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World Travel · Africa · Gorilla Trekking

Gorilla trekking.

An hour with a family of wild mountain gorillas in the forests of Rwanda or Uganda — one of Earth's most profound wildlife encounters, and a conservation success story.

~1,000
Gorillas remain
1 hour
With the family
Age 15+
Minimum
Rwanda
& Uganda
Plan My Trek →← Africa guide
🇦🇺 Brisbane-based · Family-run since 1974 🦁 Africa safari specialists
01 · Gorilla trekking

An hour with the mountain gorillas.

Trekking to a family of wild mountain gorillas in the forests of Rwanda or Uganda is among the most profound wildlife experiences on Earth — and the permit fees have helped bring the species back from the brink.

What to know

  • Rwanda permit USD $1,500 · Uganda USD $800
  • One hour with the gorilla family
  • Minimum age 15 years
  • Book 3–12 months ahead
  • ~1,000 mountain gorillas remain
  • Best in the drier months (Jun–Sep, Dec–Feb)
02 · Where to trek

Rwanda & Uganda.

🏆 Most accessible ★ 4.9

Rwanda

Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park — where Dian Fossey worked, and home to roughly half the world's mountain gorillas. Just a few hours from Kigali, with superb lodges and short transfers. Permit USD $1,500. Pairs beautifully with a Kenyan or Tanzanian safari. See our Rwanda travel guide.

🌅 3–5 days · 💰 from AU $3,499pp

More families ★ 4.8

Uganda

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest has more habituated gorilla families and lower permit fees (USD $800), with the trade-off of longer travel and steeper, denser terrain. Uganda also offers chimpanzees, the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha, and the source of the Nile.

🌅 4–6 days · 💰 from AU $3,199pp

03 · Explore further

Plan your trek.

Rwanda
Rwanda Travel Guide
Combine
East Africa Safari
Plan
Africa Itineraries
When
Best Time to Visit

Ready to meet the gorillas?

Brisbane-based, family-run since 1974. Permits are limited and sell out early — we secure yours, arrange the lodges and transfers, and can pair your trek with a Kenyan or Tanzanian safari.

Start Planning → 📞 +61 409 661 342
FAQ

Gorilla trekking — straight answers.

Permits are limited and expensive, and the fees fund conservation. Rwanda is USD $1,500 per person for one hour with a gorilla family; Uganda is USD $800. Rwanda issues around 96 permits per day; Uganda fewer. Book 3–12 months ahead, especially for peak dry-season dates. Cooee secures permits as part of your booking.
Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park is the most accessible and comfortable — a short drive from Kigali, where Dian Fossey worked, with excellent lodges. Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is cheaper and has more gorilla families but involves longer travel and steeper terrain. Both offer life-changing encounters. See our Rwanda travel guide.
It varies — the hike to reach a family can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a full day through steep, muddy forest at altitude, before one hour with the gorillas. A reasonable level of fitness helps, and porters are available to carry packs and assist. It's demanding but achievable for most, and the reward is extraordinary.
Yes — the strict minimum age is 15 years in both Rwanda and Uganda, to protect both the gorillas and young trekkers. Families with younger children can enjoy other wildlife and cultural experiences in the region instead. See our safari guide.
Consistently ranked among the most profound wildlife encounters on Earth — sitting metres from a family of mountain gorillas is unforgettable. The permit fees also fund conservation: the mountain gorilla population has recovered from about 250 in the 1980s to over 1,000 today, largely thanks to ecotourism. Most guests call it a bucket-list highlight.