Cheapest way to trek gorillas in Uganda

Joining a group of other travelers etc. is the cheapest way to trek gorillas in Uganda. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is one of the best activities that one has to engage in while on a safari in Uganda. This has been regarded as one of the most expensive safari activities in Uganda. However, if you book a gorilla trekking safari with us, we can help you plan a budget safari. Then you will draw closer to the iconic gorilla trekking experience.

There are so many factors that make gorilla trekking an expensive activity. For instance, the type of accommodation, type of car you use, and season of travel. If you travel in peak season, you don’t expect any discounts both on accommodation and gorilla permits. This is especially from June to October and December to February. But if you travel in the low season, during March, April and November you are likely to get a discounted gorilla permit.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in 2 national parks. One is a visitor favorite, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park . Second is Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. These national parks are found in southwestern Uganda. Three countries provide gorilla trekking experiences and these are; Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, however, they vary in their gorilla trekking permits.

Rwanda charges 1500USD foreigners then 500USD for Africans. Uganda charges 800USD foreign non-residents, and 700USD foreign residents. In Uganda still, East Africans pay 300,000 USD. The D.R. Congo charges 400USD for each foreigner.

Uganda has the largest number of mountain gorillas. Almost half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas are found in Uganda. This is in Bwindi and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Uganda is the cheapest gorilla trekking destination.

Most tourists who want to trek gorillas have chosen Uganda as the cheapest destination among other countries. This is because, in Congo, which offers the cheapest has had wars and there is high insecurity. Thus visitors will find Uganda the cheapest gorilla trekking destination. For one to enjoy a cheap gorilla trekking, you can try short gorilla safaris. Examples of these are a 1 day gorilla trekking from Kabale, 2 days gorilla trekking from Rwanda and 3 days Uganda gorilla trekking.

Join a group tour to trek gorillas.

Another way to track gorillas cheaply is by joining a group tour so that you can share some costs. For example car-hire cost, fuel cost, and accommodation can be shared. This is one of the best ways to cut costs if you track gorillas in Uganda.

The best season to do cheap gorilla trekking in Uganda.

The best season to trek gorillas cheaply in Uganda is during the wet season. This is when the park is less congested with visitors. Also, the accommodation in the park is subsidized to attract tourists. Low budget travelers can find this so favourable. But, there will be heavy rains and paths will be slippery and muddy.

However, if you want to have a good time with gorillas in Uganda it is better to come in the dry season. You know a time when the forests are clear and the paths are dry. With less vegetation cover, you can look far to exploit the beauty of the park.

How to get to gorilla destinations in Uganda?

One can decide to use road transport to either Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. This takes 9-10 hours. It is always an adventurous journey full of stopovers for scenic views. There are also some historical sites like the Equator and Igongo cultural centre in Mbarara city to stop and see.

There are flight charters as well from Entebbe or Kajjansi to Kihiihi or Kisoro. Either way, your driver guide can always pick you up. Then you are transferred to your desired gorilla destination. You can also track Uganda gorillas from Rwanda which is about a 3 to 4 hours drive from Kigali to either Bwindi or Mgahinga.

Soledad Gomez

Fun Safari. Loved it. Godwin was an amazing guide! He was informative, funny and took us around well. He was able to find so many animals and the weather was amazing. He allowed us to take time at each spot when we saw an animal we were looking forward to seeing. All our lodges were carefully chosen by Coleb and we all loved them. We booked the 6 days safari and highly recommend it to everyone visiting Uganda. We had a wonderful time!. 10/10 recommended!!

Maria Torondel

We rated this experience top of everything, because it truly was outstanding in every way! From our pickup which was punctual, quick and comfortable to our Safari in Murchison falls, Kibale and Bwindi NP, Standard safaris delivered to the dot. Our guide was a very Kind, punctual and extremely knowledgeable person who could tell us many facts about each and every animal we encountered. Due to his insights we were able to spot 4 of the Big Five, the Rhinos, buffaloes, lions and Elephants multiple times, as well as Hippos, Crocodiles, Giraffes and many more. Thanks to his calm and patience we were even able to watch an elephant fight right in front of us without any safety concerns. It was truly a very memorable day with a lot of fun and also good food.This is truly an experience for everyone, from solo travellers to big groups! Great tour company with a great guide!!!!!!!

Alexis F

This was an amazing experience organised by Standard Safaris through Coleb. During the tour itself, we got a chance to see so many animals and we learned a lot of interesting facts from our tour guide Godwin. He was funny and made sure we all got a chance to speak and see the full beauty of Uganda. We had an excellent time and a good tour for the whole family.

Elena Hoya

It was my first time in Uganda and honestly it was an amazing tour. Our pick up and drop off were comfortable. Our guide throughout the safari was excellent at his job. He was attentive with everyone and was very knowledgeable about all the cultures and landscapes of the country. During planning, Coleb did his best in tailoring our itinerary to fit our travel needs. I'm so glad we booked this tour. It was one of a kind.

E A

My wife and I had the trip of a lifetime, an unforgettable experience from start to finish. From gorilla trekking to game drives, every moment was magical and the wildlife encounters were simply breathtaking. Our guide Godwin was knowledgeable and attentive, and every detail of the trip was perfectly organized. Uganda’s beauty exceeded all our expectations, and the team took wonderful care of us throughout. Thank you for showing us the Pearl of Africa, we’ll cherish these memories forever. Highly recommended

KLAU conde

I LOVE MY SAFARI WE DID GORILLA TREKING AND WE WERE LOOKING FOR THE BIG FIVES, Everything was phenomenal the drivers the lodges my favorite one was Acacia Lodge, where you open the door of your lodge and you have the Elephants and hippos there . we also went to the Ecuatorian line very cool

Elisa Peralta

We spent a WONDERFUL time in Rwanda, thanks to Standard Safaris and especially thanks to our amazing driver George. If you plan to go on safari in Rwanda with Standard Safaris, ask him as your driver guide. He will share all his knowledge and experience about animals, nature, people, food etc… He drives very safely and is friendly. Thanks to him we saw a lot of animals ( especially the big 5😃 in Akagera NP) and Know so much more about Rwanda. We were travelling with our 2 children (7 and 11 years old), and they were delighted. We feel very lucky and we are grateful for this wonderful safari in East Africa.

Susana Lara Valenciano

We booked a 9-Days safari in Uganda with Standard Safaris, all-inclusive with a driver guide, all tour activities, permits and lodges. Honestly, we were very happy to have George as our guide. He drove us safely around the country and explained many things along the way. Thanks to him, we were able to spot many animals in the national parks, and we always stayed on track with our itinerary. The jeep was new and well maintained, however, the seats in the back were quite high with small windows, which made it difficult to look outside. But nevertheless, we still had a 10/10 safari experience in Uganda. We look forward to returning for another safari next year and telling our friends about Standard Safaris.

Pablo Sanchez Rubio

My wife and I had a gorilla safari of a lifetime in Uganda late last month. Our driver/guide Denis was incredible. He gave us so much information about Uganda and was so knowledgeable about the wildlife, cultures, people, politics, the geography, etc. By the end of the week we considered him a friend and we will recommend him and Standard Safaris to anyone looking to go to East Africa. Thank you so much guys!

Salome Ochando

If there were 10 stars I would give them. From my first "Hello" with Coleb to our last set of selfies on the equator with Denis, this tour company out-did themselves!! Absolutely professional and helpful from beginning to end. We're already booking another trip for next year! They had organised everything- gorilla permits, chimpanzee permits, all national park entrance fees, lodgings, every meal included. It was so easy I didn't even know where we were going until we were there! Pure relaxation. We had a few extra free days at the end so Coleb suggested adding on Mabamba Wetland and this was a wonderful experience with the shoebill and all these beautiful birds. Denis is the best tour guide I've ever met. 100% knowledgeable and professional and accommodating and..a new friend😊.. Thank you Standard Safaris!!