Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda

Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda

In the whole world, you can only see the mountain gorillas (Gorilla Berengei Berengei) in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo. In Rwanda, these primates can be seen in the Volcanoes National Park, Parc Nationale Des Volcans, as of 2016, there are 7 mountain gorilla groups habituated making it 56 gorilla permits for visitors to Rwanda available every single day.  8 people per group can trek these endangered apes. Susa group is the best to track with 41 gorillas!  With a gorilla permit costing US $ 1500 per person per trek, part of your contribution goes to conserving these mountain gorillas. When visiting the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’, one should not miss out on the magnificent opportunity to visit Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park (PNV) consisting of 125 km2 of mountain forest and home to the six Virunga Volcanoes and the world famous mountain gorillas. Protected within the PNV, the lushly forested slopes of the mountains form an appropriately dramatic natural setting for what is arguably the most poignant and memorable wildlife experience in the world.

What to expect from Rwanda Gorillas

Here are a few highlights! You have to wake up early morning, meaning that you must find accommodation closer to the park entrance. Your African gorilla guide will be briefing you at 7 am about safety precautions as well as the etiquette.  There are over 80 gorilla tracking guides provided by the Rwanda Development Board, well trained and speaking English and French. Together with other members of the group, you proceed to the forest and start the hike which may be tiring depending on your physical strength. Remember they are called mountain gorillas so an element of hiking is a must. The adventure takes anything from 30 minutes to a couple of hours. The English-speaking forest guides are amazingly good, and will lead you to the specific ‘habituated’ mountain gorillas group, which certainly will be acquitted to human presence.

Cost of a Gorilla Permit in Rwanda 2017

·         USD $1500 per person for non-nationals

Cost of a Gorilla Trek in Rwanda

Most Rwanda and Uganda gorilla tour operators or gorilla trekking companies Africa Adventure Vacations, Africa Adventure Safaris, Yala safaris will have different prices, both cheap and luxury options. The difference of how much to charge depends on accommodation, vehicle, season and running costs of the company. Local companies will definitely charge lower than the international travel agencies.

Sample Cost
1 day gorilla tour about $ 1700 to $ 1850
2 days gorilla Rwanda $ 1900 to $ 2000
3 Days gorilla tracking Rwanda $ 2100 to $ 3000.

Where to find gorillas in Rwanda

Volcanoes National PARK

Volcanoes National Park (French: Parc National des Volcans Kinyarwanda: Pariki y’Igihugu y’Ibirunga) lies in northwestern Rwanda and borders Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. The national park is known as a haven for the rare and endangered mountain gorilla and golden monkeys. It is home to five of the eight volcanoes of the Virunga

 Mountains (Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo), and spans 160 km² covered in rainforest and bamboo. The park was the base for the zoologist Dian Fossey who liberated for the conservation of mountain gorillas.

The park was first gazette in 1925, as a small area bounded by Karisimbi, Bisoke and Mikeno, intended to protect the gorillas from poachers. It was the very first National Park to be created in Africa. Subsequently, in 1929, the borders of the park were extended further into Rwanda and into the Belgian Congo, to form the Albert National Park, a huge area of 8090 km², run by the Belgian colonial authorities who were in charge of both colonies. In 1958, 700 hectares of the park were cleared for a human settlement.

After the Congo gained independence in 1765, the park was split into two, and upon Rwandan independence in 1962 the new government agreed to maintain the park as a conservation and tourist area, despite the fact that the new republic was already suffering from overpopulation problems. The park was halved in area in 1969. Between 1969 and 1973, 1,050 hectares of the park were cleared to grow pyrethrum.

The park later became the base for the American naturalist Dian Fossey to carry out her research into the gorillas. She arrived in 1967 and set up the Karisoke Research Centre between Karisimbi and Visoke. From then on she spent most of her time in the park, and is widely credited with saving the gorillas from extinction by bringing their plight to the attention of the international community. She was murdered by unknown assailants at her home in 1985, a crime often attributed to the poachers she had spent her life fighting against. Fossey's life later was portrayed on the big screen in the film Gorillas in the Mist, named after her autobiography. She is buried in the park in a grave close to the research center, and amongst the gorillas which became her life.

The Volcanoes National Park became a battlefield during the Rwandan Civil War, with the park headquarters being attacked in 1992. The research centre was abandoned, and all tourist activities (including visiting the gorillas) were stopped. They did not resume again until 1999 when the area was deemed to be safe and under control. There have been occasional infiltrations by Rwandan rebels from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda in subsequent years, but these are always stopped quickly by the Rwandan army and there is thought to be no threat to tourism in the park.

The park is best known for the mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei). Other mammals include: golden monkey (Cercopithecus mitis kandti), black-fronted duiker (Cephalophus niger), buffalo (Syncerus caffer), spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) and bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus). The bushbuck population is estimated to be between 1760–7040 animals. There are also reported to be some elephants in the park, though these are now very rare.There are 178 recorded bird species, with at least 13 species and 16 subspecies endemic to the Virunga and Ruwenzori Mountains.

The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) runs several activities for tourists, including:

·         Gorilla visits – as of January 2015, there are ten habituated gorilla groups open to tourists, allowing for a total of 80 permits per day. Each permit costs $1500. Tourists report at the park head office by 7:00 for a pre-tracking briefing. Once tourists meet the gorillas they spend an hour with them.

·         Golden monkey visits.

·         Climbing of Karisimbi volcano – this is a two-day trek with overnight camping at an altitude of 3,800 m.

·         Climbing of Bisoke volcano – one day.

·         Tour of the lakes and caves.

·         Visiting the tomb of Dian Fossey.

·         Iby’Iwacu cultural village tour

The majority of revenue from tourism goes towards maintaining the park and conserving the wildlife. The remainder goes to the government and (around 10%) to local projects in the area to help local people benefit from the large revenue stream generated by the park.

Gorilla tracking groups in Rwanda, Where to See the Gorillas of Rwanda

In Rwanda, you may only track gorilla within Volcanoes National Park (Parc National des Volcans), a section of the bigger Virunga mountains. Approximately 480 mountain gorillas live in the Virunga complex and reside on the altitude range of 2,300 to 4,500 meters in the southern area of Virunga National Park (in the DRC), as well as the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and some in Uganda’s Mgahinga National Park.

Rwanda gorillas are divided into 2; those for study or research purposes which are strictly accessed by scientists plus researchers only. Among these are Beetsme and Pablo’s Shida’s which have the highest number of gorillas.

There are also ten habituated gorilla families that are for tourism purposes, so these are available for trekkers to visit. At most 8 people may visit each of the gorilla groups every day and you may spend at most one hour. Among these gorilla groups are the: Ugenda, Umubano, Susa group, Karinsimbi, Sabinyo, Hirwa, Amahoro, Bwengye, Group 13 (the Agasha group) and the Kwitonda. All these are mountain gorillas,” Eckhart, G.; Lanjouw, A. (2008). Mountain Gorillas: Biology, Conservation and Coexistence.” The Johns Hopkins University Press

Gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda

1. Susa Group (Susa A Family) – this is the gorilla group that was researched by Dian Fossey.
It derived its name from River Susa which flows in the home range of these gorillas. The family is the most challenging to trek since it normally stays up in the higher ranges of the mountains however the RDB’s Tourism and Conservation trackers will know in advance how the group is located the day before in advance for the next trackers. Sometimes tourists have been barred from tracking the group because of its distant location. This group is very impressive with a family size of 28 gorilla individuals with three Silverbacks. This was the biggest gorilla group prior to separating into two. The group had 42 individuals and when visited people would see so many gorillas scattered in the entire area. This group is renowned for its infant twins; Byishimo and Impano which are pretty playful. It as well has one of Rwanda’s oldest habituated gorillas like Poppy who was born in 1976. Poppy is thought to be among the gorillas which were in the initial gorilla group that Dian Fossey’s conducted her research.

Normally, a mother dumps one of its twins, since it is nearly hard for her to take care of the two infants. As we observed the mother – Nyabitondore, take good care of her twins, Impano and Byishimo, it was occasionally imagined that she would ran mad from this big task. However now you can see the twins playing around amidst other gorillas.

2. Sabyinyo Group

Family size: Sabinyo group comprises of 13 members including 2 Silverbacks, one of whom is the largest of all the silverbacks in the volcanoes national park. The group is easily accessible as it roams the gentle slopes between Mount Sabyinyo and Gahinga. Gorillas trekking might take anything from ten minutes to an hour to access, but ordinarily, the slopes are not too daunting (though can be slippery after rain).

3. Amahoro Group

The Amahoro group (peaceful) which lives on the slopes of Mt Visoke, comprises of 18 members including 2 Silverback. Accessing this group is very strenuous since trackers have to hike over a steep slope. Members of this group are the most peaceful and gentle.

4. Agashya Group

This was the Group 13 but recently changed the name to Agashya (meaning special). It is comprised of 27 members including 1 Silverback. It is the first group to be habituated. At the time of its habituation, it comprised of only 13 members. Presently it has grown to a size of 27 members. It lives alongside the Sabinyo group and sometimes moves deeper into the mountain.

5. Umubano (‘Live Together’) Group

With 13 members, including 2 Silverbacks, this group was formed by members of the Amahoro family after one of its silverbacks, Charles, broke off to form his own group. They live in the same territory the Amahoro Group.

6. Kwitonda Group


Inhabits the lower slopes of Mt Muhabura and comprises of 23 members, including 4 Silverbacks. It is named after the dominant Silverback of the group called Kwitonda (humble one). This group, too, poses a big challenge to trackers.

7. Hirwa Group

This is relatively a new group and comprises of 16 members, including 1 Silverback
It was formed from two different families – Group 13 and Sabyinyo. The group marauds the foothills of Mt Sabyinyo on the Gahinga side. Its two twins were born at the beginning of 2011.

8. Karisimbi Group

As the name suggests, Karisimbi family lives on Mt Karisimbi and comprises of 16 members including 2 Silverbacks. This group is a result of the split into 2 groups by Susa. The hike to this group is also very challenging.



9. Ugenda Group

This made up of 11 members including 2 Silverbacks. Ugenda means mobile. This group inhabits Mt Bisoke and the hike is relatively not very difficult.

10. Bwenge Group

Comprises of 11 members including 1 Silverback, Bwenge means wisdom. This group roams around Mt Bisoke and the hike is also relatively easy.

 

GORILLA CONSERVATION & EVENTS

There are quite a number of mountain gorilla related activities, the famous one being the Kwita Izina ceremony of naming gorillas for Rwanda safaris, it is a yearly event where various celebrities are invited to this occasion. Booking your gorilla adventure during this time would be a chance to participate in this event.  A number of gorilla conservationists exist in Rwanda. From The Dian Fossey Foundation to The International Gorilla Conservation Project and so much more

How to get to Volcanoes National Park Rwanda?

Volcanoes National Park is located in a small village called Musanze previously well-known as Ruhengeri, which is very accessible by public transport from Gisenyi or Kigali or from the airport. The drive to Volcanoes national park is 2 hrs and hence one can do gorilla tracking on the same day and drive back to Kigali after the trek. You will be required to arrive at the headquarters of ORTPN in Kinigi, at the park entrance, by 7:00 am, therefore, if you hope to trek gorillas for one day, you have to wake up very early for your journey so that you are on time. However, there isn’t any public transport from Musanze to the headquarters of the park at Kinigi.

Mountain Gorilla Sustainability and Protection in Rwanda, Congo and Uganda

Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park is the most popular gorilla destination followed by Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga and Virunga national park is picking up on gorilla tourism. While in the 90’s mountain gorillas populations were at the verge of extinction, gorilla trekking is a sensitive activity which when not controlled and managed strictly, may negatively impact on the lives of the mountain gorillas. In a bid to regulate the activity, the governments of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda (the only countries with mountain gorillas) decided to make permits which are more expensive than any other wildlife permit in order to limit the number of visitors and create sustainability of the activity.

The gorilla permit costs $400 in Congo (DRC), $1500 in Rwanda and $600 in Uganda. These gorilla permits help in limiting the number of people trekking the gorillas in order to limit stress on these apes and on their habitat, that may result in their change of behavior or even death. There is only a maximum of 8 permits per gorilla group sold each day to make sure the gorillas are not overwhelmed by the human presence.

In order to conserve mountain gorillas in Africa, respective governments and wildlife organizations came up with a set of guidelines trekkers have to follow in order to remain harmonious with the gorillas, below are some of them.

Community

Revenue collected from tourists to this park 20% of it goes to the local communities surrounding the park and the rest to the maintenance of the infrastructure in and around the national park.
Find Information on gorilla permits in Rwanda , how to book a gorilla trekking permit to volcanoes, guidelines on a Africa Adventure Vacations, Yala safaris, Africa Adventure Safaris, dressing code for gorilla tracking trip right here on our website.

Reliable Info on where to stay in the Volcanoes national park when going for your gorilla trek in Rwanda, Below is a compile list of hotels in Rwanda ranging from high end, midrange and budget hotels options.

 

Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel

Situated in Musanze former Ruhengeri province, Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel is a five star accommodation which is set just along the road heading to Kinigi – Volcanoes national park head office.

The lodge offers relaxing high end accommodation, with beautiful views of the rolling hills of the Land of a thousand hills. Accommodation comprises of 13 bedrooms (double/twin), a VIP cottage. Each facility is air conditioned and features a flat-screen TV. A refrigerator and kettle

Other facilities include; restaurant, a pool, a traditional sauna and a steam sauna are awaiting your visit and our staff is looking forward to make your stay a pleasant one.

Jack Hannah’ cottages

Super luxury lodge located northern Rwanda’s Musanze district nestled in a forest of Eucalyptus trees. The lodge offers a family sized magnificent accommodation at the Jack Hannah’s cottages with beautiful views of Rwanda’s hills and slopes of the Volcanoes national park.

The spacious cottages have 2 large bedrooms and can accommodate 4 people at maximum. Each bedroom has its own spacious bathroom with a lovely view of the golf course, a central area comprising of a very beautiful living room area with a fireplace burning wood, a television, a dining area and a kitchen.

At the outside is a wraparound porch/veranda with entry from the living room with a lovely view of a “green” golf course and the rolling hills of Rwanda. The cottages are very private and quiet

Service at the Lodge

You will be taken very good care of at the Jack Hannah lodge. The service is superb; the staff is professional, friendly, attentive and ready to attend to you to obtain utmost comfort. The staff attends to the fireplace, refilling the firewood.

After each meal, a menu is presented to you for you to select three courses for your next meal. You have room for flexibility within the choices made.

Hannah Cottage is a nice enough option, especially for a family of four, when we should be able to get exclusive use of the house.

Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge

Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge is located in Musanze district close to the Parc National des Volcans Park headquarters excellently located for gorilla safaris in Rwanda as it quite near the Kinigi head offices. Sabyinyo lodge is situated at the foothill of the Virunga ranges comprising of a wonderful view of the Volcanoes rolling hills and the surrounding countryside.

The lodge comprises of 8 cottages all having a stunning views of the Virunga Volcanoes, and are well spaced offering good privacy. The cottages are spacious comprising of a sitting room area with a fireplace, bedroom, dressing room, 24 hour electricity and a large bathroom with bath and shower with hot and cold running water.

The cottages also have a sheltered balcony where you can relax have breakfast, and read a book or marvel at the views. Other facilities at the lodge include a library and games room in the main lodge, bar and restaurant and staff on standby to help you.

Best View Hotel

Situated in Ruhengeri, Best View Hotel is a superlative hotel that every traveler should stay. The hotel offers high quality accommodation services for travelers to volcanoes national park and all over Rwanda. All rooms in the hotel have free Wi-Fi Internet services and a flat-screen TV with satellite channels.

More still, all rooms have a seating area with great view where travelers can rest after a long day of trekking.

Every room has a private bathroom with hot and cold waters available day and night. Hair driers and clean towels are also available in the room.

Room services such as wakeup calls, the very hospitable and caring staff also offers laundry.

A fully stocked bar offering all local and international beverages is open 24hours. Both hot and cold beverages are served all the time depending on the orders of the client.

The restaurant serves all dishes local and international at 3-course menu served by buffet.
Free parking area is also available at the hotel.

Faraja Hotel

Staying at Faraja hotel feels like being in a home outside a home. The lodge is situated in Musanze along the Ruhengeri-Gisenyi road with breathtaking views of the Virunga volcanoes.

Cottages
The hotel has a total of 38 cottages split into 12 king size rooms, 10 standard singles, 12-queen size, 3 singles and 1 junior suite. All rooms have private bathroom, warm showers and free access to Wi-Fi Internet.

Room services include wakeup calls, laundry, fire places, hot water bottles, clean towels and comfortable bed which all make your stay memorable. The rooms are airy and big enough to allow travelers focus, relax and unwind.

The restaurant offers an ala Carte type of menu serving delicious local Ugandan meals and international cuisine served in the dining area.

More still, a bar offers local and international drinks meeting the needs of clients. The lodge has quick access to Virunga national park, Musanze caves, Ruhondo and Bulera lakes.

The hotel has experienced staffs that ensure quality services are offered to clients.

Garden Place Hotel

The hotel is the best place you would rather be. It is situated in Ruhengeri offering comfortable stylish accommodation to both business and holiday travelers. It takes an hour and 30 minutes drive from the airport to the lodge hence easy access.

Regarding the rooms, the hotel has 28 rooms divided into 17 double, 2 VIP’s and 9 standard rooms. Both rooms have modern bathrooms with plenty of hot water and pressure, hair dryers, telephone, flat screen satellite TV, and balcony for great views.

The VIP rooms have separate living rooms, kitchenette with a microwave, coffee pot and sink with small fridge.

The lodge has meeting and conference rooms with PA system, WIFI connectivity, Business center, modern furniture and 24hrs generator.

The restaurant serves all types of foods local and international meeting the expectations of all travelers. The quality foods is prepared by the experienced chefs and served by well trained, hospitable and customer caring waiters and waitresses.

The bar is open 24 hrs full stocked with local and international beverages at affordable rates.

Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge

Situated in Kinigi, Musanze Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge is a well-refurbished lodge offering mid-range and luxury services for travelers to volcanoes national park.

Rooms
Da Vinci gorilla lodge has a total of five cottages which are all self contained and designed in a natural setting providing travelers with enough privacy. These rooms are divided into double, singles and triples each of which has a private bathroom, hot and cold water, hot water bottles and hair driers.

The rooms also have a sitting area for relaxation.

Services offered

Da Vinci lodge has well experienced stuff who provide superb services to the clients. Quality local and international foods are served alongside al beverages meeting every traveler’s expectations.
Conclusively, a stay at Da Vinci lodge assures travelers of quality services and a memorable experience at affordable prices.

Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

Mountain Gorilla View Lodge is located in Musanze district northern Rwanda neighboring Volcanoes National Park. The lodge is located on the foothills of the Mount Sabinyo, volcanic mountains that make up the Virunga ranges. The lodge is about 15 minutes from the main entrance to Rwanda’s Park National des Volcans.

Mountain Gorilla View Lodge is an eco lodge with 30 spacious cottages. The cottages are made of stone and thatch. All cottages come with a living area with a fireplace, en-suite facilities and a private veranda.

The main lodge area has a restaurant serving home cooked food and a bar

Gorilla Solution Lodge

The Gorilla solution lodge is situated in Kinigi sector, Musanze/Ruhengeri district roughly 2hour drive from Kigali airport. The lodge is in the shadows of Mt karisimi overlooking the chain of Virunga volcanoes.
Concerning rooms, the lodge has 10 cottages divided into double, singles, twins and the family cottage. All rooms and the sleeping arrangements can be adjusted based on the interests of clients.

All rooms are very spacious with private veranda, excessive views of the neighboring communities, private bathrooms with hot and cold showers, hair dries, clean towels, comfortable bed, hot water bottles and clean beddings.

The lounge has free Wi-Fi Internet available all the time and the fireplace where clients gather for stories and warmth.

A full stocked bar with all international and local hot and cold beverages is open 24hours. Also a restaurant with an a’larcate menu and African buffet serving all kinds of food to clients is open 24hrs served by experienced chefs, waiters and waitresses.

Hotel Muhabura

The hotel is located north of Kigali in Musanze province opposite the Musanze district headquarters. The hotel comprises of 30 rooms and apartments that offer a cozy environment to relax in after gorilla trekking or a day visit to the Northern area of Rwanda.

Hotel Services

·         all self contained with warm shower and some with a bath

·         All ground level. Direct access to the garden

·         Own access with a small individual balcony.

·         equipped with satellite TV

·         free WIFI-internet access

·         laundry service is available

Gorillas Volcanoes Hotel

Modern hotel with a unique character and a pleasant ambiance located in Musanze north of Kigali, The hotel comprises of 31 spacious comfortable rooms with an ensuite bathtub and shower. An impressive bar is attached with the restaurant

A hearty breakfast is served from 06:30 AM to 10:30 AM. For guests who get up early morning for going to the gorillas. Trekking may inform the hotel management in advance to prepare breakfast at which time they wish to have it. Each day, from noon to late evening, you can place your order from the “à la carte” menu.

And the hotel also offers an outdoor terrace – very enjoyable and sociable place. An ideal place to relax, talks again on the highlights of your excursions, or even discuss your business

Facilities

·         31 Rooms

·         1 Restaurant ( The Urugano ) with a large bar

·         1 Swimming Pool

·         1 Event room

·         1 WIFI ( FREE )

·         Opening soon a Fitness Center

Virunga Lodge

The lodge is situated about an hour’s drive from the park headquarters, Virunga Lodge is currently one the area’s top lodges and certainly has one of the most spectacular locations of any camp in Africa – high on a ridge overlooking both Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo.

The lodge is made of eight spacious stone rooms, all with wooden floors, chunky wooden furniture and large verandas. Each is connected by a short covered walkway to a private toilet and shower. The toilets are low flushing eco toilets and the shower has solar heated hot water. Virunga Lodge is quite a sociable place to be as everyone eats at one large table in the evening. Aside from gorilla-tracking, local ‘Indore’ dance troupes perform here and massages are available.

Le Bambou Gorilla Village

Midrange safari accommodation situated in Northern Province of Rwanda, close to the endangered gorillas in their natural environment (Volcanoes National park). Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge has an unrivaled reputation for relaxation.

Well suited for you being away from home yet feel at home. A guest is provided with the best facilities, the most opulent furnishings and the highest quality service. Feel the Volcano and Gorillas around. All our furniture is handmade in bamboos.

Garr Hotel

Set in the green leafy suburbs of Kigali, Garr Hotel offers a serene environment to the esteemed guest. It is favorably located at 5min walking distance to Kigali’s Golf Club making it the preferred choice for golfers and other sport enthusiastic guests.

Both business and holiday persons are welcome to enjoy the unique décor and ambiance of the Hotel. Garr Hotel boasts modern guestrooms that are equipped with all the essential amenities to ensure you utmost comfort. The hotel is next to major restaurants, and in close proximity to the foreign embassies and the country Parliament Building.

Villa Gorilla

Villa Gorilla is located at Kinigi near the headquarters of Rwanda’s famed Volcanoes National Park, a mere 2 hour’s drive from Kigali international airport. It has 4 comfortable double occupancy bedrooms, each with private bath and toilet facilities.

Villa Gorilla is the perfect fit for small groups or a family looking for comfort, personal attention from attentive management, privacy and lovely views of the mountains.

La Palme Hotel

La Palme Hotel is a three stars Hotel, located in Musanze City offering Luxurious accommodation to business and Leisure tourists. An exceptional dining experience awaits you in a unique and renowned restaurant that delights your senses with African meals, French and Oriental kitchens.

Enjoy a range of drinks carefully selected for your unique taste and satisfaction in the Mini Bar.

Kinigi Guesthouse

The Guest House is situated in Kinigi district only 11 Km from Ruhengeri City. It is constructed at the bottom of Sabyinyo volcanic mountain with an altitude of 4,480 m. It accommodates over 40 people-all rooms have electricity and warm water.

There are four VIP suites together with an ideal hall with 400 seat capacities, for conferences, seminars, weddings and other social functions.

The merits of tracking the mountain gorillas in Uganda

The drive from Kampala to Bwindi is so lovely and this takes a full day of travel. Though you are tracking the mountain gorillas in Bwindi buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga or Mgahinga National park, you will also enjoy a scenery view en-route. The gorilla permits in Uganda are cheaper and UWA offers off peak season discounts. Uganda has got lots of things to offer before or after your gorilla trekking safari. Rwanda and Uganda are so near to each other , however , you could also track the gorillas in Rwanda and also drive to Uganda for the rest of holiday in East Africa and vice versa

The merits of tracking the gorillas in Rwanda

Rwanda‘s claim is that you can fly in and do the gorilla trek in just one day and then fly back the same night . Also recommend this though for those who don’t have enough time. The drive from Kigali airport to volcanoes national park is only 2 hours but the drive is not as scenic as Uganda and also Rwanda has less to offer. Though the roads are better and gorilla trekking in Rwanda includes a more relaxed drive. Even though gorilla trekking permits cost much more in Rwanda, you can save some money by having a shorter trip. So in Uganda, you need a minimum of two nights, thus increasing the price.

Rwanda or Uganda, which is the best destination for gorilla trekking.

Rwanda and Uganda are highly recommended gorilla trekking destinations. Both of these experiences are so amazing. The ride through the rain forest in Bwindi and the bamboo forest of Rwanda is very interesting. There are a good number of people who have tracked mountain gorillas and have continued to go back and planning to go back since the experience is so different and exciting. On the other side, some travelers decide that since they are traveling to East Africa; why not take on gorilla safaris both Rwanda and Uganda Mountain gorillas.