November 05, 2024 | Bujo Safaris
Are you interested in tracking Africa’s Mountain Gorillas and confused about the best destination for gorilla trekking? Here is the answer, Uganda is the best destination for mountain gorilla trekking than any other gorilla destinations in East Africa. Ever since the 1990s, Uganda has been the best traveler’s choice destination for gorilla trekking following several various factors. The endangered mountain gorillas can only be found in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo to the rest of the world with Uganda habiting over Half of the world’s total population which makes it the best gorilla destination in East Africa and Africa at large for gorilla safaris to Africa.
Gorilla safaris in Uganda are executed in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mt. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park has about 406 gorilla individuals and other wildlife species such as white and black colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, baboons, forest elephants, and many bird species. The park has only four gorilla-tracking regions Nkuringo, Buhoma, Ruhija, and Buhoma.
The actual gorilla trekking starts with a briefing at the park headquarters by Uganda Wildlife Authority Park Headquarters. The briefing highlights the dos and don’ts while navigating through the forests. Embark on a guided trek through the park that brings you close to the majestic mountain Gorillas with wide viewing opportunities for white and black monkeys, vervet Monkeys, baboons, and different bird species.
Upon arrival, visitors are allowed to spend only 1 hour with the gorillas learning about their behaviors and feeding lifestyles. Visitors can spend 4 hours with the gorillas if it's a gorilla habituation experience. The Gorilla habituation process is where gorillas are trained to live in the presence of human beings. In this process, the gorilla conservation goal together with their natural habitat is achieved.
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is done in one and only Volcanoes National Park. The park covers an area of about 160sqkm in the northwestern part of Rwanda and is home to various wildlife species such as Golden Monkey, baboons, white and black colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and vervet monkeys among others including bird species such as strange weaver and Archer's robin-chat, White-collared Olive back, African Swamphen, Grey-headed Bush-shrike, Bat Hawk, Narina Trogon, Lesser Honeyguide, Brown-backed Honeybird, Black Cuckoo-Shrike among others.
The park has about 200 mountain gorillas including the 20 habituated gorilla families that are visited by tourists on a gorilla trekking tour in East Africa. Unlike Uganda with gorilla habituation experience, Rwanda only offers gorilla trekking experience. The added gorilla habituation process thus makes Uganda the best gorilla trekking destination in Africa.
Cheap Gorilla trekking permits: A Gorilla trekking experience requires a gorilla permit, a document that allows one to embark on a gorilla trekking experience. Uganda Gorilla trekking permits are readily available and affordable for travelers on an East African Gorilla trekking tour. The Uganda gorilla trekking permit costs USD 800 (Foreign Non-Residents) and USD 1500 for a Gorilla Habituation Experience for Foreign Non-Residents
Two Gorilla Trekking Destinations: Uganda is undoubtedly blessed with half the population of gorilla individuals in the world and two gorilla tracking destinations are Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mt. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. This maximizes the availability of gorilla trekking permits per day.
Gorilla Habituation Experience: One of the best gorilla experiences is staying up close to these magnificent creatures for about 4 hours nonstop. A living experience of a lifetime. Gorilla Habituation experience is only done in the Rushaga Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Uganda, and the whole of Africa at large.
Gorilla Population: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park alone consists of more than 25 habituated gorilla families that are allocated visitors on a Uganda Safari per day and about 400 individuals in the whole park. Chances of encountering more than 1 family are possible since the gorilla population is higher. Plus, Nyakagezi of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and it’s one habituated large group of gorillas.
A variety of Accommodation options: Uganda’s gorilla trekking destinations have a variety of accommodation options ranging from High-end to Budget accommodation depending on the budget of the travelers on a gorilla safari. The destinations comprise over 50 Lodges for travelers on gorilla and Uganda wildlife safari.
Guided Gorilla Trekking and Habituation Experience: Travelers visiting the park get information from Rangers about the park regarding their security and safety before entering the impenetrable forests. After the briefing, the visitors are allocated to different gorilla families and later assigned with two Uganda Wildlife Park Rangers to maximize their security and safety which makes a gorilla and habituation experience an unforgettable adventure of a lifetime.
Post Gorilla Trekking experiences: After executing a gorilla trekking experience, there are a variety of post-gorilla trekking experiences depending on the moods of visitors such as Batwa cultural encounter, Lake Bunyonyi Experience, Golden Monkey tracking, and women empowerment.
Same experience but different prices, why? Uganda offers relatively cheap gorilla trekking and habituation permit prices that are affordable to any traveler planning Uganda primates and Wildlife safari compared to Rwanda gorilla permit prices. A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda costs USD 800 (Foreign Non-Residents), USD 700 (Foreign Residents), and UGX 300,000 (East African Citizens). On the other hand, a gorilla trekking Permit in Rwanda runs at USD 1500 for foreign non-residents. Uganda therefore becomes the best and most affordable gorilla tracking destination for travelers planning a gorilla safari to East Africa and Africa in General.
Planning a Gorilla trekking Safari in Uganda is very important to consider the best accommodation for your stay in Africa. The accommodation Facilities range from high-end to budget facilities depending on the budget of the traveler to ensure an adventure of a lifetime.
For travelers visiting Uganda, the most renowned accommodation options are Buhoma Lodge, Engagi Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Havens, Icumbi Gorilla Lodge, Amajambere Iwacu Lodge, and Nkuringo Safari Lodge.
In Rwanda, accommodations include; Virunga Lodge, One and Only Gorilla’s Nest, Sabinyo Silverback Lodge, Amakoro Songa Lodge, Kinigi Guest House, Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, and Bisate Lodge.
Accessing Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a two-way option that is by road or air transport. The park is located in the southern part of Uganda. By road transport, meet your Uganda gorilla safari guide and embark on a 7 to 8-hour journey to the southern part of the country with a stopover at the equator for souvenirs and photo moments and in Mbarara for lunch moments. En route to the park check in your accommodation as you await the next day’s gorilla trekking experience.
For travelers avoiding the long distance by road, Air transport becomes the fastest means of transport to access Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, take a flight from Kajjansi airstrip and embark on a 2 hours flight to Kihihi airstrip where you will meet your gorilla safari guide and later connect to the park by the dusty African roads through the lush greenly vegetation and diverse traditional African homes.
October 31, 2026
September 24, 2026
August 13, 2026
© Copyright Bujo Safaris All Right Reserved | Privacy Policy
