Gorillas are broadly divided into mountain and lowland with a few more sub-species within that (as you can see from the map above). We recommend Rwanda, Uganda and Republic of Congo for mountain gorillas and Democratic Republic of Congo is also known for the Eastern lowland gorillas found in Kahuzi Biega National Park. It is possible to see the mountain gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo but the on-going instability in the east of country makes it difficult. In these 3 countries it is fond that Rwanda gorilla permit is expensive at $ 1500 USD from $ 750 USD and other regions Uganda and Congo, permits cost $ 600 USD and $ 400 USD respectively. Also Uganda and Congo offer discount to gorilla permits to $ 450 USD and $ 200 USD respectively.
Recommending a good way to see lowland gorillas was also a challenge until gorilla safaris, one of the leading conservation and tour operating companies in Uganda and Rwanda began working in African National Parks in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The biggest advantage that Rwanda has over the other two options is the short distance one has to travel from the airport. So, if you are looking to come to one of these countries just for gorilla trekking, then Rwanda is the answer. The travel time from the airport to the park gates is just over two hours and many people come just for the day. There are a number of visitors to Rwanda that have been on safari in Tanzania or Kenya and they want to take advantage of the proximity of the gorillas to these other East African countries. There are direct flights from Nairobi in Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro daily to Kigali; this enables some to arrive early in the morning in Kigali, travel to Volcanoes National Park for a gorilla trek and return to Kigali airport the same day. The permit fees are the highest in Rwanda at US$1500, but if time is an issue, then this is definitely the best option.
Uganda’s permit fees to track the mountain gorillas are US$600 and in the off-season, the fees can be as low as US$450; although with the reduced fees comes the rains and muddy conditions. Uganda also has the greatest number of gorillas by far. The biggest disadvantage that travelers face when going to Uganda is the distance they have to travel from the airport to see the gorillas. It takes a full day of driving or a couple of hours in a small plane to a local airport. If time is not an issue, then Uganda is by far the best option, as there are so many other attractions in Uganda, which makes it the most interesting of all the East African countries to visit.
The Democratic Republic of Congo offers the cheapest permit fees to see the Gorillas, at US$400. The DRC is the most adventurous of the three as the physical challenges in reaching the gorilla families are the greatest. The Virunga National Park, where the gorillas live is reached by most travelers from Kigali International Airport, which involves crossing Rwanda followed by the Rwanda/DRC border. The trip is a full day. There are private planes to hire should a chartered flight be an option, but it is expensive.
