PLAN YOUR TREK
Everything you need to know before you go: permit prices, Uganda versus Rwanda, the best time to travel, fitness and packing, and answers to the questions we're asked most.
Quick answer: to plan a gorilla trek, choose Uganda or Rwanda, pick your season, and book permits 6 to 12 months ahead. Allow 3 to 4 days for Rwanda or 5 to 7 days for Uganda. Permits cost US$800 in Uganda and US$1,500 in Rwanda, and our tours include them.
1. Choose your country. Uganda for value and choice, Rwanda for short trips and luxury. Compare them in Uganda vs Rwanda.
2. Pick your season. June to September and December to February are easiest; Uganda's low-season months are cheapest. See the best time for gorilla trekking.
3. Set your budget. Permits plus transport, lodges, guide, porters and tips: our gorilla permits and cost guide breaks it down.
4. Book permits early. Aim for 6 to 12 months ahead, especially for July to September.
5. Get ready. Train, pack the right gear and sort visas and vaccinations with our fitness and packing guide.
Allow 3 to 4 days for Rwanda: fly into Kigali, drive about 3 hours to Volcanoes National Park, trek, and fly home. Uganda needs 5 to 7 days because the parks are further away, and the extra time lets you add golden monkeys or a few days on Lake Mutanda, as on our Gorillas Uganda 6-day trek. Combining gorillas with a Serengeti safari takes around two weeks, like our 15-day Gorillas and Great Migration Package.
What an hour with a gorilla family is really like, how your permit protects mountain gorillas, and how your trip supports local communities.
Read the guideWhat a permit costs in Uganda (US$800) and Rwanda (US$1,500), what it includes, low-season savings and how to budget for the whole trip.
Read the guideCompare permits, access from Kigali, trek difficulty, lodges and what else to see, so you can choose the right country or combine both.
Read the guideDry seasons, wet seasons, a month-by-month guide, low-season permit savings and when to combine gorillas with the Great Migration.
Read the guideHow hard the trek is, an 8-week training plan, age limits, porters and exactly what to wear and bring.
Read the guideQuick answers on safety, visas, vaccinations, how close you get, tipping, photography and more.
Read the FAQBwindi, Mgahinga or Volcanoes National Park? Our guide to the parks where you can meet mountain gorillas, and the current situation in the DRC.
Read the guideNot sure which park, season or permit suits you? Tell us your travel dates and how you like to travel, and our team will help you plan the right gorilla trek.
9 to 12 months before: choose your country and dates, and confirm your trip so we can secure permits.
6 months before: book international flights and travel insurance with cancellation cover.
3 months before: start training, and check visa and vaccination requirements with a travel clinic.
1 month before: apply for your visa, such as the US$100 East Africa Tourist Visa that covers Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya, and buy and wear in your boots.
1 week before: pack, get small US dollar notes for tips, and make sure you're well enough to trek, as rangers won't let you near the gorillas with a cold or flu.
Most gorilla treks start at one of two airports. Kigali International Airport in Rwanda is about 3 hours by road from Volcanoes National Park and 4 to 6 hours from southern Bwindi and Mgahinga. Entebbe International Airport in Uganda suits trips that include Kibale or Queen Elizabeth National Park, with domestic flights to airstrips near Bwindi. We'll recommend the best route for your itinerary, and the best place for gorilla trekking guide explains each park.
Permit prices and travel requirements can change. Correct as of October 2026.
Our team has been planning gorilla treks for more than 15 years. Ask us anything.
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