Wondering about the best places to see gorillas in the whole world? Well, this guide reveals the best 2 places where you can see and encounter these majestic mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, each offering a unique and unforgetable adventurous experience. Whether you are a nature lover, adventure seeker, or wildlife enthusiast, gorilla trekking is a once-in-a-lifetime event that offers lifelong memories, and you cannot think about gorilla trekking without considering these two places. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Volcanoes National Park are the best places to go for gorilla trekking. Let’s go along and see where these places are located and why these are your two spots to consider visiting for trekking these endangered mountain gorillas.
The Top 2 best places to see gorillas
The opportunity to witness these giants in their natural habitat is provided by only a few national parks in Africa, East Africa to be more specific. This once-in-a-lifetime experience takes place in the lush jungles of Rwanda and Uganda.
1. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
The very first place to consider when thinking about encountering gorillas in their natural habitat is the place that shelters almost half the world’s remaining gorillas—Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This ancient rain forest is located in the southwest of Uganda. Each of the park’s four trekking sectors—Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Nkuringo offer unique experiences.
This park, which is more than 321 square km in size, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 because of its remarkable biodiversity, especially its contribution to the preservation of the critically endangered mountain gorillas and other distinctive ecosystems, which is the very reason as to why it is one of the best places to see gorillas in the world.
Why Bwindi is the best destination for gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking is an outdoor wildlife activity where tourists have to hike through thick forests in search of the wild gorillas, specifically the mountain gorillas, in their natural habitat. Tourists get an opportunity to observe these giants for an hour. Aside from the fact that Bwindi shelters a vast number of gorillas, there are many other factors that include Bwindi among the best places to see gorillas in Africa and in the entire world. Let’s see them.
- Number of Gorilla families: There are more than 20 habituated gorilla families in Bwindi, and they are spread out among the four trekking sectors. The total number of gorillas in each family sums up to nearly half of the world’s serviving mountain gorillas, and undeniably, it’s the very first reason that makes Bwindi your spot to consider for gorilla trekking.
- Home to Over 120 mammal species : When you visit Bwindi, your eyes/binoculars get to see more than just gorillas. Get ready to see African forest elephants, forest hogs, primates like chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, and potto.
- 350 bird species: Bwindi also offers an opportunity to bird-watching enthusiasts to see bird species like African Green Broadbill (rare and highly sought after), Grauer’s Rush Warbler (endemic to the Albertine Rift), Short-tailed Warbler, Rwenzori Turaco (beautifully colored bird), Shelley’s Crimsonwing (one of Africa’s rarest birds)
- Affordability: With gorilla permits now costing $800 (as of July 2024), Uganda (Bwindi) is more affordable than other gorilla trekking places, like the next place on our list. You can easily visit Uganda for the gorilla trekking experience for as low as $1,800 and even lower in the low seasons for a 3-day gorilla trekking adventure.
- Several Gorilla Trekking Options: Bwindi has four trekking sectors: Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Nkuringo, each offering different trails/pathways of different difficulty ranging from easy to challenging, hence satisfying a range of interests and fitness levels.
- Gorilla Habituation experiences: Bwindi offers an opportunity to spend more time (4 hours) with the gorillas, unlike the normal gorilla trekking experience, where you get maximum one hour to spend observing the gorillas
- Combined Adventures: Bwindi’s location in Uganda allows easy adventure combinations like the Chimpanzee trekking adventure in the primates capital of Africa—Kibale National Park in Uganda.
Best Time to visit and How to get there
The dry seasons (June to August and December to February) are the ideal times to visit Bwindi since the trails are less muddy and simpler to follow. Although gorilla trekking is feasible year-round, the wet season (March to May & September to November) offers more lush landscapes and fewer crowds.
How to travel to Bwindi: The best way is to trust and book your trip with a remarkable tour company like Kuzora Safari Tours to cater for the transportations to Bwindi and accommodations. While in Uganda, you can travel to Bwindi:
- By Air: Take a plane to Kihihi or Kisoro Airstrip from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip, and then drive to the park.
- By Road: From Kampala/Entebbe, it takes 9–10 hours to travel, while from Kigali, Rwanda, it takes 4-5 hours.
2. Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park, one of Africa’s most well-known wildlife sites, is located in the northwest of Rwanda, East Africa. This beautiful rainforest is a part of the greater Virunga Conservation Area and is dominated by five Virunga volcano mountains, providing adventurers with stunning landscapes. The most well-known feature of Volcanoes National Park is its mountain gorilla population, which was brought to light by the renowned Dian Fossey, who devoted her life to their preservation. It is among the few locations in the world where visitors may get up close and personal with gorillas in their natural habitat, just like the one we have just seen-Bwindi. The stunning landscapes, unforgettable wildlife encounters, and a vast number of gorillas in Volacanoes National Park make it stand in second place on the list of the best places to see gorillas.
Why Volcanoes national park is a top destination for gorilla trekking
- Easier Accesbility: Volcanoes National Park can be accessed within a 2 to 3-hour drive on well-maintained roads from Kigali International Airport.
- Number of Gorillas: Volcanoes has 12 habituated gorilla families available for trekking, which include the Susa group (One of the largest families, once studied by Dian Fossey).
- Rich history & conservation: Home to the Karisoke Research Center, where Dian Fossey conducted her pioneering research.
- Scenic trekking experience: The park’s trails pass through bamboo forests, montane rainforests, and open grasslands, offering a diverse and scenic trek.
- Best Accomodations: Rwanda’s volcanoes national park offers a variety of luxurios lodges and hotels which makes it the best choice for those seeking high-end gorilla trekking experience.
- A wide number of primates and other mammals: Apart from mountain gorillas, Volcanoes National Park is home to other primates like golden monkeys, vervet monkeys, and olive baboons. You can also find elephants, hyenas, Buffalos, bushbucks among others.
- Famous bird species: Volcanoes has over 180 bird species, including 17 Albertine Rift endemics and Ruwenzori Turaco (a colorful bird found in high-altitude forests), making it a bird watchers spot.
Gorilla trekking price and experience in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
While Volcanoes National Park is a top destination for gorilla trekking, it is important to note that its pricing is quite higher compared to that of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. A gorilla permit in Rwanda currently costs $1,500 doubling the gorilla permit cost in Uganda.
The trekking experience in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park usually lasts between 2 to 6 hours, depending on the gorilla family’s location.
The trekking trails in Volcanoes National Park are generally less steep than those in Bwindi, making it somewhat easier for many tourists, especially those that might have fitness issues.
How to see gorillas
To see the gorillas in their natural habitats we have discussed above, you need to book and secure a gorilla permit earlier before they are sold out. Then you have to consider booking the accommodations where you will stay and also paying for transportation and guides for a seamless experience.
To make the whole process easier, it is highly recommended to partner and book with a highly reputable local tour operator like Kuzora Safari Tours that can handle all the hard work for you, like securing the gorilla permit, booking accommodations, and arranging transportations, so that you can focus on enjoying your adventure with zero worries. Kuzora Safari Tours specializes in gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda and Rwanda, and they can help you arrange your trip the way you want it.
Contact them to book your gorilla trekking adventure, and you will not regret your choice.
