Uganda and Rwanda have become known as the home of the mountain gorillas in Africa. With only just over 1,000 left in the wild, thousands of enthusiasts travel from around the world to get a glimpse of these magnificent creatures. A face to face encounter with mountain gorillas is a surreal experience that will leave you pinching yourself wondering whether you just saw what you saw. Visiting the mountain gorillas is a must do for any traveler planning to take an adventure on the continent of Africa.
There is slightly over 1,000 gorillas in the wild. Over half of them are located in the Bwindi impenetrable forest in Uganda and the rest live in the Virunga mountains located on the shared border of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Daily treks to see these creatures are currently available at both Bwindi (in Uganda) and volcanoes national park (Rwanda).
The trekking can be arduous. This is mainly due to the mobility of the gorillas The terrain can also be steep and slippery with high ridges.. You will need to be physically fit and be able to last a full day of trekking as there is little time to stop for rests along the way. The minimum walking time is 1 hour and can be as long as 8 hours.
Bwindi is a world famous tropical forest located on the rolling mountains of southwestern Uganda. Its fame stems from being the home of half of the world’s surviving mountain gorilla population. There are just over 1,000 mountain gorillas left and over 600 are found in Bwindi. Over 20 years ago Bwindi was opened up to the world, and now every month hundreds of tourists flock to this Jungle to see these magnificent creatures.
What makes a trip to this jungle worthwhile is not just its famous residents. It’s the adventure of hiking through an impenetrable forest, navigating through its tangled vegetation dangled over a deeply split landscape of steep slippery valleys and high cold ridges while being entertained by the percussion of singing birds, chattering monkeys and the sight of thousands of butterflies. Its ever-chilly weather and challenging terrain offer unequalled ambience and serenity for the visitors seeking to meet and interact with their closest species, the mountain gorillas.
How many habituated families are in the park? 17 gorilla families
How do I get there?
By road : 8hrs from Kampala- Uganda | 5hrs from Kigali-Rwanda
By Air: 1hr flight from Entebbe International Airport in Uganda.
Volcanoes national park comprises of 5 of the 8 volcanoes of the Virunga mountains. The park borders Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The park was made famous by Diane Fossey’s autobiography and film Gorilla in the Mist, who used the park as her base during her research and conservation efforts into the gorillas.
In addition to the mountain gorillas, the park also harbors the rare golden monkeys, hundreds of bird species and a number of other wildlife endemic to the Virunga mountains. While most of its visitors come to trek the gorillas, the park’s staggering landscape also offers thrilling hiking adventures.
How many habituated families are in the park? 10 gorilla families
How do I get there?
By road : 2hrs from Rwanda’s capital Kigali to the volcanoes national park. The park is situated close to the town of Musanze which makes for a great overnight stay before or after your gorilla trekking experience.
Gorilla Safari Lodge is a private and secluded upmarket lodge with spectacular views of the Bwindi rainforest and located close to the Gorilla Trekking starting point. The lodge consists of spacious chalets, the main lodge area with a restaurant, and a bar overlooking the Bwindi rainforest and a gift shop. It also has free WIFI available at the main lodge area.
These are chalets, each consisting of a spacious room, a private terrace, and en-suite bathroom. They are beautifully decorated and nicely lit with great views of the Bwindi rainforest. Each room is fitted with large comfortable beds, plush linen, mosquito net wrapping around the bed, lounge furniture, and a fireplace. The bathrooms have flush toilets and showers with hot and cold running water.
Meals are all included; 2 breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners. The restaurant offers 3-course meals of local and international specialties.
Spacious and nicely-decorated rooms
Great location
Spectacular views of Bwindi rainforest
Elaborate meals and variety of choices
Spacious restaurant
Free WIFI
No WIFI in the rooms
| Pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price per person | $2,125 | $1,754 | $1,692 | $1,661 | $1,642 | $1,629 |
Prices are based on double room occupancy. You can upgrade to a single room for $106 per person.
Rushaga Gorilla Camp is a mid-range mountain lodge located in the south-eastern part of the park near one of the four gorilla trekking starting points known as Rushaga. The lodge has excellent panoramic views of the Bwindi forest and is a 5 minutes' walk to the gorilla trekking starting point. It also has a restaurant that offers a full English breakfast, an a la carte lunch menu, and a choice of 3 set meals for dinner. You can also access free WIFI at the main lounge and restaurant area of the lodge.
These are spacious cottages with large comfortable beds and linen, lounge furniture, and a private terrace looking towards the Bwindi rainforest. All rooms have a spacious private bathroom with flush toilets, solar-powered hot showers, a sink, and a dressing countertop and mirror.
Your stay includes two breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners. The meals are all made from western or intercontinental cuisine.
Relatively good price
Great location
Spacious rooms
Views of the Bwindi rainforest
Free WIFI
Not nicely decorated
The linen is comfortable but not plush
Limited food items at the restaurant
| Pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price per person | $1,834 | $1,448 | $1,385 | $1,354 | $1,335 | $1,323 |
Prices are based on double room occupancy. You can upgrade to a single room for $146 per person.
Gorilla Valley Lodge is a small, low-budget lodge located in the south-eastern part of the park near one of the four gorilla trekking starting points known as Rushaga. The lodge has a small restaurant that offers a basic continental breakfast and a few options of international cuisine for lunch and dinner.
These are clean and modestly furnished brick and motor rooms consisting of a comfortable bed, linen, towels, and en-suite bathrooms. The bathrooms have solar-powered hot water showers and flush toilets. The rooms also have lighting, power plugs, and mosquito nets over the beds.
Only breakfast and dinner are included in the basic plan. You can order lunch daily at the restaurant.
Affordable and comfortable rooms
Good location
Basic facilities
Small rooms
Limited meal options
Limited views
No internet access
If there are no rooms available at the time of your booking. We will provide a suitable replacement.
| Pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price per person | $1,438 | $1,187 | $1,125 | $1,094 | $1,075 | $1,062 |
Prices are based on double room occupancy. You can upgrade to a single room for $89 per person.
Paraa Safari Lodge is an upmarket lodge with the refinements of a 3-star hotel, located in the center of the park looking over the Nile river. Facilities include spacious rooms, a restaurant, a bar, a pool with a bar, and a gift shop.
Paraa safari lodge boasts the best location in the park and offers the conveniences of being so close to the jetty for your boat safari on the Nile river, and close to the game viewing areas of the park. No lodge offers more conveniences for your 3 Days Murchison Falls Safari than Paraa Safari Lodge.
The rooms are nicely lit, decorated with plush linen, and towels. All rooms have a private bathroom with hot showers and a hairdryer. The rooms have a coffee bar, a reading table, refrigerator, complimentary bottled water, and a private balcony.
Meals are all included; two breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners. The restaurant offers three-course meals of local and international specialties.
Spacious and comfortable rooms
WIFI available in all rooms
Great location for game drives and boat safari
Elaborate meals and variety of choices
The standard rooms have a ceiling fan, but no air-conditioning. You can upgrade to a deluxe room for $35 per person per room.
Note: If there are no rooms available at the time of your booking, we will recommend a suitable replacement.
| Pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price per person | $1,241 | $902 | $825 | $786 | $763 | $748 |
Prices are based on double room occupancy. You can upgrade to a single room for $106 per person.
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Pakuba Safari Lodge is a mid-range lodge, located on the northern side of the park facing the Albert Nile. The facilities include a restaurant, terraced room blocks and a swimming pool.
The lodge is in an excellent location for game drives and with nicely furnished rooms, offering you better value for your money compared to other mid-range accommodations, making Pakuba the ideal lodge for your 3 Days Murchison Falls Safari.
All rooms have a private bathroom with solar-powered hot showers, a reading table, a closet, and a private terrace. The rooms are all air-conditioned.
This plan is inclusive of all meals. The price includes two breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners during your stay. The meals are all made from western or intercontinental cuisine.
Reasonably priced.
Excellent location for game drives
Comfortable rooms with air-conditioning
WIFI at the main lobby and at the restaurant
The lodge is a 45 mins drive from the Paraa jetty, where the boat safari begins and ends.
Rooms lack a coffee or tea bar and Hair dryer.
The linen is comfortable but not plush
Note: If there are no rooms available at the time of your booking, we will recommend a suitable replacement.
| Pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price per person | $1,141 | $763 | $685 | $647 | $624 | $608 |
Prices are based on double room occupancy. You can upgrade to a single room for $146 per person.
Red Chilli Rest Camp is a low-budget camp located in the center of the park on the southern side of the Nile, only 500 meters from the ferry crossing point. You stay in brick and motor, African thatched houses locally known as bandas.
The camp also has a restaurant that offers an a la carte breakfast and lunch menu, and a choice of 3 set meals for dinner. The combination of a great location and a right level of comfort makes Red Chilli Rest Camp the ideal budget accommodation for your 3 Days Murchison Falls Safari.
The bandas all include a double bed or two twin beds with linen and a mosquito net. A few bandas have private bathrooms, but most uses shared bathrooms. All the bandas have lighting, power plugs, and a fan. There’s a limited number of Ensuite bandas. The camp has shared toilets and bathroom stalls with hot water available.
The basic plan includes breakfast. You can buy lunch and dinner every day at the restaurant.
It’s inexpensive and safe.
Even though Red Chilli Rest Camp’s location is better than other budget accommodations, it’s not the best for game viewing. It takes about 30 minutes, including crossing the Nile on a ferry to get to the wildlife. The ferry has set crossing times, and these can limit the amount of time you spend viewing the animals. All the other low-budget camps have the same challenge. None is close to the wildlife.
Electricity is only available at set times of the day, except lights are always on. The set times are from 7 am to 9 am, 11 am to 2 pm, and 5 pm to 10 pm. Outside these hours, guests charge appliances such as phones and camera batteries at the restaurant.
No WIFI
Note: If there are no rooms available at the time of your booking, we will recommend a suitable replacement.
| Pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price per person | $918 | $597 | $520 | $481 | $458 | $442 |
Prices are based on double room occupancy. You can upgrade to a single room for $89 per person.