Plan Your Trek

Everything You Need to Know Before Your Gorilla Trek

There’s a moment on every gorilla trek when the forest seems to hold its breath with you. Nothing prepares you for what happens next, but a little planning makes sure you arrive ready to enjoy it.

Best Time to Trek

When Is the Best Time to See the Gorillas?

Gorilla trekking runs year-round, since gorillas don’t migrate and permits are available every month. That said, the dry seasons offer firmer trails and easier hiking, which is why they’re the busiest and most expensive months to book.

The rainy months trade muddy, slippery terrain for thinner crowds, greener forest and lower permit prices.

Dry Seasons

June–September
December–February

Firmer trails and easier hiking. The busiest and most expensive months to book.

Rainier Seasons

March–May
October–November

Greener forest, thinner crowds and lower permit prices, with muddier trails.

Low-season permits

Uganda offers discounted gorilla permits in April, May and November: $600 for foreign non-residents. Low-season permits can’t be rescheduled if plans change. Ask our team to confirm current rates and conditions.

The trekking experience

What Happens on the Day?

It’s quieter and more intimate than most people expect: no cages, no barriers, just a family that has learned to tolerate visitors.

Morning Briefing

Meet at the park office, where rangers assign you to a gorilla family based on fitness level and interest.

Meet Your Team

Set off with an armed ranger, a guide and trackers who have usually already located the family that morning.

Follow the Trail

The search can be short or take several hours, depending on where the gorillas have wandered.

Find the Gorillas

Spend one extraordinary hour watching them feed, groom and move through the undergrowth.

Return

Trek back from the forest with your guides.

“No cages, no barriers, just you and a family that has learned to tolerate visitors.”

Be ready for the forest

What to Pack for Gorilla Trekking

Practical clothing and a light daypack make a demanding trail far more comfortable.

Hiking Boots

Sturdy, broken-in boots with ankle support

Waterproof Jacket

Rain can arrive without warning, in any season

Long Clothing

Long trousers and a long-sleeved shirt, tucked in

Gardening Gloves

For gripping vines and branches

Daypack

Water, snacks and camera gear

Insect Repellent

Protection on the trail

Sunscreen

Even beneath the canopy

Camera Without Flash

Flash disturbs the gorillas

Respect the gorillas

The Rules That Protect You and the Gorillas

These exist to protect the gorillas as much as you.

Keep a safe distance from the gorillas at all times.
Small groups only: each gorilla family has a strict daily visitor limit.
Do not trek when unwell. Anyone with a cold, flu or other contagious illness will be turned back.
Cover coughs and sneezes: turn away and cover your mouth.

Fitness & difficulty

Do I Need to Be Very Fit?

You don’t need to be an athlete, but you do need reasonable fitness. The terrain is often steep, uneven and slippery, and treks can last several hours depending on where the gorillas are that day.

Rangers also match trekking groups to ability where possible, so let your operator know upfront if mobility is a concern.

High altitude

Steep, forested terrain

Up to 7 hours

Possible trekking time

Porters

Available at the park

Need an Extra Hand?

Porters are available to hire at the park for a small fee. They carry your bag and can help you through steep or slippery sections of trail, well worth it if you’re unsure of your stamina.

Getting to the gorillas

Your Journey to the Forest

Uganda’s gorillas are trekked from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, both in the country’s southwest.

By Road

Kampala / Entebbe → Bwindi

A long, scenic day on the road, ideally broken up with a stop along the way.

By Air

Entebbe → Kihihi or Kisoro

A short, scenic domestic flight that saves most of the drive.

From Kigali

Kigali → Volcanoes NP

A road transfer to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, an easy hop across the border.

Extend your journey

Make the Journey Part of the Adventure

Pair your gorilla trek with another unforgettable stop.

Gorillas + Queen Elizabeth

Classic savannah wildlife after the forest.

Gorillas + Rwanda

A seamless two-country journey.

Gorillas + Chimpanzees

Two unforgettable primate encounters.

Travel with confidence

We Handle the Logistics

Road transfers, domestic flights and permit arrangements, all taken care of.

Road Transfers

Domestic Flights

Gorilla Permits

Ready for the forest?

Your Gorilla Trek Starts With a Date

Tell us when you’d like to travel and we’ll help with permits, routing, accommodation and everything between.