How Much Does a Gorilla Trekking Safari Cost in 2026?

By Anna Axelson, Operations Manager, East Africa Safaris
Updated October 2026

A short private gorilla trekking safari costs $2,030 to $2,668 per person for two days in Rwanda, or $2,130 to $3,450 per person for four days from Kigali with the gorilla trek in Uganda, based on our own published prices. Where you land in each range depends on group size, and both prices include the gorilla permit, lodging, a private safari vehicle with driver-guide, park fees and airport transfers, but not flights, visas, tips or insurance.

Prices checked: October 6, 2026. All figures are in US dollars for foreign non-resident travelers.

Below, we break down the full gorilla trekking safari cost, show our real price ladders, and list the honest ways to pay less.

What makes up a gorilla trekking safari cost?

Four things drive the price: the permit, the lodge, the vehicle and driver-guide, and the extras you pay yourself. For context, independent guide publisher Horizon Guides reports that gorilla trips typically run from about $1,500 per person at the low end to $5,000 and up at the luxury end.

Sources for every figure are listed at the end of this page.

The permit: your biggest single cost

Visit Rwanda, the official tourism site of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), lists the Rwanda gorilla permit at $1,500 per person. In Uganda, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) tariff sets it at $800, and UWA's revised tariff from January 1, 2027 keeps it at $800. UWA says its permit price includes the guide fee, that day's park entrance and a community development contribution.

Uganda permits for foreign visitors can only be booked through licensed tour operators, and since March 1, 2026 UWA requires full payment when a permit is booked. Our own terms do not change because of that: a 50% deposit still confirms your booking. For booking windows, habituation permits and date-change rules, see our gorilla trekking permit cost guide.

Accommodation near Volcanoes and Bwindi

After the permit, your lodge choice moves the price most. Horizon Guides (updated August 2026) reports these typical rates per person per night, based on two sharing:

At the top of that scale, two lodge nights can cost more than the permit itself, so tell us your preferred lodge level when you ask for a quote.

Vehicle, driver-guide and park fees

A private vehicle and driver-guide cost the same whether one person rides or six, so group size moves per-person prices a lot (see the worked examples). Other park fees are small next to the permit. UWA's standard entry fee for Bwindi and Mgahinga is $40 per adult per day for foreign non-residents. Golden monkey tracking costs $100 in Rwanda (RDB) or $60 plus park entry in Mgahinga (UWA). Our tours include park fees and all activities not marked optional.

Visas for Rwanda, Uganda and the East Africa Tourist Visa

• Rwanda: $50 for a 30-day single-entry tourist visa, or $70 for a 90-day multiple-entry visa, according to Rwanda's Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration. Visas are issued on arrival or online.
• Uganda: $50 for a single-entry tourist visa, applied for online through Uganda's immigration portal (visas.immigration.go.ug).
• East Africa Tourist Visa: $100, multiple entry, valid 90 days for Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda only. Apply through the country you enter first. It ends once you leave the three countries.

A trip that goes Kigali to Uganda and back leaves Rwanda and re-enters, so a single-entry Rwanda visa is not enough. The $100 East Africa Tourist Visa costs less than a Rwanda multiple-entry visa plus a Uganda visa ($120), which makes it the better value for our Uganda trips from Kigali.

If Uganda is on your route, carry a yellow fever vaccination certificate. Uganda stopped requiring one for entry on October 2, 2026, but Rwanda requires one from travelers arriving from countries with yellow fever risk, Uganda included, and our Uganda trips from Kigali cross back into Rwanda. CDC recommends the vaccine for travelers to Uganda aged 9 months and over.

Flights into Kigali or Entebbe

Airfares change daily, so we do not quote them here. All the tours in this guide meet in Kigali (KGL), and all the priced ones finish there too, so price a round trip to Kigali. Uganda's international airport is Entebbe (EBB).

One routing rule can affect your return flights if you visit Uganda. CDC currently says US citizens who were in Uganda within 21 days of arriving in the US are routed through Washington Dulles, Atlanta or New York JFK for health screening, and it lists temporary entry restrictions for some other travelers, including green card holders.

Tips and travel insurance

Tips are not included in any tour price. Visit Rwanda's official rough guide is $10 per day for professional guides and drivers and $2 for trekking porters, and it notes that cash is usually preferred. Horizon Guides reports porter hire at $10 to $20 per person, plus a tip. Porter fees are not included in our published prices. If you tip in US dollars, bring newer bills in good condition, because older and worn US bills are refused.

Travel insurance is not required for our trips, but we strongly recommend it. Look for comprehensive cover for trip cancellation or interruption, medical treatment abroad, emergency evacuation and repatriation, and lost or delayed baggage, because gorilla permits and some other safari costs are non-refundable once purchased. For guests traveling 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.

Gorilla trekking tour prices: what do our real trips cost?

Every price below is per person, taken from our published price ladders, and includes the gorilla permit.

Per-day figures are rounded to the nearest dollar. The 15-Day Ultimate East Africa Safari covers four countries, so it is priced on request: contact us for a quote.

Example 1: How group size changes the price

On the 2-Day Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park, a solo traveler pays $2,668, each person in a pair pays $2,280, and each of six pays $2,030. The permit stays at $1,500 a head, so the saving comes from everything else: the non-permit part falls from $1,168 solo to $780 each for two and $530 each for six, because the vehicle and driver-guide are shared and rooms are split. The pattern holds on longer trips. On the 7-Day tour, each of six travelers pays $2,777 less than a solo traveler.

Example 2: Why Uganda from Kigali costs less per day

The 4-Day Uganda Gorilla and Golden Monkey Trekking Safari starts in Kigali, adds a golden monkey trek in Volcanoes National Park, crosses into Uganda for the gorilla trek, and returns to Kigali. For a couple it costs $2,604 each. That is $324 more than the 2-Day Rwanda trip for twice the days, or $651 per day against $1,140: about 43% less per day.

The permit explains it. Rwanda's $1,500 permit is 66% of the 2-Day price for a couple, while Uganda's $800 permit is 31% of the 4-Day price. Swap in a Rwandan permit and the permit line alone would push the 4-Day trip to $3,304 each. The shorter 3-Day Uganda Gorilla and Golden Monkey Trekking costs a couple $2,240 each, $40 less than the 2-Day Rwanda trip, with an extra day and golden monkeys.

WHO declared Uganda's Ebola outbreak over on August 27, 2026, and Rwanda has reported no cases; check the current US State Department advisory at travel.state.gov before booking.

Example 3: What a 7-day trip adds over the 2-day

The 7-Day Rwanda Wildlife and Primates Safari Adventure costs a couple $5,306 each, which is $3,026 more than the 2-Day trip. That buys five more days: two days of game drives in Akagera with a Lake Ihema boat trip, the King's Palace and the Ethnographic Museum, chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe, a boat trip on Lake Kivu, and more lodge nights. Each extra day works out to about $605 per person, just over half the daily cost of the 2-Day trip, because the permit is paid only once.

What hidden costs should you budget for?

Our tour pages list exclusions. Across our priced trips, plan for:

• International flights to and from Kigali.
• Hotel nights before or after the tour. The 2-Day trip starts after breakfast in Kigali, so a night there before it is extra. We are happy to book pre-tour nights for you.
• Visas: $50 to $100 per person, depending on your route.
• Tips for your driver-guide, rangers, trackers and porters, plus porter fees if you hire one. Porter fees are not included in our published prices.
• Travel insurance.
• Some meals on multi-day trips, as marked in each day-by-day plan.
• Vaccines and malaria tablets. CDC recommends malaria prevention medicine for both Rwanda and Uganda.
• A 5% fee if you pay by card. Bank transfers in USD, EUR or GBP carry no bank fees on our end.
• Fee increases after booking. We may pass on significant increases in government, park or permit fees, taxes or other unavoidable third-party charges. For example, UWA's gorilla habituation permit rises to $1,800 on January 1, 2027.
• Permit date changes. If an approved change requires rebooking, the fee is USD 300 per permit, and UWA says its low-season permits cannot be rescheduled at all.
• Souvenirs, extra drinks and personal items.

What is the cheapest way to see gorillas?

These are the honest levers, in order of impact:

1. Share the vehicle. Six people on the 2-Day trip each pay $638 less than a solo traveler.
2. Choose Uganda's permit. At $800 it is $700 cheaper than Rwanda's. WHO declared Uganda's Ebola outbreak over on August 27, 2026; check the current US State Department advisory before booking.
3. Travel in an official low season. A UWA notice dated February 26, 2026 set Uganda's gorilla permit at $600 in April, May and November. Those permits cannot be rescheduled, and the notice gives no end date. In Rwanda, RDB's booking portal lists a 30% permit discount from November to May when you also stay two nights in Akagera or Nyungwe National Park with a paid activity there. It is not guaranteed and depends on availability, so ask us whether a low-season permit rate can apply to your dates.
4. Combine activities in one trip. Extra days on a trip you are already taking cost far less than the first two, as Example 3 shows.

Deciding between Uganda’s lower permit price and Rwanda’s shorter drive from Kigali? Our Rwanda vs Uganda comparison sets out terrain, drive times, visas and trip prices side by side.

Why do private gorilla tours cost what they do?

The permit sets the floor, and it is paid up front: UWA now requires full payment at booking, and gorilla permits are non-refundable once issued. A private trip also means a vehicle and driver-guide for your group alone, so you set the pace, but the cost is split among fewer people than on a shared tour. That is why operators take deposits: yours lets us buy permits and secure lodges, transport and other services, some of which become non-refundable once purchased.

Our payment and cancellation terms

Booking direct or through a platform? Listing and comparison sites can be a useful way to see options side by side. Booking directly with the operator that runs the trip means you deal with the same team on permits, dates, lodges and changes, and you can get the inclusions and payment terms in writing before you pay. Either way, use a licensed operator: UWA issues permits to foreign visitors only through licensed tour operators, and Visit Rwanda directs travelers to its Irembo booking platform or licensed operators. In Rwanda, we are licensed by the Rwanda Development Board (license RDB/TL/2026/02/TO/00995), and we plan trips from offices in Cedar City, Utah, and Musanze, the main town near Volcanoes National Park.

What about gorilla trekking in DR Congo?

Virunga National Park's official site says its gorilla treks are "closed until further notice," and WHO says the Ebola outbreak continues in the DRC. Two further rules affect any combined trip. CDC says US citizens who have been in the DRC in the past 21 days cannot board commercial flights to the US. And since May 22, 2026, Rwanda's Ministry of Health has denied entry to foreign nationals who were in the DRC within the previous 30 days. Read the US State Department's DRC advisory at travel.state.gov before considering a Congo trip. For those reasons, we are not listing DRC prices in this guide.

Ready to price your gorilla trip?

Frequently asked questions

How much does gorilla trekking cost in total?

For a short private trip, our published prices run from $2,030 to $2,668 per person for two days in Rwanda and $2,130 to $3,450 for four days with the gorilla trek in Uganda, depending on group size. Add international flights, visas ($50 to $100), tips and travel insurance. The permit alone is $1,500 in Rwanda and $800 in Uganda.

What is the Rwanda gorilla trekking cost for the permit alone?

The Rwanda Development Board charges foreign non-residents $1,500 per gorilla permit. From November to May, RDB's booking portal lists a 30% low-season discount if you also stay two nights in Akagera or Nyungwe National Park with a paid activity there, but it is not guaranteed. Our Rwanda tours include one permit per person, and you can ask us whether a low-season rate applies to your dates.

What is the Uganda gorilla trekking cost for the permit?

The Uganda Wildlife Authority charges foreign non-residents $800 per gorilla permit, and its revised tariff from January 1, 2027 keeps that rate. In February 2026, UWA introduced a $600 low-season rate for April, May and November, and those permits cannot be rescheduled. Foreign visitors must book Uganda permits through a licensed tour operator.

What is the cheapest way to see gorillas?

Travel in a group, choose Uganda's $800 permit over Rwanda's $1,500, and aim for April, May or November, when UWA prices Uganda permits at $600. Six people sharing our 2-Day Rwanda trip each pay $638 less than a solo traveler. WHO declared Uganda's Ebola outbreak over on August 27, 2026; check the current US State Department advisory before booking.

Are gorilla permits included in your tour prices?

Yes. Our gorilla tours include the gorilla permit for each traveler (two on our double gorilla safaris), park fees, accommodation, a private safari vehicle (a Land Cruiser, Toyota Prado or safari van, depending on group size), a driver-guide, listed meals, taxes and, on most tours, airport transfers. They exclude international flights, tips, porter fees, visas, travel insurance, personal items and extra hotel nights, which we are happy to book for you.

How much should I tip on a gorilla trek?

Visit Rwanda's official rough guide is $10 per day for professional guides and drivers and $2 for trekking porters, and cash is usually preferred. Porter hire itself is reported at $10 to $20 per person, plus a tip. If you tip in US dollars, bring newer bills in good condition, because older and worn bills are refused.

Do I need a visa for a Rwanda and Uganda gorilla trip?

US citizens need a visa for each country. Rwanda charges $50 for a 30-day single-entry visa and Uganda $50 for a single-entry visa applied for online. If you cross between the two, the $100 East Africa Tourist Visa covers Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya with multiple entries for 90 days. Apply through the country you enter first.

Can I go gorilla trekking in DR Congo in 2026?

Not practically for US travelers right now. Virunga National Park's official site lists gorilla treks as closed until further notice, WHO says the Ebola outbreak continues in the DRC, and CDC says US citizens who were in the DRC within 21 days cannot board commercial flights to the US. Read the State Department's DRC advisory before planning.

Sources

1. Visit Rwanda, Gorilla Tracking: https://www.visitrwanda.com/interests/gorilla-tracking/ – Rwanda permit US$1,500 per person; booking through Irembo or licensed tour operators.
2. RDB booking portal, Mountain Gorilla Tracking: https://visitrwandabookings.rdb.rw/rdbportal/mountain-gorilla-tracking – $1,500 for foreign non-residents.
3. RDB booking portal, Low Season Discount (Gorilla Trekking): https://visitrwandabookings.rdb.rw/rdbportal/low-season-discount – 30% discount, November to May, with two nights in Akagera and/or Nyungwe and a paid activity; one discounted permit per 3-day, 2-night stay.
4. RDB booking portal, Golden Monkeys: https://visitrwandabookings.rdb.rw/rdbportal/golden-monkeys – golden monkey tracking $100 for foreign non-residents.
5. Uganda Wildlife Authority, Conservation Tariff July 2024 to June 2026 (PDF): https://ugandawildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/UWA-Conservation-Tariff-July-2024-June-2026.pdf – gorilla permit $800 (includes guide fee, park entrance for the day and community development contribution); Bwindi and Mgahinga entry $40 per adult (foreign non-resident); Mgahinga golden monkey tracking $60 excluding entrance; foreign non-resident gorilla permits booked only through licensed tour operators.
6. Uganda Wildlife Authority, notice ref. TDO 93/04 dated 26 February 2026, "Introduction of Low Season Gorilla and Chimpanzee Permit Rates and Revised Tariff Structure" (PDF): https://ugandawildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Tariff-changes-2026-2027.pdf – $600 low-season gorilla permit in April, May and November; low-season permits cannot be rescheduled; gorilla permit stays $800 and habituation rises to $1,800 from 1 January 2027; full payment at booking from 1 March 2026.
7. Rwanda Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration, Visitors Visa: https://www.migration.gov.rw/visa/visitors-visa – tourist visa $50 single entry (30 days) or $70 multiple entry (90 days); East Africa Tourist Visa $100, multiple entries.
8. Rwanda Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration, Visa on Arrival: https://www.migration.gov.rw/visa-on-arrival – visa on arrival available to citizens of all countries.
9. Uganda National Citizenship and Immigration Control, Tourist Visa (single entry): https://immigration.go.ug/services/tourist-visa – $50; apply online through the immigration portal.
10. Uganda National Citizenship and Immigration Control, East African Tourist Visa: https://www.immigration.go.ug/services/east-african-tourist-visa – $100; 3 months; multiple entry; Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda only; issuing country must be first entry point; not renewable on exit from the three countries.
11. CDC Travelers' Health, Uganda: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/uganda – yellow fever vaccine recommended for travelers aged 9 months and over (the page still lists the entry requirement Uganda dropped on October 2, 2026); malaria prevention medicine recommended.
12. National Citizenship and Immigration Control (Uganda), “Official Notice: Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate is No Longer Mandatory for Entry into Uganda” (October 2, 2026): https://www.immigration.go.ug/node/254 – yellow fever certificate no longer mandatory for entry into Uganda.
13. CDC Travelers' Health, Rwanda: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/rwanda – yellow fever certificate required from travelers arriving from countries with yellow fever risk; malaria prevention medicine recommended.
14. CDC, Information for Travelers Returning from Ebola-Affected Areas (checked September 29, 2026): https://www.cdc.gov/ebola/situation-summary/returning-travelers.html – US citizens who were in Uganda within 21 days routed through IAD, ATL or JFK for screening; temporary restrictions for some travelers including green card holders; travelers who were in the DRC within 21 days cannot board commercial flights to the US.
15. WHO Regional Office for Africa, "Uganda ends Ebola outbreak following completion of 42-day countdown": https://www.afro.who.int/countries/uganda/news/uganda-ends-ebola-outbreak-following-completion-42-day-countdown – Uganda's outbreak declared over on August 27, 2026; the outbreak continues in the DRC.
16. WHO, Ebola outbreak, DRC 2026 situation page: https://www.who.int/emergencies/situations/ebola-outbreak—drc-2026 – lists no cases in Rwanda.
17. Rwanda Ministry of Defence / RBC, EVD update of 16 June 2026: https://www.mod.gov.rw/docs-media/news-detail/evd-updates-16-june-2026-update-on-ebola-outbreak – no Ebola cases in Rwanda.
18. Rwanda Ministry of Health, "Notice on Enhanced Ebola Prevention Measures" (May 22, 2026): https://www.moh.gov.rw/news-detail/notice-on-enhanced-ebola-prevention-measures – foreign nationals who were in the DRC within 30 days are denied entry to Rwanda.
19. US State Department travel advisories: https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/uganda.html, https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/rwanda.html and https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/democratic-republic-of-the-congo-travel-advisory.html – pages readers are directed to check before booking.
20. Virunga National Park official visitor site: https://visit.virunga.org/ – gorilla treks closed until further notice.
21. Horizon Guides, "How Much Does Gorilla Trekking In Rwanda and Uganda Cost?" by Charlotte Beauvoisin, last updated 6 August 2026: https://horizonguides.com/guides/gorilla-trekking/gorilla-trek-costs – reported lodge rates by tier; reported trip range of $1,500 to $5,000 and up per person; porter hire $10 to $20 plus tip.
22. Visit Rwanda, Money: https://visitrwanda.com/facts/money/ – tipping rough guide of US$10 per day for guides and drivers and US$2 for trekking porters; cash usually preferred.
23. East Africa Safaris tour pages (checked October 6, 2026): https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/1-day-rwanda-gorilla-trekking-adventure/, https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/2-day-gorilla-trekking-in-volcanoes-national-park/, https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/3-day-uganda-gorilla-and-golden-monkey-trekking/, https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/4-day-uganda-gorilla-and-golden-monkey-trekking-safari/, https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/4-day-uganda-double-gorilla-trekking-and-golden-monkey-safari/, https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/7-day-rwanda-wildlife-and-primates-safari-adventure/, https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/15-day-ultimate-east-africa-safari-rwanda-uganda-kenya-tanzania/ – price ladders, inclusions, exclusions, itineraries.
24. East Africa Safaris Payment and Cancellation Policy, Rev. 12 Sep 2026, and Mark Axelson's answers of 29 September 2026 – deposit, balance, late bookings, currencies, 5% card fee, cancellation scale, non-refundable costs, USD 300 rebooking fee, fee increases, insurance recommendation, Akagera Aviation arrangement, porter fees excluded, pre-tour nights, US bill condition, RDB license, office locations.