Gorilla trekking in these countries is one of the best life experiences one should explore on the earth. The intimacy of being with these endangered species gives exhilarating unexplainable 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 at US $ 750 for the ones of Rwanda and US $ 600 for the trek in Uganda.
The current number of mountain gorilla is about 840 some of which are for research purposes and other habituated in families making there homes in Rwanda’s volcanoes national park, in Uganda’s Bwindi impenetrable national park, in Mgahinga gorilla national park and in D.R Congo’s Virunga national park. 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 $ 750 making it US $ 150 higher than that of Uganda which is US $ 600. However amidst the US $ 150 price difference, Rwanda’s strength lies in its ability to trek in one day which is impossible with Uganda. The list 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 $ 1250 with the gorilla permit, accommodation and transport inclusive. Yet a 2 days Rwanda gorilla trekking goes for about US $ 1220 gorilla permit, accommodation and transport inclusive and a 3 day Rwanda trekking costs about US $ 1280 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.
