Mgahinga NP /Uganda/

The smallest, but possibly greatest, of Uganda’s national parks boasts three Virunga volcanoes: Muhavura (4,127m/13,540ft) with a lake at the top, Mount Gahinga (3,474m/11,398ft) with a swamp-filled crater, and Sabinyo (3,669m/11,959ft) where three countries meet. If you track mountain gorillas here you are a member of a special club. One habituated gorilla group means only eight visitors per day. The park’s closeness to Kisoro Town makes it very interesting to budget travellers.

• Activities in Mgahinga NP

Park entry costs USD 40 for non-resident foreigners, USD 30 for resident foreigners and UGX 20,000 for East Africans. Children (5-15 years) pay USD 20 if they are non-residents, USD 10 if they are residents and UGX 5,000 if they are from East Africa. Primary/secondary school groups are charged UGX 3,000 per student. University/tertiary school groups are charged UGX 5,000 per student.

• Gorilla Tracking in Mgahinga

Price (includes park entry fees): foreign visitors USD 700; foreign residents USD 600; East Africans UGX 250,000 — discounts valid till 31 March 2021: foreign visitors USD 400; foreign residents USD 300; East Africans UGX 150,000

• Golden Monkeys in Mgahinga

Prices:
– golden monkey tracking: foreigners USD 60; East Africans UGX 40,000
– golden monkey experience: foreigners USD 100; East Africans UGX 100,000

• Volcano Climbing in Mgahinga

Price (includes park entry fees): foreign visitors USD 80; foreign visitors USD 70; East Africans UGX 50,000

• Sabinyo Gorge Walk & Other Nature Walks in Mgahinga

Prices:
– Sabinyo Gorge walk: foreign visitors USD 30; foreign residents USD 15; East Africans UGX 15,000
– other nature walks: foreign visitors USD 30; foreign residents USD 15; East Africans UGX 10,000

• Batwa Trail Experience in Mgahinga

Price (includes park entry fees): foreigners USD 80; East Africans UGX 50,000

Volcanoes NP /Rwanda/

Near Musanze Town, Volcanoes National Park shares three volcanoes with Mgahinga and adds two more: Karisimbi (4,507m/14,787ft) and Bisoke (3,711m/12,175ft). It has 12 habituated mountain gorilla groups.

• Activities in Volcanoes NP

• gorilla tracking: USD 1,500 — discounts valid till 31 May 2021: families 15% discount (couples and children over 15 years old); foreign residents USD 500; Rwandans and EAC citizens USD 200; other nationals of Africa USD 500
• golden monkey tracking: foreign visitors USD 100; foreign residents USD 65; East Africans USD 55; Rwandans RWF 4,000; students RWF 2,000 — discounts valid till 31 May 2021: 10% off for individual travellers, 15% off for family visits
• Mt Bisoke climb (3,711m/12,175ft), a day trip: foreign visitors USD 75; foreign residents USD 65; East Africans USD 55; Rwandans RWF 4,000; students RWF 2,000 — discounts valid till 31 May 2021: 10% off for individual travellers, 15% off for family visits
• Mt Muhavura climb (4,127m/13,500ft), a day trip: foreign visitors USD 100; foreign residents USD 75; East Africans USD 60; Rwandans RWF 5,000; students RWF 3,000 — discounts valid till 31 May 2021: 10% off for individual travellers, 15% off for family visits
• Mt Gahinga climb (3,474m/11,400ft), a day trip: foreign visitors USD 75; foreign residents USD 65; East Africans USD 55; Rwandans RWF 4,000; students RWF 2,000 — discounts valid till 31 May 2021: 10% off for individual travellers, 15% off for family visits
• Mt Karisimbi climb (4,507m/14,787ft), a two-day trip: foreign visitors USD 400; foreign residents USD 250; East Africans USD 200; Rwandans RWF 30,000; students RWF 15,000 — discounts valid till 31 May 2021: 10% off for individual travellers, 15% off for family visits
• Mt Gahinga (3,474m/11,400ft) + Mt Muhavura climb, a two-day trip: foreign visitors USD 200; foreign residents USD 165; East Africans USD 130; Rwandans RWF 20,000; students RWF 10,000 — discounts valid till 31 May 2021: 10% off for individual travellers, 15% off for family visits
• Dian Fossey Tomb visit; foreign visitors USD 75; foreign residents USD 65; East Africans USD 60; Rwandans RWF 4,000; students RWF 2,000 — discounts valid till 31 May 2021: 10% off for individual travellers, 15% off for family visits
• Lake Ngezi hike and other nature walks, a 4-hour trip: foreign visitors USD 55; foreign residents USD 45; East Africans USD 35; Rwandans RWF 3,500; students RWF 2,000 — discounts valid till 31 May 2021: 10% off for individual travellers, 15% off for family visits

Virunga NP /DR Congo/

The oldest national park in Africa has staggering environmental variety: from the Congolese side of the Virungas through the savannah up to the permanent snow on the Mountains of the Moon i.e. the Rwenzoris (5,109 metres/16,762 ft). It includes Sabinyo, Karisimbi, Bisoke, Mikeno (4,437m/14,560ft), Nyamuragira (3,058m/10,031) and Nyiragongo (3,470m/11,400ft). Tourists can visit six mountain gorilla groups here, and they usually start their tracking from Goma/Gisenyi.

Other activities:
• climbing the active Nyiragongo volcano and spending a night there
• chimp habituation walk
• Tchegera Island overnight (Lake Kivu)

Virunga National Park is currently not open for tourism.

Bwindi NP /Uganda/

The steep valleys and high ridges of Africa’s oldest rainforest hide much more than just mountain gorillas. Some of the highlights of different Bwindi gates:

• Buhoma: most accessible gorillas, nature walk to three waterfalls
• Nkuringo: spectacular views of the Virunga volcanoes
• Ruhija: nature walk to the bamboo zone or the big swamp that gave Bwindi its name, best birding
• Rushaga: largest number of habituated gorilla groups, the longer gorilla habituation experience, occasional visits of elephants

• Activities in Bwindi NP

Park entry costs USD 40 for non-resident foreigners, USD 30 for resident foreigners and UGX 20,000 for East Africans. Children (5-15 years) pay USD 20 if they are non-residents, USD 10 if they are residents and UGX 5,000 if they are from East Africa. Primary/secondary school groups are charged UGX 3,000 per student. University/tertiary school groups are charged UGX 5,000 per student.

• Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi

Prices (include park entry fees):
– gorilla tracking: foreign visitors USD 700; foreign residents USD 600; East Africans UGX 250,000 — discounts valid till 31 March 2021: foreign visitors USD 400; foreign residents USD 300; East Africans UGX 150,000
– gorilla habituation experience: non-residents USD 1,500; residents USD 1,000; East Africans UGX 750,000

• Crossing Bwindi on Foot

Price: foreign visitors USD 30; foreign residents USD 15; East Africans UGX 10,000

• Nature Walks in Bwindi

Price: foreign visitors USD 30; foreign residents USD 15; East Africans UGX 10,000

• Bwindi Batwa Forest Experience

Price (includes park entry fees): foreigners USD 40; East Africans UGX 40,000

• Activities near Bwindi NP

• Batwa Experiences in Buhoma and Nkuringo

• Community Walks in Buhoma

• Community Walk in Rushaga