Plan a gorilla trek that fits your trip
Compare Uganda and Rwanda routes, permits and costs. When you are ready, ask a local operator for a quote tailored to your dates.
Gorilla trekking at a glance
Mountain gorillas live in Uganda, Rwanda, and DR Congo, but Virunga National Park in DR Congo currently lists its gorilla treks as closed until further notice. Current official public permit anchors are $800 in Uganda and $1,500 in Rwanda. For most travelers, Uganda is the value choice and Rwanda is the convenience choice. UWA says a Uganda trek can last 2–7 hours, with up to 1 hour with the gorillas once they are found. The easiest trekking months are usually June–August and December–February, but tracking runs year-round.
Uganda
Best value for most travelers. The standard foreign non-resident permit is $800, or $600 in April, May, and November (UWA), and Uganda usually gives you the strongest gorilla-plus-chimp-plus-safari route.
standard FNR permit
Rwanda
Best for fast access and polished logistics. Volcanoes National Park is the premium option and is easy to reach from Kigali.
standard public permit
DR Congo
Virunga's official site lists gorilla treks as closed until further notice. Wait for the park itself to reopen bookings.
official Virunga notice
Planning guides
Continue from the guide that matches the route
These are the highest-signal route, park, timing, and entry checks to open once the Uganda or Rwanda direction is becoming clear.
Uganda gorilla permit: price and booking
Check the current UWA price, traveler category, sector, availability, and licensed-operator booking path.
Uganda vs Rwanda for gorilla trekking
Compare permit cost, Kigali access, trek feel, trip length, and safari combinations side by side.
Gorilla trekking packing list
Pack boots, gaiters, rain protection, documents, camera gear, and daypack essentials from one checklist.
Kigali to Bwindi: border and drive guide
Compare Cyanika and Katuna, typical drive ranges, visa logic, and southern-sector access.
Gorilla permit availability by date
Understand daily caps, sector allocation, peak-date pressure, and what to check before fixing flights.
Bwindi sectors compared
Choose between Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, Nkuringo, and nearby Mgahinga before a permit is held.
Bwindi fly-in itinerary
Use Kihihi or Kisoro to reduce road time, then match the airstrip, sector, baggage, and permit day.
Rwanda gorilla permit guide
Use this before pricing Volcanoes permits, discount rules, or premium Rwanda dates.
Best time to visit East Africa
Compare dry seasons, rainy windows, safari conditions, and gorilla trekking friction.
Why use Gorilla Planner?
We are not selling tours. We help you compare routes, sense-check pricing, and work out which trip actually fits your time, budget, and priorities.
Unbiased comparisons
Straight comparisons built from official pricing, park rules, and real routing tradeoffs.
Verified pricing
We check permit prices and rules against current Uganda Wildlife Authority and Visit Rwanda sources.
Local operator support
When you are ready for a quote, we pass your request to Adroa Travels, a UTB-licensed operator and our named local operator partner. Booking and payment happen directly with Adroa, and a permit only counts as booked once it is paid in full and issued.
From the field
Faces of the forest & savanna
Real photography from Uganda's parks — the wildlife you'll plan your trip around.
In the wild
A silverback, up close
Field footage from a Bwindi gorilla trek — the moment that makes all the planning worth it.
Ready to turn research into a workable route?
Use the quote form once your likely country, rough dates, and route direction are mostly clear. That is when operator help starts reducing noise instead of creating it.
Request a gorilla trip quote