Is a mountain gorilla trekking permit the same as a chimpanzee trekking permit? No! They are two different permits. The mountain gorilla trekking permit allows you to trek the mountainous forest for mountain gorillas and the chimpanzee trekking permit allows you to trek the rain forest for the chimpanzees. Though they are all permits issued for trekking the trekking activities for each primate species are different and happen in two separate locations. Mountain gorilla trekking happens in mountainous forests, and you usually trek to high altitudes to find the mountain gorillas. Well as chimpanzee trekking happens is fairly mid altitudes and you usually just trek deep into the forest to find them. The time you spend on each trek is also different; because mountain gorilla stay in high altitudes deep in the time you take to get to them is longer than the time you take to get to the chimpanzees in the rain forests. As stated the chimpanzees stay in fairly moderate altitudes. Also on trekking experiences its quite easy to find chimpanzees because they stay in larger groups compared to the mountain gorillas. A group of chimpanzees has about 60 or more individuals, so they occupy a larger area and you can easily see the individuals. A mountain gorilla group on the other has about 15 to 30 members, so you have to really be close to the family to observe them and enjoy their company. The mountain gorillas like to move deeper and higher into the forest so on a mountain gorilla trek, you will have to go on for a while before you reach the gorilla family; yet for chimpanzees they stay longer in places, for as long as the ranger knows where they are, you can almost always find them there, its in rare cases that you find the chimpanzees have moved. Because the mountain gorillas as the name state stay in mountainous forests, trekking their trails is harder than the trails of the chimpanzees in the rain forests. In fact in some cases persons who wish to do mountain gorilla trekking, are required to physically fit because of the strenuous climb. Especially the Uganda gorilla trails are rough compared to the other gorilla trekking trails. That said the rules that govern both the chimpanzee and mountain gorilla trekking experiences are the same and they include but not limited to:- - A person should not trek the primates when they have any communicable disease of any kind. This because you can easily spread the disease to the primate - One trekking permit is valid for one individual and for one trekking experience only. - Trekking is done in a group so always stay in your group, when you are trekking don’t wonder off - Do not litter the primate’s habitat; make sure you leave it as clean as you found it. - Do not engage in any activity or behaviour that can cause harm to the primates - Do not use flash photography with the primates - Do not feed the primates - Do not touch the primates - Do not stare in the eyes of the primates - Keep a 2 meter distance or more from the primates Primates that are the mountain gorillas and the chimpanzees in East Africa are found in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic republic of Congo. Mountain gorillas are found in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda and Virunga National Park in the Democratic republic of Congo. Chimpanzees are found in Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in the DRC and mainly in Kibale National Park in Uganda.

Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Vs Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Vs Mgahinga Gorilla N.P : This article compares gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park versus Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Although Bwindi forest national park is a notable gorilla trekking destination for many visitors travelling on a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda, other visitors prefer to do gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park are both situated in the southwestern part of Uganda. These parks are home to more than half of the surviving mountain gorillas in the world. The rest of the gorilla population lives in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.

Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Vs Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda is a UNESCO World Heritage site with hundreds of different creatures, plants, and mammals. The park is home to colobus monkeys, chimpanzees, geckos, and a variety of bird species. Mgahinga, on the other hand, is Uganda’s only national park where golden monkeys and mountain gorillas coexist in peace. This peaceful coexistence of mountain gorillas and golden monkeys at Mgahinga is known colloquially as “Mgahinga, where gold meets silver.”

Several significant distinctions and similarities between gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are listed below.

Size of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Vs Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a smaller national park as compared to Bwindi national park. The gorilla national park spans over a radius of 33 square kilometers in comparison to Bwindi impenetrable national park, which is 331 square kilometers. These parks were gazetted in the early 1990s at the same time. The parks are divided by around 50 kilometers of communal farming.

Location of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Vs Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Vs Mgahinga Gorilla N.P — Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Vs Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

The Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is located in Kisoro district in the southwestern province of Uganda, on the Ugandan border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has boundaries with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and three other districts in Uganda namely Kisoro, Rubanda, and Kanungu.

Number of Habituated Gorilla Families in Bwindi National Park Vs Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park has only one habituated gorilla group which is Nyakagezi gorilla family, whereas Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has up to 20 gorilla families. Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo, and Rushaga are the four gorilla trekking sectors in Bwindi National Park. There are visitors who typically like to do gorilla trekking in Rushaga or Nkuringo sectors in Bwindi impenetrable national park since gorilla trekking permits are considerably easier to get, and not forgetting that Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors are closer to the Rwandan border for travelers traveling to Uganda via Kigali or Kisoro airport, Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Vs Mgahinga Gorilla N.P.

Gorilla Trekking Experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Vs Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

In comparison to gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park gorilla family is rather simple to reach because you will most likely have to trek a few hills and valleys to reach the gorillas.

Some visitors on a Uganda gorilla safari have loved doing gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park because the forest is not too dense, allowing it easier to observe gorillas and take beautiful images. Yet, the gorillas in both parks are the same.

The gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi impenetrable national park is quite different and a bit challenging compared to Mgahinga national park; and this is mainly because of the terrains that exist in the two gorilla parks.

Compared to Mgahinga Gorilla national park, Bwindi forest national park has difficult gorilla trekking sectors with Nkuringo and Ruhija being the most difficult sectors to track gorilla families.

Safety and Security of Visitors doing Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Vs Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable national park and Mgahinga Gorilla national park is safe and secure for visitors travelling to either of the gorilla parks. All visitors on a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda to either national parks are accompanied by park guides and rangers, in order to ensure the safety and security of both the tourists and gorillas as well.

Getting to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Vs Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Getting to Bwindi impenetrable national park from Kampala or Entebbe by road takes approximately 9-10 hours. Bwindi national park is a 2 to 3-hour drive south for guests who are already in Queen Elizabeth National Park. You may take this route through Ishasha to visit the famed tree-climbing lions before arriving in Buhoma sector. The national can also be accessed from Lake Mburo National Park takes about 5-6 hours.

For visitors travelling to Mgahinga Gorilla national park from Kampala or Entebbe, it takes about a 9 hours’ drive. The national park can also be accessed by visitors travelling from Queen Elizabeth National Park taking approximately a 6 hours’ drive and about 5-7 hours from Lake Mburo National Park.

However, both national parks can be easily accessed from Kigali city in Rwanda. It takes approximately 4 hour’s drive from Kigali to Mgahinga Gorilla national park and about 5 hours from Kigali to Rushaga or Nkuringo sectors of Bwindi impenetrable national park.

Both gorilla parks can also be accessed by air for those who want to cut on the long driving hours. Bar Aviation and Aerolink Uganda both offer domestic flights to Bwindi impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla national parks from Entebbe or Kajjansi and landing at Kihihi Airstrip if you are visiting Buhoma and Ruhija sectors in Bwindi; and Kisoro Airstrip if you are going to trek gorillas in Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors or Bwindi national park, as well as Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.