Is it better to see gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda?

Gorillas trekking in Uganda or Rwanda, When it comes to gorilla trekking safaris, the biggest query is where should I go on this gorilla trekking expedition. Both Uganda and Rwanda have unique features that make the gorilla trekking experience in both countries worthwhile, thus your gorilla trekking destination depends entirely on your needs. Gorilla permits in Uganda cost 800 USD while gorilla permits in Rwanda cost 1500 USD, making gorilla trekking in Uganda much more affordable than Rwanda, hence the best choice for a budget traveler.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is accessible from Kigali International Airport due to its short road distance of approximately 3 hours. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park, Uganda can be accessed for a gorilla trekking safari either from Entebbe International Airport where the road distance is about 11 and 10 hours respectively, or from Kigali International Airport, Rwanda where the road distance will be 5 and 4 hours respectively, making Rwanda much more accessible.

For a traveler interested in a mixture of adventures, gorilla trekking in Uganda is a better choice since Uganda has more national parks than Rwanda and richer wildlife as well. Rather than spending just 1 hour with the gorillas in Bwindi, you can opt for more time with the gorillas on a gorilla habituation experience which is not available in Rwanda.

The terrain in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is not as steep and diverse as that of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, thus if you are interested in a more challenging trek then Uganda would be a better gorilla trekking destination for you otherwise visit Rwanda for an easier gorilla trekking experience since the terrain in Volcanoes National Park isn’t as steep.

Bwindi Impenetrable Park has more gorilla families than Volcanoes National Park plus the 1 gorilla family in Mgahinga National Park making gorilla permits to Uganda more than those to Rwanda and hence easier to get than those to Rwanda.

The vegetation in Volcanoes National Park is bamboo, therefore, it is easier to see the gorillas throughout the year whereas Bwindi is a rainforest with thick and dense vegetation more so during the rainy seasons thus clearly seeing the mountain gorillas and taking clear photographs is difficult at some times of the year.