Safari style
Gorilla Trekking
An hour with a mountain gorilla family is, for many travellers, the single most powerful wildlife encounter on earth. Fewer than 1,100 mountain gorillas remain, all in the forests of the Virunga volcanoes and Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable Na…
The style
Why travel this way
An hour with a mountain gorilla family is, for many travellers, the single most powerful wildlife encounter on earth. Fewer than 1,100 mountain gorillas remain, all in the forests of the Virunga volcanoes and Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and strictly limited daily permits keep every encounter intimate. We handle the permits, porters and trekking logistics across both Rwanda and Uganda, pair your trek with golden monkeys, chimpanzees in Kibale or Nyungwe, and build in the savannah or Lake Kivu days that turn a trek into a journey.
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Every gorilla trekking is tailor-made
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Start planningAsk a specialistGorilla trekking in Rwanda
Rwanda's mountain gorillas live in Volcanoes National Park, about two and a half hours by road from Kigali. You get one hour with a habituated gorilla family, in a group of no more than eight visitors, and you must be at least 15 years old to trek.
Treks start early at the park headquarters in Kinigi, where rangers assign each group to a family. Depending on where the gorillas fed that morning, the walk can take under an hour or most of the day, on steep and often muddy slopes. Porters can be hired at the start to carry your bag and give you a hand on the climbs. Permits are issued by the Rwanda Development Board and are the largest single cost of the trip, so we confirm the current rate when we quote and book the permit for you.
Rwanda or Uganda?
Uganda's gorillas live in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Its permits cost less than Rwanda's, and it is where we offer the four-hour habituation experience with a family still getting used to people. The trade-off is distance: Bwindi is a long drive from Entebbe or a cross-border drive from Kigali, while Volcanoes is close enough to Kigali for a three-day trip.
| Trip | Gorillas in | Length | From, per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari | Volcanoes, Rwanda | 3 days | US$3,350 |
| Rwanda Gorillas and Lake Kivu | Volcanoes, Rwanda | 4 days | US$3,620 |
| Gorilla Kampala Express | Bwindi, Uganda | 3 days | US$2,396 |
| Gorilla Kigali Express | Bwindi, Uganda, starting in Kigali | 3 days | US$2,651 |
| Gorilla Habituation and Culture Safari | Bwindi, Uganda | 4 days | US$4,650 |
Prices checked on 27 October 2026. Each tour page lists what is included.
Questions
Gorilla trekking questions
At least 15, in both Rwanda and Uganda. The rule is enforced at the park, so bring passports for everyone in the group.
One hour once your group reaches the family, with no more than eight visitors per family each day. Uganda's habituation experience in Bwindi allows about four hours with a family that is still being habituated.
Reasonably fit. The walk to the gorillas can be short or take several hours over steep, muddy ground at altitude. Rangers try to match groups to families by fitness at the briefing, and a porter makes a real difference on the climbs.
Yes. Kigali has direct flights to Kilimanjaro, so a gorilla trek fits before or after a northern Tanzania safari. Tell us your dates in the safari planner and we will check gorilla permits and lodge availability together.
The collection
Gorilla Trekking journeys
33 safaris · every one adjustable
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