Africa comprises of a number of mesmerizing activities to do on a holiday or honeymoon, such as safari game drives, gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, birding, and many others. Meanwhile, particularly in Uganda and Rwanda the most treasured and selling activity is gorilla trekking.
Worldwide, Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo are the only three countries where mountain gorilla trekking is possible. However, since the latter country is always full of conflicts, Uganda and Rwanda are widely regarded as the most ideal and safest places for gorilla expeditions. And then here is the question, where should your next safari adventure be? Rwanda or Uganda? If you’re confused yourself, this guide might just lead you to the right decision!
Geography of both countries:
Rwanda
Located within a lush mountainous landscape, Rwanda has picturesque scenery with a charming city and a string of rainforests teeming with primates, birds, as well as mammals like giraffes, elephants, and zebras. Besides the fact that Rwanda is a landlocked country, it still has the stunning Lake Kivu that offers superb sunset viewing each day.
Uganda
Uganda has always allured travelers with its nonpareil natural features and incredibly rich fauna. Ultimately, it’s what Winston Churchill based on to christen it as the ‘’Pearl of Africa.” The country comprises of a diverse ecosystem including barren savannahs that host an incredible concentration of wildlife including some of the rarest animals on the planet, beautiful lakes and waterfalls, and green rainforests that gives haven to mighty primates and unique birds.
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda VS Gorilla trekking in Uganda:
The activity of trekking the endangered mountain gorillas is an extra ordinary experience in East Africa that annually entices mammoths of tourists. The trekking of mountain gorillas in both countries is almost the same whereby, in both countries, you will only be given one priceless-hour with these endangered species once trekked and met. The trekking however takes like 1 to 6 hours, since this is nature and nature is always unpredictable.
With gorilla trekking expeditions, you are spearheaded by a local experienced ranger, after being briefed about the activity at the starting point. Usually at the starting point/bandas there are many porters whom you can choose one to aid you while trekking – a porter will ease your excursion by carrying for you the luggage/backpacker.
Gorilla Permits:
For one to get involved in this lifetime experience, of trekking the endangered mountain gorillas, they should have/buy a gorilla permit for that particular country they are going to trek the gorillas from. Meanwhile, gorilla permits vary in price per country. A Rwanda gorilla permit is by far the most expensive as it costs US$ 1500 well as Uganda’s gorilla permit goes for only US$ 700.
This makes Uganda a far more affordable option if you’re choosing a destination primarily for gorilla trekking. However, in terms of accessibility for gorilla trekking, Rwanda is easier than Uganda. Rwanda is by far a smaller country than Uganda, meaning that it’s a short journey by road from the capital of Kigali to Volcanoes National Park – its mountain gorilla refuge, which is just a two and half hours’ drive by road.
In Uganda, it’s a very long drive from the capital of Kampala to reach its gorilla refuges in the southwest of the country – Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga National Parks, since the roads are also in bad condition, the trip may take like 10 hours just driving. Rwanda’s roads from the capital to its gorilla refuge are very clean and tarmac and in a very good condition unlike in Uganda. Though, Rwanda has only one mountain gorilla refuge well as Uganda has two, as aforementioned, and Uganda is the only country on earth to have two mountain gorilla refuges.
In having two gorilla refuges, Uganda inhabits over a half of the total population of mountain gorillas on earth, with Bwindi alone having over 500 mountain gorillas out of the estimated total of 1,200 in the world. Bwindi also has more habituated gorillas than any other Park.
For gorilla trekking, Uganda offers affordable trips as compared to Rwanda since the permits are cheaper but remember you will be driving long journeys from the capital city or Entebbe Airport unlike in Rwanda where the journey is too short – just spending two hours driving.
Therefore, gorilla trekking in Rwanda is too expensive but if we are to rely on our previous clients’ verdict, it’s really worth the price but if you’re not well off in wallet, Uganda will be the best for you – the experience is always the same, fantastic!, regardless of which mountain gorillas you trek.
Gorilla Habituation Experience:
Besides the trekking of mountain gorillas, there is also another, perhaps the most amazing activity in gorilla excursions – the gorilla habituation experience! There is a slight difference between gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation. With gorilla habituation, you escort the researchers and experts who teach these endangered species to get used to human presence, in brief – familiarizing wild gorillas to human presence.
With gorilla trekking however, you go in the Park to trek the already habituated gorillas – which have been taught how to stay firm and used to human presence during the habituation process above. The gorilla habituation experience is however only offered in Uganda and nowhere else. With gorilla habituation experience, you spend over 4 hours with the gorillas unlike the magical one hour you spend with gorillas in the gorilla trekking experience.
The other thing is that gorilla habituation experience in Uganda is always more expensive than the trekking experience, as a gorilla habituation permit costs US$ 1500, but always worth it!
Variety:
Nevertheless, if you want to do more than just gorilla trekking on your holiday, Uganda is by far a better option than Rwanda. Uganda offers perfect big game safaris on open savanna as well as a much wider array of experiences and a bigger variety of landscapes to explore than its more compact neighbor – Rwanda. Though you should not forget that Rwanda is also a very beautiful and cultural country, you will learn more about the 1994 Genocide once you land there but also Uganda is immensely gifted when it comes to culture as well.
Rwanda comprises of only four national parks and very few wildlife reserves but for Uganda’s case there are ten national parks and very many wildlife reserves and sanctuaries. Both countries also offer chimpanzee safaris but still here Uganda is more ideal as seeing chimpanzees in Rwanda is not a guarantee but for Uganda’s case it is, since they are too many there.
However, the mere fact that both countries are a stone’s throw away from each other, as Rwanda is almost another district of Uganda, it’s much better to explore both countries on your holiday as each one is better than the other in different things. Overall, Rwanda and Uganda are all astonishing and touristic countries that you need to give a visit so soon, they are too paradisiacal!!