Plan your gorilla trek in East Africa
Compare gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda, and DR Congo. Permits, routes, seasons, and planning advice checked against current official sources.
Gorilla trekking at a glance
Mountain gorilla trekking is possible in Uganda, Rwanda, and DR Congo. Current official public permit anchors are $800 in Uganda and $1,500 in Rwanda; Virunga should be checked directly before planning because access, security, and pricing signals can change. For most travelers, Uganda is the value choice, Rwanda is the convenience choice, and DR Congo is the specialist-risk option. A standard Uganda outing typically takes 2–6 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. Permits start at $800, 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
Specialist Virunga option only if current access, security, and operator logistics support it.
verify directly before planning
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.
Current operator handoff
When you want to move from research to booking, we route enquiries through Adroa Travels first and only widen the match if the brief calls for it.
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 route and quote