Are you planning for your African wildlife and gorilla safaris? You can start you trip planning in time as you have to consider to book your gorilla permits in time like 3 month before your travel dates. The gorilla trekking safaris in Rwanda is certainly the price of the gorilla permit at US$750 per day and per person compared to Uganda and DRC Congo’s US$600 and $ 400 per permit respectively. However, Rwanda’s pride is in the ability for one to do the gorilla trek even in one day and fly back home which is impossible for Uganda and DRC Congo.
In Uganda they go each for USD 600 per day and per person. The permit offers you one hour with the mountain gorillas in a group of 8 people. Uganda has promotional gorilla trekking permits in the low season in month of April, May and November at $450 USD this means you save up to $150 USD on Uganda discounted gorilla tracking permit. Therefore in Uganda it is the distance that makes the trips expensive and the shortest trip is 3 Day gorilla tour and for some service providers like Rwanda gorilla safaris, offers safaris starting from Kigali or you can take the flying safaris in Uganda.
In Democratic Republic Congo gorilla tracking permit price is at $400 USD per day and per person all include park entry fee and ranger guides.
Photography
In terms of sighting Rwanda offers the best clear photography because the upper slopes of volcanoes National Park have open fields and stands of bamboo forest where leafy vegetation is not so thick. Since Bwindi is an impenetrable forest clear views are not always possible, mothers and baby gorillas can be high up a tree feeding or playing and huge silver back always like to take nap inside dense thickets, but of course on each day you have find gorillas in their habitat and photography can be possible and whatever the case may be gorilla tracking experience remains the same.
Gorilla Trekking Experience
Uganda currently has thirteen habituated gorilla groups however tourists can only visit eleven of those because one was left for research. However these gorilla groups maybe a little far away from the park entrance and because they are always moving, it may take time to get one. Tracking through the impenetrable forest and hilly topography may be difficult and tourists who cannot carry their luggage for long are advised to hire porters. Some gorilla groups are social and tourists easily take their photos as they pose in the thick vegetation. The thick forest vegetation however sometimes makes it hard to take photographs especially of the gorillas that are not so social and still shy.
Rwanda has ten gorilla groups that can be tracked. A tourist tracking gorillas in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda has high chances of seeing them as well as easily taking photographs because volcanoes national park is on a higher elevation (2500 meters and above) compared to Bwindi’s elevation which ranges from 1000-2000 meters. The vegetation cover in volcanoes is also not as thick as it is in Bwindi thus giving tourists a chance to view many gorillas in their natural environment and easily take photographs.
In Democratic Republic of Congo, there are six mountain gorilla groups habituated and opened for tourism in Virunga national park. The park also has two families of eastern lowland gorillas which are not yet opened for tourism.
Accommodation
When it comes to accommodation option, each country offers good places to stay from up market to budget accommodation. To mention some of the accommodation facilities in Bwindi include Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Chameleon Hill lodge, Silver back Lodge, Buhoma Lodge, Lake Mutanda Lodge, Gorilla safari Lodge(Luxury), Gorilla Mist, Ruhija Gorilla Friend camp (mid -range), Wagtail (budge).
In Rwanda there are also good accommodations facilities like Lebambou lodge, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge but most tourists prefer staying in Virunga Luxury Lodge like Sabyinyo Silver back Lodge and Virunga Lodge. In the DRC you can sleep at Mikeno Lodge (Luxury) Bukima Tented Camp (Mid-and the Tchegera Tented Island Camp which is situated at the shores of the Lake Kivu.
