Experience
Gorilla Trekking in Uganda & Rwanda
One hour with a mountain gorilla family. Everything else on the trip is built around it.
Discover gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda means walking into the forest with rangers and trackers to spend one hour with a habituated family of mountain gorillas. Each family can be visited by eight people a day, so permits are limited, and in the dry months they sell out well ahead.
There are two main places to go. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda holds about half of the world's mountain gorillas in dense, steep rainforest, and its permit costs US$800. Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda sits on more open volcano slopes under three hours from Kigali, and its permit costs US$1,500. Both offer the same hour with a family; the difference is in the forest, the journey and the lodges.
- Uganda permit
- US$800 per person
- Rwanda permit
- US$1,500 per person
- Group size
- Up to 8 visitors per family
- Time with gorillas
- 1 hour
- Minimum age
- 15 years
- Best months
- Jun–Sep and Dec–Feb
How gorilla trekking works
The trek, step by step
You meet the rangers at the park office for a briefing, then walk with your group while trackers radio ahead with the family's position. The walk may take an hour or most of the day. When you reach the gorillas, you leave bags and sticks behind and spend an hour with them, keeping about seven metres away.
All gorilla safarisUganda: Bwindi's rainforest
Bwindi's four sectors each have their own families and lodges. The forest is denser and steeper than the Virungas, and the permit costs about half the Rwandan price. Flights to Kihihi or Kisoro cut the journey from Entebbe, or the southern sectors are a few hours from Kigali.
Discover Bwindi
Rwanda: the Virunga volcanoes
Treks start from Kinigi, under three hours from Kigali International Airport, which makes Rwanda the quickest gorilla trip in Africa. The bamboo and forest of the volcano slopes are more open, and the lodges around the park are some of the finest anywhere.
Discover VolcanoesWhen to go
Gorilla treks run every day of the year in both countries. June to September and December to February are the driest months and the most popular, so permits for those dates should be booked several months ahead. The wetter months bring muddier trails but quieter lodges, and the gorillas are just as easy to find.
- JanDrier
- FebDrier
- MarWetter
- AprWetter
- MayWetter
- JunDrier
- JulDrier
- AugDrier
- SepDrier
- OctWetter
- NovWetter
- DecDrier
Drier, peak seasonWetter, green season
Where to trek
Gorilla trekking safaris
8-Day Uganda Luxury Gorilla & Wildlife Safari
Entebbe › Kibale › Queen Elizabeth › Bwindi › Lake Mburo › Entebbe
View itineraryLodges near the gorillas
Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge
Stone cottages on the ridge above the Nkuringo sector, looking out to the Virunga volcanoes.
Ask about this lodgeBwindi Lodge
A Volcanoes Safaris lodge at Buhoma, its bandas facing the forest edge.
Ask about this lodgeBisate Lodge
Six forest villas on an eroded volcanic cone, facing Mount Bisoke and Mount Karisimbi.
Ask about this lodgeSabyinyo Silverback Lodge
A community-owned lodge near Kinigi, close to the park headquarters where treks begin.
Ask about this lodgePlanning your visit
Fitness and porters
Treks are steep and muddy, and can last anything from one to six hours. Walk regularly in the weeks before you travel, hire a porter at the trailhead, and tell the rangers if you'd prefer a shorter trek.
What to wear
Long trousers, a long-sleeved shirt, waterproof boots, gaiters, gardening gloves and a rain jacket. Our gorilla trek packing guide has the full list.
Photography
Flash is not allowed and the forest is dark, so a camera that handles low light matters more than a long lens. Spend part of your hour simply watching.
Booking permits
Permits are limited to eight people per family each day. Book three to six months ahead for the dry months. Read gorilla permits explained for the rules.
Choosing a lodge
In Bwindi the sector on your permit decides your lodge, so we book both together. In Rwanda, lodges cluster around Kinigi, where every trek begins.
One trek or two?
A second trek visits a different family and is often even better than the first, because you know what to expect. Two treks fit into four days across Rwanda and Uganda.
Questions travellers ask
How fit do you need to be for gorilla trekking?
Reasonably fit. Treks are on steep, often muddy slopes at altitude and can last from one to six hours. Rangers try to match groups to families by fitness, and porters can be hired at the trailhead to carry bags and help on the slopes.
Should we trek in Uganda or Rwanda?
Choose Rwanda for the shortest journey and the most polished lodges; choose Uganda for the lower permit price, wilder forest and the chance to add chimpanzees and savannah parks. Many travellers trek in both.
When should we book gorilla permits?
As early as possible, especially for June to September and December to February. We buy permits in your names as soon as your deposit clears.
Can children go gorilla trekking?
Trekkers must be at least 15 years old. Younger children can stay at the lodge, and some lodges arrange activities for them.
What happens if a gorilla trek is cancelled or we are ill?
Anyone with a cold, flu or other infectious illness may be turned away to protect the gorillas. Permit refunds depend on the park authority's rules, which is one reason we recommend travel insurance that covers cancellation.
How close do you get to the gorillas?
The rule is to stay about seven metres away, though gorillas sometimes move closer on their own. Rangers guide you throughout.
What is the gorilla habituation experience?
In Bwindi's Rushaga sector, up to four people spend up to four hours with a family that is still being habituated. It costs more than a standard permit and sells out early.
Where the gorillas live
Bwindi Impenetrable
Steep montane forest in the southwest, home to about half of the world's mountain gorillas. Treks start from Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo.
Discover Bwindi ImpenetrableVolcanoes
Bamboo and forest on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes, under three hours from Kigali. Gorillas, golden monkeys and Dian Fossey's grave.
Discover Volcanoes
Something made for you
Any trip can be lengthened, upgraded or combined across both countries. Send your dates and the number of travellers, and you'll get a costed plan within a day.