Mountain Gorilla Trekking
Get a customised gorilla trekking safari package on your next holiday,
to destinations like Volcanoes in Rwanda, Bwindi and Mghainga parks in Uganda.
Mountain Gorilla Trekking: Rwanda and Uganda
Roughly 1,000 mountain gorillas survive, split between two populations: the Virunga Massif, shared by Rwanda, Uganda and the DR Congo, and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda. A 2024 census counted about 1,063 individuals. Trekking fees fund much of their protection, which is why permits are expensive and the number of visitors is tightly controlled.
How a trek works
Whichever country you choose, the format is similar. You are assigned a habituated gorilla family and walk with rangers and trackers, sometimes for two hours and sometimes for seven, depending on where the group slept. Rwanda caps groups at eight visitors per family per day and sets the minimum age at 15. Once you reach the gorillas, you get one hour with them. Bring sturdy boots, gloves for gripping vegetation, a rain jacket and a porter, who is well worth hiring.
Rwanda: Volcanoes National Park
Rwanda is the easiest option. Volcanoes National Park lies in the north, about two to three hours by road from Kigali, and treks often start from the Kinigi area near Musanze. The permit costs $1,500, set by the Rwanda Development Board. Treks tend to be shorter and less punishing than Uganda’s, on volcanic slopes with bamboo and open forest. Well-known groups include Susa, which is associated with the Karisoke research centre and is usually the hardest to reach, and Sabyinyo, Amahoro, Kwitonda and Agashya. Rwanda also offers Dian Fossey-related hikes, golden monkey tracking and climbs up Mount Bisoke.
3 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking safari - Volcanoes
What dining experiences are available to guests?
Bwindi National Park
Uganda offers more choice and lower prices, but the terrain is steeper. A permit costs US$800, up from $700 before July 2024. Some operators report a discounted low-season permit of $600 in April, May and November, so confirm the current tariff with the Uganda Wildlife Authority before you book. Uganda also offers a four-hour habituation experience, which involves trekking to find a gorilla troop but works quite differently from a standard trek. Habituation permits are listed at $1,500.
Mgahinga is a small park that in the Virunga Massif near the Rwandan and Congolese borders. It houses a single habituated mountain gorilla family. It suits people who want to combine gorillas with golden monkeys and volcano hikes, but a sighting is less certain than in Bwindi, because that one family sometimes crosses into neighboring countries.
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