Gorilla trekking is one of the lifetime experiences that a tourist should not miss to participate in. While engaging in this activity you will get an exhilarated opportunity to interact face to face with these remarkable and exceptional creatures. Mountain gorillas can only be found in three countries which include Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with a total population of 880 mountain gorillas remaining in the entire world. They can be trekked in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with half the population and in the Virunga mountains complex comprising of Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes national park in Rwanda and Virunga national park in DRC.Due to the continuous insecurity in DRC, majority of the mountain gorillas were murdered while others fled. Nevertheless, the neighboring countries of Uganda and Rwanda are sparklingly flourishing in gorilla trekking.
First time gorilla trekkers always ponder on where to go for this pursuit. Nonetheless, even those that have ever tracked mountain gorillas in both Bwindi National Park and Volcanoes have repeatedly found themselves juxtaposing on which of the two national parks they had superlative and indelible experiences in terms of the distance and time to access the national parks, accommodation facilities in and around the national parks, the tracking experience (in form of how long and difficulty of reaching the gorilla groups), interaction with local community members, the prices /value for their money and other activities to participate in. So they would choose that particular destination to take a trip down memory lane. Acquiring a gorilla permit is a pre-requirement in both countries but the possibility of sighting these wonderful giant apes is not guaranteed. Therefore, explained below is the comparison between mountain gorillas trekking in Uganda and in Rwanda and at the end the choice of where to decide to go for this unforgettable experience will depend on the tourist.
Distance, Time and how to access the national parks
Accessing Volcanoes National Park is easier than it is the case with Bwindi National Park. Rwanda being a smaller country and the national parks located not so far from the capital city makes it more convenient for the tourits. Once a tourist has landed in Kigali Airport, it takes 2hours and 30 minutes to 3 hours to arrive to the park (which is just about 116kms away). On the other hand, Bwindi National is 600kms from Kampala city and about 646km from Entebbe International Airport. It therefore takes 9 to 10 hours to reach the park by road depending on the route chosen. However travelling to Bwindi is very compelling because you will transverse through eye catching attractions like Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National park with the unique tree climbing lions, the equator on Masaka Road which is not the exposition with Volcanoes. Alternatively there are domestic air flight operations from Entebbe Airport and Kajjansi airfield (Kampala) to Kihihi (about 40km to the park) and Kisoro .After which tourists can be conveyed to the park. Roads leading to Volcanoes National Park are well tarmacked hence comfortable for tourists while some of those leading to Bwindi National Park are not tarmacked hence causing discomfort for travelers. Due to the distances of the national parks, Gorilla tracking in Rwanda can be done in just one day and be able to fly back home while in Uganda you need at least 3 days because day one can be for travelling to Bwindi, day two for the real adventurous activity and then day three to drive or fly back to Kampala/Entebbe. A one day gorilla trek to Bwindi can be so stressing to the tourist hence 2-3 days’ package is recommended.
The Gorilla tracking experience
Presently there are twelve habituated mountain gorilla groups (with 11 in Bwindi and 1 in Mgahinga) available for tourism in Uganda. In Bwindi the gorilla groups are in different sectors of the park hence accessed from different park entrances, some groups are far from the park entrances whereas others are near the entrances. Also Bwindi National Park is located between 1000 and 2000 meters above sea level and this makes it slightly more difficult to see these wonderful primates. The vegetation in this park is also thicker and impenetrable making it arduous to see many of these animals and take photographs. Tracking through Bwindi is difficult because it has a hilly terrain and therefore it is recommended that tourists hire porters to carry their luggage. On the other hand Volcanoes National Park has ten habituated groups of mountain gorillas available for tourism. The fact that this park is located on a higher altitude of 2500 meters above sea level, it makes it easier to see the mountain gorillas compared to Bwindi. The vegetation is also not very thick because of bamboo in the upper sides compared to Bwindi giving tourists a higher chance of viewing the mountain gorillas and be able to take photographs too.
The price of gorilla permits
The cost of a gorilla permit is cheaper in Uganda than in Rwanda. The permit is at $600 in Uganda and in Rwanda it is at $750 making tourists to save $150 for other expenses. Interestingly, in the low seasons tourists pay $450 in Uganda whereas Rwanda’s prices remain constant in the peak and low seasons. In Rwanda, a cup of tea and free traditional performances are offered in the morning before tracking on top of the $750 paid while in Uganda the local performances are only offered in the evenings and at an extra cost. So what seems as a higher price is actually its real worth because of the additional services that are enclosed in the cost of the gorilla permit.
Accommodation around the two national parks
Bwindi national park offers a wide range of accommodation options that range from low budget to Luxury facilities. Accommodation facilities are mostly found within the park (in the wilderness) making it easier to access the park headquarters. The lodging options include Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, Engagi Lodge, Buhooma Lodge, and Silverback Lodge among others which are luxury lodges, Lake Kitandara Bwindi Camp, Wagtail Eco-Safari Camp, Eco Marvels Gorilla Resort for midrange tourists and Gorilla Friends Lodge, Bwindi View Bandas, Ruhija Gorilla Friends Resort and Campsite for budget tourists. Different facilities are distributed in the various sectors of the park and the tourist can choose based on his/her choice and budget.
Majority of Rwanda’s accommodation facilities are located outside the Volcanoes National Park in the neighboring towns not in the wilderness like Bwindi’s accommodation facilities. This takes time for the tourists to reach the park headquarters. The accommodation facilities also range from luxury to budget options. They include Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Five Volcanoes Boutique hotel among others for luxury options, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Villa Gorilla for mid-range options and Kinigi Guesthouse, Hotel Muhabura and Amahoro Guest house for low budget options. In terms of costs, the lodging facilities in Rwanda are considered more expensive than they are in Uganda.
Communities around the national parks
The Batwa and the Bakiga are the two common communities surrounding Bwindi National park. Each of these portrays and showcases unique cultures which attract tourists to participate in community walks after gorilla tracking. The cultural activities/attractions include the Batwa trail, the forest walks as they explain the herbal plants, fruits and roots which they use for medicine and food, traditional dances among others.
Similarly to Volcanoes National Park, local communities also surround this park but do not offer the same remarkably engrossing experience like that offered by the Batwa around Bwindi National park. Hence the Batwa trail is one of the common tourism products around Bwindi. However, the Iby’Iwacu cultural village Tour which comprises the Hutu, Tutsi and Twa cultures also offers a gripping experience to tourists.
Other activities besides gorilla tracking
Besides gorilla tracking, tourists are oftenly interested in other activities they can participate in when they visit a particular country. Some interesting activities can be added in their packages and for Uganda, there are a diverse range of natural and manmade attractions and activities that can spice up their gorilla tracking experience. In most instances, the tour package includes visit to Queen Elizabeth for the tree climbing lions, Kazinga channel for boat cruises to sight the crocodiles, hippos among others and other wildlife species which cannot be found in Rwanda. Other national parks like Lake Mburo, Murchison Falls national park for numerous wildlife and bird species including the idiosyncratic shoebill stork, Kibale National park for chimpanzee tracking, Lake Victoria with its Islands, Lake Bunyonyi with over 29 Islands, Rwenzori Mountains, can also be visited.
On the other hand Rwanda offers the Dian Fossey grave tour, Mount Karisimbi and Bisoke hike, visit to Nyungwe forest for chimpanzees, Akagera national park, Lake Kivu and visit to enjoy the magical scenery of twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo among others. At the end of the day there are more attractions and activities to participate in while in Uganda than it is the case for Rwanda. This is why tourists would prefer enduring the long distances, uncomfortable roads just because of the other interesting activities and attractions Uganda has to offer. Other tourists even connect to Uganda’s reserves after gorilla tracking in Rwanda.
In conclusion, gorilla trekking is a riveting and adventurous activity whose memories you will cherish for a lifetime. Both Uganda and Rwanda offer sensational gorilla trips but the choice and decision of where to go for it lies in the hands of the tourist because your choice of the alternatives depends on income, how long you wish to participate, other attractions you desire to visit yet both national parks are distinctive in their own ways. But to satisfy your curiosity about them you can visit both Bwindi and Volcanoes and you will be triumphant.
