There are many things you should take into consideration before deciding on the best gorilla trekking tour for you. Things like the price, the reviews, and what country to do it in. FYI, you can go gorilla trekking in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Trekking for gorillas was at the top of my bucket list for the longest time, and we were lucky enough to do it during our recent honeymoon!
Would you believe, the number of mountain Gorillas is estimated to be just 1,000 individuals? This puts them on the critically endangered list. Which is just two classifications away from completely extinct!
As you can probably guess, one of the top things to do in Uganda and Rwanda is to go trekking for gorillas. And with so many tours available, it can be difficult to decide what tour is best for you. Well, lucky for you, we’ve done the research and completed two tours here. So, we know what tours offer the most unforgettable experience!
Which Gorilla Trekking Tour is the Best?
As I said, we went gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda, for our honeymoon, as it was something I’d wanted to do for a very long time. We combined the gorilla trek in Bwindi with a safari in Serengeti (as well as other amazing stops). And I have to admit it was the best honeymoon I could have imagined for myself!
Anyway, we wanted to let you in on the most important factors that affected us when deciding on our gorilla trekking tour. There are lots of options, so you’re spoiled for choice.
What are the best gorilla trekking tours?
- This 3 day 2 night tour – which departs from Entebbe in Uganda, is the tour we did. It includes two nights of accommodation (one in Bwindi and the second night in Lake Bunyoni). It’s excellently rated and is the cheapest tour on this list.
- This full day tour from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park – is the perfect choice if you’re tight on time as it’s just 8 hours long. It includes the trekking permit and lunch at a cultural restaurant and drinks (coffee, tea and water).
- This 10 day Uganda Safari – ticks off the very best things to do in Uganda, including Uganda’s best national parks like Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park. Trekking for chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park and the gorilla trek through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to see a gorilla family!
My personal favorite – This 3 Day 2 Night Tour to Bwindi from Entebbe in Uganda
This particular tour to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is very similar to the option we chose. It’s a 3-day tour, has a 5/5 rating by past guests and costs from $1,100 USD per person. It includes two nights’ accommodation, food and drinks, all transport and a guide. The gorilla trekking permit is additional (this costs $700 USD)
The journey from Entebbe to Bwindi is 10 hours. So, the first day is a long day of driving. But you’ll pass through local villages along the way and get a glimpse into local life in rural Uganda.
The day of the gorilla trek
On the second day, you’ll walk up early and have breakfast at your hotel before being transferred to the Bwindi Park headquarters for around 7 am. When we did it, we were given a briefing and treated to a welcome dance by the local women! You are then split into smaller groups, and they try to match you with others of similar fitness levels.
You can choose to hire a porter to carry your bag and help you on the hike. Which I highly recommend doing as it gives more income back to the locals. It costs around $10 – 15 USD for a porter.
It took us less than 30 minutes to reach our gorilla family. But every group was different, and it took some of the other groups around 2 hours to reach their gorilla family.
When you reach the gorillas, you will have an hour in their presence to observe and take photos.
After the trek, you’ll be transferred to magical Lake Bunyoni, where you can relax by the lake or go canoeing on it. And indulge in some great food. You’ll stay the night here at a hotel right on the lake.
We loved this 3 day 2 night tour, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life.
If you’re on a tight schedule – This Day Trip from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda
If you’re tight on time this full day tour from Kigali is highly recommended. It’s 8 hours long and takes you to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda to go trekking for gorillas. It includes hotel pick-up and drop-off, a local guide, and lunch. It costs from $2,115 USD per person, that price includes the trekking permit (which is $1,500 USD) and lunch at a cultural restaurant and drinks (coffee, tea and water).
The terrain in Volcanoes National Park is very open, so you’re likely to get a good view of the gorilla family. It’s considered an easy-ish trek; however, it can be quite steep in some parts. As with all gorilla trekking tours, you will have an hour to spend with the family and take lots of photos.
And because this is a private tour – it means it will be a very personalized experience. Your guide will be able to adapt the day to your needs. Pick-up is available from all hotels in Kigali.
FYI, it’s around a 2-hour drive from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park.
Most bucket-list-worthy – This 10-Day Uganda Safari
Now, this one’s a truly bucket-list-worthy experience! Imagine spending 10 days on safari in Uganda! It visits all of Uganda’s main national parks and the gorilla trek!
It includes the chance to see the ‘big five’ in Uganda’s best national parks like Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park. You’ll also get to go trekking for chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park. As well as several relaxing activities like a scenic boat ride down the Nile River and a canoe ride through the stunning Lake Bunyoni (one of my favorite parts of Uganda). Not forgetting, the gorilla trek through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to see a gorilla family!
The price of $7,300 USD includes everything – accommodation in 3-star or above hotels and lodges, all meals, all non-alcoholic drinks. And all of your transfers in a comfortable landcruiser. Of course, your gorilla trekking permit and all other permits are included, too. So, you won’t have to put your hand in your pocket at all during the 10 days.
They can even pick you up and drop you off at the airport in Entebbe or Kampala. It includes the very best there is to see in Uganda – so you really don’t need to book anything else if you’re visiting Uganda.
Is Uganda or Rwanda Best for Gorilla Trekking?
The two most popular countries to go gorilla trekking are Uganda and Rwanda. You can also go gorilla trekking in the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, because it’s harder to get to and the fact it’s currently not the safest country in Africa due to the ongoing civil and rebel war there – most tourists tend to give gorilla trekking there a skip.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda is only done in two national parks – Bwindi and Mgahinga. At the last count, 17 mountain gorilla families were found living in Bwindi. And just one family was found in Mgahinga. Bwindi has almost 500 individual mountain gorillas. Which makes your chances of seeing these majestic creatures all the more likely. The range of accommodation options in Bwindi is far greater than in Mgahinga, too.
We chose to do our gorilla trek in Uganda primarily due to the price difference. The cost of a gorilla-trekking permit in Rwanda is significantly higher at $ 1,500 USD per permit versus Uganda’s $700 USD.
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is done in Volcanoes National Park. Currently, there are twelve gorilla families living in Volcanoes National Park, all of which are fully habituated (used to people).
Trekking for gorillas in Rwanda is supposedly easier and a less strenuous hike. That’s because the terrain here is more open than the thickly forested trails we experienced in Uganda. This will make it easier to get an open view of the gorillas as the families are more likely to be found in an open space.
In both countries, the group size to visit the gorillas is capped at just 8 people – so you’re guaranteed a more personalized experience.
Which Month is Best to Trek for Gorillas?
The dry season which runs from mid-December to early February and again from June to September are the best times to go trekking for gorillas. As the success rate for spotting for gorillas will be much higher as the gorillas will be out in the open. In the rainy season they may be hiding in the trees to protect themselves from getting wet.
We did our gorilla trek in September (averaging 73 Fahrenheit / 23 Celsius), and for us, it was an ideal temperature for hiking.
Our top tip is to book Your Gorilla Trekking Tour in Advance!
Advance planning is essential as the permits sell out quickly – there is a limited number available daily.
There are only 96 trekking permits available each day in Rwanda. And in Uganda there are 200 permits available in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and just 8 for Mgahinga. So, it’s essential you book your tour in advance. We booked our tour to Bwindi about 6 months in advance as we didn’t have much flexibility with our dates.
We recommend booking your gorilla trek at least 3 months in advance so that you can avoid disappointment and pick the tour that’s right for you.
Thanks for Reading!
We are so glad we finally made it to gorilla trekking in Uganda after talking about doing it for years! This 3-day 2-night tour from Entebbe was the perfect choice for us – as it included all transfers and two nights accommodation, as well as the trekking permit. Our guide was also really knowledgeable telling us lots of unique facts about the area!
Tell me have you been gorilla trekking? If so, what tour did you pick? We would love to hear about your experience in the comment section.
If you enjoyed this post you may also enjoy reading some of my other most popular blog posts, such as –
Why you should go on a Safari in Amboseli National Park in Kenya
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Last Updated on June 26, 2024 by snaphappytravel