Why Is Gorilla Trekking Cheap in Uganda? Real Facts Revealed

Why Is Gorilla Trekking in Uganda Cheap? Among the various gorilla trekking destinations in Africa, selecting Uganda as your gorilla trekking destination will grant you access to the different habituated gorilla families in Uganda. This will offer you an opportunity to spend an hour with the gentle giants. While a vast number of tourists pay a visit to the different gorilla trekking destinations, they will acknowledge the undeniable truth that Uganda is the ultimate gorilla trekking destination in Africa This is because she offers a reasonably priced gorilla trekking experience as compared to Rwanda and Congo which offer the same gorilla trekking experience. In the article below, we shall dig deep into the reason why destination Uganda is cheaper compared to Rwanda.

Why Is Gorilla Trekking Cheap in Uganda?…..Cont

Among the leading reasons why gorilla trekking in Uganda is cheap is the longer driving distance from Entebbe International Airport to the gorilla national parks. This has greatly impacted the cost of a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda.

If you land at Entebbe International Airport, driving to either Mgahinga or Bwindi will take you approximately 11 hours driving while if you land at Kigali International Airport, you will only need 4 hours to cross to either Mgahinga or Bwindi. There are two solutions to the problem of driving for long. One is to arrive from Kigali Rwanda instead of Entebbe in Uganda. The driving time and distance from Kigali to Bwindi impenetrable forest is shorter.

Another solution for the long driving distance is to reserve a local chattered flight from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi airstrip to Bwindi. Your local tour operator can then wait for you at the airstrip to take you to the park. The local flights are expensive but the reward I to reach the park in only one hour.

So as a way of making amends for the long distance to the gorilla national parks, tourists will pay less money for a gorilla permit in Uganda which grants them access to the gentle giants in the wild.

Uganda has positioned itself as an affordable tourist destination that can accommodate all the needs of the different types of tourists. This has greatly influenced the reasonable pricing of a gorilla trekking permit. In comparison, Rwanda has implemented many international marketing campaigns to attract several visitors to visit Rwanda (Volcanoes National Park). These international marketing campaigns include sponsoring the Arsenal team and if you are critical, the Arsenal team jersey has “Visit Rwanda”. Rwanda hiked the price of a gorilla trekking permit to compensate for the funds invested in marketing. Because Uganda has not invested a lot in marketing, the price of her gorilla trekking permit remains affordable.

Gorilla trekking destinations in Uganda

Travelers interested in gorilla trekking in Uganda will choose from either Bwindi impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to have a wonderful time with the gorillas.

Gorilla Trekking Tours

Bwindi impenetrable national park has four sectors namely; Nkuringo, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Buhoma which will grant you access to the habituated gorilla families in Uganda. While at the park, you can also take part in gorilla habituation where you will spend the whole day with the gorilla family you are allocated. Ain all the gorilla families that are open for gorilla habituation, gorillas are trained to get familiar with human existence. It is paramount to note that gorilla habituation can only be done in Bwindi impenetrable national park and the gorilla habituation permit costs $1,500 for foreign nonresidents.

Gorilla trekking can also be done at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park which is part of the Virunga massif. During the gorilla trek, you will be able to have a glimpse of several attractions in the wild. Among the different attractions that can be sighted include the different primate species like the vervet monkey, Hamlyn monkey, the black and white colobus monkey, and the silver monkey. You will also get to watch several bird species as well as many other attractions in the wild like the bird species like; Rockefellers’ sunbird, Chapin’s flycatcher, Rwenzori Batis, strange weaver, red-throated alethe, and many other rewarding attractions in the wild for a memorable safari experience.

A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda can be obtained from a trusted tour operator or the Uganda Wildlife Authority. After confirming your trip, your tour company will assign you a knowledgeable guide who will give you all the necessary information about the species and the destination at large.  During the gorilla trek, you will be given an armed ranger to help you hike through the thick vegetation in the wild. These armed rangers also protect travelers from getting attacked by vicious animal species during their gorilla trekking experience. If you have heavy luggage and mobility problems, we highly recommend you hire a potter to assist you carry your luggage.