Category: Travel Blog

Jinja Uganda’s tourism capital – Source of the Nile – White water rafting – Bungee Jumping – Quad Biking – Horse Back riding.

Jinja Uganda’s tourism capital.- Jinja is located in Busoga sub-region, in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is approximately 81 kilometers by road, from Kampala, the capital and largest city of Uganda. It sits along the northern shores of Lake Victoria, near the source of the White Nile. The city sits at an average elevation of 1,204 meters (3,950 ft) above sea level.

The city was founded in 1901 by British settlers. It was planned under colonial rule in 1948 by Ernst May, German architect and urban planner. May also designed the urban planning scheme for Kampala, creating what he called “neighborhood units.” Estates were built for the ruling elite in many parts outside the center city. Very few tour activities can compare to the experience one derives from the tourist activities under taken while on a visit to jinja the home to the source of river Nile, the world’s longest river.

White water rafting on River Nile

Jinja has over the years gained a strong reputation of fun and adventure. The availability of spectacular physical features including the source of the longest river in the world has attracted multitudes of people from far and wide who opt to experience fun and adventure during their visit to The Pearl of Africa.

The wonders of Jinja are quite invigorating and the popular tour activities are just right even for the most adventurous of people. Most people usually prefer to use the services of a tour company in Uganda so that they fully enjoy these wonders.

Some of the wonders of Jinja and popular tour activities include the following;     

White Water Rafting on River Nile

Very few tour activities can compare to the experience of white water rafting on River Nile, the world’s longest river. The scenery is stunning, to say the least. The weather is conducive all year round and the water rapids look surreal. White water rafting on River Nile is best done in groups and an all-day rafting session covers a distance of about 21 kilometers through eight big rapids. In some parts, the water is calm, clear and perfect for swimming. Plenty of bird species can also be seen hovering around.

Bungee Jumping

Jinja is well known for Bungee Jumping, an adrenaline pumping experience where you plunge yourself 43 meters down into open space before partly immersing yourself into the Nile water at the Nile High Bungee. Bungee jumping is an activity much loved by those who want to test the limits of their adventure spirits.

Source of the Nile tour

The River Nile has its source in Uganda. At this point the Nile water is seen setting off from the still Lake Victoria water at a reasonable speed before making its way up to the Mediterranean Sea, making it the longest river in the world.

Boat Rides along the Nile.

A typical tour in Jinja is bound to include a boat ride along the River Nile. Boat Rides give visitors a chance to encounter lots of bird species and stunning scenery. Bird watching is best done while on one of these boat rides.

Kayaking

Kayaking on River Nile is a great way to experience the river up close. The weather is always right foe Kayakers to explore the Nile, the beautiful surroundings and exotic birds.

Horse Riding

Horse riding is done along the shores of River Nile and it is a great way to explore Uganda’s beauty. The surrounding landscape and the local communities make horse riding such a fun and adventurous experience. Birdwatchers also stand a chance of encountering many of the different bird species along the shores of River Nile.

Quad Biking

Quad biking takes adventure to a whole other level and does not require prior driving experience. A free training session is conducted before each safari and trips are tailored to suit the riders’ ability and give the best possible adventure. Sliding across the puddles and potholes in mud makes quad biking much more fun.

Contact us for a trip to Jinja, home to the source of River Nile 

Explore Lake Bunyonyi a gateway to the gorilla highlands- gorilla trekking from Rwanda to Bwindi – lake Bunyonyi adventures.

Explore Lake Bunyonyi a gateway to the Gorilla highlands. Lake Bunyonyi also known as the places of many birds. It’s one of the attractions in the Southwestern region located in the district of Kabale.  Lake Bunyonyi also known as the places of many birds. It’s one of the attractions in the Southwestern region located in the district of Kabale. The lake is the second deepest after Tanzania’s Lake Tanganyika in Africa with up to a maximum depth of 900m approximately 2953 feet. The lake is also the feature that appears on the 5000 shillings currency note of Uganda currency. Bunyonyi in the native language means small birds and harbors up to 200 bird species including Herons, egrets, African Harrier Hawk, grey crowned cranes among others.

Lake Bunyonyi boasts 29 scenic islands surrounded by a protective ring of highlands in Southwest Uganda. It stands at 2,952ft, hence the second deepest lake in Africa after Lake Tanganyika. It was christened Bunyonyi, a local word to mean numerous little birds which justifies the 200 plus bird species recorded there.

The lake and its surroundings are one of the richest in cultural experiences surrounded by some of the most exciting tribes in Uganda the Bakiga, Bafumbira, and Batwa “pygmies” living on a hill overlooking Echuya forest, who are indigenous to the area. This informal association of people is willing to tell the African story and unlock the tourism potentials of this incredible country Uganda. The climatic conditions in the gorilla highlands are unpredictable, but always turn cooler overnight. During day, the weather is unsettled, cloudy with abrupt rainfall.

Explore Lake Bunyonyi a gateway to the Gorilla highlands

Tourist attractions and activities on Lake Bunyonyi

Cultural and community Encounters:

The surroundings of Lake Bunyonyi are mainly occupied by two tribes that is the Bakiga and the Batwa. The tribes were introduced to the area after being evicted from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. The Batwa people are still practicing their culture in a very Unique way in the area. Tourists can get a chance to listen to the pleasant cultural dances and music performances by the Batwa people. On the other hand, the Bakiga are the original settlers of Lake Bunyonyi and the people have been cultivating on the hilly terrace of the islands. They also have a rich tradition that comes with a lot of admirable things such as the cultural dance that requires a lot of energy to dance if you attempt to do so. They also have ancient stories of how they used to dump unmarried pregnant girls on the punishment island.

Kyahugye Island home to Bunyonyi Eco Resort.

Kyahungye Island is the closest island to the shores of the Lake and covers an area of almost 74 acres. The top of the island is flat and has been developed for tourists to engage in activities like birding, Nature walks among others.

Other Island:

Bunyonyi boasts of 29 islands and the ones that mainly standout include the Punishment Island locally known as Akampene. This island is the center of attraction because of the ancient practices that come along with its name. During the early days of the Bakiga people, the island was used as an area for dumping unmarried pregnant girls from the community as this was against the cultural laws of the Bakiga people. This was done to educate the younger girls against such acts in the community. However, men that did not have cows as a bride price to pay to the girl’s parents were usually seen heading to the island to pick girls, they wanted from Akempene Island.

Tourist Activities at Lake Bunyonyi

Bird watching:

As its name states “the place of many little birds”, Lake Bunyonyi is filled with a variety of bird species, over 200 bird species can be viewed at Lake Bunyonyi. Nyombi swamp is home to a great number of them and all you need is a boat ride to the place to have a spectacular view of the birds. The birds include the local birds such as Grey Crowned Crane, Herons, the levillant cuckoo, Harrier hawk white tailed blue Monard, and the cardinal woodpecker among others and those that come from Europe when it is winter days in Europe.

Canoe Boat.

This is one of the activities you can’t miss when you visit the Lake. Caneo Boat riding gives you an experience of calmness and quietness and the tranquility of Lake Bunyonyi. It is much thrilling during canoeing at night while listening to the cricket sounds plus the frogs that make it an exciting and memorable experience.

Swimming.

The waters of Lake Bunyonyi have no dangers of hippos and crocodiles plus dangers of bilharzia cannot be found in this lake making it available for swimming by tourists that want to relax and making it fun to swim in the fresh waters of the wildness.

Nature walks.

Tourists can walk freely on the shores of the Lake while having a panoramic view of the islands while listening to the pleasant sounds of the birds and the fresh breeze of Lake Bunyonyi and the community around. On the other cycling is also much possible on the trails of the islands of Lake Bunyonyi.

Cultural tours 

Many cultural insights can be found on the Lake such as the Bakora cave, the Batwa people along with their traditional customs and the Abaheesi who are the traditional smiths. Most of the cultural performances happen to be more memorable and exciting to the tourists. Learning about the cultural past of these communities is an opportunity you can get when you visit Lake Bunyonyi.

Getting to Bunyonyi

Getting to the Lake you will need to first make your way to Kabale from Kampala, a journey that can take up to eight hours long. From Kabale town, Lake Bunyonyi is about 25 minutes’ drive. Some tourists prefer using the Kigali, Rwanda route that takes about 1.5 to 2 hours long to reach Lake Bunyonyi in Uganda.

Explore Lake Bunyonyi a gateway to the Gorilla highlands Contact us for a trip to lake Bunyonyi.

Comparing Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safaris- Gorilla trekking- gorilla habituation- Book a gorilla trekking trip now.

Comparing Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Safaris- Uganda and Rwanda are the best and finest destinations for gorilla trekking in the whole world since the two destinations house the highest population of mountain gorillas in the whole world. The two countries are home to the largest number of Mountain gorillas. There are a few differences when it comes to gorilla trekking in both countries and these include the trekking routes, accessibility of the gorilla trekking destinations, routes to the destinations the gorilla families, the cost of trekking the gorillas, the cost of the gorilla trekking permits nature of accommodation among others.

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is in most cases for the those that do not have enough time on their hand for a rea African adventure. For those who are willing to spend quite a few days on the gorilla trekking safari. Rwanda is the perfect destination for those people attending conferences in Kigali and would want to encounter the gorillas for a day or even two and at most three. The gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda costs $1500 per person. This makes it more expensive as compared to Uganda where the trek permit goes for $700 per person.  Rwanda has mostly high-end safari lodges, thus making it hard to have affordable safaris here.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is carried out in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and in Mgahinga gorilla national part. These two parks house the highest population of mountain gorillas in the whole world. That fact gives tourist a very high chance of encountering these gentle giants on a first trek. Uganda is the perfect6 destination for tourist wishing to have a true and rewarding gorilla trekking adventure. The distance from Entebbe international airport and from the capital Kampala is about seven hours of driving. These gives you an opportunity to make various exciting stopovers for example at the equator and admiration of the country side while driving to the parks. Uganda gorilla destinations unlike those in Rwanda offer all kinds of accommodation options from, budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation

Best Time to for Gorilla Trekking in Uganda and Rwanda.

Gorilla trekking can be done all throughout the year in both Rwanda and Uganda but the best time to go for trekking is during the dry season.

Uganda: The best time for tourists to go gorilla trekking in Uganda is between July and September during the dry season and this is because during this time the trek routes are easily accessible making the trek exercise easy.

Rwanda: the best time to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda is during the dry season but you need to note that the country’s weather is extremely unpredictable that is Rwanda has two dry seasons and two wet seasons. The dry season is normally experienced from mid-December to February and June to September which makes it the best time for gorilla trekking but since the weather is unpredictable you need to carry a rain jacket with you all the time in case the weather changes.

What To Expect on a Gorilla Safari in Uganda & Rwanda

Gorilla trekking in both Uganda and Rwanda is an experience that every tourist should personally take on and this is because the experience varies from one person to another. Both countries have the same gorillas with just a change in the environment that is you will get an hour with the gorilla families assigned to you and 4 hours for the habituated gorilla families. You should hire a potter to help you carry your luggage because the trek routes are not easy to go through especially in Bwindi, do not take photos of the gorillas with your flashlights on because the gorillas might attack you. Due to the constant weather changes, be ready for rain anytime of the day. Each gorilla family will be assigned a maximum of 8 people and 4 people only for the habituated gorillas and you should also expect to wake up earlier than usual because the trek starts very early in the morning.

For any more inquiries about goring trekking in both Uganda and Rwanda, please fell free to contact us.

Affordable Gorilla Trekking Holidays. Gorilla  Trekking Experience through Uganda and Rwanda- Book a budget Gorilla trekking holiday.

Affordable Gorilla Trekking Holidays– Encountering the gentle giant of the jungle in Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks of Uganda is absolutely one of the most exciting adventure highlights of a Safari in East Africa. The exhilaration attached to setting your eyes on a Mountain Gorilla for the very first time is unexplainable. These enormous animals are times more bulky than an average person and more peaceful than any person would ever imagine.

More impressive than their size and bearing is their gentle attitude towards people which greatly differs from that of any other wild animal you will ever encounter in Africa. Almost everybody who visits the Gorillas experiences a mystical session of recognition from these beautiful gentle giants. At most cases one of the giants will break off from the business of chopping Bamboo to carefully study a human visitor with soft brown eyes staring deeply into the visitor’s seeking a connection.

Uganda being home to more than half of the world’s remaining mountain Gorillas, gives every traveler the opportunity to experience these gentle giants in a very beautiful and green rewarding environment.

Affordable Gorilla Trekking Holidays

12 Habituated Gorilla groups live in Uganda with one group Nyakagezi living in Mgahinga Gorilla National park although it’s prone to migrating to Rwanda for long periods. The remaining 11 groups are all located in Bwindi including Rushagura, Habinyanja and Mubare groups near the impenetrable forest around the primary tourist site of Buhoma. Five groups of Kahunge,  Mishaya, Busingye, Nshongi and Bwoza are tracked at Rushaga Uganda’s newest trail head; and Butukura and Oruzego groups are found in Ruhija. These  four groups have been a result of the divisions  and sub divisions of Nshongi group since 2009. And finally the Nkuringo group inhabits the forest Margins at Nkuringo if you are tracking Mountain Gorillas either as an individual or as a Group. You can be rest assured that Katland Safaris will male all the necessary arrangements to get you there, find you the best accommodation and book for you pounds in advance.

Choose to travel with Katland Safaris today for an ultimate and unforgettable Gorilla experience of a life time.

Community encounters around Bwindi Impenetrable forest. Buhoma Sector- Gorilla Trekking – Buhoma Sector.

Community encounters around Bwindi Impenetrable forest.- Bwindi impenetrable national park is not only a place where you only trek mountain Gorillas but a home where you have the opportunity to learn about people and their ways life.  A community tour around Buhoma, one of the most popular sectors gives any tourist the opportunity to gain diverse Knowledge of a different tribes, communities and cultures. A community tour around Buhoma for example opens your eyes about the lives of people in communities around Bwindi impenetrable forest, and chance to support these local people living close to the protected area inhabiting the Mountain Gorillas with at most times health and education type.

At most the Buhoma Community walk takes about three rewarding hours. This walk gives you a chance to learn about the day-to-day life of the local people who live near the magical Bwindi Impenetrable Forest the home of the worlds largest and remaining population of mountain gorillas.

Depending on the itinerary, you can either choose to do the walk either in the morning or in the evening after your Gorilla trekking adventure. The walk is such a rewarding one. You get to see how these local people are resourceful and creative in their ways of life as you personally observe and learn from their lifestyle. make a stopover at the women weaving baskets while others make handicrafts where you might buy one as well, a gesture that is very and greatly appreciated.

Make another stopover at River Muyaga and have an opportunity to see women wash their clothes in a customary way with no washing machines but by use of their hands. Enjoy the colorful butterflies, stop over at banana plantation and watch the beer men as they brew a local gin popularly known as Waragi in a local language. This local gin is locally brewed from bananas through a process called distillation. Bananas are one of Uganda produces and the country is known to be one the leading producers of Bananas compared to other countries and you can as well test the local brew made in Bwindi.

You will visit the waterfalls in the center of the farmland, watch the hardworking women using a hoe which is the best tool in harvesting their crops with their energy and with no any form of modern technology. Observe how they pick fresh leaves of tea pick, pick up a basket, participate in the activity and as well take some at the lodge to enjoy as you remember the experience you encountered during your trip.

You will also visit the community traditional healer, an herbalist who uses local medicine or herbs to treat the local community. On a visit to the traditional healer, one is certainly stunned with his great knowledge and information that get gets to be provided by these healers. You will also visit community schools and in them find children who are interested in learning with a high spirit but in the toughest of learning environment.

After you will visit and spend time with the Batwa people the first people who lived in the forest caves, but lost their homes when Bwindi Forest was established, they will entertainment you with dances and songs with great meaning of how they lived in the forest.

These three hours community encounter is such a rewarding one with an opportunity to get information and knowledge about the community.

Contact us for a trip to explore the culture of the people around Buhoma sector in Bwindi impenetrable national park.

Amazing facts about giraffes- Wildlife Safaris in East Africa – Book a trip to Uganda and Rwanda.

Facts about giraffes- Giraffes are the world’s tallest mammal with a height of 16 to 20 feet. they are such amazing animals that possess so may hilarious features. Their unparalle tallness, long necks, unique fur and so many other has resulted into putting them on the list of the unique creatures in the world. Other amazing facts about giraffes include the following.

Giraffes are also referred to as silent animals but they are not mute and this is because of the fact that they seem to lack a vocal code. They usually communicate in different ways such as humming and hissing, swinging their tails, direct strong eye contact and body touching.

Facts about giraffes

Giraffes are recorded to be herbivores feeding mostly on tree stems, leaves of acacia tree and a thorny tree but in need to absorb calcium, they lick carcass bones. Giraffes feed on more than 100 types of leaves.

Giraffes are the tallest animals in the world with the average height of above 8 feet and this is because they possess along neck of about 4 meters. They have a flexible neck which is able to move with the wide range and possess seven vertebrae.

Giraffes and humans have the same number of vertebrae in their necks. They similarly possess neck bones although the bones in the giraffes are enormous.

Giraffes have a strong and excellent vision. They can be able to see a predator from a long distance with the help of their 4-meter enormous neck hence giving it a chance to flee away and also alert the rest of the herd.

Giraffes apply defensive measures to protect the herd and also warn young ones who are the predator’s target. They make strong eye contacts to scare off the predators, make hums and hisses, the mother make whistles to warn the calves. The giraffes make strong kicks as a defensive measure which is capable of killing a lion.

The male and female giraffes possess protuberances of ossified cartilage covered with skin on the head top fussed on the skull called nosecones. Both genders possess this feature although that of the female is short whereas that of the male is long.

Giraffes were once under one known species called Giraffa camelopardalis but later four distinct species of giraffes were introduced and these included southern giraffe (G. giraffa), Masai giraffe (G. tippelskichi), reticulated giraffe (G. reticulate), northern giraffe (G. camelopardalis). There over 11 endangered subspecies such as Nubian giraffes (Roth’s child) giraffes and each species have a unique spot that darken as it keeps growing. This is especially observed in male giraffes.

The giraffes are friendly in nature and this is sighted in their interaction with other animals in the wild. Zebras are mostly seen in close ranges where the giraffes are. This is because giraffes can see in distant areas with the help of their clear vision and their long neck alerting the rest about the predator coming.

Girraffes can be very well sighted while on a safari through the east afarican region through Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda. In Uganda, they can be very well sited in Murchison falls national park, Kidepo valle national park, queen Elizabeth national park, and more recently in Lake mburo national park where they were just introduced from Murchison falls and now very well multiplying.

Feel free to book a wildlife safari though Uganda and Rwanda.  

Combining Gorilla Trekking with Wildlife Safaris in Both Uganda and Rwanda. Gorilla Trekking- Wildlife Safaris Through Uganda and Rwanda.

Combining Gorilla Trekking with Wildlife Safaris in Both Uganda and Rwanda- As you plan your gorilla trekking safari through Uganda and Rwanda, make sure you also include other National Park destinations. Both Uganda and Rwanda have a lot of activities that tourists can get to enjoy after the gorilla trekking experience and these include wildlife safari, cultural encounters, game drives, boat rides, birding safaris, filming and photography safaris among others and they can be carried out in destinations like Murchison National Park, Mgahinga National Park, Lake Mburo and the Queen Elizabeth National Park, Nyungwe forest National Park and the Akagera National Park.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in the south western part of Uganda and is the second largest National Park in the country. Queen Elizabeth is home to thousands of animals, different types of vegetation ranging from Acacia trees to forest grasslands and a wide range of bird species both resident and international. It is a home to Buffaloes, elephants, tree climbing lions, Hyenas, Ugandan Kob, water bucks, antelopes and hogs among others. Best visited during the dry season, it is a good addition to a gorilla trekking trip while in Uganda.

Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park is an extremely small Park surrounded by Lake Mburo which is one of the four main Lakes that make up the Park. Although the Park is small, it has a lot of things that will keep you entertained especially animals and birds. Some of the specials that you should look out for include Bushbucks, Burchell’s Zebra, Buffalos, hippos, Bush duikers, elands and warthogs among others. It is a home to over 300 bird species most of which are water birds and these include papyrus yellow warblers blue headed coucal and papyrus Gonolek.

Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison National Park is the largest Park in Uganda with one of the best sceneries of the waterfalls in the country. There are a number of things that will make your trip to Murchison Falls National Park an exciting place to be after a gorilla trek and these are the famous Murchison Falls which are found along the River Nile, the different bird species like the African Jacana, Malachite Kingfishers, Red throated Bee eater and the black billed barbet, animals like hippos, lions, elephants, chimpanzees, giraffes, crocodiles, Jackson’s hartebeest and many more others.

Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park is located in the North western part of Rwanda in the Virunga region and it is one of the largest National Parks in Rwanda. The National Park is a home to the largest number of gorillas in Rwanda and other primates like the golden monkeys and other primates. There are several activities that can be carried out here while in the Volcanoes but the best and most participated in is gorilla trekking which is best carried out during the dry season.

Nyungwe Forest National Park

Nyungwe Forest National Park is found in the Western part of Rwanda and is one of the top tourist destinations in the country. With a canopy walkway considered to be the longest in East Africa, this rain forest is a home to quite a large number of primates like monkeys and the chimpanzees which are the top tourist attraction in the park. Make sure that you add Nyungwe to your destination list after gorilla trekking in the Volcanoes National Park.

Akagera National Park

Akagera National Park is located in the Eastern part of Rwanda is one of the largest National Parks with an impressive number of wildlife that is animals and different types of bird species. The National Park is also home to Lake Ihema where most of the bird species can be found. Some of the activities that you can carry out while in Akagera include game drives where you will see animals like hippos, zebras, lions, giraffes, birding, trekking through the park, cultural tours and boat cruises along Lake Ihema.

Book a trip combining gorilla trekking with Wildlife encounters with us.

Book a Gorilla Permit in Uganda and Rwanda. Gorilla trekking – Bwindi Impenetrable forest- Volcanoes National park.

Book a Gorilla Permit- The first step in planning for a gorilla trekking safari in both Uganda and Rwanda is by booking for a gorilla trekking permit. A gorilla permit is an official document that allows you to gain access to the different National Parks that are a home to the rare Mountain Gorillas.  Start by providing your name, nationality, dates of when you are planning to visit and your passport. Your permit will be processed and if the dates you have chosen are already booked, other dates will be allocated to you and then a scanned copy of the permit will be sent to your email. When you fly into the country, the tour operator will provide the permit but only after they have confirmed that you are the one who booked. The permit provided to you will have your name and a special serial number making it unique from the rest.

Gorilla Permits in Uganda and Rwanda

Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda can be obtained from the Uganda Tourism board (UTB), Uganda wildlife Authority (UWA) or any registered tour company in the country and in Rwanda they are issued by the Rwanda Tourism board (RTB). if you are planning to get your permit directly from the tourism boards, you will need to send an email to the tourism board so that it can be processed on time.

It is much easier for tourists to get the permits through their preferred tour operators since it is a little bit easy as compared to getting it directly. This makes planning of your gorilla trip easy. The tour operators always know which gorilla families are the best and they will make sure that they get you the gorilla permits with the best families. You will also be trekking gorillas based on your physical fitness and hotel location. It is advisable that you book the permits at least six months before your planned gorilla trek because the permits are always on high demand.

Please feel free to contact us for any more information and any other questions about booking gorilla trekking permits in both Uganda and Rwanda

Budget Gorilla Trekking in Uganda and Rwanda- Gorilla trekking- Habituation- Book a gorilla trip to Uganda and Rwanda.

Budget Gorilla Trekking Uganda and Rwanda- The first thing that comes to people’s minds every time gorilla trekking is mentioned, is that it is extremely very expensive and the fact that the gorilla trekking permits come at a very high cost. There are only three gorilla trekking destinations in East Africa and that’s Uganda with the Highest population of them, Rwanda and the Democratic republic of Cong. All of these destinations have different costs for their gorilla trekking permits. A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda goes for 700 us dollars and Rwanda goes for $1500. The destination you choose for gorilla trekking highly determines whether your gorilla trekking will be budget friendly or luxurious.

Budget Gorilla Trekking Uganda and Rwanda

With the fact that Uganda is home to almost half of the remaining population of mountain gorillas, its therefore considered to be the best destinations for Gorilla trekking in East Africa. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and in Mgahinga Gorilla national park all in western Uganda. A gorilla trekking adventure can take any time between 1 to 4 hours depending on where these gentle giants were last seen the previous evening. The Uganda gorilla trekking permit costs $700 at the moment. With this permit you get to experience at least one hour with the gorillas but if you want more than one hour, there are habituated families where you can spend close to 4 hours while enjoying the company of the gorillas. Uganda offers one of the best, most secure and budget friendly gorilla trekking experiences for tourists in the region.

Rwanda gorillas are the most accessible by land in the entire East African region. The gorilla trekking permit goes for $1500 per person per trek and this has not yet changed to date.

Budget Gorilla Trekking in Uganda and Rwanda- There are a few ways in which you can minimize the cost of A gorilla trek trip in Uganda and Rwanda and these are choosing a budget friendly accommodation facility and reducing on the number of days spent on the safari. Instead of spending three days, you can do one or two days. The downside about this is that you can get to take on three days gorilla trekking in either Uganda or Rwanda and the cost of the entire trip goes down.

The Cost of a Gorilla Trekking trip in Uganda and Rwanda.

The cost of an entire gorilla trekking safari depends on your choice of a trekking destination, that is Uganda, or Rwanda. The cost of a gorilla trekking safari starts with the cost of the gorilla permit, opted for accommodation(either budget, mid range of high end/ luxury), transport and other miscellaneous costs. The two countries that offer gorilla trekking have different trek permit costs with Uganda at $700, and Rwanda at $1500.

Top Budget Accommodations in Uganda and Rwanda for Gorilla trekkers.

Gorilla trekking starts very early in the morning and you need to be as close as possible to the gorilla families indicated on your permit Budget accommodation facilities are booked according to the gorilla families that have been assigned to you. Some of the top budget accommodations that are found around the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park include the Buhoma community rest camp, the Bwindi view Bandas, Ruhija community rest camp, Ruhija gorilla friends resort, Gift of Nature lodge, Nshongi camp, Wagtail Eco safari camp, Nshongi Gorilla resort and the Trekkers’ Tavern cottages.

Bwindi Backpackers Lodge

Bwindi Backpackers lodge is located at the edge of the Bwindi Park and offers accommodation that ranges from budget to mid-range rooms to tourists heading to the park for Gorilla trekking. The rooms offered are categorized into cottages, self-contained rooms and rooms with shared room facilities. The rooms range from single, double and twin rooms and there is also a large room that is used for camping for all those that are interested in self-camping. The lodge offers free breakfast, they have a minibar and restaurant where all meals are served and you also have a clear view of the primates that live within the National Park.

Buhoma Community Rest Camp

Buhoma Community Rest Camp, also known as the Buhoma Haven lodge, is located near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s entrance. It is a mid-range accommodation facility and is the best and safest to use if you are on a budget. The Buhoma community rest camp has 6 dormitories which can be used for self-camping, 6 furnished self-contained safari tents, double, twin and single self-contained rooms and 3 self-contained cottages.

Gorilla Valley Lodge

Gorilla valley lodge is located just right at the border of the Bwindi Impenetrable Park, making it a unique place where you can watch the primates from the comfort of your veranda as they move around the park. The gorilla lodge has 12 en-suite spacious rooms which were constructed on a steep slope with one of the best views of the Bwindi and each one of the rooms has twin beds with each of them having unique decoration.

Top Accommodations in Musanze

Musanze district is the best place for tourists heading to the Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking to get their accommodation facilities. The district has accommodation from budget friendly, mid-range and luxury facilities and it will be your budget to determine which one to use. The top accommodation facilities that you should check out in Musanze include Five volcanoes Boutique Hotel, Villa Gorilla, Red Rocks Rwanda campsite and Guest house, Da Vinci Gorilla lodge and Volcano view Bed and Breakfast to mention a few.

Feel free to contact us for budget gorilla trekking safaris through Uganda and Rwanda.