Comparing Uganda gorilla Trek and Rwanda, we shall start with the cost of each – Cost: Gorilla permits in Rwanda have recently increased to $750 per person. In Uganda – $600 per person The permit gets you an hour of time spent with the gorillas with an 8 person group.
Ease of Access: Gorilla trekking in Rwanda provides an easier option if you are combining it with a safari to Kenya or Tanzania or if you only have a few days of tour. The town of Ruhengeri, off for trekking in Volcanoes National Park, is only a few hours’ drive on excellent roads from the capital (and its international airport) Kigali. Seeing gorillas in Uganda is a long process and involves an 8-10 hour drive from the international airport in Entebbe. The shortest gorilla tour in Uganda is a 3 days gorilla safari, due to the long distance as compared to Rwanda where you could see gorillas in Rwanda in just a few days.
Trek Difficulty: Seeing mountain gorillas can involve 2-4 hours of hiking to find them. In both Uganda and Rwanda this is going to be a long day and the hikes can vary quite a bit depending on where the animals spent the night and which troop you are seeing. That being said, the general experience is that treks in Rwanda are slightly easier while those in Uganda are slightly more strenuous. Again there are no guarantees either way. I have friends who hiked for three hours in Rwanda before finding a troop while my group came across a troop in just over an hour in Uganda. For more information about what to expect (and what to bring) on the day of the trek
Don’t underestimate the tiring effects of being at high altitude. Trekking takes place 8000-10,000 feet above sea level, not high enough for altitude sickness but high enough to knock the breath out of anybody, no matter how fit, who has just flown in from a low altitude. For this reason, visitors who are spending a while in Rwanda might think seriously about leaving their gorilla tracking until they have been in the country a week or so, and are better acclimatized (most of Rwanda lies at about 5000 feet). Likewise, if you are coming from elsewhere in Africa try to plan your itinerary so that you spend your last pre-trek days at medium to high altitude. For example if you are flying in from Kenya, a few days in Nairobi (7500 feet) or even the Maasai Mara (5200 feet) would be far better preparation than time at the coast
Better Gorillas: There is no difference. There are 10 habituated troops in Rwanda and 8 in Uganda and they can move freely between the countries so this really doesn’t need to be a consideration. The gorilla trekking system is similar in all countries and because gorillas are followed on a daily basis, a sighting in all the locations is virtually guaranteed.
So here’s what I would say it comes down to:
- If you have time and are not looking to do a traditional savannah safari, Uganda is a great option. It is a fabulous country and you can easily spend 8-10 days there.
- If you are in a rush and/or are adding gorilla trekking to a larger safari then you will want to go to Rwanda.