GuideNorthern Province, Rwanda9 min read

Gorilla Trekking Permits Explained

Rwanda, Uganda or the DRC: prices, rules and how to book

Average rating 4.8 out of 5
4.84 reviews
Wanjiru Kamau
forPublisher Wildside Expeditions
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A mountain gorilla lying in the dense undergrowth of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
A mountain gorilla lying in the dense undergrowth of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
A gorilla resting in the forest of Bwindi, Uganda. Photo: Diego Delso

A gorilla permit is the most expensive hour of most travellers' lives, and the most memorable. What you are paying for, how to book and how to prepare.

One hour with a family

Only about a thousand mountain gorillas survive, in two populations: the Virunga volcanoes shared by Rwanda, Uganda and the DR Congo, and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda. Several families in each are habituated to people, and a strictly limited number of visitors may spend one hour with each family each day. Eight permits per family per day is the rule in all three countries.
That scarcity is the point. Permit fees fund the rangers, vets and trackers who have helped the population grow from a low of around 250 in the Virungas in the 1980s, and a share goes to communities around the parks. Rwanda charges the most for a permit in Volcanoes National Park; Uganda's permits for Bwindi and Mgahinga cost less; the DRC's Virunga National Park is cheaper still but opens and closes with the security situation.
Permits are issued by the national park authorities and sell out months ahead for June to September. We book them as soon as you confirm dates.
A mountain gorilla in Bwindi's forest
Treks can take thirty minutes or six hours, depending on where the family slept.

Trekking rules

  • Minimum age is 15 on the day of the trek.
  • Keep at least seven metres from the gorillas, and wear a mask if asked.
  • Do not trek with a cold or flu: gorillas catch human diseases.
  • No flash photography, eating or drinking near the family.
  • Your hour starts when you reach the family, not when you leave the trailhead.

Hire a porter

Tip
Porters from the local community carry your daypack and give you a hand on steep, muddy slopes. It costs little and is one of the best ways your trip supports people living next to the park.

Volcanoes National Park

Open Kinigi, Volcanoes National Park in Maps(opens in new tab)

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Wanjiru KamauAuthor
Wildside ExpeditionsPublisher
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Reviews

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Average rating 4.8 out of 5
4 reviews
  • Amira Saleh
    5 out of 5 stars
    4 Oct

    Honest, expert and full of respect for the places and the people. These notes made our safari.

  • Hiroshi Tanaka
    5 out of 5 stars
    1 Oct

    Lions, a leopard and a river crossing in three days. The advice on timing and where to stay was perfect.

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