Compare the price of a gorilla permit in Bwindi and Volcanoes National Park

When it comes to comparing the gorilla permit price in Bwindi and Volcanoes National Park, many questions have been raised and many of them are also based on the fact that the gorilla permit is much cheaper in Uganda than in Rwanda, why is it so? As it is much cheaper in Uganda than in Rwanda there are many advantages of trekking in Rwanda compared to Uganda and vice versa. This issue of the price difference is basically out of policy difference between these two countries. Rwanda wants to promote itself as a Luxury destination while Uganda wants to market itself as an affordable destination for trekking in Africa. The experience and duration spent with gorillas is still the same, In fact, one would rather book Uganda’s gorilla habituation experience at the same price of USD1500 and spend up to four hours with mountain gorillas than splashing 1500 trekking in Rwanda for just one hour.

The Gorilla permit price in Bwindi Costs $700 Per person per trek for the Foreign nonresidents, $600 per person for residents, and 250,000 Uganda Shillings for East African Citizens (Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, and South Sudan), this gives you an opportunity to spend one hour encounter with the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Gorilla trekking in Uganda also gives you an option to spend more time with the mountain gorillas through Gorilla habituation experience which is only done in Bwindi forest, a gorilla habituation permit costs $1500 per person giving you an opportunity to spend 4 hours encounter with the semi habituated mountain gorillas under the guidance of trackers and researchers as opposed to one hour for the normal trekking. Getting gorilla permits in Uganda can be done directly by booking them through Uganda Wildlife Authority or through a trusted tour operator Encounter Africa Safaris.

The Gorilla permit price in Volcanoes National Park Costs $1500 per person per trek for the foreign nonresidents, $500 per person for foreign residents, and $200 for East African Citizens (Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, and South Sudan), this gives you an opportunity to spend one hour encounter with the mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. Rwanda has 12 Gorilla families hence 96 Gorilla permits are available each day for gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. Getting gorilla permits in Rwanda can be done directly by booking them through Rwanda Development Board or through a trusted tour operator in Rwanda like Encounter Africa Safaris.

The whole truth is that both Bwindi and Volcanoes National Park have mountain gorillas and there is no big difference when it comes to the experience obtained at the end of your trek. The only difference is that Rwanda Mountain gorillas are in the Virunga/hills with mainly bamboo as the main vegetation while in Uganda, these mountain gorillas are in a tropical rain forest with varieties of trees and plants. The chances of seeing gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda are 98% so whichever country you visit, you will be able to see these great apes in their natural environment. It is believed that Rwanda gorillas are easy to see because of the kind of vegetation but this is in the mindset of people and also because Rwanda is highly marketed and hyped than Uganda. Those that have trekked gorillas in Uganda will equally hip praises on Bwindi.

What is the best park to see the gorillas in Bwindi and Volcanoes National Park?

People say Volcanoes National Park is a better option than Uganda’s Bwindi. Reasons to support this is that Volcanoes National Park is a 2-3 hours drive from Kigali, that Gorillas are easily seen etc. This is indeed very true and no one can run away from it. People used to avoid gorilla trekking in Uganda because of the 9-10 hours drive from Entebbe International Airport to Bwindi but now we arrange tours to Bwindi via Kigali which then becomes 4-5 hours drive only. With this, you land in Kigali, use the East African Tourist Visa (which allows you to visit both countries at ago) and then trek gorillas in Uganda at an affordable price. Because of this, even Rwanda tour operators are selling Uganda instead of their country.

In terms of Lodges, Both National Parks have Budget, Mid Range and Upmarket Lodges where you could choose to stay during your trek. Volcanoes National Park is the best place for gorilla trekking for those interested in staying in super-luxury lodges on international standards compared to Bwindi. These lodges offer great and luxury services some are ranked among the best in Africa and the country at large for example Bisate Lodge and Singita Kwitonda Lodge in Volcanoes National Park. However for those looking for much budget lodges then Bwindi is the best option for you given the fact there are many options to choose from where to stay ranging from $30 to $100 as per your booked package.

In terms of Gorilla families, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park has more gorilla families open for trekking than Volcanoes National Park. Bwindi has 16 habituated gorilla family groups this means 128 Gorilla permits are available every day for gorilla trekking in Bwindi. Volcanoes National Park has 12 Gorilla families hence 96 Gorilla permits are available each day for gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. This makes it more flexible to get gorilla trekking permits in Bwindi compared to Volcanoes National Park, especially during the peak season months.

In terms of the best gorilla trekking experience, the whole truth is that both Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park have mountain gorillas and there is no big difference when it comes to the experience obtained at the end of your trek. The chances of seeing gorillas in Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are 98% so whichever park you visit you will be able to see these great apes in their natural environment. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi also gives you an option to spend more time with the mountain gorillas through Gorilla habituation experience which is only done in Bwindi forest, a gorilla habituation permit costs $1500 per person giving you an opportunity to spend 4 hours encounter with the semi habituated mountain gorillas under the guidance of trackers and researchers as opposed to one hour for the normal trekking.

Best time for gorilla trekking in Bwindi and Volcanoes National Park

Both parks are open for gorilla trekking all year round but it is also important to note that the forest is a tropical rain forest and can receive rain at any time. The best months to track gorillas include; June to August and December to February since they receive the lowest rainfall and the forest is less slippery. On the other hand, when you happen to travel during March to May and November there are chances of higher rainfall, you will be able to get discounts from some lodges for your accommodation.

Why book your gorilla trek in Bwindi and Volcanoes National Park with Encounter Africa Safaris

Founded in 2003, Encounter Africa safaris takes pride in customizing tailor-made safaris. It has a very diligent and trustworthy team. Your queries are answered within 20minutes by our team of professional tour consultants. These consultants will make you a travel plan for you, answer all your questions, and make sure all your services are booked in advance for you to avoid inconveniences. We also have very knowledgeable safari guides depending on your language preferences. There are some Mountain Gorilla Safari Packages to Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi impenetrable National Park and these include; the 2-day Gorilla Fly-in safari, the 3-day Gorilla Fly-in safari, 4 Day Gorilla fly-in safari, it all depends on your preference. Feel free to contact us.