Which countries in Africa have mountain gorillas?
Do you like African countries with mountain gorillas? Mountain gorillas exist in three separate African countries. Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo provide the best gorilla trekking adventures.
Have you considered hiking the most endangered great apes in Africa? As a primate lover, where in Africa should you go gorilla trekking? Three magnificent African mountain gorilla countries are listed here. Find Rwanda and Uganda gorilla permit booking information.
Where in Uganda are mountain gorillas?
Southwest Uganda has two mountain gorilla trekking destinations and a National Park. This includes Mgahinga and Bwindi Impenetrable National Parks. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a tropical rain forest, whereas Mgahinga National Park is part of the enormous Virunga highlands shared by Uganda, Rwanda, and the DRC. What to bring for gorilla trekking may also be interesting.
Ugandan chimpanzee hiking is another option.
At Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Uganda features Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home of mountain gorillas. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwest Uganda houses over half of the world’s mountain gorillas. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a World Heritage site for montane and lowland tropical rain forests with over 150 mammal species, 22o butterfly species, 300 forest bird species, and resident reptiles and amphibians.
Though all the aforementioned fauna faced many hardships, owing to visitors and environmentalists who have pledged to safeguard this National Park and all the creatures that call it home. If you want to see mountain gorillas in the wild, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is an excellent place to see them. What is the gorilla trekking age limit?
Discover regions of gorilla trekking in Bwindi.
Four gorilla trekking locations are available in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Unlike other gorilla trekking national parks, Bwindi features Nkuringo and Rushaga in the south and Buhoma and Ruhija in the north and east.
Each of the four mountain gorilla trekking sites has at least four habituated families available for visits. Your hotel and permit choices may effect the gorilla family and lodge you stay in. The south of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is lower than the north. Katland safaris highlights the different places, gorilla families, and accommodations in each.
Entering Bwindi inaccessible National Park
Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable may be reached by road or air. If you have enough time and prefer to see a lot, a road trip to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a terrific gorilla tour choice. Driven south-west from Entebbe International Airport, you will meet and see a lot of things along the journey. Visit the equator crossing to take a photo standing or stretching your legs and walking in both hemispheres.
When in Mbarara, see royal drum makers at Mpambire and the Hima-grazing Ankole Long-horned cattle. Kigezi’s undulating hills provide a great picture op. Our knowledgeable driver guide will make your tour exciting and lively by explaining and providing information.
From Entebbe to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the drive may take 9–10 hours, depending on stops and scenery. These Ugandan start-and-finish routes suit all gorilla safaris.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park may be reached from Kigali/Rwanda faster when land borders are open. After arriving in Kigali, travel 4-5 hours from the airport and pass to Uganda via Chanika or Gatuna.
This helps you be able to appreciate the two countries of Uganda and Rwanda by visiting them. You’ll use Chanika border in the south of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Gatuna border in the east or north. See our Kigali Bwindi gorilla trekking tours and contact us for more.
Fly from Kajansi Airstrip or Entebbe International Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park if your budget allows. Daily scheduled and charter aircraft arrive at Kihihi or Kisoro Airstrip. A two-hour flight from Entebbe to Kihihi/Kisoro is followed by a one-and-a-half-hour drive to your Bwindi impenetrable National Park accommodation. View some of our Bwindi Fly-in Safaris.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park lodging: where?
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has accommodations for everyone. Each of Bwindi’s four gorilla trekking locations provides luxury, premium, and affordable accomodation. In the south, high-end lodges include Mountain Gorilla Clouds Lodge, Gorilla Heights Lodge, Mountain Gorilla Nkuringo Lodge, Four Gorilla Lodge, and Rushaga Safari Camp.
Budget Lodges in the south include Bweza Camp, Nshongi Camp, Rushaga Gorilla Haven Lodge, and Gorilla Sanctuary Retreats in the north include Buhoma Lodge, Bwindi Volcanoes Lodge, Mahogany Springs, and Buhoma Havens Lodge. Working directly with top hotels in and around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Katland safaris can negotiate inexpensive costs.
At Mgahinga National Park
Mgahinga is one of two Ugandan national parks with mountain gorillas. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a single block of tropical rain forest in Uganda, whereas Mgahinga National Park is bamboo-dominated and part of the vast expanse and volcanic region shared by Uganda, Rwanda, and Uganda.
In Uganda, the Virunga span Mghinga, Sabinyo, and Muhavura. Mgahinga is the home of one habituated gorilla family known as Nyakagezi. Therefore, daily gorilla trekking provides eight licenses or fewer.
While at Mgahinga National Park, visit Batwa hamlet to see golden monkeys and more. You might climb Muhavura, Sabinyo, or Mgahinga, dormant volcanoes. Only with days in the region is this feasible.
Mgahinga National Park approximately nine to ten hours by road or air from Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro Airstrip. Most flights to Kisoro, the southern half of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, leave in the morning. Mgahinga has few lodges, however Katland safaris would advise you otherwise. The only major luxury lodge in the park is Gahinga Volcanoes Lodge.
Rwandan mountain gorilla viewing sites
The land of a thousand hills is one of three mountain gorilla trekking countries. Volcanoes National Park is the only place with hundreds of mountain gorillas in bamboo and tropical rainforests.
Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park
Excellent Volcanoes National Park Gorilla Trekking
Volcanoes National Park in northeastern Rwanda is the world’s most popular mountain gorilla trekking location. Volcanoes has 20 mountain gorilla families—ten for trekking and 10 for research. Diane Fossey initiated gorilla habituation and trekking in Rwanda to protect these enormous gorillas. Rwanda, after Uganda and DRC, is the best gorilla conservation model.
Watching Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park is Africa’s most accessible gorilla park. Two to three hours from Kigali International Airport to Volcanoes National Park in the northeast. All the routes to this park are paved, so the drive may be enjoyable.
This is why Volcanoes National Park only offers one-day gorilla trekking. One may wake up early, see volcanoes NP, then trek gorillas back to Kigali. This is why Rwandans choose mountain gorilla trekking above others in Africa. One may go golden monkey trekking at Volcanoes National Park for a day or two. Katland safaris book gorilla treks year-round. Contact us for details.
Where to stay in Volcanoes National Park?
Volcanoes National Park is Rwanda’s best with several luxury hotels and lodges. One would be spoilt for choice while visiting Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking since several international hotel firms have lodges nearby.
affordable visitors may discover inexpensive motels and campsites ready for utilization. Visit Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking but on a luxury or budget? Click that button to contact Katland Safaris for simple Rwanda gorilla safari preparation.
Where can one see mountain gorillas in DRC?
Additionally, mountain gorillas live in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Only one of the three Virunga national parks in the Democratic Republic of Congo contains mountain gorillas. Violence and political turmoil in the east of this enormous country regularly hinder Virunga National Park gorilla trekking.
African gorilla trekking permits
Why gorilla trekking in DRC, Uganda, or Rwanda?
After discussing the three African countries having mountain gorillas, we’ll explore why one should choose Rwanda, Uganda, or DRC.
Five reasons you should see mountain gorillas in Bwindi
affordable gorilla permits
One motivation to visit Uganda for gorilla trekking is because it has cheaper gorilla permit prices than Rwanda. A gorilla permit lets you spend an hour with mountain gorillas in Uganda’s Mgahinga or Bwindi National Parks.
Ugandan gorilla permits cost $800 for international nonresidents, $700 for locals, and Shs300,000 for East Africans. Uganda offers lower gorilla permit prices in April, May, and November to lure tourists to its natural beauty. For Uganda gorilla permit bookings, contact Katland safaris.
Uganda’s National Parks of Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga have 98% mountain gorilla sightings on any path, like any African country. This assures you to see mountain gorillas at a low Uganda Wildlife Authority gorilla trekking permit charge.
Many are addicted.
Uganda boasts the most habituated mountain gorillas at Rushaga, Nkuringo, Ruhija, and Buhoma. The first two are south of Bwindi Forest, while the last two are east and north of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Every gorilla trekking location has four to five habituated gorilla families, totaling 19. Add Mgahinga to Bwindi’s 19 habituated mountain gorilla families and Uganda has the most gorilla trekking sites in Africa.
Extended vacations for gorilla habituation are recommended.
Only Uganda and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park allow four hours of mountain gorilla habituation. Gorilla Habituation Experience is meant for those who want to spend more time with mountain gorillas but have less time. Uganda Wildlife Authority offers four permits daily. Since these mountain gorillas are still habituated, limit visitors per group to 4.
Gorilla habituation costs $1500 for foreign non-residents, $1000 for foreign residents with East African job permits, and Shs800,000 for East African citizens. This price includes four hours with mountain gorillas, park admission fees, ranger guide and gorilla habituation expert, jungle security, and a certificate. Contact Katland safaris to schedule a gorilla habituation experience safari in the southern area of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with two gorilla families.
One reason to choose Uganda and gorilla habituation is that, when you compare the price of a gorilla habituation permit to a one-hour permit plus hours spent, gorilla habituation is much more profitable and sensible if you want to spend less and get more time with mountain gorillas. The ordinary gorilla permit costs $800 and requires four days and $2800 ($800×4) to spend four hours. For $1500, you can secure four gorilla habituation permits in one day.
Since your safari will be short, you will save on housing, meals, and transportation, as well as $1300 off gorilla permit charges ($2800–1500).
Uganda and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are ideal for mountain gorilla lovers.
Affordable gorilla safaris
Uganda is a cheap and safe area to hike mountain gorillas, therefore choose it over other African countries. Despite its instability, the Democratic Republic of Congo has the cheapest gorilla permits. For roughly $1500, a three-day budget gorilla trekking vacation in Uganda includes a gorilla permit, all meals, transportation to and from Bwindi, and an English-speaking guide.
Rwanda gorilla permits are $1500, therefore $1500 only gets you one. We may also evaluate how much you save on a gorilla permit by choosing Uganda over Rwanda. ($1500-$800=$800). Uganda is the best spot for affordable, safe gorilla trekking, and Katland safaris can help you go.
Gorilla sighting 98% definite.
Any gorilla walk in Uganda offers a 98% chance of seeing mountain gorillas. This is because every gorilla trekking family is used to humans. Other than that, the tour is carefully arranged to see mountain gorillas in Mgahinga National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable. Getting up early to chase mountain gorillas, a squad of trackers follows them all day. This group will bring you and your guide to the mountain gorillas.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda has drawbacks
Hikers of Ugandan mountain gorillas have noted many difficulties. Bwindi or Mgahinga is nine to eleven hours from Entebbe Airport, the main gateway. However, a two-hour flight to Kihihi or Kisoro Airstrip would fix this. When land borders open, it’s easier to fly into Kigali and drive four to five hours to Mgahinga, a remote National Park.
Most roads near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are difficult to drive, especially in the rainy season. To access the park headquarters, a sturdy 4×4 safari automobile is required. The government plans to tarmac these roads and maintain them. Katland Safaris offers a fleet of 4×4 off-road vehicles run by experienced drivers and guides. Book with confidence.
Why Rwanda is best for gorilla trekking
Rwanda is the most popular gorilla trekking destination in Africa and the world. Other African countries with mountain gorillas fail Volcanoes National Park’s trekking standards. From start to end, the experience is overwhelming.
Volcanoes National Park is the most accessible compared to Bwindi, Mgahinga, and Virunga. From Kigali to Volcanoes National Park, the roads are paved and take two to three hours. Rwanda has some of Africa’s best national park hotels. The country has high standards for roads, hotels, and transit. Booking a Volcanoes National Park gorilla trekking tour will strengthen our argument.
Rwandan mountain gorilla trekking drawbacks
The most expensive gorilla trekking destination is Rwanda. The $1500 gorilla license price compared to Uganda’s $800 and Congo’s $400 shows this. Rwanda Lodges cost $500–$1500 per person and are magnificent. Budget travelers may hike gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park if they can afford $1500.
Why gorilla trekking in DRC?
The Democratic Republic of Congo offers the cheapest gorilla trekking in Africa. Mountain gorilla permits in Virunga National Park cost $400 for one hour. Avoid Uganda and Rwanda by choosing Virunga National Park, saving $300 and $1100.
Climbing mountain gorillas in DRC has more risks than rewards. In this politically unstable central African country, rebels in the forests have killed many people in Virunga National Park in the east. Gorilla trekking gets risky. Lodges are few and roads may be muddy. We advise avoiding Virunga National Park gorilla trekking since visas are hard to get.
