Tell us where you're from, when you're travelling, and what you're most looking forward to, or what you'd tell someone planning their first luxury safari.

Our guides read the forum every day and answer questions in every section.

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?

• Worth it if: you're crossing between Uganda and Rwanda, for example 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?

Questions about permit dates or availability? Ask below.

• 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?

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 Falls.

Which did you choose, and would you choose it again?

• Buhoma (north): the original sector, with the most lodges and an easy link to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
• Ruhija (east): the highest sector, cooler and 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 how long was your walk?

• 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 honeymoon or anniversary? Share your dates and ideas and the community can help shape them.

• 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 luxury people mention most afterwards.

What would you add to this list? And was there an extra you paid for that wasn't worth it?

• 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?