Investigations of the orthoferrites TbFeO3 and YbFeO3 were performed by neutron inelastic scattering and neutron single crystal diffraction in magnetic fields. The low temperature evolution of energy gaps was explored for both compounds and considered from the point of view of changes of rare earth ion anisotropy. Exchange parameters between nearest neighbors for Fe3+ in TbFeO3 were obtained. The magnetic phase diagram for YbFeO3 was obtained and discussed as a result of the energy balance between Heisenberg exchange interactions, Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interaction, anisotropy and external magnetic field.