Cheap Gorilla Safaris

Cheap Gorilla Safaris In Uganda

Gorilla trekking is Uganda’s leading tourism icon, even though the country has on its national emblems the grey crowned crane and the Kobs, none of these are major tourism icons in Uganda. This raises a serious question; if gorillas are such a major tourism icon in Uganda, why don’t they feature among Uganda’s national emblems?

Gorilla trekking has only become popular after 1992 when most of the gorilla national parks in Uganda were officially gazetted as National parks. These are Mgahinga gorilla national park and Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. To compensate for the mountain gorillas being one of the things that define Uganda, the mountain gorillas feature on a 50,000 Uganda shillings note.

What is a Gorilla Safari?

A gorilla safari is any journey that has gorilla trekking featuring in its itinerary. It is very common to see itineraries such as 3-day gorilla trekking safari in Uganda or Rwanda, 10 days gorilla safari, and a lot of that kind. However, this is never to imply that you spend all the days on your itinerary gorilla trekking rather, you having a 3 day or 10-day itinerary featuring gorilla trekking.

Where to go gorilla trekking?

There are several gorilla trekking locations on the African continent but there are popularly three countries that are mostly known for gorilla trekking; Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Uganda and Rwanda are home to the few remaining endangered mountain gorillas while the Democratic Republic of Congo hosts western lowland gorillas, eastern lowland gorillas, and the endangered mountain gorillas.

Gorilla trekking is still possible in the Democratic Republic of Congo however it is apparently organized under the Virunga Foundation. Without Virunga foundation, you cannot go gorilla trekking in the Democratic Republic of Congo until otherwise. However, regardless of all these hurdles, the Democratic Republic of Congo gorilla trekking permits are still cheaper than Uganda and Rwanda combined.

A gorilla permit in Uganda is US$700 for foreign non-residents and US$600 for foreign residents while Rwanda gorilla permits go for US$1500 throughout the year. This puts Uganda at the frontline in case you are considering a budget or a cheap gorilla safari in Africa.

Uganda Vs Rwanda Vs Congo

Uganda is preferred for Budget or cheap gorilla safaris; Rwanda is preferred for luxury gorilla safaris, while the Democratic Republic of Congo is preferred for true African encounter gorilla trekking experience. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the road network will be a serious issue while this might not be the most prevailing issue for Uganda and Rwanda.

How to book a cheap Gorilla Safari In Uganda?

There are mainly three things that define a gorilla safari; accommodation, transport, and meals. These three items determine whether you will have a shoe-string, budget, midrange, or luxurious gorilla safari in Uganda. Visit Uganda safari lodges for more about safari lodges in Uganda

In regards to cheap gorilla safaris, below are some of the things to put in perspective for a cheap gorilla safari in Uganda;

  • You must be specific on your budget-cap when planning your cheap gorilla safari with any tour operator. Please note, both midrange and budget gorilla safaris can be classified as cheap gorilla safaris in Uganda
  • Consider the low season months. These include; October, November, April, and May. Although the gorilla permit rates will not change, you will have an opportunity for huge discounts on accommodation in the low seasons. This will also apply to transport discounts which will help you to greatly reduce your gorilla trekking expenditure.
  • Choose the right tour operator; the tour operator you choose has a lot to do with how much your gorilla safari will cost. In order to have a cheap gorilla safari, consider the relatively small tour operators. They are often cheaper than the fully established tour operators. However, you should beware of the challenges that come with using non-established tour operators.
  • In regards to transport; there are mainly two transport options for a cheap gorilla safari in Uganda, Motorcycle gorilla trekking adventures (please note; this is not to imply that you go gorilla trekking on a motorcycle rather the means of transport you use to get o the park) or safari car gorilla trekking experience. Sometimes motorcycle adventures might be more costly compared to safari car-based adventures.