By a mere mention about Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, mountain gorillas are the key attractions that always come first. But what leaves most travelers wondering is; between Bwindi and Mgahinga, which is better to visit for Uganda gorilla safaris.
Both Bwindi and Mgahinga Gorilla Parks typically offer thrilling mountain gorilla trekking adventures, but some factors give one an added advantage over the other. They include several habituated mountain gorilla families, gorilla populations, gorilla sectors, different options for you to see mountain gorillas and other factors. From these factors, we can derive the cons and pros each destination has which can guide travelers to choose a better option for their gorilla-based safaris in Uganda.
Where to trek gorillas in Bwindi or Mgahinga (gorilla sectors)
In Bwindi National Park, trekkers can choose to trek mountain gorillas from any of the four (4) regions/sectors. The 4 regions to explore on Uganda gorilla safaris in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park include Ruhija, Nkuringo, Rushaga, and Buhoma. In Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, visitors set off for an actual search for gorillas from the Ntebeko area.
Mountain gorilla population in Bwindi & Mgahinga
Over 459 of the world’s 1063 rare mountain gorillas on earth, all occupy the dense rainforest of Bwindi National Park, unlike approximately 80 individuals in Mgahinga. The highest concentration of endangered mountain gorillas thrives in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest compared to any other place where these apes survive.
Habituated gorilla groups
As of 2024, a total of about 23 fully habituated mountain gorillas exist in the different regions or sectors in Bwindi National Park. In Mgahinga, there is only a single group of already habituated and is open for gorilla trekking. The habituated groups of mountain gorillas in Bwindi include Habinyanja, Mubare, Bitukura, Nkuringo, Oruzogo, Rushegura, Kutu, Mucunguzi, Bweza, Christmas, and others. Nyakagezi group is the only group of mountain gorillas that has been opened for gorilla trekking.
Available options for seeing mountain gorillas
Visitors on Uganda gorilla safaris in Bwindi National Park get a chance to see mountain gorillas during the normal gorilla trekking adventures or gorilla habituation experience. It is in Bwindi where both mountain gorilla habituation and gorilla trekking adventures are conducted.
During the usual mountain gorilla trekking adventures, visitors enjoy a complete one hour observing how mountain gorillas in the wild and taking pictures. It is only in Bwindi that visitors worldwide can engage in mountain gorilla habituation. The normal gorilla trekking adventures can be experienced in all the parks.
Accommodation alternatives
Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga all have places to consider for a night stay. The advantage of Uganda gorilla safaris in Bwindi is that travelers have plenty of accommodation options to choose from compared to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. They exist as budget, midrange, and luxury –the options which can choose for your gorilla safaris.
In Bwindi, accommodation should be booked considering its proximity to the gorilla sectors. They include Buhoma Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, Nkuringo Bwindi Lodge, and Four Gorillas Lodge. Accommodation in and around Mgahinga Gorilla Trek requires you to have booked a place to stay. These include Mount Gahinga Lodge, Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge, Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp, and others.
Away from Mgahinga, you can also find a place to stay in Kisoro, and include Kisoro Tourist Hotel, Gorilla Heights Lodge, Ichumbi Hotel, and Mondi Lodge Kisoro.
Available gorilla permits to book
With over 23 habituated gorilla groups existing in Bwindi, each visited by a maximum of 8 (eight) visitors, this translates into about 184 gorilla permits. The one gorilla group is available in Mgahinga means only 8 gorilla permits can be booked by visitors. Luckily, all the permits for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga and Bwindi cost USD 800 per trekker for foreign nonresidents.
Other visitor categories on Uganda gorilla safaris pay USD 700 per person for foreign residents; the Rest of Africa visitors pay USD 500. Ugandans or other East African communities are issued a gorilla permit at UGX 300,000/=.
Additional safari activities to do in Bwindi/Mgahinga
Away from mountain gorilla safaris, Bwindi and Mgahinga National Park also have a lot to offer nature lovers. They include bird watching/birding, forest walks, golden monkey tracking, and golden monkey habituation as well as volcano hiking (these are done in Mgahinga National Park). You can book these activities through licensed tour operators in Uganda or Rwanda.
When to go for Uganda gorilla safaris
Mgahinga and Bwindi National Park are all year-round destinations. However, the peak dry season experiences the best weather conditions characterized by low rainfall. Such conditions make the forest floor drier and trekkers can embark on the trek to explore mountain gorillas without worrying about getting interfered. The dry months fall around June to September and December to February – any time around these months, it is ideal for you to explore Bwindi or Mgahinga National Park.