Uganda Or Rwanda: Which Is Better For A Safari?: If you are thinking of a safari to East Africa, Rwanda and Uganda are the first destinations you must consider. Though they are not as famous as their counterparts that is Kenya and Tanzania, you will be surprised at a number of safari activities offered.
Due to their small size, you can explore these incredible countries in a relatively shorter time allowing you to really make the most of your Africa safari visit. In these two countries you have the best wildlife experiences including gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, safari game drives and boat cruises, mountaineering, community encounter and several other adventures.
As you are planning your Africa safari, you have to decide where to go.
Here is what you should know
Safari Activities
Rwanda and Uganda are both similar and different destinations at the same time, some of the exciting activities you can do in both countries while others are more specific to the destination.
Uganda has more to offer as it is home to 10 national parks, 12 wildlife reserves and several lakes and rivers developed for tourism.
Rwanda has four national parks open for tourism.
Here are some of the safari activities to do in Uganda and Rwanda
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Gorilla Trekking
Uganda
Uganda is the best place in the world to see the endangered mountain gorillas, the country is home to more than half of the world’s population of wild mountain gorillas with two mountain gorilla trekking destinations that is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Bwindi and Mgahinga are located in the southwestern Uganda which is an 8 to 9 hour drive from Entebbe or Kampala, in these destinations visitors get a chance to interact with the gorillas for one hour.
A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda costs US$ 800 for foreign visitors and US$ 700 for foreign residents.
Rwanda
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is done in Volcanoes National Park located about 3 hours drive from Kigali City or 30 minutes helicopter flight.
Volcanoes National Park has 10 habituated gorilla families open for gorilla trekking and visitors get to spend one interacting with the gorillas.
A Rwanda gorilla permit costs US$ 1,500.
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Chimpanzee Trekking
Uganda
Uganda is a great chimpanzee trekking safari destination with many spots where chimps can be spotted, these include Kibale Forest National Park, Budongo Forest Reserve, Kalinzu Forest Reserve and Kyambura Gorge.
Most of the chimpanzee trekking tours in Uganda are done in Kibale Forest with more habituated chimpanzee communities and chimpanzee sightings are almost guaranteed.
Rwanda
Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda is done in Nyungwe Forest National Park and the small Gishwati – Mukura National Park, chimpanzee trekking adventure is more hectic in Nyungwe because of the hilly landscape and the elusive nature of the chimpanzees. They tend to congregate in trees which poses a challenge for photographers.
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Bird Watching
Uganda
Uganda is listed among the best birding destinations in Africa with more than 1090 bird species which accounts for around 50% of Africa’s total bird species and 11% of the world’s bird species. These birds are found in a variety of habitats across the country including forests, wetlands, savannah grasslands, woodland and on the banks of rivers and lakes.
Birding in Uganda is done both in protected and non-protected areas, some of the birds to lookout for include Shoebill, Green-breasted pitta, African green broadbill, Great blue turaco, Shelley’s crimsonwing among others.
Rwanda
Rwanda is also a great birding destination in Africa – home to more than 700 species of birds, the country has several habitats for birds including wetlands, forests, savannah grassland, woodlands, lakes and rivers.
Some of the birds to lookout for in Rwanda include Handsome francolins, Blue-headed sunbird, Rwenzori Turaco, Grauer’s swamp warbler, Rwenzori nightjar, Kivu Ground Thrush, Shelley’s Crimsonwing among others.
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Safari Game Drives
Uganda
Uganda offers safari game drives through its savannah parks which largely take place in Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Lake Mburo National Park and Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve among others.
The game drives normally take place in the morning, early evening and at night allowing visitors the chance to spot nocturnal animals to.
Some of the animals to lookout for on a Uganda game viewing safari include lions, leopards, buffaloes, giraffes, elands among others.
Rwanda
Game viewing safaris in Rwanda only take place in Akagera National Park – the only savannah park in the country, the park is an excellent choice for visitors interested in catching a glimpse of all the Big Five – lions, leopards, cape buffaloes, elephants and rhinos.
Also, Akagera National Park offers a safari boat cruise on Lake Ihema – a unique experience that allows you an insight into the full range of wildlife in Rwanda.
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Community Experience
Uganda
Uganda is home to more than 50 tribes each with its own unique culture, language and food. Some of the famous tribes in Uganda include Baganda, Batwa, Karamojong, Batooro among others. You can choose to visit some of these tribes on a Uganda safari as an addition to the usual Uganda Wildlife experience.
During the visit you can taste their food, interact with the local people, participate in their dance and listen to the fascinating folktale.
Rwanda
Rwanda has three tribes that is Hutus, Tutsis and the Twa. These tribes’ cultural and community experiences tend to vary less across the country. Still they are worth visiting as they give you an insight into a culture and way of life which entirely different from their own.
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Water Adventures
Uganda
Uganda the pearl of Africa has several water bodies on which a range of water activities are done, you can go white water rafting on the mighty River Nile in Jinja, Kayaing, Jet Boating, Bungee jumping, zip-lining, rock abseling at Sipi Falls and Canoeing on Lake Bunyonyi among others.
Rwanda
Rwanda offers several water activities like kayaking on Lake Kivu and canoeing which you can add on to most of Rwanda safari itineraries.
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Hiking & Mountaineering
Uganda
Uganda has several mountains and volcanoes open for hiking and mountaineering adventures, you can choose from multi-day hiking on Mount Elgon, the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains or Mount Moroto or single day hiking to the Volcanoes Virunga Mountains – Mount Muhabura, Mount Gahinga and Mount Sabyinyo.
For travelers who like outdoor activities, you can add a few days of mountain experience to your Uganda Safari itinerary for an unforgettable experience.
Rwanda
Rwanda offers mountain hiking experience in the Virunga Volcanoes of Mount Bisoke, Mount Karisimbi and for two-day hiking trips, Mount Muhabura. This can be easily tacked onto a traditional itinerary of mountain gorillas, golden monkeys and trekking to see chimpanzees.
Cost of the Safari & Accommodation
Rwanda is sold as a luxury destination and is favored by mostly luxury travelers, the country has many luxury safari lodges to choose from while on a Rwanda safari in the Volcanoes National Park, Akagera and Nyungwe Forest National Parks.
Whereas Uganda does have many luxury options as well as midrange and budget giving visitor more options to choose from.
The cost of your safari to Uganda and Rwanda depends on the length of your safari and the number of activities included. A luxurious 10 day safari to Uganda that included guided walks, chimpanzee and gorillas experiences and game drives starts from $ 4,000.
An 8-day Rwanda safari with primates encounter start from US$ 5000.
Weather & Climate
With exceptions to regions like the Karamoja region in North Eastern Uganda which has one long dry season and one wet season, Uganda and Rwanda generally share the same seasons.
In general, June to September and December to February are dry months and March to May and October to November are rainy season.
Most travelers prefer to visit Uganda and Rwanda during the dry months as safari activities like gorilla trekking, hiking and mountain climbing tend to be easier during this period. Also, it makes navigating the dirt roads found in the savannah national parks during game drives a more pleasant experience.
Traveling during the rainy season should not be seen as out of reach, wet weather tends to come thick and fast lasting only a few hours before the sun comes out in full force.
Traveling in the wet season has the advantage of fewer crowds and a high chance of spotting primates that have been pushed further into the forest in search for food. Also many safari lodges offer discounted rates in low season.
Getting There & Away
Both Uganda and Rwanda have direct flights from major European countries as well as USA and UAE, the gateway to Uganda is Entebbe International Airport (EBB) which also has connecting flights to several national parks and tourist towns across the country.
The main gateway to Rwanda is Kigali International Airport handling international and regional flights.