, Bwindi offers stunning views of the chimpanzees. It’s, of course, the only park on earth to host both mountain gorillas and chimpanzees. Bwindi’s vegetation is thick and seems impenetrable, as the name suggests. You can gaze at its dense forest, which has over 160 species of trees.
Habituation: Rwanda vs Uganda
Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park has 12 family groups or troops, and all are habituated. As a result, 96 trekking permits are issued a day – that’s 8 people per troop.
Habituation is still ongoing in Uganda. For instance, Bwindi has about 50 families, but only 19 are habituated. Likewise, Mgahinga has just one habituated gorilla family.
Therefore, all Rwandan gorillas are habituated, while only a few families are habituated in Uganda.
Gorilla tracking cost: Rwanda vs Uganda.
Rwanda sells gorilla trekking permits at $1,500 per person per trek, while Uganda sells gorilla permits at $700 per person per trek. In Rwanda, for instance, there are 12 families, so permits compete and usually sell out early, while Uganda sells about 160 gorilla permits per day.
In both countries treks may take 3 to 6 hours, which include hiking and one hour of watching the gorillas engage in their daily activities.
Accessibility: Rwanda vs Uganda.
It’s easier to get to the Volcanoes National Park than to Bwindi or Mgahinga. When you arrive at Kigali International Airport, you’re 2:30-hour drive away from the Volcanoes. No air transfer needed, not in Rwanda.
On the other hand, getting to Bwindi or Mgahinga require more than 8 hours of driving. There’s an option to fly from Entebbe Airport, but that could be costlier, especially for budget-conscious travelers.
The more the less
Everyone doesn’t want to miss out or be left behind. By the way, Rwanda and Uganda are neighboring nations, members of the East African Community (EAC). So, they have many features in common. Plus, it’s not difficult to get from one of the two to the other. Therefore, if you don’t want to miss anything, you can combine both. But if you don’t have enough budget or time, the two can make a great gorilla trekking experience. At Focus East Africa Tours, we organize gorilla tracking safaris in Uganda and Rwanda as well. Whichever destination you choose, you’ll enjoy our services. So, let’s start planning.
