After You Land: Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda/Uganda

We'll let David tell you why you must add these countries to your list.

The gorilla trekking high season—with the best hiking conditions—runs from June to September, with a bonus short dry season from mid-December to early February offering a second chance. 

It is important to know that gorilla trekking is highly regulated in both Rwanda and Uganda, and only 90–150 permits are available each day, depending on the country. If you're going at short notice, make sure to book your permit or an organized tour before you book your flights.

Now, onto picking between Rwanda and Uganda:

• Pick Rwanda if you only have time for a brief stopover to go gorilla trekking. Volcanoes National Park is close to Kigali Airport, whereas it'll take around 9-hours to drive from Entebbe to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
  
  
• Trekking routes in Rwanda are considered more open, and not as steep and slippery compared to Uganda's. 
  
  
• Uganda has more habituated mountain gorillas and so admits more trekkers per day, for cheaper—we're talking around €1380 vs €550.
  
  
• Apart from gorilla trekking, Uganda has more adventure activities to offer, while Rwanda's recent history of genocide and societal turnaround makes for a meaningful learning opportunity.