Gorilla trekking

A standard permit in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda is USD 1,500 per person per day, per the Rwanda Development Board booking portal. In Bwindi and Mgahinga in Uganda, a standard permit is USD 800 per person. Uganda also sells a gorilla habituation permit at USD 1,500, which buys up to four hours instead of one and rises to USD 1,800 in January 2027. Rwanda sells an exclusive experience at USD 15,000 per person. Permit rates are set by the park authorities and do change, so we confirm the current figure in writing with your quote before you commit to anything. Every permit your itinerary needs is bought and held by us before you travel. Rates checked 25 August 2026.

It is a Uganda-only permit that puts you with the researchers and trackers working with a gorilla family that is still getting used to human presence. You stay up to four hours with them instead of the standard one hour. The permit is USD 1,500 per person, rising to USD 1,800 in January 2027, and only a handful are released each day, so it books out further ahead than any other gorilla experience in the region. Rwanda does not offer a habituation permit.

Rwanda if your time is short or you want to pair the trek with the Serengeti or the Maasai Mara. Volcanoes National Park is about two and a half hours from Kigali, so a trek fits into a two-night stop. Uganda if the permit cost matters or you want more time in the forest. Bwindi is a longer journey in, and it rewards you with a wilder, less-visited trek and the option to add chimpanzees at Kibale.

Harder than most people expect, and manageable for most reasonably fit travelers. You are at altitude, on steep muddy ground, following trackers off-path through thick vegetation. Finding the family takes anywhere from about one to seven hours round trip. Porters are available at every trailhead and worth hiring: they carry your pack, and the work supports families living beside the park.

One hour, once your group reaches the family. That limit is set by the park authorities to keep the gorillas calm and reduce the risk of passing human illness to them. Groups are small, and you stay roughly seven meters back.

June to September and December to February are the drier stretches, with firmer trails and easier walking. The wetter months are greener and quieter, and lodge rates are usually lower. Gorillas are tracked year round, so no month is closed to you.

As early as you can for the June to September window, when permits for both countries sell out months ahead. Uganda now requires payment in full at the time of booking, so a permit is only held once it is paid. Tell us your dates and we will check live availability before you commit to anything.

Yes. You must be 15 or older to trek in either Rwanda or Uganda, and the rule is enforced at the briefing.