Where to see giraffes and Mountain gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda

Giraffes are characterized by their long necks towering over other animals and these can best be seen in the savannah grasslands across Uganda and Rwanda. Giraffes in Uganda can be seen in many national parks and reserves, including Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Pian Upe Reserve and Lake Mburo National Park. In Rwanda, giraffes are in Akagera National Park. Gorillas in Uganda can be seen in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park and Rwanda, Mountain gorillas are found in Volcanoes National Park. In this article, we are going to be looking at the different locations where tourists can see gorillas and giraffes in Uganda and Rwanda and the characteristics of the animals.

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Characteristics of giraffes

A male giraffe (an adult) can easily consume about 66kg of food in a day, and they can survive on at least 7kg of food when they live in poor-conditioned areas. The male giraffes feed with an outstretched neck and head in the shoots and the fodder can be found under the trees.

Female giraffes feed at the body and knee height and are extremely selective when it comes to feeding. Females usually choose food that has the highest nutritional value.

The giraffes feed on seeds, fruits, flowers and leaves and they can as well feed on soil. Giraffes are ruminant animals with four chambers of stomachs, and they chew curd, which helps them maximize feeding opportunities.

Giraffes have a flexible upper lip, tongue and narrow muzzles, which helps them get the leaves from the trees. They eat from different tree species. However, they usually eat from Acacia trees, and although these have thorns, the giraffes have molars that can easily crush the thorns.

Characteristics of Mountain gorillas

Mountain gorillas live in tropical rainforests that can hardly survive in any other environment. They are large in nature and live in groups that are led by the male silverback who protects the family from danger. Although they are large primates, they are very gentle animals but note that they are still wild animals, and you need to follow all the rules and regulations that are set up for visitors to follow.

The mountain gorillas are known to have wide chests and shoulders. The ears and eyes are extremely dwarfed by the large muscles including the head. They can easily be identified by their nose prints that are unique to each gorilla. Gorillas live in groups of 10 to 50 members led by a silverback and live in higher altitudes.

Mountain gorillas feed on ants, fruits, and leaves. They usually use sticks to hunt for the hunts by using them to dig holes in search of ants. When provoked, they will charge with a scream, tear up the vegetation, stamp the ground and stand on their hind legs.

In Uganda

Giraffes

The Rothschild giraffe/Baringo giraffe is one of the main attractions and interesting wild animals that is found in most of the savannah national parks in the country. This type of species is found in sub-Saharan Africa, with the tallest rising to 5.5m, towering over many plants and animals in the savannah plains. The long neck that sets the animal apart makes the giraffes look like they are in a semi-crouch position when drinking.

There are about 1550 giraffes in Uganda and although it is rare in some national parks across the country, it is very common in Kidepo Valley National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, and Murchison Falls National Park and in 2018, there were giraffes that were translocated to the Pian Upe Game Reserve one of the least visited sites in Uganda.

If you are planning a safari to Uganda and wish to see the giraffe, below is the list of places that you can visit to see giraffes.

Murchison Falls National Park: This is the oldest and one of the most visited national parks in Uganda. It is the oldest Park. Murchison Falls National Park has the largest giraffe population in Uganda, including the Rothschild and Nubian giraffes. There has been a steady increase in the giraffe population from 919 in 2016, and with the increase in population, there has been translocation from Murchison to other parks and reserves that did not have giraffes. There are plenty of giraffes in Murchison and these are best seen along the northern banks of the Nile.

Pain Upe Wildlife Reserve: Pian Upe did not have any giraffes, but in 2018, there was a translocation of 15 giraffes to the reserve, and ever since then, the numbers have been steadily growing. It is a perfect place to watch the giraffes especially if you want a quiet wildlife safari since the reserve receives few visitors as compared to the rest.

Kidepo Valley National Park: Kidepo Valley National Park is one of the least visited parks in the country but is known to be Uganda’s hidden jewel with unique wildlife species. The park is home to over 30 giraffes, with the number steadily increasing, and these can be spotted around the park, especially in the Narus Valley.

Uganda Wildlife Education Center: This is also popularly known as the zoo, and if you don’t feel like traveling long distances to see giraffes, this is the best place with 3 giraffes.

Gorillas

Uganda is the best place to spot the endangered Mountain gorillas, and these are tracked in two safari destinations, which include Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Mountain gorillas can only be trekked in their natural habitat and although they share a 98% DNA with humans, they need to first be habituated before they are introduced to the public for trekking.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the best gorilla trekking safari destination, with half the population of the remaining gorillas in Uganda, and has about 21 habituated gorilla families located in the four sections of the park where gorilla trekking is carried out. Bwindi is divided into four parts: the Rushaga sector, the Ruhija sector, the Buhoma sector and the Nkuringo sector. Each individual is allocated a sector upon purchase of a permit but gorilla families are allocated on the morning of the trek depending on the level of fitness and age. Gorilla habituation is offered in Bwindi and unlike gorilla trekking, visitors get to spend more time with the gorillas during the habituation process.

Mgahinga National Park is the second safari destination where gorilla trekking is carried out in Uganda and is home to one habituated gorilla family. The Nyakagezi gorilla family is the only habituated gorilla family in Mgahinga offering a great experience for tourists who wish to trek without the large crowds.

The habituated gorilla families in Uganda found in the sectors include the following:

The Rushaga sector has gorilla families including the Kahungye, Kutu, Bweza, Shongi, Busingye, Mucunguzi, Mishaya, and Bikingi gorilla family. This is also the only sector in Bwindi where habituation is offered.

Ruhija sector has gorilla families, which include Bitukura, Mukiza, Oruzongo, and Kyaguliro, gorilla family.

Nkuringo habituated gorilla families include Christmas (this was introduced in 2024), Nkuringo and Bushaho gorilla family.

Buhoma sector habituated gorilla families include Habinyanja, Katwe, Mubare, Muyambi, Bunyindo and Rushegura gorilla family.

To be able to trek gorillas in Uganda, one needs to first purchase a gorilla permit which is issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The gorilla permit in Uganda costs different according to the category of tourists you belong and it is $800 for foreign-non-residents, $80 for East African citizens, $700 for foreign residents and $500 for African citizens. The cost of the gorilla habituation permit is $1500 for foreign non-residents, $1000 for African citizens, $1000 for foreign residents and UGX750,000 for East African citizens. Note that gorilla trekking in Uganda is a popular activity among tourists and you need to purchase your permit in advance.

In Rwanda

Giraffes

Rwanda is home to the giraffe species known as the Rothschild’s giraffe, found in Akagera National Park. Akagera National Park, located in the eastern part of Rwanda, covers over 1122 square kilometers along the border of Rwanda and Tanzania. The National Park is home to over 85 Rothschild giraffes which can be spotted during a game drive, guided nature walks and a boat ride along Lake Ihema. The giraffe population in the country and across the African continent is rapidly reducing, and this is because of habitat destruction and hunting by other animals, especially predators like lions and leopards. Statistics show that only 20% of young giraffes make it to adulthood. The giraffes have been added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Endangered Species list, being listed as severely endangered species.

Tourists/visitors in Rwanda can see giraffes in Akagera National Park all year round but the best time is during the dry season on a game drive.

Gorillas

Rwanda's top tourist attraction is the Mountain gorillas, attracting thousands of tourists visiting Rwanda to see the Mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Mountain gorillas in Rwanda are in Volcanoes National Park, which is located in the northeastern part of the country and has over 600 Mountain gorillas with 12 habituated gorilla families in the park. Note that the gorilla families can only be trekked after habituation which takes about 2 to 3 years before they are introduced to the public for tracking.

Volcanoes National Park is one of the three habitats where Mountain gorillas are found, and it is sometimes known as the Parc Nationale Des Volcans. This is the first place where Dian Fossey undertook gorilla research and conservation up until her death. Rwanda is a prime and luxurious gorilla trekking destination and you will need a gorilla permit to be able to trek gorillas in their natural habitat. The cost of the gorilla permit in Rwanda is a bit higher as compared to Uganda but every money paid is worth the experience. $1500 for foreign non-residents (International tourists), $200 for East African citizens and $500 for African citizens(you have proof that you belong to one of the African countries). The gorilla trekking permits have to be booked at least 6 months in advance because they are always in high demand.

Rwanda has 12 habituated gorilla families and these are available in both the dry and wet season. Some of the gorilla families in Rwanda include Susa A, Kwitonda, Umubano, Karisimbi, Bwenge, Amahoro, Agashya, Hirwa, Ugenda and Sabinyo gorilla families. Assigning of the gorilla families in Rwanda is done on the morning of the trek day by the wardens of the national park, and these are awarded to groups of 8 trekkers each. Get in touch with us for more information.

Best time to go see giraffes and Mountain gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda

Giraffes are best seen during the dry season because this is the time when they are on the move from one place to the next in search of food and game drives which are the best ways of spotting giraffes are best carried out in the dry season. The dry season is characterized by large crowds of tourists, which in turn leads to service providers increasing the cost of services like transport and accommodation. This is why the dry season (June to September and December to February) is also known as the peak season and is considered to be a luxurious time to visit Rwanda and Uganda for gorilla and giraffe sightings.

The wet/rainy season (March to May and October to November) is also a good time to go see giraffes and gorillas in their natural habitat. However, it comes with rainy and slippery roads. Although the rainy season is characterized by wind and rain, it does not mean that the rains come every day; because of the equator, the weather in Uganda and Rwanda keeps on changing. Because of the plenty of food that is experienced during the wet season, the giraffes are harder to spot and gorillas are harder to trek because of the impassable routes.

Get in touch with us at Encounter Africa Safaris for more information about giraffes and gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda.