Search result for:  gorilla permit

Both offer an hour with a habituated mountain gorilla family. The differences are elsewhere. Rwanda (Volcanoes National Park) About two to three hours' drive from Kigali, so a gorilla trip can be very short. The permit costs more: US$1,500 per person. Lodges range from comfortable to some of Africa's most exclusive. Uganda (Bwindi and Mgahinga) A longer journey, by road or by a short scheduled flight. The permit is US$800, with a reported lower rate in the low season. Easy to combine with chimps in Kibale and big game in Queen Elizabeth or Murchison Fall ...

permits are issued per person, for a specific date and, in Uganda, a specific sector. Each gorilla family takes a maximum of eight visitors a day, so permits are limited. The minimum age is 15. For June to September and December to February, book several months ahead; the quieter months are easier. When you book through us, permits are bought in your names as soon as your deposit clears. Questions about permit dates or availability? Ask below.

... quieter, and good for birders. Rushaga (south): the most gorilla families and the most permits, and the usual home of the habituation experience. Close to Lake Bunyonyi and the Rwanda border. Nkuringo (south-west): dramatic views of the Virunga volcanoes, but some of the steepest trekking. No sector is flat, and the families move, so a trek can take anywhere from under an hour to most of a day. Tell the rangers at the morning briefing about any knee, back or fitness concerns; they match groups to families. Trekked in Bwindi? Which sector were you in, and ...

In Bwindi, a small number of permits each day let you join researchers and trackers with a gorilla family that is still being habituated to people. Instead of the standard hour, you can spend up to about four hours with them. Group size: very small, usually four visitors. The day: longer and often harder walking, as this family is less used to people. Who it suits: photographers, wildlife lovers, and anyone who wants to see behaviour rather than a short visit. Have you done it? Was the extra time worth the extra cost?

... water, snacks and a rain cover for your camera. A camera without flash; flash is not allowed with the gorillas. Walking sticks are handed out at the briefing, and hiring a porter helps both you and the local community. What did you pack that you were glad of, or wished you'd left behind?

... photographers and anyone with a slower or faster pace. On a small-group tour A fixed itinerary and departure date with other travellers. Usually cheaper per person, but less flexible. In Uganda and Rwanda the gorilla trek itself is always in a group of up to eight visitors per gorilla family, whichever way you travel. Question for the forum: if you've done both, which would you choose again, and why?

Tipping is a thank-you, never an obligation, but it's one of the most common questions we get. These are the typical ranges travellers use, in US dollars: Private driver-guide: about $10–20 per guest per day, given at the end of the trip. gorilla and chimp trackers and rangers: about $10–20 per guest, handed to the ranger to share, or to each person directly. Porters on a trek: the porter fee is paid at the start; many guests add $5–10 on top if the porter helped a lot. Lodge staff: most lodges have a shared tip box; about $10–15 per guest per night is common. Small US dollar notes printed after 2013 are easiest, as older notes are often refused. Uganda shillings and Rwanda francs are also welcome. Your turn: how did you handle tipping on your trip, and did anything surprise you?

A few add-ons change a trip far more than an upgraded room. The ones our guests rate highest: Fly-in transfers. A light-aircraft flight to Bwindi or Kidepo swaps a full day on the road for about an hour in the air. The gorilla habituation experience. Up to four hours with a family that is still getting used to people, instead of the usual one hour. A private boat on the Nile or the Kazinga Channel, timed for late-afternoon light. A bush breakfast or sundowner set up in the park, away from the lodge. A spare night. One unplanned day after a trek is the luxu ...

Uganda and Rwanda suit couples who want something more personal than a beach. A few shapes that work well: Rwanda in a week: gorillas in Volcanoes, two slow days on Lake Kivu, then chimps in Nyungwe or the Big Five in Akagera. Uganda's southwest: gorillas in Bwindi, followed by a quiet island stay on Lake Bunyonyi. Both countries: a double gorilla trek, then the open savannah of Queen Elizabeth or Akagera to finish. Tell your planner it's a honeymoon. Lodges often add a private dinner or room touches, and it helps when choosing rooms. Planning a honeymoo ...

... for a double gorilla trek. Not needed if: you're only visiting one country. Uganda dropped its yellow fever certificate entry requirement in late 2026, though the vaccine is still recommended. Rwanda asks for a certificate from travellers arriving from countries with yellow fever risk, which includes Uganda, so on a two-country trip, carry yours. Any border-crossing tips from your trip?