Gorilla Trekking and Safari FAQs

In Rwanda, a permit for international visitors costs $1,500 per person, set by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) ^[1]. In Uganda, a standard permit costs $800, or $600 in April, May and November ^[4]. Uganda’s gorilla habituation experience costs $1,500, rising to $1,800 on January 1, 2027 ^[3][4]. In DR Congo, Virunga permits were last reported at about $400, but treks there are closed ^[6][7]. For the full breakdown, see our gorilla trekking permit cost guide.

It is a longer visit with a gorilla family that is still being habituated to people, run by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The permit costs $1,500 per person, and $1,800 from January 1, 2027 ^[3][4]. Operators report that you get up to four hours with the family, in a group of no more than four, in the Rushaga sector ^[8]. The minimum age is 15 ^[3]. If you would like to add it to a Uganda itinerary, ask us.

Not at the moment. Virunga National Park’s official visitor site says gorilla treks are closed until further notice ^[6]. The Ebola outbreak in DR Congo also limits travel: the CDC says travelers who were in DR Congo within 21 days cannot board commercial flights to the United States, and since May 22, 2026 Rwanda has denied entry to foreign nationals who were in DR Congo in the previous 30 days ^[21][24]. For mountain gorillas today, look at Rwanda or Uganda. More on our DR Congo page.

Our private 2-day Rwanda gorilla tour is from $2,030 per person for a group of six and $2,668 for a solo traveler, including the $1,500 permit. The 4-day Uganda double gorilla trekking and golden monkey safari is from $2,996 per person for six. Prices drop as your group grows: the 2-day tour is $2,280 each for two and $2,086 each for four ^[30]. Flights, tips, visas, insurance and porter fees are extra. See what gorilla trekking costs.

Every published tour includes one gorilla permit per person at the non-resident rate, park fees, a professional driver-guide, a private safari vehicle (a 4×4 Land Cruiser or Toyota Prado, or a safari van, depending on the tour and group size), accommodation, meals and drinks as listed in the day-by-day itinerary, roundtrip airport transfers and all taxes ^[30]. Not included: international flights, hotel nights before or after the tour (we can book these for you), porter fees, tips, travel insurance, visa fees and souvenirs. If government, park or permit fees rise significantly after you book, we may pass on the increase ^[29].

In Rwanda, yes: RDB sells permits through its online booking portal ^[1]. In Uganda, UWA says permits for foreign non-residents can only be booked through licensed tour operators, and since March 1, 2026 they must be paid in full at booking ^[3][4]. Rwanda issues only 96 permits a day across 12 habituated families ^[2], so for peak dates we recommend booking about 6 months ahead, especially for July and August. All our tours include the permit, so we handle this for you.

Pick Rwanda for the shortest trip: Volcanoes National Park is about two and a half hours by road from Kigali on our itineraries, and permits cost $1,500 ^[1]. Pick Uganda for a lower permit price ($800, or $600 in April, May and November) and the option of the habituation experience ^[4]. Uganda’s treks can take 2 to 7 hours ^[5]. Our 4-day safari covers both countries from Kigali. For a side-by-side comparison, read Rwanda vs Uganda for gorilla trekking.

You can trek year-round, but the drier months are easiest. Visit Rwanda lists the rainy seasons as mid-February to May and mid-September to mid-December, leaving June to mid-September and mid-December to mid-February drier ^[9]. Uganda’s tourism board lists March to May and September to November as rainy ^[10]. In the wet months, expect muddier, more slippery trails; our tours still run 7 days a week. Uganda’s permit drops to $600 in April, May and November, but UWA says those low-season permits cannot be rescheduled ^[4].

Two days is the minimum. Our 2-day Rwanda tour covers Kigali, the Kigali Genocide Memorial, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund’s Ellen DeGeneres Campus and one gorilla trek. Four days adds golden monkeys in Rwanda and a gorilla trek in Uganda. The 7-day Rwanda safari adds Akagera game drives, chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe and a night on Lake Kivu. To pair gorillas with the Maasai Mara and Serengeti, see the 15-day East Africa safari, priced on request.

In Rwanda, RDB says the hike to your gorilla family takes anywhere from 30 minutes to more than four hours ^[1][2]. In Uganda, UWA says the activity can last 2 to 7 hours ^[5]. Our itineraries allow 2 to 5 hours for the trek. The time depends on where your assigned family is that morning, and once you reach them you get one hour with the gorillas. In Rwanda you report to park headquarters in Kinigi at 7:00 AM ^[1].

Expect a moderate to challenging hike on steep, uneven and often muddy forest trails. In Rwanda, treks reach altitudes of 2,500 to 4,000 meters (about 8,200 to 13,100 feet) ^[2], and UWA says Uganda’s treks require moderate fitness ^[5]. A porter can carry your pack so you can focus on your footing. Tell us about any mobility or health concerns before you book so we can talk through options.

Yes. Visit Rwanda says porters are available to carry your backpack and camera and give you a hand along the route ^[2]. Porter fees are not included in our published prices. The fee has been reported at about $10 to $15 per trek in Rwanda ^[27], and Visit Rwanda suggests a tip of about $2 for trekking porters on top ^[25]. A porter is worth it if you want both hands free on steep, muddy sections.

You must be at least 15 years old to trek to the gorillas. This is a park rule in both Rwanda (RDB) and Uganda (UWA), so children under 15 cannot join a gorilla trek on any of our tours ^[1][3][30]. Neither park authority publishes a maximum age in the rules we reviewed. Traveling with younger children? Ask us about the activities they can join. Older travelers with limited mobility should talk to us before booking so we can plan porters and pacing.

A maximum of 8 visitors can visit each habituated gorilla family per day, and your time with the gorillas is limited to one hour. RDB and UWA both set these limits to protect the gorillas ^[1][3]. In Rwanda, that adds up to 96 permits a day across 12 families ^[2]. Because permits are allocated per family, your private tour group may trek alongside other visitors. Uganda’s habituation experience is the exception, with a longer visit in a smaller group ^[8].

Stay at least 7 meters (about 22 feet) away in Rwanda and 10 meters (about 33 feet) in Uganda, under RDB and UWA rules ^[1][3]. Photos are allowed, but flash is not. Keep your voice low, avoid sudden movements, and if you need to cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and turn away from the gorillas. Spitting and littering are prohibited, and UWA does not allow eating, drinking or smoking while you are with the gorillas.

Do not trek. RDB and UWA rules say not to visit the gorillas with a cold, flu or other contagious illness ^[1][3]. In Rwanda, we contact RDB right away and normally arrange a medical check to document the illness. If you recover within a few days, we ask RDB to move your permit to another available date. If you cannot trek, the permit is generally not refundable, but if RDB approves giving it to another guest, we may be able to refund you, less the USD 300 fee.

In Rwanda, you get another chance or a refund. RDB’s published terms say visitors who cannot track all day because their gorilla group moved get another chance or a full permit refund, and those who track all day without making contact get 75% of the tracking fee back ^[1]. These are RDB’s rules for Volcanoes National Park. RDB also states that no refund is made for late arrivals or flight delays ^[1].

Yes, but you can get it on arrival. Rwanda issues visas on arrival to citizens of every country, or you can apply in advance on the Irembo online portal ^[11][12]. A single-entry tourist visa costs $50 and is valid for 30 days; a multiple-entry visa costs $70 and is valid for 90 days ^[11]. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months. Visa fees are not included in our tour prices.

Apply online before you travel at visas.immigration.go.ug. A single-entry tourist visa costs $50, and once approved you have 90 days to use it ^[13]. You will upload a passport bio page with at least 6 months’ validity, a recent passport photo and your itinerary or tour booking ^[13]. Since October 2, 2026, Uganda no longer requires a yellow fever certificate for entry ^[15]. Uganda’s immigration service says visa fees are non-refundable. If your trip also includes Rwanda or Kenya, compare the East Africa Tourist Visa below.

Yes, if your trip crosses from Rwanda into Uganda and back, as our 4-day safari does. The East Africa Tourist Visa costs $100, covers Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya only, allows multiple entries and lasts 90 days ^[11][14]. Apply through the country you will enter first. A Rwanda multiple-entry visa ($70) plus a Uganda visa ($50) would cost $120. The visa ends once you leave the three countries, and it does not cover Tanzania, where US citizens pay $100 ^[14][17]. Kenya on its own uses an eTA from $30 ^[16].

For Uganda, not for entry any more: on October 2, 2026, the Uganda immigration service announced that a yellow fever certificate is no longer mandatory ^[15]. The CDC still recommends the vaccine for all travelers to Uganda aged 9 months or older ^[19]. For Rwanda, it is not required if you fly in directly from the US, but it is required if you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk, which includes Uganda and Kenya ^[18][20]. So if your trip crosses from Uganda back into Rwanda, as our Uganda trips from Kigali do, carry your certificate. Rwanda may quarantine travelers whose certificate is less than 10 days old ^[20]. Talk to a travel clinic well before you go.

The CDC recommends prescription medicine to prevent malaria for travelers to both Rwanda and Uganda, and lists malaria risk in all areas of both countries ^[18][19]. Depending on the medicine, you start it days before your trip and continue after, so see a travel clinic or your doctor well ahead of departure. The CDC also lists recommended vaccines for both countries, such as hepatitis A and typhoid. Pack insect repellent, which is on Uganda’s official packing advice ^[10].

Our packing list: a waterproof jacket, a warm jacket for cold early mornings, neutral-colored clothing (avoid bright colors), a long-sleeved shirt, long trousers, good hiking shoes, a hat, gloves, a light backpack, sunscreen, snacks and a light face mask ^[30]. Visit Rwanda adds gaiters and gardening or leather gloves to protect against stinging nettles ^[2]. Leave plastic bags at home: Rwanda has banned them since 2008 ^[26].

Bring US dollars and a card. Rwanda uses the Rwandan franc and Uganda the Uganda shilling, but US dollars are widely accepted in both ^[25][10]. Bring clean, newer US bills, because older and worn notes are refused. In Rwanda, a growing number of places take cards, Visa more widely than Mastercard, and ATMs are in Kigali and nearly all major cities; banks and forex bureaus close on Sundays and public holidays ^[25]. In Uganda, change money only at banks and approved bureaus, and bring your passport ^[10].

Tips are not included in our prices, and they are always your choice. Visit Rwanda’s rough guide is US $10 per day for professional guides and drivers and US $2 for trekking porters, and cash is preferred ^[25]. Keep some small bills for this. Your driver-guide is with you for the whole tour, so plan that tip by the number of days you travel together.

Send us your dates, group size and interests through our contact form, email info@eastafricasafaris.com, or call or WhatsApp either number: +1 435 667 4107 (US) or +250 788 969 263 (Africa). WhatsApp is also available through the chat button on our site. We reply by email or WhatsApp. We are an RDB-licensed tour operator (license RDB/TL/2026/02/TO/00995) and a member of the Rwanda Tours and Travel Association, with offices in Cedar City, Utah and Musanze, Rwanda. Your safari is confirmed once we receive your deposit.

A 50% deposit confirms your booking, and the balance is due no later than 30 days before your start date. If you book within 30 days of departure, full payment is due at booking ^[29]. We invoice in US dollars, or in euros or British pounds on request. Card payments carry a 5% fee; bank transfers in USD, EUR or GBP carry no bank fees on our end. UWA’s full-payment rule for Uganda permits does not change our 50% deposit ^[4].

Cancellations must be in writing and take effect when we receive them ^[29]. We deduct non-refundable costs such as permits first, then charge a cancellation fee on the rest:

• 60 days or more before departure: 20%
• 45 to 59 days: 30%
• 22 to 44 days: 50%
• 8 to 21 days: 90%
• 7 days or less, or no-show: 100%

In a group, fees apply per guest who cancels, and remaining guests pay any resulting price increase. No refunds for late arrivals, early departures or unused services. Ask us for the full written policy before you book.

Ask us about moving your dates before you cancel, because rescheduling often keeps more value ^[29]. Gorilla permits are non-refundable once issued, but where the issuing authority allows, a permit can move to new dates, subject to approval and availability. If an approved change needs a rebooking, the fee is USD 300 per permit, so ask early. Uganda’s discounted April, May and November permits cannot be rescheduled, according to UWA ^[4]. Other changes depend on availability, supplier terms and any change fees.

It is extremely rare. If circumstances beyond our control make a safari impossible, impractical or unsafe, we may cancel or materially change it. If we cancel, we refund amounts not already committed to non-refundable permits, accommodation or other third-party services, and where practical we may first offer new dates or credit toward a future safari ^[29]. We may also swap in a lodge of similar standard and location, or adjust routes and activities for safety, weather, road, border or park reasons, and we make reasonable efforts to offer comparable alternatives.

Travel insurance is strongly recommended for most of our trips, but it is not required ^[29]. We recommend comprehensive cover for trip cancellation or interruption, medical treatment abroad, emergency evacuation and repatriation, and lost or delayed baggage. Gorilla permits and some other safari costs may be non-refundable once confirmed. For guests in Rwanda, we also have an emergency medical evacuation arrangement with Akagera Aviation for qualifying serious or critical medical emergencies. It is subject to the provider’s terms and conditions and does not replace personal travel insurance.

For international flights, work with your airline or travel insurer to rebook. Once you land in East Africa, we monitor your schedule and adjust airport transfers, hotels and regional flights to keep your safari on track. Gorilla permits are date-specific, and RDB makes no refund for late arrivals or flight delays ^[1]. Arriving in Kigali the day before your tour gives you a buffer, and we are happy to book pre-tour nights for you.

Yes. All our safaris are private, so we can add nights, change hotels, add activities or combine countries. Options from our itineraries include golden monkey trekking, chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe, the Nyungwe canopy walk and game drives in Akagera; see our add-on experiences. Browse our tours in Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, then tell us what you would change. Travelers name members of our team, including Anna, Gerard and Bora, in their reviews.