Uganda gives you a choice of gorilla trekking in the Virunga Volcanoes or in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Uganda is the only country that gives you the choice to go gorilla trekking in either Virunga volcanoes or in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
You trek the primates in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park with its three Virunga volcanoes where gorilla tracking is like in Rwanda and Uganda since Uganda and Rwanda share the same volcanoes. The park gives you a time with the gentle giants of the forest without the crowds since Mgahinga Gorilla Park is off the beaten tourist path for most. Just like in Rwanda, you can track the golden monkeys in the park.
The UNESCO World Heritage site, Bwindi Forest is the other park you can trek gorillas in an ancient forest. There are more gorilla families that you can visit than across the near buy boarder in Rwanda. The treks take place in 4 areas throughout the park, Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo and Rushaga.
Uganda gives you a choice, gorilla trekking in the Virunga Volcanoes or in Bwindi. You can as well trek the giants of the forest twice in both parks. There are over 880 endangered mountain gorillas that are remaining in Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC. 480 found in Uganda, 400 in Bwindi and 80 in Mgahinga national park. This makes Uganda the leading mountain gorilla trekking destination in Africa. There is a benefit when you track gorillas in Uganda and not Rwanda, an instant saving of $900. The permits in Uganda are $600 and $1500 in Rwanda, a savings which would help your safari in Uganda or the airfare tariffs.
Uganda gives you that extra plus experience when it comes to gorilla trekking, $1500 in Uganda means 4 hours with the gorillas not one hour in the forest. This is called Gorilla habituation experience with a maximum of 4 participants, an all day trek which includes your hike into the forest and out. This is a Uganda Exclusive Pilot program that has been a success for all parties concerned and parts of your permit cost goes to the excellent gorilla conservation program and the local communities.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is not known by visitors coming for primate tracking, it’s off the radar for most travelers. It’s however one of the jewels among parks in Uganda. It’s the smallest national park with many activities; the national park includes 3 Virunga Volcanoes, that can be tracked from the park; Muhabura, Mgahinga and Sabinyo Mountains. The gorilla trekking conditions are identical to Rwanda and yet the price of the permit for trekking is $900 less here.
Bwindi is a UNESCO World Heritage and is the best park in Africa by CNN, one of the most unusual Honeymoon destinations worldwide by lonely planet with its 400 plus mountain gorillas is a must destination for primate lovers. There are 4 areas where you trek gentle giants of the forest and well developed lodging is found here ranging from budget, moderate and luxury.
Access to Gorilla trekking in the Virunga Volcanoes or in Bwindi is not as hard as you might have been led to believe. Just because the parks are in Uganda doesn’t mean you have to fly into the country to trek gorillas. We have the fly in to Rwanda and trek gorillas in Uganda, which is your gateway to south west Uganda where the gorillas are found in just 3 hours’ drive to Mgahinga national park or to Bwindi in the Rushaga Area. You can as well fly into Entebbe and use aero link to have a domestic flight to either north or southern end of Bwindi forest. This is ½ hour flight and we meet you as you land. The other way of reaching here is an extended safari that begins in Entebbe or Kigali and you fly out the other airport at the end of your safari.
