Budget Uganda Safaris - Affordable Gorilla Tours & Safari Packages

Gorilla tracking refers to a tourism activity carried out in the national parks of Bwindi Forest National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, both in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Virunga National Park in Congo. Gorilla trekking encompasses hiking in the jungles through the thick woods in search of the mountain gorillas and other endangered species. The gorilla trekking safari is carried out under the guidance of the game rangers, who are trained and well-acquainted with the tactics of getting along with the gorillas.

The activity kicks off in the morning, and it can take from 30 minutes to 8 hours to find the gorillas. Gorilla walking safaris are carried out after prior booking with travel agencies, such as Uganda budget safaris/affordable Uganda safari, who ensure that the tracking prerequisites, such as the gorilla permits and accommodation, are booked.

What should I pack when heading for gorilla trekking?
You need to make ample preparation before engaging in gorilla trekking. We recommend having trousers, long-sleeved shirts, a long pair of socks, hiking boots, a hat, insect repellents, and drinking water or energy-giving foods to boost you up during the hike, since gorilla trekking involves strenuous hikes.

What is the gorilla trekking age limit?
Gorilla trekking in both Uganda and Rwanda has a minimum age limit of 15 years. The same applies to golden monkey trekking in Uganda, but the golden monkey trekking age limit in Rwanda is 10 years and above. We endeavor to make sure all the participants are above the age of 15 years to make sure incidents of clients being refused from tracking. Other primate trekking, such as chimpanzee trekking, has an age limit of 12 years and above.

What does gorilla habituation entail?
Alongside budget gorilla trekking, for travelers who want to spend more time with gorillas, it takes place at Bwindi Forest National Park in the Rushaga sector. The habituation experience gives trekkers 4 hours with the gorillas; the gorilla habituation experience costs 1500 USD at Bwindi Forest National Park. For a successful gorilla habitation, one still has to make prior reservations. As Uganda budget safaris, we make sure the entire gorilla experience in Uganda and Rwanda is made smooth.

Help me get to know Bwindi Forest National Park.
Bwindi Forest National Park is located in the south-western part of Uganda; it spans 3 districts of Kabale, Kisoro, and Kanungu. The national park contains three tracking places, to mention Buhoma ( North) in the district of Kanungu, Ruhija (Ruhija) in Kabale district, Rushaga and Nkuringo (South) in Kisoro district. Gorilla habituation experience only takes place in Rushaga. If one intends to do gorilla trekking/ Uganda budget gorilla trekking, he or she has to put into consideration which area to track from, hence obtaining the gorilla trekking permits for the specific area, as well as the accommodation or lodge in the specific area.

What is the appropriate time to book gorilla permits?
Firstly, knowing that all gorilla permits cost the same price in Uganda irrespective of the type of safari, i.e., budget gorilla trekking safari, luxury gorilla trekking safari, or even mid- range gorilla trekking. It's recommended for one to book gorilla permits 3 or more months earlier before tracking, this is because permits could easily run out, especially during high season when the demand is high.

What does a gorilla trekking permit entail?
A gorilla permit is a special pass in the form of an electronic card obtained from Uganda Wildlife Authority that solely grants one access to the tracking exercise. It gives one a maximum of 1 hour to stay with the gorillas while studying them, taking photos, and interacting with them.

How long does gorilla trekking in Uganda take?
Gorilla tracking can take from 30 minutes to 7 hours. One has to be prepared to take both the time frame, which entails searching for gorillas/tracking gorillas where they have previously spent a night, and to where they will be at the particular moment. Uganda gorilla tracking or Rwanda gorilla tracking partially depends on the gorilla family you have been assigned. Some gorilla families are always on the move, thereby leading to more time tracking to find them, while other gorilla families are stationed in one place, thereby taking a shorter time to find them.

How many people are allowed to trek with a gorilla family?
In gorilla tracking, a maximum of 8 people per day are allowed to track each gorilla family. This is applicable in Bwindi Forest National Park in Uganda, Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. In scenarios where more than 8 people are allowed to track, the park management has to give an account. For the gorilla habitation experience, it takes a maximum of 4 people per day.

What chances do I have for seeing gorillas?
These are the most frequently asked questions; many people are more inquisitive about knowing what chances they have for seeing the mountain gorillas when they are out on a gorilla tracking safari. We have to affirm that the chances of viewing the gorillas stand at 98% over whelming and outweigh the chances of not seeing the mountain gorillas.

The fact stands the gorilla trekking safari /gorilla tracking exercise in bwind forest national park, Mgaghinga national park and volcanoes Rwanda park is conducted I away that a group of ranger move earlier to the where the gorillas slept earlier to ascertain where they are actually situate and then they communicate with the team at the tracking point telling them where the gorillas can be possibly found. Then the team at the gorilla tracking point will move into the jungles following the clues being communicated to them till they arrive at the gorillas, thereby finding them.

When is the best time to trek gorillas?
Whoever has intentions of getting themselves on a gorilla safari in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo, wants to have the best of the activity, and the first question that rings IN their mind is ascertaining the most convenient time to do gorilla tracking. Gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda can be tracked throughout the year, making it flexible, but the dry months of June, July, August, September, December, January, and early February are more Favorable and preferred for gorilla trekking. But also given the fact that Bwindi Forest National Park is a rain forest, it is not guaranteed that it will not rain at all during the dry months; therefore, one ought to prepare for the sudden rains during the dry months. The same rain cycle applies to volcanoes in Rwanda National Park.

How much is gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo?
Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda cost 800 USD for foreigners, 700 USD for foreign residents, and 300,000 UGX for East African citizens. Gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda cost 1500 USD, and the low-season gorilla trekking permits cost 1050 USD in Rwanda. In Congo, the gorilla permits cost 450 USD.

Is it possible to trek Uganda gorillas via Kigali?
Given the fact that Bwindi Forest National Park is situated near Rwanda, it is very possible to track the Uganda gorillas from Kigali. One has to fly to Kigali International Airport, depending on arrival time. If you arrive early in Kigali, you can transfer to Bwindi; if you arrive late, you can stay in Kigali and transfer the following day, optionally after a Kigali city tour.

Important information about booking a budget safari in Uganda

It might seem convenient and easier to book your safari from an international tour operator, but it is much cheaper if you book your safari from a local tour consultant or operator. The local tour operator will not hike up your safari charges. This is because the tourism businesses in Uganda are interconnected, and also the local tour operators have firsthand information about accommodation, national parks, and other logistics.

Additionally, the tour operator will help you connect to a group of other tourists; a group is less charged than an individual visitor. The most important thing about booking from the local tour operator is that you directly support the local economy, which in turn comes back to you. If at all you are planning a budget safari to Uganda, you need to put all your interests in one national park; this will help you not to pay a lot of dollars for park entry.

However, this requires you to choose wisely the game reserve to book for; look for the national park that can make your wishes fulfilled and all your interests in a Ugandan safari fulfilled. To note, you can get the information about different national parks from the tour consultant or from the different Uganda websites. Planning to visit more than one national park might change your budget safari due to the increased park fees of national parks in Uganda.

You might have an ideology that if you get involved in all the activities within the national park, it is the best safari experience, but if at all you want to plan a good budget safari, you will need to choose, from a list of activities, the activities that perhaps take the core position in your interests in a safari experience. This doesn’t mean that you can enjoy, for some activities are done hand in hand, for example, you can enjoy the bird watching during the boat ride to the bottom of the falls in Murchison falls national park, so you can cut out the charge for birding if you add a boat ride to your itinerary, thus, staying within the budget for your safari.

An African safari should be a must-do, at least once in a long time, for everyone who loves adventurous itineraries. The safari into the African wilderness provides an opportunity to relax and also try out the new environment away from the daily routine and work stress. It also offers a golden chance to see extremely unique flora and fauna in Africa, like the tree-climbing lions, chimpanzees, giraffes, mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and a lot more animals in their natural habitats, and thick natural forests with the oldest tree species like Budongo Forest and Maramagambo Forest among others in Uganda.

Budget Safari Destinations in Uganda | National Parks

Despite the size of Uganda, the interaction of nature in the national parks makes it unique in an extraordinary way. No matter how hard it has been, Uganda still stands out and stretches to greater heights in the tourism industry of the whole world. The features of Uganda and the natural endowment in the national parks, also in other protected areas, perfectly narrate the factual story, which justifies the reason why Winston church hill had no other choice but to appreciate Uganda to the extent of calling it the “pearl of Africa.”

Though not so famous among the travellers to Africa, the travellers who have had a chance to visit Uganda can tell a positive story about the harmonious interaction of nature. Uganda has about ten known national parks, each with unique features that make it hold a position on the tourism list in Uganda. A Uganda safari is all you need to have the whole African wild experience in one piece.

Queen Elizabeth national park

Queen Elizabeth National Park stands at the top as the most visited national park in Uganda. Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in Kasese District, southwest of kampala capital city of Kampala. It is a three to four-hour drive over a distance of about 370km from Kampala to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The natural endowment in Queen Elizabeth National Park is the main reason why it stands as the best tourist destination for visitors who come to Uganda. Queen Elizabeth is gifted with a unique selection of wildlife; it has over 90 species of mammals, 600 bird species, some of which are unique and endangered, and 10 species of primates found in Kyambura Gorge and Maramagambo forest.

Activities

• • Game drive is the core activity for most visitors to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The game drives to Queen Elizabeth National Park are unique and are the reason why the national park receives the most tourists annually. The game drives include seeing the tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park; the tree-climbing lions make the highlight of any Queen Elizabeth National Park safari.
• • The boat cruise at Kazinga Channel follows as the second recommended activity in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The boat cruise is a chance to see all the game in Queen Elizabeth National Park along the shores of the Kazinga Channel and Lake George. Most visitors have regarded the Kazinga boat cruises as magical because they allow you to see almost all the bird species and other animals along the shores of the Kazinga Channel.
• • Experiential tourism is yet another activity in Queen Elizabeth National Park that supplements its uniqueness. Experiential tourism is sometimes called research tourism. It involves real research activities like counting animals and learning about their behaviors closely while recording the varied findings. Queen Elizabeth National Park offers three types of experiential tourism: lion tracking, hippo census, and mongoose tracking. These activities are conducted by a few visitors and professional researchers from the uganda wildlife authority (UWA).
• • Chimpanzee trekking is interesting in Kyambura Gorge, also known as the valley of comedy by some authors. Kyambura Gorge has one habituated chimpanzee family with which you get an hour of interaction during the chimpanzee trekking activity in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
• • Other activities include: birding in Maramagambo forest, plantation tourism, community walks, scenic viewing, crater hikes, visiting Katwe salt works, among others.

Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park is the largest protected area in Uganda and contributes a lot to the existence of the Murchison Falls conservation area. Murchison Falls National Park is located in Pakwach district, north east of the capital city. Murchison Falls National Park is famous because of the falls on the Victoria Nile formed with the action of the large water masses squeezing through the narrow gorge, and falling over a high cliff of about 45 meters to the bottom of the falls, where it continues to flow gently eastwards to the Albert Delta, and finally, it joins Lake Albert.

Activities

• • Hiking to the top of the falls is the highlight of safaris in Murchison Falls National Park. The top of the falls can be reached by car; however, the hike to the top of the falls starts from the bottom of the falls. For this matter, the boat cruise to the bottom of the falls is combined with the hike to the top of the falls through the Winston Churchill Trail.
• • Bird watching is done along the shoreline of the Victoria Nile during the boat cruise to the Albert delta. The boat ride to the Albert Delta is a chance for you to see the “sought for” prehistoric shoe bill stork and other birds like the hornbill puveli illidopsis, the yellow-footed kingfisher, among others.
• • Game drives in Murchison Falls National Park are conducted in the south, paraa, side of the park. the game drive offers you an opportunity to see the rothschilds giraffes, lions in the savannah plains along buligi truck, buffaloes, elephants, kobs and hippos among other animals.
• • Chimpanzee trekking is another activity you can do during your Murchison Falls National Park safari in Uganda. Chimpanzee trekking is done in Budongo and Kaniyo Pabidi Eco Site. Kaniyo pabidi eco site is managed by the jane goodall institute of research; will help you get all the information you want about chimpanzees before diving into the forest for your trekking.
• • Other activities include: hot air balloon, sport fishing, nature walks in Kaniyo Pabidi forest, plus white rhino trekking. However, rhino trekking is not done inside Murchison Falls National Park but in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, an en route to Murchison Falls National Park located in Nakasongola District near Nakitomi village. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is a privately managed project; however, safaris to Murchison Falls National Park are a possible way to see the few white rhinos in Uganda.

Kibale National Park

Kibale National Park is famous for the various primates it harbors, but most especially, the endangered chimpanzees. Kibale National Park is referred to as the primate village of Uganda, and others call it the world’s primate capital. Kibale National Park is located in south-western Uganda. It is a tropical rain forest, and it harbors over 1400 chimpanzees; it is always the best option for chimpanzee trekking activities and habituation.

Activities

• • Chimpanzee trekking is a famous activity in Kibale National Park; in fact, it is the main or core activity in Kibale National Park. The tall trees in the forest ease the adaptability of the chimpanzees and other primates to the environment of Kibale National Park. The chimpanzee trekking activity in Kibale National Park allows you to see other primates like the black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, and the red-tailed monkeys, among others.
• • Birding is also awesome in Kibale National Park, which has over 370 recorded bird species, and perhaps it is the reason why visitors call it the birders' paradise. Along the chimpanzee trekking trails, you can spot many forest birds, such as the weaver birds, which are common in the forest. During the birding activity in Kibale National Park, you see a lot of bird species, including the sought-after African pitta, plus other birds like the blue-headed bee-eater, nahan’s francolin, the masked apalis, and the cassin's spine tail. When you visit the national park from November to January, you stand a chance to see the migratory birds.
• • Nature walks in Kibale National Park will give you a chance to spot the unique features of the forest, which not all visitors get to see. The nature walks in Kibale National Park are done at night. The tourists and the guide use powerful flashlights while walking in the forest. The night hiking in Kibale National Park gives you a chance to see nocturnal animals like the bush babies, potto, nightjar, and civet

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is famous in Africa and the whole world because it harbors half of the world’s mountain gorilla population. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has over seven habituated families of chimpanzees that tourists visit. However, mountain gorillas are not the only ones in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park; you can also see other primates, like monkeys, along the trails.

Activities

• • Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the highlight of any African safari, so it is the main activity in the national park. The gorilla trekking permits are competitive in Uganda, and it is better to book your permit in advance, at least four months prior to your safari. However, when you book with the tour company, it is the best idea to book your gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park is located in western Uganda along the Masaka-Mbarara road. Lake Mburo National Park is so depopulated because of severe poaching and the clearing of the land for farmland, leading to migration of the animals. Lake Mburo National Park is called the park at a glance by a number of visitors.

Activities

• • Birding in Lake Mburo National Park is home to about 350 bird species, batelear, coqui fracolin, grey crowned crane, among others. Birding is done on foot in Lake Mburo National Park; it is the only national park where you can do a nature walk freely in the national park with no strict rules.
• • The launch trips on Lake Mburo expose you to a spectacular view of the undulating landscape and animals along the shoreline of the lake. A lot of animals gather around the water bodies in Lake Mburo National Parkis during the dry season; the launch trip is your chance to see the national park at a glance.
• • Sport fishing is yet another activity done in Lake Mburo National Park. Lake mburo national park has over 13 small lakes with in the lake and they are good spots for sport fishing in the national park.
• • Game drives are your chance to see several animals in the antelope family playing in the national park. Lake Mburo National Park is not so large, but it has a unique wildlife collection; zebras, eland, buffalo, oribi, deffassa, waterbucks, leopard, hippo, hyena, topi, and reedbuck, among others.

Kidepo National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park is bigger than Bwindi and Semliki National Park. It is located in the north-eastern region of Uganda. The inselbergs in Kidepo Valley National Park rise and stand out in the open savannah of the national park, giving it a spectacular scenic view.

Activities

• • Game viewing is spectacular in Kidepo National Park with over 80 mammal species, 28 of which are special to only Kidepo Valley National Park, for example, the bat-eared fox, aardwolf, caracal, cheetah, and the hanting dogs. You can also spot lions, leopards, and hyenas in Kidepo National Park.
• • Hiking is so interesting in Kidepo Valley National Park, it is done on Lamoi Mountain, a long Kidepo River, borassus palm forest, and Kanangoroko hot springs spice up the hike to the sublime.
• • Birding is also available in Kidepo Valley National Park. Kidepo National Park has over 58 species of birds, such as the verreaux eagle, pygmy falcon, and Egyptian vulture, among others.
• • Other activities include cultural encounters and performances such as the emuga dance at Naporere and lakaraka dance. Kidepo nvalley national park is also ideal for outdoor camping.

Mountain Elgon National Park

It is located on the border of Uganda and Kenya, found in the eastern region of Uganda. Mountain elgon national park has a caldera on the summit of the mountain, which covers over 40km. The highest peak of Mount Elgon, Waggagai, is 4321m above sea level and is the second tallest peak after Margherita of Rwenzori Mountain.

Activities

• • Hiking and nature walks are the most famous activities that give visitors a chance to learn about the mountain vegetation and the way it succeeds on another with an increase in altitude.
• • Birding is another activity done in mountain elgon national park. It gives you a chance to spot the sought-after and endangered lammergeier. You will also get a chance to spot other bird species like the vultures, Jackson’s francolin, and white-starred forest robin, among others.

Semliki National Park

Semliki National Park is found in western Uganda in Bundibugyo district, at a considerable distance from Queen Elizabeth National Park. Semliki National Park was established as a forest reserve in 1932; however, it was upgraded, and it was turned into a national park in 1993. Semliki National Park holds a position among the small-sized national parks with about 300sq.km.

Activities

• • Birding is the major activity in Semliki National Park, despite its small size. Semliki national park has over 400 bird species some of which are restricted to only this area such as the ejacis guiness and the isolana congolana.
• • Nature walk through the mineral-enriched swamp to the hot springs is a walk to remember. You can tell the location of the hot springs even before you reach them by detecting the rise in temperature as you get close to the hot springs.

Mgahinga National Park

Mgahinga National Park is found on the border that joins three countries: Uganda, Rwanda, and the democratic republic of Congo. It is among the smallest national parks in Uganda, covering an area of 33sq.km. It is also famous for gorilla trekking, and it only has one family of mountain gorillas with two silverbacks, an adult female, two juveniles, and about 3 infants. However, this gorilla family is so mobile and makes trekking so hard.

Rwenzori National Park

Rwenzori National Park is located in the south-western part of Uganda on the Rwenzori mountain ranges. The national park is a good option for hiking and mountain climbing. It covers an area of 996sq.km, which is a reasonable size. The tourists who visit Rwenzori National Park love climbing up to the highest peak, called Margherita Peak. Birding is one of the famous park activities in Rwenzori National Park; the park is blessed with over 200 bird species plus 70 mammal species, including bats and primates such as the golden monkeys and the colobus monkeys of different types among others