10 Things to know before you go gorilla trekking in Uganda
If you’re thinking of going gorilla trekking in Uganda, you have made a great decision! Gorillas are majestic creatures, and visiting them in their natural habitat is a truly rewarding experience. Going on a guided trek with the Uganda Wildlife Authority is also a major way you can help with the preservation of the habitat of these critically endangered species.
If you plan to go gorilla trekking in Uganda, you will need some pre-planning to make sure you have the most enjoyable experience. Here are 10 things you need to know before you go mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda.
Meeting eyes with a silverback mountain gorilla on a gorilla trek in Bwindi National Park, Uganda. © 2025 Travels with Kaia. All rights reserved.
#1 When to go gorilla trekking in Uganda
Uganda is like most destinations near the equator, there is a dry season and a wet season. All you need to know is, avoid the wet season if you can! The wet season lasts from September - May, but there are certain months that are less severe than others. For the sake of keeping it short and simple, I recommend going anytime from late May - early September. I personally went at the end of May and I can tell you that no roads were flooded, it was actually less busy (as we beat peak season starting in June), and we managed to do our trek without any rain.
#2 Where to go gorilla trekking in Uganda
I will start by saying, Uganda is not the only place you can go mountain gorilla trekking. Mountain gorillas are also found in the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), and in Rwanda. Whilst I have heard amazing things about trekking in Rwanda and the DRC, I personally have only been to Uganda, and this blog post will focus on gorilla trekking in Uganda
The top spots to gorilla go trekking in Uganda are:
Both locations are in the South-West part of Uganda, with Bwindi being close to the border of the DRC, and Mgahinga being closer to Rwanda. I personally went to Bwindi, which was amazing. Most of the people I know, and the travellers I met on the way, have all gone to Bwindi as the top spot. If you had to pick one, I think Bwindi is more iconic as a destination, however both locations offer incredible experiences and both locations have multiple tracks available, varying in difficulty and altitude.
#3 How to get there: Travelling in Uganda
Now that you’ve chosen a park go gorilla trekking, the next question is how to get there?
Travelling in Uganda was surprisingly easy - there are major roads all throughout the country, making travel smooth and fast. When you get to the more remote locations, you can definitely expect the dirt roads and what the locals call an ‘African massage’ as you go through the ditches and potholes. For the most part though, travelling in Uganda by road felt very comfortable and easy.
Uganda also has small domestic airports with flights all over the country. Certain routes only fly on specific dates and times, and sometimes airports are closed due to construction. Be sure to check local airport websites for any updates.
For us, we drove to Kisoro and spent the night there, getting up early the next day to drive straight to Bwindi. We were meant to fly out of Kisoro back to Entebbe, but the airport was closed! We still flew back to the international airport, but we flew via Mbarara Airport.
Both locations are accessible by road, however flying can save you a lot of time if you are on a tight schedule, - most of our days driving we spent about 4 - 6 hours on the road, travelling from place to place. If you prefer to fly, it is definitely a cool experience! How often do you get to see everyone on your flight, including even the captain?!
Definitely the smallest plane I have ever been on! You can see straight into the cockpit and feel just about every gust of wind. An incredible experience that I can highly recommend though.
#4 What permit do you need for gorilla trekking in Uganda?
Before you go gorilla trekking in Uganda, you will require a specific gorilla trekking permit, issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Your tour company that you are going with should organise this ahead of time for you. (If you don’t have a tour company that you’ve booked with, contact us to plan your dream trip. I work with a local woman from Kisoro who runs her own small travel agency, and we can certainly help you plan your gorilla trekking day.
Once you have your permit and receipt, make sure you bring these documents with you on the day!
#5 How much does gorilla trekking cost in Uganda?
The main costs for gorilla trekking in Uganda will be your permit. This costs around $800 USD at the time of writing this post (2025). As mentioned above, the permit will be organised ahead of time.
The only money you’ll need on the day is:
Money to hire a porter (optional)
Money to buy a face mask if you don’t have one (required for once you are up close to the gorillas!)
Money for tipping - especially to your porter and to the UWA trackers who go ahead of your group to find the gorilla family for you
#6 What do you need to pack for gorilla trekking?
Gorilla trekking is no walk in the park! You definitely want to prepare and bring the right gear before you get there. Key things to remember are, it is cold! Forget that you are in a sub-tropical African country for a sec, because you are way up in the mountains and it is damn cold. You also start the trek early in the morning, when it is the coolest part of the day. I made the mistake of thinking I would get hot, so don’t be like me!
Some things I recommend packing for gorilla trekking in Uganda:
A beanie for the morning - as mentioned, it is colllddd when you start!
Gaiters for around your pants, so that no creepy crawlers get up your pants! If you don’t have gaiters, tucking your pants into some long socks will do the trick
Hiking poles (if you have your own) - this will be your saving grace as you march your way up and down the mountains. If you don’t have your own hiking poles, they have hiking sticks there for you to use, but you may find your own hiking poles more comfortable.
A face mask - again, the rangers will make sure you have one before you are permitted to go gorilla trekking. You can bring your own, or buy a disposable one from the office on the day.
Come prepared to get muddy when you go gorilla trekking in Uganda! Sturdy hiking boots, cargo pants, long socks or gaiters plus a hiking stick or hiking poles will do the trick. Bonus points if you have gumboots like our UWA Ranger Brian.
#7 How fit do you need to be to go gorilla trekking?
Whenever you’re considering doing some sort of hike or trek, you always ask the question ‘how fit do I need to be to do this?’.
I certainly think the fitter you are, the easier gorilla trekking will be (that goes without saying!). On my trail, there were older travellers, and I went with my mum who was 66 at the time.
I won’t lie, gorilla trekking is not for the faint hearted. You go up and down slippery parts of the mountain, all unmarked, making a trail as you go. There is a reason they call Bwindi the Impenetrable Forest. The mountains can be steep, and your legs will certainly feel the sting.
To answer the question at hand though, anyone who is able-bodied and reasonably fit can go gorilla trekking! Unless you have a serious injury or a disability, I would say you can do it. If you are concerned, hire a porter. Most people in my group hired a porter to carry their bags, but the porters do so much more than that! They are a helping hand, and a gentle push up the mountain when you need it. I personally didn’t have a porter but my mum did, and honestly thank gosh she did! He came back to help pull me up when there were tricky, slippery parts I was struggling with. If you decide you don’t need a porter though, I will highlight that there is a real sense of camaraderie when you go gorilla trekking, and everyone helps each other out. Your guide will also help if they see you struggling, and they make sure no one gets left behind.
#8 How long does gorilla trekking take?
Once you decide you want to go gorilla trekking, the question is where to fit it into your itinerary. Gorilla trekking can take anywhere from a few hours to a full day, and to be honest, you won’t know until the day of. I strongly suggest some contingency planning here, as the duration of the day will depend on:
The difficulty of the track you choose - some tracks are easier, whilst some may require you to go up to almost the very top of the mountain (you may have to hike almost 4 hours before spotting any gorillas!)
The fitness level of your group - it goes without saying, if there are slow people in your group, it will take longer as you all wait and move together. Nothing wrong with taking it slow, but bear this in mind that you may not have control over this factor.
How easy it is for the trackers to find the gorillas - they go ahead of you and keep your guide updated to their movements. Gorillas are known for making their nests and then moving on through the forest. It is never guaranteed to see a gorilla family, however the dedicated trackers do a great job of finding them ahead of time for you. With this in mind, you will likely keep trekking until you find the gorillas, which has no plausible timeframe, as you can’t control wild animals!
To avoid disappointment, I recommend dedicating a full day for your gorilla trekking activity. By the time you wake up in the early morning, drive to the spot, get your briefing, and do the trek, you will be absolutely wrecked. You do not want to have anything planned after gorilla trekking, and you certainly don’t want to rush the experience to get to your next stop. Take it slow, appreciate the magnificent creatures in their habitat, and take it all in by dedicating a full day for gorilla trekking. Even if it doesn’t take that long, you can relax knowing you have a whole day dedicated to the activity. You will appreciate the downtime once you make it back to your accommodation.
#9 You are not guaranteed to see gorillas if you go gorilla trekking
Please remember that gorillas are wild animals, and that booking a gorilla trekking experience doesn’t guarantee you will see them. The UWA sends rangers ahead of the group bookings though, so they do give you the best shot you could possibly ask for.
I haven’t heard of many tales where people haven’t seen gorillas, but it is important to keep this in mind.
#10 Consider gorilla trekking versus a habituation experience
The gorilla trekking experience is what most visitors opt for! It is the most well known, and it is a way for you to experience gorillas in their wild habitat.
The habituation experience takes this to a whole new level. To be honest, I hadn’t heard of the habituation experiences before I arrived in Uganda, but once you are there, it’s all the rave!
A habituation experience is a more in depth, private, and longer experience you can enjoy. For example, on a gorilla trek, you may spend several hours before you get to see any gorillas. Once there, you only have an hour max to observe, take your photos, and to take the magic of it all in. With habituation experiences on the other hand, you get to spend about 4 hours with your UWA guide with the gorillas. If the gorillas move on, you will move with them, and you will spend a much longer time in their habitat (hence the name!), and you will get to experience them on a deeper level.
If you’re a gorilla lover and you want to spend as much time as possible with these beautiful apes, consider the habituation experience instead.
*Note, that the habituation experiences are only currently available in Bwindi and they are significantly more expensive.
Watch gorillas play in their natural habitat on either a gorilla trek or a gorilla habituation experience - both you can get up close and personal, but you get a lot longer with a habituation experience. Photograph taken on a gorilla trek in Bwindi. © 2025 Travels with Kaia. All rights reserved.
I hope this has been helpful, and that it’s provided some useful information for your Uganda trip planning! More importantly though, I hope it has inspired you to go and visit these amazing, endangered species. The conservation work that the UWA does is amazing - please visit their site if you want to learn more.
If you are looking to stop dreaming, and start booking, look no further! Send us a message and we can help you plan the trip of a lifetime.
Until next time,
Kaia
