Where To Find Cheap Gorilla Trekking Safaris

In Uganda and Rwanda, you can find some cheap, Luxury and mid-range gorilla safari packages. The cost of Uganda or Rwanda safaris is superseded by the gorilla permit cost which is universal. Gorilla trekking is a dream come true African safari experience where tourists traverse the forest for unknown time to finally find the mountain gorillas and spend one hour with them.

How cheap the gorilla trekking safari packages is in Uganda and Rwanda is determined by the type of accommodation you choose, number of days to spend on safari, number of paying people travelling with, time when you book the gorilla safari that is peak or low season and others.

In Uganda, gorilla trekking safaris can only be done in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park  which currently has 18 gorilla trekking families an two gorilla habituation families. The gorilla trekking permits for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are booked according to four areas that is Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo.

Popular gorilla safaris

3 day Rwanda gorilla safari

5 day gorilla and chimpanzee safari

6 day gorilla and game safari

7 day gorilla, chimpanzee and wildlife safari

Mgahinga National Park is another home to so far one gorilla trekking family named Nyakagezi. The gorilla family has a nomadic history as it used to cross into Rwanda which made it hard to pre-booked its permits. Currently, Nyakagezi gorilla family is stationed in Uganda and its permits are available for pre-booking.

Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is a pristine forest host the only mountain gorillas in the country. At the moment, 12 gorilla families are open for gorilla trekking in Rwanda. Volcanoes National park also hosts the endangered golden monkeys a special monkey specie with just about 2000 to 4000 of them living in the entire world.

Which Country Has Cheap Gorilla Safaris Of Uganda and Rwanda?

Other than the Uganda or Rwanda gorilla trekking permit cost, other components that support the gorilla safari vary with your budget, additional safari activities you combine with and much more.

In Rwanda during the low season which is normally March, April, May and November the Rwanda Development Board may offer discounts on gorilla permits. The normal cost of Rwanda gorilla permit is $1500 per person but during the low season, the Rwanda gorilla permit cost goes as low as $1050 per person terms and conditions apply.

At the moment, Uganda offers discounted gorilla permits all year for foreign residents that is $600 per person and 250000shsh for East Africans. This applies in both high and low season but compared to the normal Rwanda gorilla permit cost of $1500 per person, the current cost of Uganda gorilla permit is lower that is $700 per person.

The cost of accommodation to use during the gorilla safari in Uganda or Rwanda speaks volumes about the type of safari package you book. Using high-end accommodation facilities applies to luxury gorillas, mid-range accommodation to mid-range safari packages and Budget accommodation to budget safari packages.

When Is the best Time to Book Cheap Gorilla Trekking Safaris in Uganda and Rwanda?

Cheap gorilla trekking safaris are available in Uganda and Rwanda all year but the wet season opens more opportunities to discounts even with other safari logistics. The low Uganda or Rwanda gorilla safari season is normally March, April, May and November when there less people travelling.

Booking the gorilla permit in advance no matter the season saves you from last minute panic when demand for the permits is at its peak. During the low season, sometimes gorilla permits in Rwanda and Uganda sell out.

If you have a limited budgets but wish to get topnotch services during the gorilla safaris in Uganda and Rwanda, the low season would be great option. Sometimes service providers like accommodations, car hire, driver guides may discount there costs to break even. You can use this opportunity just as it lasts.

Peak season in Uganda mean high costs with most safari logistics but there are budget logistics you can take advantage of. At Arch Safaris and Tours our budget gorilla safari packages normally include budget accommodations, budget transport and others. Note that some of the budget accommodations offer services like bed and breakfast only, Half Board and others so you must note this before booking just in case you have to cater for own meals on ground.

• Budget accommodations in Bwindi: Bwindi view Bandas, Nshongi Camp, Bwindi Backpackers Camp, Trekker’s Tavern
• Mgahinga Budget Accommodation: Traveller’s Inn, Kisoro Tourist Hotel, Mgahinga gorilla Triangle, Majambere Iwachu
• Volcanoes Budget accommodation: Villa Gorilla, Kinigi Guest House, Hotel Muhavura

Join a scheduled gorilla trekking safari party to Uganda or Rwanda. All year, there are scheduled gorilla safaris. During the scheduled gorilla safari, expect to share some facilities or pay single supplement cost. You also get to share costs on vehicle hire, driver guide, meet new people and so much more. There is how ever a minimum age to join scheduled gorilla safaris as children are normally not welcomed.

The scheduled gorilla safari normally start and end on specific dates. They also have a minimum number of people that must be booked for the safari to start or render it a private safari.

What Is The Cost Of Cheap Gorilla Trekking Safaris In Uganda Or Rwanda?

The cost of chap gorilla safaris in Uganda starts with the gorilla permit. The moment the Rwanda gorilla permit costs $1500 and Uganda gorilla permit cost is $700. At Arch Safaris and tours, we offer all inclusive uganda or Rwanda gorilla safaris with accommodation, transport, meals, driver guide and others. Drinks you can take while on Gorilla safari vary in preference so we provide drinking water in the car but other drinks are on personal expenditure.

At Arch safaris And Tours, we offer tailor made, prepackaged gorilla safaris, exclusive gorilla safaris all prepared to soot our clients’ needs and taste. We also plan safaris for special interest groups like photography, filming crews, wildlife or flora research groups and others. Contact us for details.

What Is The Cost Of Gorilla Trekking Permits For Uganda And Rwanda?

The cost of gorilla trekking permits in Uganda is :

$700 per person for foreign nonresidents

$600 for foreign residents

250000shs for East Africans

Rwanda gorilla trekking permit cost:

$1500 for foreign residents

$500 for foreign residents

$200 for East Africans

What are does the gorilla permit cost in Uganda and Rwanda cover?

The gorilla trekking permit cost includes security, mountain gorilla conservation, government tax, certificate after the trek, ranger guide fees, park entrance fees, local community support

Exclusions in the cost of gorilla permit: snacks, porter hire, accommodations and individual expenses.

Do Rwanda or Uganda Accept Gorilla Permit Instalment Purchase?

Through the Rwanda Development Board or Uganda Wildlife Authority, you can pay for the gorilla permit in instalment terms and conditions apply. These bodies accept gorilla permit instalments of 30% and 70 % respectively as long as you purchase the gorilla permit before 90 days to trekking date. You must top up before elapse of 90 days to gorilla trekking date or stand to lose the prepaid money.

Failure or forgetting to clear the balance for the gorilla permit may call for it to be re-opened to the public. The Uganda and Rwanda gorilla permits are limited to maximum 8 per gorilla family but during the peak season, there is scarcity. And last minute gorilla permits are hard to get.

Which Is The Best Gorilla Trekking Destination Of Uganda And Rwanda?

No matter where you go gorilla trekking whether in Uganda or Rwanda, the feeling you get standing before a gorilla family is unmatched. The few differences between gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda come with:

• Gorilla permit cost where the current Rwanda gorilla permit cost is $1500 while Uganda gorilla permit cost is $700
• Time taken from Kigali Airport to Volcanoes National Park is about 3 hours while the drive from Entebbe Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park is about 8 to 9 hours.
• Rwanda is limited with optional activities to combine with gorilla safari while Uganda offers a wide range of Uganda safari activities.
• Uganda offers 152 gorilla trekking permit chances each day while Rwanda currently has 96 gorilla permits each day.
• Gorilla habituation experience adventure in Uganda offers you extra time with the mountain gorillas that is four hours while Rwanda currently doesn’t offer this package.
• Uganda has two gorilla safari parks that is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park while Rwanda has Volcanoes National park as its only gorilla safari destination.

Is Gorilla Trekking safe?

Gorilla trekking is a safe adventure in Uganda and Rwanda but conservation of the mountain gorillas top all activities in the parks. Before opening a gorilla family for public visits, it habituated for quite a time and mocks conducted to ensure its ready for intruders to visit.

Each gorilla safari group is led by atleast professional and well experienced ranger guides one holding a machete and another a machete in case need to use them arises. The ranger guide are often on radio call in case back up is required.

Other Security operatives in Uganda and Rwanda are in place to offer extra security support and maintain law and order in and out of the gorilla safari destinations.

Each day a ranger patrol group wakes up earlier to find out where the mountain gorillas might have nested and there possible hangout spot for the day. They do not normally go very far from there previous location unless provoked. These rangers are normally observant so that in case something odd is noticed in the forest, the concerned persons are notified in advance.

As an individual , personal safety is your duty to deal with first by not entering the forest without a ranger guide or you may make a meal for some forest dwellers.

How Long Does Gorilla Trekking in Uganda or Rwanda Take?

Some tourist have located the mountain gorillas in two hours while other have spent longer but the exact time of finding the mountain gorillas is hard to determine as this depends on factors prevailing in the wilderness.

Finding the mountain gorillas may depend on factors like location of there feeding point, weather condition prevailing in the day, in case of a loss in the gorilla family, pace of fellow trekkers and others.

Having some patience is highly recommended before finding the mountain gorillas. you can also look out for other interesting features and wildlife like, sparkling water falls resulting from a dense network of rivers birds, monkeys, stunning butterflies, different ancient tree species and so much more instead of focusing only on the spotting the mountain gorillas.

Your level of fitness may get you quick or slower to the mountain gorillas as sometimes these primates lounge or feed on the slopes of the highlands in the forest.

Are Mountain Gorillas Aggressive?

Mountain gorillas are not aggressive despite there huge body and scaring outlook. For sure at a glance, they may stimulate some adrenaline but when you realise they are more scared of you than you are, you compose yourself.

These primates are shy and cowards as when they get agitated they may opt to go into hiding than get back at you. This is why every visitor is urged to follow the rules of gorilla trekking.

Mountain gorillas may also charge when provoked but do not panic but wait for the ranger to get the root cause of this odd behavior. Sometimes the mountain gorillas may be fighting amongst themselves as these are common behavior especially dominancy fights.

When angry, the mountain gorillas thump there chest hard, hoot, pull grass around them, walk on one foot and much more drama. Follow the ranger guide’s example like crouching down slowly. Avoid staring in the eyes of the mountain gorillas, wait for the gorillas to by pass you, Never run away as this increases chance to the risk of being attacked.

How To Behave When You Find The Mountain Gorillas

• Maintain a distance of about 8 meters from the mountain gorillas to minimize chances of passing a communicable infections to the mountain gorillas.
• Stay in a tight group to avoid sending bad communication to the mountain gorillas that you may be closing up on them.
• Keep your voices low and move stealthily while with the mountain gorillas in order not to appear suspicious.
• Never drink or eat before the mountain gorillas because you may cause them to pull it away from you. They are wild animals that must not depend on human provision but the forest.
• Using flash photography is forbidden in the forest as this may cause a commotion in the wilderness .
• Do not touch the mountain gorillas because they ae wild animals and you can also acquire an infection from them.
• Maximum 8 tourists are allowed to be with the mountain gorillas for maximum one hour for which they are habituated to be before humans. This also minimizes chances of defaulting the rules of gorilla trekking.