Gorilla tracking in Uganda vs Rwanda

Comparison between Uganda and Rwanda’s gorilla tracking.

The prices.

The prices of gorilla tracking in Uganda and Rwanda differ and this is because of the range of services provided and economic situations in the different countries. Gorilla tracking in Rwanda costs $1500 all through. Uganda on the other hand, gorilla trekking permits cost $700 for foreign non-residents, and $600 for foreign residents and they are discounted at Uganda shillings 250,000 for the East African citizens.

 All these prices are fairly favourable to all groups of travelers thus making the activity enjoyable for almost all categories of explorers.

Population size.

 Geographically, Rwanda and Uganda are so close to each other and they all have a share of the land that is inhabited by mountain gorillas, that is to say, the Virunga mountain ranges. It is therefore important to note that gorillas sometimes migrate from either Uganda To Rwanda or Rwanda to Uganda. 

However, it is important to note that recent statistics revealed that Rwanda has over 380 gorillas in its Volcanoes National Park and they inhabit five of the eight mountain ranges. Uganda accounted for at least 450 mountain gorillas and these stay in the mountain slopes of the three ranges of the Virunga massif.

Number of gorilla national parks.

 In terms of national parks Rwanda has only one National Park that is inhabited by mountain gorillas and that is Volcanoes National Park. The park is popular in Rwanda and it is also the most visited since a bigger percentage of the travelers to the country engage in guerrilla tracking.

Uganda the pearl of Africa on the other hand has two national parks that are inhabited by gorillas and extensively support the gorilla tracking activity. The national parks are Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park.

Nature of the trekking.

Gorillas in Rwanda mainly inhabit the bamboo vegetation in the Virunga ranges and that is where trekking activities mainly occur. Whereas gorillas in Uganda inhabit the dense tropical rainforests with a variety of tree species and that is where they are normally tracked down.

It is also important to note that Rwanda is mostly favored by luxury travelers which is not the case in Uganda as Uganda is also favored by mid-range and budget travelers.

Main similarities between gorilla tracking in Rwanda and Uganda.

Much as there are some differences between gorilla tracking in these two beautiful countries, it is important to remember that there are also many more similarities between gorilla tracking in these countries in the Great Lakes region and they incorporate;

All the gorilla tracking activities are guided. Gorilla tracking both in Uganda and Rwanda is guided by professional tourist guides and Rangers from the authorities such as the Uganda wildlife authority in Uganda and the Rwanda Development Board on the side of Rwanda. These are entrusted with the task of ensuring that visitors are comfortable on their tracks and minimize the risks of danger in the wilderness. The tourist guides further provide information about the gorillas that the travelers need to know such as feeding habits, movement patterns and their social life at large.

Gorilla permits are booked in advance. In both Uganda and Rwanda, the tracking permits are booked weeks prior to the tracking day. This is because there are rules that have been set by the authorities in a bid to minimize the human impact on the gorillas’ habitat. A few people are allowed in the jungle per day and this normally creates jam for the permits. Visitors are allocated dates upon payment on which they are supposed to go to the national parks and embark on their tracking adventures.

Mainly 1 session per day. Gorilla tracking both in Uganda and Rwanda is done in one session that is to say the morning session that goes for 7 hours. The morning session normally starts at 9:00 AM and could go on up to the afternoon depending on the speed of the trackers and the movement patterns of the gorillas.