Mountain gorillas are found only in Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and the number of these endangered species is noticeably increasing.
One then asks, why is there a recurring increase in the number of gorillas in the countries where they live?

The answer to this question is almost obvious. The monetary value of the presence of the gorillas is the major reason why gorilla numbers are increasing. The concern to protect the gorillas rises starting from the locals bordering the parks of interest to the governments of the different mentioned countries.

The major reason for the raise in the number of gorillas would be the price of the seeing the gorillas. In Uganda, a gorilla permit has been raised from $500 to $600 while in Rwanda the price was raised from $500 – $750. Currently Uganda has 10 habituated gorilla groups where tourists are allowed to visit and track gorillas, 9 of the groups are in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and one at Mgahinga Gorilla Park. A number of 8 visitors is allowed to visit one gorilla group which means there are 80 permits a day represent a 40,000 USD income to the Ugandan Government from gorilla permits alone add on top of that lodging that can run from a few dollars to a 1000 USD per night, transport charges, food, taxes gained and other things bringing income to the government.

With a daily income as high as that, this gives for the Uganda Wildlife Authority to do everything to protect the Mountain Gorillas from Harm. Should harm in the form of sickness, infighting, or even being caught in the snare of some poachers, there are even the dedicated and selfless men and women-the Gorilla Doctors who go out and check on the health of the various Gorilla groups and make sure they are all in good health.

Also the locals go out of their way to protect the gorillas because the Uganda Wildlife passes on a percentage of the Mountain Gorilla Permit money to aid the local community. But the gorilla trekking activity offers the locals much more – there are the jobs created by the lodges around Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga including some community lodging programs, guides in village walks that aid the community, crafts created and sold within the area, the guided mountain biking rides created by Ride 4, resulting a community behind the efforts of protecting the gorillas.

As much as the government has put in a lot of effort in protecting the gorillas, for the most part the community is totally behind protecting the ancient forests of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla Parks and there has been a lot of input into educating the communities around the parks to realize that it is best for the community to protect the forest and the mountain gorillas.

Walter Baumgärtel , was the first gorilla tourist to track gorillas in Uganda would be astonished at the growth of Gorilla in Uganda today. Having come to Uganda with an interest to visiting gorillas ended up buying the Travellers Rest Hotel in Kisoro, which became second home for Dian Fossey and others such as George Schaller. He later appealed to the British Colonial Administration to take visitors to see the Mountain Gorillas.

Gorilla trekking has been widely acknowledged as one of the most exhilarating and venerated safari adventures on the planet. Looking in the eyes of the gentle giants and one of the most endangered great apes in their natural habitat is what every traveler longs for.

The endangered mountain gorilla is only found in Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo and its population is estimated to be not more than 880 individuals according to the 2012 census of which half is in Uganda. According to the results from the census, Bwindi has 400 gorillas while Mgahinga Gorilla National Park has 80 gorillas that often roam between Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. In total Uganda has 480 gorillas that live in 39 families or groups though only 13 are habituated.
The survival to the mountain gorilla generation in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is greatly accredited to the foundation and campaign laid by the American zoologist who started her arduous research about the species in 1967 and carried on up to her poignant murder in 1985 at a place that was later to be known as Karisoke in the current Volcanoes NP.

Rwanda shelters a population of about 320 gorillas according to the last census and the remaining are in Democratic Republic of Congo. It is however important to note that the Mountain gorillas in the three countries are in two categories; those habituated and those which are not (wild). Tracking is done only to those, which are habituated and are not bothered about the presence of tourists.

Following the frequent insurgencies in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Virunga national park that shelters these gentle apes was closed and regarded unsafe for tourists since last year. This left this breathtaking gorilla safari adventure to be only done in Uganda and Rwanda.
The tracking rules are all the same in both countries where by only one hour is allowed for a tourist to look in the eye of the endangered Mountain Gorilla. Not more than 8 people are allowed to visit any particular gorilla group in a day in order to show respect and avoid any negative social or psychological impact on the life of a gorilla.

Uganda currently has 12 habituated Gorilla groups for tracking and one for research. The Gorilla families include;
Mubare, Habinyanja, and Rushegura families in Buhoma section, while Ruhija section shelters Bitukura and Oruzogo families and Nkuringo family is the only one in Nkuringo area. Nshongi, Mishaya, Kahungye, Bweza and Busingye families inhabit Rushaga area and the last family of Nyakagezi inhabits the Mgahinga Gorilla National park. Nyakagezi used to roam across borders of the 3 countries, but when the family got a baby, they settled on Ugandan side.
The Kyaguriro Gorilla family in Ruhija area has been set apart for research and is always used to learn more about the life of the Mountain Gorilla.

Rwanda on the other hand, has 10 gorilla families, allowing up to 80 gorilla permits per day. The families include;
The Susa family that was originally studied by Dian Fossey and inhabits the slopes of Mt. Karisimbi together with Susa B (Karisimbi family) that broke away from Susa. Sabinyo family which is the smallest and most easily accessed on the slopes of Mt. Sabinyo, Amahoro family known as the most peaceful of all families and Umubano family which broke away from Amahoro. The 13 group also Known as Agashya family, Kwitonda family, Hirwa family, Bwenge and Ugenda families are the other gorilla families in this ‘Land of a thousand hills’.

Tracking Experience
The tracking experience is slightly different in both countries because of additional qualities although the real tracking activity is more less the same. The process one goes through to get a gorilla permit whether by a tour operator or directly from responsible government bodies (UWA and RDB) is largely similar.
However, the prices for the gorilla permits vary with the countries. Whereas Rwanda sells its permit at $750, Uganda gives it away at $600 during the peak seasons. The reason for the difference in the prices of the two permits is not clear though some one may reason it from the different points of view.

First, one would not be far from guessing right if he attributes the difference to the cost of the entire tour (including transport and accommodation). Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park is about 2 hours drive from the capital Kigali where as Uganda’s Bwindi national park is almost a day’s drive from the capital Kampala. This means that it is more costly to reach Bwindi from Kampala than it is from Kigali to Volcanoes. Therefore the lost price for Uganda puts in consideration the extra costs one will incur to reach the gorillas.
Another person will be equally right to say that the difference is as a result of urgency and accessibility in relation to distance. It should be noted that one can track gorillas in Volcanoes and get back on the flight to go home in one day which is impossible with Bwindi due to the long distances. This makes the Rwandan permit to be more costly since it addresses urgent needs unlike the Ugandan one.

Whereas Rwanda can offer a 1 day and 2 days gorilla tours, the shortest for Uganda gorilla tours would be a 3 days with one day of travelling to the park, another for tracking and another for the return journey. This impacts on someone’s expenditure and as one stays longer hence the variation in the prices for the two permits.
May be also the historical attachment of the two destinations may be playing a leading role in adding more value to one destination. Volcanoes national park is known for the Dian Fossey research and conservation campaign. It is where the grave of this courageous lady lies next to that of her beloved Gorilla called Digit. This could be drawing the attention of many travelers who have heard of her poignant story hence tempting Rwanda to hike the permit price to limit the tourist numbers since Gorillas need to also be protected from being overwhelmed by the tourists’ presence.

The real tracking procedure and experience may be almost similar except for volcanoes national park, guests are given a cup of coffee or tea at the briefing center and are also given some cultural entertainment which is not the case for Uganda. However, there is also entertainment in Uganda but this is mostly at the lodges and may even come with an extra cost.

The other minor difference is that in the Volcanoes NP, Gorillas often inhabit the slopes of the volcanoes in the light bamboo forests which provide a clearer environment for photography where as in Bwindi, the gorillas are found in the dense thick forests of this ancient rainforest.

Though some people have believed that generally gorilla tracking in Rwanda is less strenuous than in Uganda, it has been evidenced that both gorillas live in their natural habitats and are therefore unpredictable. There have been cases of people who have tracked in both countries and have seen the gorillas easier in Uganda than the time they spent searching for them in Rwanda. It should be noted that the time one spends in search for the gorillas is never certain and depends on the gorilla family one is tracking, although some families regarded to be easier to see may also not be easy to see at times. It all depends on some one’s luck since the gorillas wonder around their habitat in such for food and therefore have no appointment with visitors.

Tracking in Rwanda is best suited for those with short time schedules who are only interested in Gorilla tracking. This is why some people have gone ahead to track in Rwanda and still have to cross to Uganda to experience the diversity of nature. It works well for those who are interested in Gorillas and other wildlife to track in Uganda and then have a chance to see other wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP, Kibale and Murchison Falls NP. The profusion of Wildlife in Uganda is almost unequaled in the region hence becoming a great destination for most travelers.

No specific recommendation on which country one should track the gorillas from since both offer equal opportunities to see the gentle giants and there is no difference between the species in these countries. It is paramount to note that the choice of the country to track gorillas from will depend on one’s budget, time schedule and one’s additional interests apart from the gorillas which will vary from one individual to another.

Uganda is a spectacular area and one of the finest regions for the butterfly enthusiast. Uganda hosts about 33% of the total of all Afro tropical species with over 1,235 species of butterfly having been recorded in Uganda, 31 of which are endemic to Uganda Some 117 butterfly species are listed, all of which are found exclusively within the Albertine Rift. This does not include subspecies, of which there are approximately 700 subspecies.

The breakdown of species numbers for each family are the following; Papilionidae: 31 species, Pieridae: 99 species, Lycaenidae: 479 species, Nymphalidae: 447 species and Hesperiidae: 231 species. There are currently 35 species that are considered to be endemic within the country, the majority being from the Family Lycaenidae which contributes 80% of all endemic species. The smallest species are not bigger than a fingernail and the largest swallowtails are larger than the smallest birds. Butterflies provide aesthetic appeal and are connected with all plants and crops at all stages of their life cycle. The fact of the matter is that most butterfly species have an average lifespan ranging from 20 to 40 days. A few species may live up to nine months.
Butterflies can only see the colors red, green and yellow, they are dark colored because they need to absorb heat from the surrounding environment, do not have any chewing mouth parts, they are gifted with a tubular straw like appendage known as proboscis which enables them to sip nectar. Butterflies “smell” with their antennae and taste with their feet, they are one of the few creatures on earth that can orient themselves both in latitude and longitude. Male butterflies attract females by releasing pheromone chemicals (scent) from their abdomen.

Butterflies and moths are picky in choosing leaves for egg laying and when folded, a butterfly’s wings are usually much less colorful, providing instant camouflage from would-be predators. Butterflies are the only insect that has scales and it contain pigment, which in combination with light refraction gives butterflies their colors.

The great east African rift valley contains a wide variety of habitats and among them is the mountain of the moon-Rwenzori, savannah grasslands and woodlands, rain forests, gorges of Kyambura and Butiaba. We will explore these habitats, many of them protected within the National Parks, in search of a wealth of butterflies, as well as enjoying the area’s rich flora and many birds. Although butterflies are the main focus of our butterfly tours, we also take time to observe other wildlife on your visit to Uganda the Perl of Africa. Who can fail to be delighted by butterflies -the greatness and variety of their colors, their delicate beauty and fascinating life cycles? Visiting Uganda allows butterfly watching enthusiasts to observe most of the amazing species around the country.

Being amongst the most colorful and exceptional of invertebrate taxa, as well as diurnal inhabit, more is known about the ecology and taxonomy of butterflies than any other major insect group. Butterflies and moths are some of the most fascinating and eye-catching flying insects in the world. A vast majority is brightly colored and is found all over the world, except in the Antarctica region. They are indeed one of the planet’s most beautiful creatures. People from all walks of life, irrespective of race, color or religion enjoy these beautiful winged flying jewels for their delicate beauty mostly found in tropical rainforests.