BUDGET GORILLA SAFARIS IN AFRICA

The cheapest way to trek gorillas in Africa.

Africa’s wildlife is one of the most selling tourism products together with its culture, bird life, outstanding scenery, people and the magnificence not found elsewhere. Africa has some of the few countries blessed with the world’s remaining endangered mountain gorillas, including Rwanda, Uganda and D.R.Congo. A gorilla trekking safari offers one of Africa’s most unequalled encounters with mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Safaris in Africa introduce travellers to its magic that captivates one with its sights that are so different from any other part of the world. However, if it’s a gorilla safari, where can one best track these gentle giants of the jungle other than Africa? Here are ways to have budget gorilla safaris in Africa.

Rwanda is Africa’s most thrilling gorilla trekking destination, the tiny Central African country is easily accessed through its Rwanda air’s direct and interconnecting flights to the western and America world. Rwanda’s major gorilla destination, Volcanoes National Park is home to about half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas lies only 80 kilometers from the country’s sole airport. Rwanda’s gorilla permit costs a staggering 1500USD and the chances of spotting these big apes are up to 90%. You can even pay your last respects at Dian Fossey’s grave, the elusive golden monkeys, forest birds and other wildlife species. If one ever thought of an African safari, it should be a gorilla safari in Rwanda.

Uganda is another destination most curious and adventurous tourists travel to for the best and budget gorilla safaris in Africa. Uganda’s gorillas live in a secret forest recognized as a heritage site by the UNESCO; Bwindi Impenetrable National Forest, a tropical rainforest that covers the South-west Mountains of the country. Bwindi is a day’s drive from the capital Kampala making it relatively harder to access than in Rwanda, but it’s worth it all. Half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas dwell in this forest. For bird watchers, it’s a haven with over 350 bird species and 200 kinds of butterflies. A gorilla permit in Uganda costs only 600 USD.

Besides Bwindi national park, trekkers can also sight the gorillas in Mgahinga gorilla national park, also located in the south western part of Uganda. The big numbers of gorillas in Uganda’s forests, the assured security and calmness and relatively cheap permits have risen Uganda’s flagship as Africa’s best gorilla trekking destination. If there is anything that one should not miss in life, its gorilla trekking in Uganda.

D. R. Congo on the other hand is a small and perfectly composed destination with relatively little popularity. It is a country with both mountain and lowland gorillas. These lowland gorillas are smaller and less hairy unlike their cousins, the mountain gorillas. Spice your gorilla trek with big game viewing, nature walks and bird watching while on a safari in Congo. A gorilla permit in Congo is at only 400 USD, making it the cheapest option to trek gorillas in Africa than Uganda and Rwanda; however the insecurities in Congo have scared off several travelers to the country. Also the less developed roads and accommodation facilities to facilitate an unforgettable gorilla trekking experience in Congo have hindered tourism development in the country. This is why Uganda still ranks up as the best gorilla trekking destination in Africa despite Congo’s cheaper permits and Rwanda’s direct flights to the western world.