
The endangered Mountain Gorillas of Uganda – Africa’s biggest primates or great apes are a major draw among nature lovers who travel thousands of air miles to come and see them.
Considered one of the best experiences in the natural world, the visitors who make the trip get within a few meters of the wild Mountain Gorillas in their natural habitat – the forested highlands of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Gorilla tracking/trekking is the crown jewel in Uganda’s nature tourism offering. Visitors safari to either Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to see the endangered primates.
To go on a date with the gentle giants as they are often referred to, one needs a gorilla permit, which costs USD 800 per trek.
In case you want to spend more time with the gorillas, you can book a gorilla habituation experience, which means you spend up to 4 hours with a group that is being prepared to be visited by humans at a cost of USD 1,500.
There are four locations where visitors go to track gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. These include the Buhoma sector in the north, the Ruhija sector in the northeast, the Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors in the south.
In terms of the experience when visitors go, there is a difference as the northern sector of the World Heritage Site that is Bwindi has a gradient that is gentler compared to the south so in terms of difficulty, the north is not too difficult as is the case in the south where one has got to be a lot more fit to take on the gorilla families in the Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors.
If you are an avid hiker, you will sure get better value if you ask us to book for you permits to track the gorillas in the southern sector of the park. For visitors that are not too keen on hiking or are advanced in age, we would book for you permits to track the gorillas in the northern sector.
The four locations have a total of about 19 families. Gorilla tracking permits need to be bought prior to tracking and you can trust us to help you make these arrangements. Permits can be paid for up to two years in advance.
Only 8 visitors are allowed to view the gorillas for one hour per day, participants must be aged 15 and over and they will be accompanied by Uganda Wildlife Authority guides and rangers while with the gorillas.
Tracking the gorillas can last from a few hours to a whole day, depending on how far the specific gorilla family/group you have been assigned to track, has moved since it was observed nesting up the previous evening.
It is during the dry months when there is less rainfall that the gorillas move far in search for food that trackers will likely return late in the day.
Visitors can also visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to see the famed Mountain Gorillas. Mgahinga, which is part of the Virunga Mountains shared between Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo is home to a single gorilla family – the Nyakagezi family.
The trekking/tracking in Mgahinga is slightly different from the experience in Bwindi because of the terrain and the vegetation. Bwindi is a rain-forest with thick undergrowth while Mgahinga has open spaces and bamboo forests, which makes tracking much easier.
When you make the trip to Bwindi or Mgahinga, you traverse dense thickets and bamboo forests that extend over a series of steep ridges. On your trek, marvel at the ecological uniqueness and natural beauty of this secluded mountain haven.

YOU CAN GO FOR A GORILLA HABITUATION EXPERIENCE
The Mountain Gorillas that tourists get to see during a 1-hour experience in Bwindi or Mgahinga have already gone through what is called habituation.
Without a direct definition, gorilla habituation is a slow process that is undertaken by researchers to introduce a family/group of wild gorillas to the presence of humans.
Wild gorillas are habituated to enable the researchers study the species, protect them from hunters, treat them for sickness and injuries, and boost their conservation efforts with sustainable tourism.
At the moment, two gorilla families (Bukingyi & Bushaho) are being habituated in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Each gorilla group/family has undergone a lengthy habituation process of between 3-5 years in order for them to become accustomed to the presence of humans.
Experienced researchers, park rangers, trackers and conservationists start the habituation process by spending a short period of time with the gorillas every day, keeping ample distance at the limit of the gorillas’ comfort zone.
They gradually increase the time they stay in the gorillas’ presence and reduce the distance until they are certain that it is okay for tourists to visit the specific groups that have been undergoing a habituation process.
By signing up for a Gorilla Habituation Experience, you support the crucial work in habituating gorillas and removing the existential threat to them as an endangered species. It is truly humbling to think that you will be one of the first humans to meet these gorillas.
Given that you spend 4-hours as opposed to 1-hour (the normal gorilla trek) in their presence, the experience is more relaxed and is enriching. You’ll feel less rushed and you’ll have plenty of time to fully immerse yourself into this incredible wildlife experience.
How does a gorilla trek differ from a habituation experience?
On a gorilla trek, you hike through the forested mountains for anywhere from 1-hour to 8 hours, depending on where the specific gorilla family you are tracking spent the previous night or where they have been sighted today.
When you finally locate the gorilla family you are tracking, you will spend up to one special hour quietly observing them go about their day in their natural habitat.
The gorilla habituation experience on the other hand allows visitors to spend up to 4 hours with these magnificent creatures and is only available in the Rushaga sector.
On this habituation experience, visitors get a deeper understanding of gorilla tracking as well as gorillas’ way of life than on a normal trek, and you’ll have a greater amount of time to observe and photograph the gorillas.
For more information about a gorilla habituation experience, contact one of our travel consultants at Uzuri Uganda Safaris and we will be more than greatfull to help you out. We book gorilla habituation permits and so much more! of afternoon although it’s advisable to go out with parked lunch to avoid driving back to the lodge.

HOW DO I BOOK MY GORILLA PERMIT?
The once in a lifetime experience of gorilla trekking/tracking happens when you either visit Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo where you can go to see the Mountain Gorillas.
In order for you to go gorilla trekking/tracking, you need a gorilla permit to access the specific national park in any of the three countries.
Once you have ticked off the initial boxes including the dates you plan to travel, details about quotes and itinerary, chosen the safari/tour company you want to go with, it is advisable to make a deposit payment to cover your gorilla permits.
The deposit payment essentially confirms your Uganda gorilla trip as the funds will enable us book your gorilla permits on the exact date you will track the mountain gorillas.
Permits need to be booked six months in advance especially if you intend to travel during the peak season of June, July, August, September, December and January.
You can only book a gorilla permit through a tour outfit that is licensed by the Uganda Tourism Board. Most tour operators include a gorilla permit as part of the overall cost of a gorilla safari.
Effective July 1, 2024 the price for a gorilla permit changed to USD 800 up from USD 700 for foreign non-residents, USD 700 for foreign residents and Ugx300,000 for East Africans. For Gorilla Habituation permits, foreign non-residents are charged USD 1,500, USD 1000 for foreign residents while East Africans are charged Ugx 750,000.
UWA has recently introduced a rate for visitors from the rest of Africa – which stands at USD 500 for gorilla tracking and USD 1000 for a gorilla habituation experience.
UWA issues about 136 gorilla permits daily for both Bwindi and Mgahinga.
Permits are issued based on the sector of Bwindi that has availability of space given that only 8 people are allowed to track one gorilla family every day. The four sectors are: Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo.
This means that your permits are purchased based on a specific location and on their availability given the limited number of trackers per family/group per day. Where your permits are secured also dictates the lodge or lodge options you can choose from.
Are you ready to book your gorilla safari or permits, talk to a travel consultant at Uzuri Uganda Safaris and we will be more that greatfull to help you out.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO TRACK MOUNTAIN GORILLAS IN UGANDA & RWANDA?
Mountain Gorilla trekking/tracking is considered by many nature lovers as one of the best experiences in the natural world – to come face to face with the endangered gentle gorillas that you will not find anywhere except their mountainous forest home of Bwindi/Mgahinga, Volcanoes N.P and Virunga N.P.
However, a safari to Uganda, Rwanda or DR Congo to see the Mountain Gorillas is also one of if not the costliest travel activities in Africa given the price of a gorilla permit – the number one requirement for visitors traveling to Uganda, Rwanda or DR Congo to see the gorillas.
In Uganda, effective July 1, 2024 the price for a gorilla permit was raised to USD800 (up from USD700) for foreign nationals, USD 700 for foreign residents (expats), Ugx300,000 for East Africans and USD 500 for tourists from the rest of Africa.
In Rwanda, a gorilla permit to visit Volcanoes National Park costs USD1,500 while a permit to track the gorillas in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo costs USD400.
Beside the gorilla permit, the other two cost elements to consider are accommodation (based on one’s budget, visitors can choose their accommodation based on Budget, Mid-range and Luxury/upmarket) and transport.
When it comes to transportation, visitors can opt for a fly-in to Bwindi/Mgahinga or the road option. The road option is further distinguished by the type of vehicle. Both budget and mid-range guests are most times transported in a 4×4 safari mini-van while luxury guests enjoy the extra comfort a 4×4 safari Land-cruiser offers.

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO GO ON A GORILLA SAFARI IN UGANDA?
Every once in a while, we hear this question from prospective safari goers; when is the best time to visit for a mountain gorilla trek?
The simple answer to this question is; during the dry months of mid-December to end of February and June to mid-September.
However, be reminded that Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are tropical rain forests and as such, it can rain any day, time of the day without as much as a warning.
During the drier months of June, July, August, early September, December, January and February, there is less rainfall compared to the wet months of March, April, May, October and November.
Because the so-called dry months coincide with the summer months in Europe and the US, it is during these months that a lot of visitors prefer to book their gorilla safaris and so this makes availability of especially gorilla permits competitive and as such they sell out very fast.
It is against this background that visitors interested in trekking gorillas during the summer months are encouraged to book their gorilla permits at-least six months in advance.
In terms of whether it is best to go when it’s raining or shinning, most visitors prefer to go when it’s shining. In the dry months, conditions in Bwindi or Mgahinga are much more favourable not to mention the good road conditions in the dry.
However, there are guests that do not mind the treacherous wet conditions which make trekking slippery – in the hope that they can frame their muddy clothes as an extra souvenir from their encounter with the endangered Mountain Gorillas.
The downside during the wet season however is that the roads in the Bwindi highlands become slippery while some places flood – making access tricky.
Despite all of the above however, Uzuri Uganda Safaris arranges gorilla safaris/treks all year round with a success rate of 98% no matter the season so visitors can go ahead and book their trip based on the time they have available without worrying about whether they will see the gorillas.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR & WHAT TO PACK FOR YOUR GORILLA SAFARI?
Preparing for a gorilla adventure has many elements. There is gear which includes lots of things including long socks and extra socks, hiking shoes, rain jacket/poncho and rain pants, gloves, headband and hat etc.
However, there is an even bigger element you should not overlook when preparing for a trek of this nature – in open bush on the side of a mountain without cut walk-ways, and that is your fitness.
You will be trekking in climates that you are not used to and across terrain that can put strain on parts of your body you are not used to working. Do your part to prepare your body for this trek so you can enjoy it.
From preferably two months ahead of when you arrive in Uganda, start preparing. Start exercising often – maybe three times a week and ramp up your exercise regimen closer to when you travel.
Take the stairs, park at the far end of the parking lot, if you are a jogger, jog further to increase your stamina, watch your diet and start drinking more water. Think about your overall health and fitness.
The last thing you want is to have a health problem on the side of the mountain in Uganda, as a ‘helicopter’ (porters to carry you back to the trail-head on a specifically made stretcher) will set you back $350!
It is not unheard of for people who are not physically prepared to have problems!
What to pack?
After making all the payments for your gorilla safari and having everything confirmed, the next important thing is to make sure you have packed the right gear for your gorilla safari in Uganda, Rwanda or DR Congo. It is important to come well prepared for this incredible experience.
Here below is our advice on what you should pack for a gorilla trek safari in Uganda, Rwanda or DR Congo:
- Sturdy, waterproof hiking boots with good ankle support. Make sure your shoes are well worn-in before departing to avoid any nasty blisters.
- Light, breathable, waterproof jackets and trousers, and long-sleeved shirts. It’s important to wear light, long layers due to the variable weather and to avoid any insect bites. (You’ll likely encounter long trails of safari ants – tuck your long trousers into your socks to avoid getting bitten!)
- Warm layers for the chilly mornings and cold nights.
- Long, lightweight woolen socks.
- Wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses for sun protection.
- Toiletries such as sun cream, insect repellent, after-sun, bite relief cream and lip balm.
- Garden gloves to protect your hands as you grip the vegetation during your trek.
- A small backpack to carry your water, lunch, extra clothes, binoculars and camera.
- Camera with extra lenses and batteries. Bring more memory than you think you need.
- Binoculars to have a clear view of everything and to spot other wildlife such as birds and monkeys.
- Snacks – the trek can be quite strenuous, so bring some snacks for extra energy.
- A reusable water bottle to limit waste – you’ll need to bring plenty of drinking water on your trek.
- Multi-way travel adaptor. Rwanda uses plug types G (three rectangular pins in a triangular pattern), and operates on a 240V supply voltage and 50Hz standard frequency.

DOS & DONTS OF GORILLA TREKKING
As you prepare for your date with ‘the so-called gentle giants’, the following Gorilla Trekking Rules and Regulations (as set out by the Uganda Wildlife Authority) apply:
General Rules
Listen carefully to the briefing first from your driver/guide at breakfast before heading out to the park headquarters.
On arrival at the park Headquarters, listen again to the briefing from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) park rangers and staff.
Always wash your hands before you head out to track the gorillas.
When you meet the gorillas, keep a 7-metre distance. The further back you are the more relaxed the gorilla family/group will be.
Keep your voices down at all times (even during the trek). However, feel free to ask the guide questions you might have for educational purposes.
Do not smoke, drink or eat when you are near the gorillas.
Sometimes the gorillas charge. Stay calm. Follow the guide’s example (crouch down slowly, do not make eye contact with the gorillas and wait for them to pass). Do not attempt to run away as that will worsen the situation.
Flash photography is not permitted (remove the flash from your camera). When taking pictures, move slowly and carefully.
Do not touch the gorillas (sometimes they will pass close to you). They are wild animals.
Health Rules
Mountain Gorillas are very susceptible to catching human diseases. The following health rules should be observed:
If you are feeling ill or you are carrying a contagious disease, volunteer to stay behind. An alternate visit will be arranged for you or a refund will be made.
If you feel the urge to cough or sneeze when you are near the gorillas, please turn away and cover your nose and mouth.
Keep the 7-metre distance away from the gorillas. This is to protect them from catching human diseases.
Do not leave any rubbish in the park as foreign items can harbor diseases or contaminate the environment.