Gorilla Trekking Compared

A couple of years ago I was fortunate to visit both Uganda and Rwanda for the ultimate primate experience. Sitting on the forest floor watching the endangered Golden Monkeys cavort in the treetops was simply enchanting but being within metres of a Silverback Mountain Gorilla and his family group was one of the most breath-taking and unforgettable experiences of my life.

Mountain Gorillas are found in Rwanda (Volcanoes National Park), Uganda (Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park) and the DRC. Western Lowland Gorillas are found in the Republic of Congo (Odzala-Kokoua National Park).

Planning on where to go, when and what to pack is vital information, you need before you head to East Africa for this incredible experience. For the answer to which one is better, or rather, best suited to you, let’s compare:

All you need to know about Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda

International flights into the capital city of Kigali, where we recommend at least one nights’ stay.

From here, a private guide will transfer you to your accommodation near the Volcanoes National Park. This journey takes between 2,5 and 3 hours, but this is a spectacular drive, and you will find out why Rwanda is called the Land of a Thousand Hills.

We recommend 1 or 2 nights in Kigali and 2 or 3 nights for trekking in Volcanoes National Park. The offering in Rwanda is sophisticated with good road infrastructure – with beautiful natural scenery and day-to-day life.

On your Trekking Day you will be transferred to the Park Headquarters, where you will don gloves and gaiters. These are highly recommended to protect you from the vegetation – stinging nettles are pretty painful without these! You will carry a small backpack with a packed lunch and water – absolutely essential for your trek.

The Park rangers will assign you to a group of 6 trekkers and to a Gorilla Family. You will then be guided by an experienced tracker up the slopes of the extinct Volcano, through the African redwoods and bamboo, vines, and dense vegetation to the area where the gorilla family you were assigned to, is located.

You will be allowed one hour with the gorilla family, to ensure minimum human impact on these wild creatures. We highly recommend a second gorilla trek, as you are so overwhelmed by the face-to-face encounter and so busy taking photos, that you really need another trek just to sit and watch the incredible family interactions.

The terrain is less steep and the vegetation less dense here than in neighbouring Uganda. The extensive road network also means that you may be able to drive to the start of the trailhead and cut down on required trekking time as a result (depending on which family you are assigned to).

The trek can be anything between 3 to 6 hours, depending on the weather conditions, the groups’ fitness levels, and the proximity of your assigned gorilla family. Hiking is at altitude through thick forested slopes, which involves crouching and stepping over thick bushes.

Definitely book a porter for the trek. Whilst you are guided by a tracker to where the gorilla family is located, a porter is a life-line, who will assist you over or under difficult patches.

We recommend altitude medication if you suffer from altitude sickness.

Wearing of a mask is mandatory.

If you are sick (any flu symptoms), you will not be able to trek.

USD1500 per person per gorilla trek which goes directly strengthen conservation efforts and contribute more to the development of communities living around the Volcanoes National Park. Rigorous conservation efforts in recent years have been successful in contributing to a steady rise in the population of mountain gorillas and today there are just over 1000 individuals in the wild.

Whilst staying at your gorilla trekking lodge there may be a number of additional activities, such as hiking to Dian Fossey’s Grave, visiting a cultural village and market, planting a tree and a visit to the Twin Lakes.

Chimpanzees and Black and White Colobus Monkeys can be trekked in their natural habitat in the Nyungwe Forests, Golden Monkeys in Volcanoes National Park ($100 for a trekking permit), and unique wildlife safaris in Akagera National Park. Coming soon, for a more relaxed pace, spend a few days on a Houseboat at Lake Kivu, one of the most beautiful of the central African Lakes.

All you need to know about Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

International flights into Entebbe where we recommend one or 2 nights stay, before you head out by light aircraft flight to Kisoro Airstrip and then transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

We recommend 1 night in Entebbe and then 2 or 3 nights at a lodge near the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for the trekking experience.

As in Rwanda, a drive sees you at the entrance of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, where you will meet your tracker guide and then start your trek through the tangled green forest on the mountains. The hike is through ground level thick rainforest. You may encounter mist, steep climbs, and muddy paths, but it will be worth it, when you finally encounter the magnificent mountain gorillas.

The trek can be anything between up to 6 hours, depending on the weather conditions, the groups’ fitness levels, and the proximity of your assigned gorilla family.

Definitely book a porter for the trek. Whilst you are guided by a tracker to where the gorilla family is located, a porter is a life-line, who will assist you over or under difficult patches.

1 Hour is allowed with the Gorillas.

We recommend altitude medication if you suffer from altitude sickness.

Wearing of a mask is mandatory.

If you are sick (any flu symptoms), you will not be able to trek.

USD700 per person per gorilla trek permit. With this comparison, in most cases the cost of the gorilla permit affects the decision of the visitor concerning where to trek gorillas from, whereby they end up choosing Uganda as their destination. However, reaching gorillas in Uganda is generally further and harder than in Rwanda.

You can also opt for a habituation permit of $1 500 USD, which allows you to go out with the researchers and spend up to four hours with the gorillas in the wild.

Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest or the Kyambura Gorge.

Wildlife safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Shoebill Storks are found in the Mabamba Swamps

White water rafting in Jan, Feb and June to October in Jinja.

All you need to know about Gorilla Trekking in the Republic of Congo.

First – not to be confused with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

International flights into Brazzaville.

Private charter light aircraft flights to the Gorilla Trekking Lodge and if you are extending, expect boating, wading along baïs and hiking through the Rainforest to your next camp.

We recommend a 4 day safari for gorilla trekking or 7 to 10 days extended experiences.

The Western Lowland Gorillas have shorter, lighter and slightly red-ish hair and are slighter in stature than the Mountain Gorillas.

Regarded as the ‘easiest’ – as you and your guide walk straight into the forest from camp and start searching for gorillas in the wild; sometimes you can find them within an hour. The flatter terrain and lower altitude in Congo also means that it’s warmer in Congo than in Rwanda and Uganda. There is also the opportunity to go trekking for three consecutive days. This allows you to spend more time with the various gorilla families and compare the fascinating differences in personalities and group dynamics.

A team of permanent researchers, as well as guides and trackers from nearby communities, work with the gorilla families on a daily basis. Guests of Odzala are led on expeditions into the Marantaceae forest in search of the critically endangered species, the western lowland gorilla. Treks entail 3-4 guests as well as a guide and a tracker from this treasured team of researchers in an untamed forest environment with the gorillas going about their usual activities (often in the trees).

Following a devastating disease outbreak that reduced gorilla populations in the early 2000s, they are fastidious about the physical health and mental well-being of the gorilla families. This is why they request pre-arrival medical checks, keep groups small and wear medical masks once you are close to the families which protect them against the airborne diseases to which they are very susceptible. With this in mind, Ngaga Camp has become one of Africa’s most important gorilla tracking destinations offering an opportunity to engage with science and nature through informed, respectful exploration practices.

Further exploring gives you access to forests, rivers, baïs and savannahs. You will be walking in the footsteps of great explorers alongside endangered wildlife in one of the world’s last intact ecosystems. Wildlife you may encounter include chimpanzees, forest elephants, crocodile and buffalo – all very different to those species you will encounter in the rest of East Africa.

Usually sold as part of a tour package, a gorilla trekking permit is USD350 per person.

Lots of potential for pioneering explorers looking for a unique African experience.

Book as soon as you can, as there are very limited gorilla tracking permits available.

Look out for our What to Wear on Gorilla Trekking article.