Gorilla trekking seasons in Uganda and Rwanda

Gorilla trekking seasons in Uganda and Rwanda? Are you interested in booking gorilla trekking and you are finding it hard to choose between trekking gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda, this is always hard for travelers interested in gorilla trekking to choose where to do their trek between Uganda and Rwanda. Reasons to book your gorilla trekking in one of the country are many and the main one is the price difference of the gorilla trekking permit the gorilla permit in Uganda costs USD700 per person per trek compared to Rwanda which is USD1500 both charges giving you a one hour encounter with the endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi Forest National Park and Volcanoes National park respectively. Gorilla tracking is done only in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mghinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in DR Congo.

The best Gorilla trekking seasons in Uganda and Rwanda is during the long dry season of June to September or during the short dry season of mid-December to early-February. These seasons offer easier hiking conditions.

Uganda or Rwanda for gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking seasons in Uganda and Rwanda. The whole truth is that both Uganda and Rwanda have mountain gorillas and there is no big difference when it comes to the experience obtained at the end of your gorilla trek. The only difference is that Rwanda Mountain Gorillas are in the virunga ranges with mainly bamboo as the main vegetation while in Uganda these mountain gorillas are in a rain forest with varieties of trees and plants. Chances of seeing gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda are 99% so which ever country you visit you will be able to see these great endangered apes in their natural environment. It is however believed that Rwanda gorillas are easy to see because of the vegetation but this is in the mind set of people gorilla tracking in Uganda and Rwanda is a well organized activity the trek are always great no matter which country you trek in.

Gorilla Trekking Experience in Rwanda vs Uganda

Gorilla trekking seasons in Uganda and Rwanda, this is a very tricky question but people say Rwanda is better option than Uganda, reasons to support this is that Volcanoes National Park is a 2-3 hours drive from Kigali compared to 8-9 hours from Entebbe to Bwindi. People used to avoid gorilla trekking in Uganda because of this long drive but now we arrange tours to Bwindi via Kigali which then becomes 4-5 hours drive only with this is why you should now choose to book gorilla trekking in Uganda so that you save off by paying USD700 compared to USD1500 helping you save USD800. With this you will land in Kigali use the East African Visa allowing you to visit both Rwanda and Uganda at an affordable price. Contact here for more details

How to book Gorilla Trekking in Uganda?

First step of booking a Gorilla tracking Safari in Uganda is securing and purchasing a Gorilla Permit. You can only purchase this from Uganda Wildlife Authority, a Gorilla Permit costs USD700 per person per trek for Foreign Non-Residents, USD600 for East African Residents and USD70 for East African Citizens. Contact us and we will help secure the gorilla permit for you. Once you have your planned dates of travel you will let us know and we check for availability of space for Gorilla tracking Experience with Uganda Wildlife Authority and once we confirm availability we will go ahead and book for you tentatively, we will then send you an invoice for you to make payment once this is done you will send us proof of payment so that we go ahead and secure the permit accordingly. After purchase we will send you a scanned copy of your permit for your records and perusal. Gorilla tracking is done in a group of 8 tourists plus park rangers tracking per group. There are 36 habituated mountain gorilla groups open for gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park with this it means they are only 288 permits available for gorilla tracking in Bwindi per day making it hard to get last minute booking, it is always better to book your permit in advance atleast 3-5 month prior visiting so that you don’t miss out on the few permits available.

How much is a Gorilla trekking in Uganda?

Gorilla trekking in Uganda costs depends on the range of travel that is luxury, Mid-range or budget, itinerary and days of travel. The biggest cost on a Gorilla tracking Safari in Uganda is the Gorilla tracking permit which costs USD700 per person per trek for Foreign Non-Residents, USD600 for East African Residents and USD70 for East African Citizens, other costs include accommodation ranging from Budget USD100 Mid-range USD200 and Luxury USD300-USD700, Transport among other services the most common travel itineraries for Gorilla tracking in Bwindi is 3 Days Gorilla Tracking Budget Safari which costs USD1600 for a solo traveler, USD1190 per person for 2 people sharing, USD1170 per person for 3 people sharing, USD1150 per person sharing for 4 people this price is all inclusive including a Gorilla tracking permit, accommodation (Budget range), transport in a 4×4 Safari Van, English speaking Driver guide and Drinking water, this excludes Tips, Uganda Visa, Flights and Alcoholic drinks. Contact us here and we will help book for you gorilla tracking experience in Bwindi accordingly.

What is the best time to go for Gorilla trekking in Uganda?

Gorilla trekking in Uganda can be done any time throughout the year given the fact this is a well organized activity in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, the best time to do a gorilla tracking safari in Uganda is during the drier months of January, February, June to early September, this is makes it easier to travel to the park and gives a clear view of gorillas given the vegetation cover is not too much high grown, however as well sometimes, the rainy season is considered better to go for a Gorilla tracking experience as there is a lot of food growing because of rain and gorillas can clearly be spotted in the forest with a short walk given the fact they tend to move shorter distances looking for food.

Where to Stay on a Gorilla tracking Safari in Uganda

Gorilla tracking Safari in Bwindi Forest National Park is done in the northern part that is Buhoma and Ruhija and in southern part that is Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors. In Rushaga, you can stay at Rushaga Gorilla camp, Four Gorillas Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge, Nsongi Camp, Icumbi Gorilla Safari Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge, Gorilla Valley Lodge and Karungi Camp. In Nkuringo you can stay at Nkuringo Bwindi gorilla lodge, Clouds Mountain gorilla lodge or Lake Mutanda Resort, all these lodges are close to the start point of Gorilla Habituation.

In the northern part, in Buhoma sector you can stay at Buhoma Lodge, Bwindi Lodge, Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Ride 4 a Woman among others, In Ruhija you can stay at Trekkers Tavern Cottages, Agandi Eco Lodge, Gift of Nature Lodge, Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge, and Broadbill Tented Camp among others.

How to get to Bwindi Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for Gorilla tracking in Uganda?

Gorilla Tracking in Uganda is done in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park; you can get to these parks by flying into Entebbe international Airport, and start your trip from Entebbe/Kampala to south western Uganda through major local towns of Masaka, Mbarara and Kabale. To reach Bwindi and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks you can use Road transport which is about 9-10 hours or fly to Kisoro Airstrip to access the southern part of Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga or Kihihi Airstrip to the northern part of Bwindi forest National Park. You can also fly into Kigali international Airport, Bwindi forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National parks through Cyanika or Katuna Boarder which take only 4-5 hours with the time spent at immigrations at the border. We always advise our visitors to acquire the East African Visa which allows multiple entries of Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda. The East African Visa fee costs USD100 which can be gotten at the Airport upon arrival or online and it is cost effective instead of buying single entry Visas. But you can as well opt to secure single Visas as well, the Rwandan Visa costs USD30 and Uganda Visa cost USD 50.

Why book Gorilla Trekking in Uganda or Rwanda with Eco Adventure Safaris?

Eco Adventure Safaris is experienced in organizing amazing gorilla trekking safari experiences to Uganda and Rwanda. We are also highly rated and reviewed on trip Advisor. We combine gorilla trekking safaris with eco-friendly and unforgettable high-end adventure and wildlife safaris that help preserve biodiversity, conserve wildlife and uplift local communities, these include chimpanzee trekking, Big 5 safaris and game viewing, Mountain Hiking, Boat cruises excursions and Cultural encounters to give you a memorable and best African Safari experience including popular and great African safari destinations Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana and Namibia. Feel free to contact us about Gorilla trekking seasons in Uganda and Rwanda