Uganda and Rwanda
Gorilla Trekking Safaris in Uganda and Rwanda
One hour with a mountain gorilla family in Uganda or Rwanda, on a private safari planned around the permit we book for you.
One hour with mountain gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda, and the safari we plan around it
We plan private gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda and Rwanda. At the last full counts there were at least 1,063 mountain gorillas, and 459 of them live in one Ugandan forest, Bwindi Impenetrable.
A gorilla trek is a walk through that forest, or up the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes in Rwanda or at Mgahinga in Uganda, with guides and trackers who lead you to a habituated family: one that is used to people. When you reach the family, you stay with them for one hour.
Only eight visitors go to each family in a day, so the permit is the part of the trip that can sell out. We check permits against your dates first, then build the days around the permit we book for you: the lodge near the right trailhead, the drive, and what you do before and after.
The hour with the gorillas
Your hour starts when you reach the family, and the guide keeps the time.
A habituated family is used to people, so it carries on with its day while you watch from 7 to 10 metres away.
The rules protect the gorillas from human illness. Keep 10 metres away in Uganda and 7 metres in Rwanda. No flash, no eating, drinking or smoking near the family, and do not trek with a cold or any other infection.
Uganda or Rwanda for gorilla trekking
The trek works the same way on both sides of the border. What differs is the permit price, how far the forest is from the airport, and the kind of walking.
| Uganda | Rwanda | |
|---|---|---|
| Gorilla permit, per person | USD 800, or USD 600 in November 2026 | USD 1,500. 30% off from November to May if you also stay two nights in Akagera or Nyungwe National Park |
| Where you trek | Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga | Volcanoes National Park |
| Habituated gorilla families | 25 in Bwindi, 1 in Mgahinga | 12 |
| Distance to keep from the gorillas | 10 metres | 7 metres |
| Travel time from the nearest international airport | From Kigali, in Rwanda: about 4 to 4.5 hours' drive to southern Bwindi, plus the border crossing at Cyanika. Or a 1 hour 15 minute flight from Entebbe to Kisoro, for southern Bwindi | About 2.5 hours by road from Kigali |
| Terrain and altitude | Steep ridges and dense forest, 1,160 to 2,607 metres | The slopes of the volcanoes, 2,500 to 4,000 metres |
Book the gorilla permit first. Flights and lodges come after.
The three gorilla parks: Bwindi, Mgahinga and Volcanoes
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda
The Uganda Wildlife Authority counts 25 habituated families in Bwindi. Treks start from four entry points: Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. Your permit is booked for one of them, so we book your lodge near it. Park staff choose the family you visit on the morning of the trek.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda
Uganda's second gorilla park has one habituated family, Nyakagezi, and golden monkey tracking as well.
Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Rwanda's gorilla park has twelve habituated families, living between about 2,500 and 4,000 metres. The walk to a family takes from 30 minutes to four hours or more, and as long back.
A gorilla trekking day, start to finish
No two treks are the same length, but every one follows the same order.
- The night before, you sleep close to the trailhead: in Uganda, near the entry point your permit is for; in Rwanda, near the park or in Musanze.
- The briefing. In Rwanda you report at 7:00 at the park offices in Kinigi. In Uganda, tracking starts at 8:00 from the entry point your permit is for.
- The walk in, with guides and trackers, in a group of no more than eight. It can take under an hour or most of the day.
- One hour with the family, counted from when you reach them.
- The walk out, which can take as long again.
- Whatever is left of the day, back at the lodge.
Porters are available to carry your daypack for a small charge. Take one.
When to go gorilla trekking
All three gorilla parks lie just south of the equator, and gorilla trekking runs all year. What changes is the rain, and the price of the permit.
| Months | What to expect |
|---|---|
| June to September | Drier, with firmer paths. The busiest months, so book permits early. |
| December to February | Drier again, and the second busy season. |
| March to May | Wetter and greener. |
| October and November | Wetter. In November 2026, Uganda's permit is USD 600. |
Rwanda's permit is 30% off from November to May if you also stay two nights in Akagera or Nyungwe National Park.
Uganda introduced its USD 600 low-season permit in February 2026, for April, May and November. The Uganda Wildlife Authority has not yet said whether it continues in 2027, and these permits cannot be moved to another date once booked.
Up to four hours with gorillas in Uganda: the habituation experience
Up to four hours with a gorilla family in Uganda, instead of one.
On Uganda's habituation experience you spend up to four hours with a gorilla family that is still getting used to people. It starts earlier, from 6:30.
The habituation permit is USD 1,500 per person, rising to USD 1,800 on 1 January 2027. Ask for it when you first enquire if you want it.
Gorilla safaris in Uganda and Rwanda, from 3 days
Typically 3 to 5 daysUgandaUganda Gorilla Trekkingfrom USD 3,450per personSee the itinerary
Typically 3 to 5 daysRwandaRwanda Gorilla Trekkingfrom USD 3,900per personSee the itinerary
Typically 10 to 14 daysUgandaBest of Ugandafrom USD 3,950per personSee the itinerary
Typically 7 to 10 daysUgandaUganda Honeymoon Safarifrom USD 4,200per personSee the itineraryLonger, shorter, a different month, two countries in one run. Say what you have in mind and a first route and a real price come back within one working day.
Start with a dateQuestions about gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda
How much does a gorilla trekking safari cost?
The permit alone is USD 800 per person in Uganda, or USD 600 in November 2026, and USD 1,500 in Rwanda. Our private gorilla safaris include the permit, full board, a private vehicle and driver-guide, and park fees. Each safari's own page shows its current starting price.
How many days do I need for gorilla trekking?
Three days is the shortest version: a day to reach the park, the trek, and a day back. From Kigali airport, Volcanoes National Park is about two and a half hours by road, which is why Rwanda suits a short trip. Bwindi takes longer to reach, and our Uganda gorilla safaris typically run three to five days, or longer with chimpanzees and the savanna parks.
Is a gorilla sighting guaranteed?
No one can guarantee a wild animal. In Uganda, if a group searches a full day without finding its gorillas, the Uganda Wildlife Authority's rules give the group another attempt the next day, or 60% of the permit back.
How fit do I need to be?
You need to be able to walk for several hours on steep, often muddy ground. The walk to a family can take from under an hour to most of the day, and the walk back as long again. In Rwanda the families live between about 2,500 and 4,000 metres, so the altitude adds to the effort. The Rwanda Development Board's advice is to walk slowly and drink plenty of water, and a porter can carry your daypack for a small charge.
Can children go gorilla trekking?
Not under 15. The minimum age is 15 in Uganda and in Rwanda. Younger children can join the rest of a safari, and the adults can trek while the children stay at the lodge with an adult who is not trekking.
Do I book the gorilla permit myself?
We book it for you, in your name, once you confirm the trip. In Uganda, permits for visitors from outside East Africa are sold through tour operators. In Rwanda you can book through an operator or yourself on the Rwanda Development Board's booking site. What you pay us, and when, is set out in your booking confirmation.
When should I book?
As soon as your dates are fixed. Uganda sells permits up to a year ahead, and the drier months, June to September and December to February, are the ones to book earliest. Book the permit before flights or lodges, because everything else is planned around its date.
Uganda or Rwanda?
Uganda's permit costs less. Rwanda's gorilla park is closer to its international airport, so a trek fits into a short trip. Our written guide, Uganda or Rwanda for gorilla trekking, compares the two, with prices, travel times and the trek itself.
Send your dates. We check the permits first.
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