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Mountain gorilla sitting among bamboo and rainforest foliage in Uganda

Authentic Gorilla & Wildlife Safaris

Gorilla Trekking in Uganda & Rwanda

Journey into the mist-covered rainforests of East Africa and come face to face with endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.

We create private and tailor-made gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda and Rwanda, combining unforgettable encounters in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Volcanoes National Park with chimpanzee trekking, wildlife safaris and authentic African experiences.

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  • Gorilla Trekking Specialists
  • Tailor-Made Private Safaris
  • Expert Local Safari Guides
  • Gorilla Permit Assistance
  • Uganda & Rwanda Safaris
  • 24/7 Local Support

Why travellers choose us

Travel With Confidence

  • Local Safari Experts Plan your journey with specialists who understand Uganda and Rwanda first-hand.
  • Gorilla Permit Assistance We coordinate gorilla trekking permits with your itinerary and accommodation.
  • Tailor-Made Safaris Every itinerary can be customised around your interests, travel dates and preferred level of comfort.
  • Private Safari Vehicles Explore Uganda and Rwanda with your own professional guide and private 4×4 safari vehicle.
  • Support Throughout Your Safari Our operations team remains available before and throughout your journey.

Welcome to East Africa

Where Gorilla Encounters Become Lifelong Memories

Few wildlife experiences compare with standing quietly inside an ancient African rainforest while a mountain gorilla family goes about its daily life only metres away.

A silverback rests beneath the forest canopy. Young gorillas tumble through vines. Mothers carefully carry their infants while juveniles investigate their surroundings.

For many travelers, it is the wildlife encounter they remember above all others.

Uganda Gorilla Trekking specialises in creating journeys around these extraordinary encounters.

Our safaris take you deep into the forests of Uganda and Rwanda while giving you the opportunity to experience much more of East Africa.

Discover Our Story
Close-up portrait of a mountain gorilla peeking through green forest leaves in Uganda

Handpicked Journeys

Popular Gorilla & Wildlife Safaris

Our itineraries are designed as starting points rather than rigid packages. Each journey can be adjusted around your travel dates, interests, preferred accommodation and budget.

  • Best Price Guarantee Transparent safari pricing with no hidden fees.
  • Secure Your Booking Permits and lodges reserved by local specialists.
  • 24/7 Safari Support Help before and during your journey in East Africa.
  • Responsible Tourism Travel that supports conservation and communities.

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Our Signature Experience

Gorilla Trekking in Africa

Mountain gorillas survive naturally in only a small region of East and Central Africa. Uganda and Rwanda provide two of the world’s most established destinations for responsibly managed mountain gorilla tourism. Our gorilla safaris focus primarily on three national parks.

  • 3 Parks
  • Uganda & Rwanda
  • Habituated families
  • 1 hour with gorillas

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Gorilla Trekking Guide

Uganda vs Rwanda Gorilla Trekking

Should you trek mountain gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda? Both destinations offer exceptional encounters, but the overall safari experience differs.

  • Access Uganda Bwindi sectors + Mgahinga Rwanda Volcanoes NP near Kigali
  • Safari style Uganda Longer wildlife circuits Rwanda Compact, high-end trips
  • Around the trek Uganda Chimps, Big 5 & Nile Rwanda Golden monkeys & Akagera

Choose Uganda

Best for longer wildlife circuits

  • More extensive safari combinations
  • Multiple gorilla trekking areas
  • Gorilla habituation opportunities
  • Chimpanzee trekking & savannah wildlife
  • Wider lodge & budget range
  • Longer overland adventures
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Choose Rwanda

Best for compact premium trips

  • Short, streamlined gorilla safaris
  • Convenient access from Kigali
  • Strong luxury lodge collection
  • Volcano hiking & Virunga scenery
  • Golden monkey tracking
  • Easy Akagera wildlife combinations
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Compare Uganda vs Rwanda Gorilla Trekking

Explore East Africa

Our Most Popular Safari Destinations

From ancient rainforests and volcanic mountains to savannah plains and mighty waterfalls, Uganda and Rwanda contain an extraordinary variety of landscapes.

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Beyond Gorillas

Chimpanzee Trekking in Uganda

Mountain gorillas may be Uganda’s most famous primates, but chimpanzees provide an entirely different rainforest experience. Chimpanzees are energetic, vocal and highly social. Uganda offers several excellent chimpanzee destinations.

  • 4 Key forests
  • Highly social primates
  • Pairs with gorilla safaris

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The Classic African Experience

Combine Gorilla Trekking With a Wildlife Safari

One of Uganda’s greatest advantages is the ability to combine rainforest primates with classic African wildlife within a single journey. After trekking mountain gorillas, continue across the savannah in search of:

  • Elephants
  • Lions
  • Leopards
  • Buffaloes
  • Giraffes
  • Zebras
  • Hippos
  • Crocodiles
  • Antelopes
  • Birdlife

Explore Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, Lake Mburo and Kidepo Valley — or cross into Rwanda for Akagera National Park.

Queen Elizabeth Tree-climbing lions & boat safaris Murchison Falls Nile cruises & big game Lake Mburo Zebras, antelope & walking Kidepo Valley Remote northern wilderness

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Local Knowledge. Personal Service.

Your Safari, Designed Around You

Planning a gorilla safari involves more than choosing a hotel and purchasing a permit. The trekking sector, road connections, permit availability, lodge location, flight schedule and other destinations all need to work together. That is where local expertise matters.

  • Gorilla Trekking Specialists

    Gorilla trekking is central to what we do. We understand Bwindi’s trekking sectors, accommodation options and safari routes and use that knowledge when designing your journey.

  • Tailor-Made Itineraries

    There is no requirement to follow a fixed package. Add a day, change a lodge, include Rwanda, add chimpanzees, or spend another night relaxing after your trek.

  • Private Safari Guides

    Travel with your own professional safari guide and private vehicle rather than following a large scheduled coach tour.

  • Carefully Selected Accommodation

    From comfortable budget lodges to intimate luxury forest retreats, we recommend accommodation according to location, service, comfort and value.

  • Responsible Tourism

    Gorilla tourism succeeds only when conservation and surrounding communities benefit from protecting wildlife. We encourage responsible travel practices throughout every journey.

  • Support From Start to Finish

    Our team assists from your initial enquiry through itinerary planning, permit coordination and your actual journey through East Africa.

Your Journey Starts Here

Planning Your Gorilla Safari Is Simple

From your first enquiry to the moment you meet your guide, we keep the process clear, personal and local.

  1. 01

    Tell Us Your Plans

    Send us your preferred travel dates, number of travelers and the experiences that interest you.

  2. 02

    We Design Your Safari

    A local specialist prepares a personalised itinerary.

  3. 03

    Review & Customise

    Change accommodation, destinations, activities or trip duration until the itinerary suits you.

  4. 04

    Confirm Your Safari

    We coordinate permits, accommodation, transport and other arrangements included in your booking.

  5. 05

    Welcome to Africa

    Meet your guide and begin your journey.

Begin with a conversation

Tell us your dates and interests — we’ll shape a tailor-made gorilla safari around you.

Start Planning My Safari

Plan Ahead

Gorilla Trekking Permits

Every visitor participating in gorilla trekking requires a valid permit for a particular trekking date. Permit availability can therefore determine the entire safari itinerary.

Your safari specialist can help coordinate your trekking date, accommodation and safari route around available permits — especially if you plan to travel during popular months.

  • Date-specific permits Every trekker needs a permit for a particular trekking date.
  • Book early in peak months Popular seasons fill first — check availability before locking lodges.
  • Itinerary built around permits We coordinate trekking dates, lodging and route together.
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Important to know

  • Uganda & Rwanda issue limited daily permits
  • Your trek date shapes park sector & lodges
  • We secure permits as part of safari planning
Ask about dates

Plan Your Journey

Best Time for Gorilla Trekking

Gorilla trekking takes place throughout the year in Uganda and Rwanda. However, many travelers prefer the relatively drier periods because forest trails may be easier to navigate.

  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec
  • Popular drier periods
  • Greener / wetter months

Most requested

Popular Periods

  • June – August Popular dry-season travel period with firmer forest trails.
  • December – February Another popular window for trekking and photography.

Lush & quieter

Greener Months

The wetter periods bring lush forest scenery, fewer travelers at certain times and beautiful photographic conditions, although trails can become muddy. The best month ultimately depends on your priorities.

Discover the Best Time for Gorilla Trekking

Travel Your Way

Find Your Perfect Safari

Whether you want a focused gorilla trek, a wildlife circuit, or a luxury fly-in adventure, start with the style of journey that fits you.

Travel With Purpose

Protecting Gorillas Through Responsible Tourism

Mountain gorilla tourism demonstrates how wildlife conservation and carefully managed travel can work together. Gorilla trekking permits contribute to conservation efforts that help support protected areas, monitoring, ranger operations and the long-term protection of gorilla habitat.

Tourism also creates employment and economic opportunities for communities surrounding the protected forests. Visitors play an important role too — following ranger instructions, respecting viewing rules, avoiding trekking when ill and supporting responsible local businesses all contribute to protecting these remarkable primates.

Learn About Gorilla Conservation

Plan With Confidence

Everything You Need to Know Before You Travel

Planning your first gorilla safari can raise many questions. Our travel guides provide practical information to help you prepare.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Planning Your Gorilla Safari

Clear answers to the questions travelers ask most before booking a gorilla trek in Uganda or Rwanda.

Is gorilla trekking worth it?

For wildlife enthusiasts, gorilla trekking is widely regarded as one of Africa’s most memorable experiences. Unlike conventional game viewing, visitors enter the gorillas’ natural forest habitat on foot and spend a carefully controlled period observing a habituated family.

Should I trek gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda?

Uganda is particularly suitable for travelers wanting longer safaris combining gorillas, chimpanzees and wildlife. Rwanda offers convenient access to Volcanoes National Park and a strong premium safari offering. Some travelers combine both.

Where can I see gorillas in Uganda?

Mountain gorilla trekking takes place in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Where can I see gorillas in Rwanda?

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda takes place in Volcanoes National Park.

How long do you spend with the gorillas?

Standard gorilla trekking generally allows up to one hour with the assigned habituated gorilla family once it is located, subject to park regulations.

How difficult is gorilla trekking?

Difficulty varies because gorillas move freely through the forest. Some groups may be located relatively quickly, while others require longer hikes over steep, muddy or uneven terrain.

Can I hire a porter?

Yes. Hiring a porter is highly recommended. Porters can carry bags and provide assistance on difficult sections of the trail while also benefiting from local employment.

What should I wear?

Wear sturdy waterproof hiking boots, long trousers, a long-sleeved shirt and carry rain protection. Gardening gloves and gaiters can also be useful.

Can children trek gorillas?

Gorilla trekking has a minimum age requirement set by the relevant park authorities. Families should confirm current regulations before booking.

Can I combine gorillas with chimpanzees?

Yes. Bwindi and Kibale are one of Uganda’s strongest safari combinations.

How far in advance should I book?

Early planning is strongly recommended, particularly for peak travel periods, because gorilla permits and popular lodges have limited availability.

Can you customise my safari?

Yes. Our itineraries are designed to be adjusted according to your travel dates, interests, budget and accommodation preferences.

Your African Adventure Starts Here

Ready to Meet the Mountain Gorillas?

Imagine walking beneath the canopy of an ancient rainforest. Your ranger raises a hand. Everyone stops. Only a few metres ahead, leaves begin to move. Then a mountain gorilla appears.

This is the moment travelers cross continents to experience. Let us help you make it happen — a private Uganda or Rwanda journey shaped around your dates, budget and interests.

  • Local specialists
  • Permit coordination
  • Support before & during travel
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From the journal

Latest Safari Stories

Practical gorilla trekking tips, destination ideas and travel inspiration from Uganda and Rwanda.

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Ready to Meet the Gentle Giants?

Book your Uganda gorilla trekking safari today and experience one of the most memorable wildlife encounters in the world.

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