Why Go on a Gorilla Trekking Expedition?
Travel with Purpose
Thanks to the income earned from gorilla trekking tourism, populations are slowly on the increase and scouts, who once may have been poachers of gorillas and other primates, are now their protectors and earn their livelihoods safeguarding what they once killed.
Exclusive Lodges & Camps
Despite some camps being situated in remote wilderness locations, they still offer superb amenities like private plunge pools, spas and gyms.
Accommodation ranges from comfortable safari lodges to relaxed tented camps - enough to suit all tastes, budgets and trip types.
Convenient Add-Ons
Regular flights and accessibility make it easy to combine your gorilla trekking with a Great Migration safari in East Africa or a beach getaway in Zanzibar.
If you’re coming all the way, you might as well experience everything that has Africa to offer!
Gorilla Trekking
Gorilla trekking offers one of Africa’s most profound wildlife encounters – their populations, even in protected reserves, are counted in hundreds rather than thousands.
So rare are gorillas, that trackers are able to give them individual names and identify their faces and personalities easily.
From $600 USD
per person per Night sharing
From $850 CAD
per person per Night Sharing
From $1,350 AUD
per person per Night Sharing
From €1,300 EUR
per person per Night Sharing
From £1,050 GBP
per person per Night Sharing
From R19,000 ZAR
per person per Night Sharing
Top Destinations To Go Gorilla Trekking
Here are some of our best packages, all completely customisable to your requirements and travel wishes:
Rwanda
Africa’s easiest and most accessible gorilla trekking is the main draw card of a Rwandan safari. After arriving at the capital city of Kigali, you are only a few hours’ drive away from the legendary Volcanoes National Park and its habituated but still wild gorilla families.
It was on the bamboo-covered slopes of Rwanda’s Virunga Volcanoes that the late Dian Fossey studied the behaviour of the endangered mountain gorilla for 20 years, followed by the filmmakers who shot Gorillas in the Mist.
Highlights:
- Immersive gorilla conservation experiences with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund at the Ellen DeGeneres Campus
- Experience Kwita Izina, the gorilla-naming ceremony (June only)
- Tailor-made safaris for couples, honeymooners, families, and adventure seekers
Uganda
If you’ve ever wanted to sit with mountain gorillas in their natural rainforest habitat then a Uganda safari will deliver on your expectations.
Boasting a 90% success rate at finding habituated gorilla family groups in the extraordinary Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, gorilla trekking in Uganda has become one of Africa’s most powerful wildlife experiences – and gorilla populations are increasing.
Highlights:
- Guided rainforest walks, or cultural activities such as community visits of the Batwa people
- Gorilla trekking is perfectly paired with an East African big-game safari
- Photograph endemic birds, butterflies & orchids
- Seek out gorillas in the famed Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Congo
Changing the face of African travel, the Republic of the Congo (also known as Congo-Brazzaville) has opened up Africa’s equatorial rainforests to travellers, which are now more accessible than ever before.
The rainforests of the Congo Basin are sometimes referred to as the second lung of the world – home to western lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, forest elephant, buffalo and roughly 100 other mammal species.
Highlights:
- Unique forest wildlife and prolific birdwatching
- Gorilla trekking plus water-based activities & nature walks
- Expert local guides and wildlife specialists
- The capital of Brazzaville is the ‘Little Paris of Africa’ and has lively fabric markets and colourful architecture
Consider Adding...
Zanzibar
The name alone is likely to conjure up images of spice markets, palm-fringed beaches and white-sailed dhows on a turquoise sea – and happily the reality doesn’t disappoint. Lying only a short distance off the Tanzania coast but at the crossroads of Africa, the Middle East and Asia, Zanzibar has long been at the centre of the Indian Ocean experience in East Africa.
Tanzania
Safari happens almost everywhere you look in Tanzania. It’s been a way of life in East Africa’s second-largest country for decades. From the classic savannah destinations of the Serengeti, Tarangire and Ngorongoro Crater to the beaches and coral reefs of Zanzibar, a Tanzania safari delivers one massive experience after another.
Kenya
Experience a safari vacation in Kenya, the place where safari travel originated. The best Kenya tours and safaris include Big 5 game viewing, incredible natural beauty, and cultural encounters, often combining Kenya’s top attractions with Tanzania and the tropical beaches of the Kenyan coast.
Browse our Gorilla Trekking resources
Gorilla Trekking Trip Ideas
Here are some of our best packages, all completely customisable to your requirements and travel wishes:
Adventurer Rwanda's Gorilla Trekking
Travel deep into the rainforests of East Africa on this compact but comprehensive gorilla trekking safari for a privileged look into the lives of mountain gorillas. After spending a night in Rwanda’s vibrant capital city of Kigali, you will travel to Volcanoes National Park, known for having some of Africa’s easiest and most accessible gorilla-trekking expeditions.
The park is home to around 300 highly endangered mountain gorillas and is the location where Dian Fossey spent 20 years studying and protecting these gentle creatures – a lifetime of work that would inspire the well-known feature film, Gorillas in the Mist.
This itinerary is ideal for adventurers who have limited travel time and who want to experience a pinnacle bucket-list experience in less than a week.
PER PERSON Sharing
Highlights:
- Track rare mountain gorillas
- Spectacular lake & volcano views
- Insight into Dian Fossey’s life & work
- Excellent hiking & birding
Itinerary FROM $4,300 CAD
PER PERSON Sharing
Itinerary FROM $6,900 AUD
PER PERSON Sharing
Itinerary FROM €6,550 EUR
PER PERSON Sharing
Itinerary FROM £5,250 GBP
PER PERSON Sharing
Itinerary FROM R97,000 ZAR
PER PERSON Sharing
Adventurer Uganda's Fly-In Gorilla Trek
This bucket-list experience takes you deep into Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for an eye-opening encounter with highly endangered mountain gorillas. After landing at the international airport in Entebbe, you will fly to the Kihihi airstrip on the outskirts of Bwindi National Park.
Home to roughly 340 mountain gorillas, the park is one of the two remaining protected sites where this subspecies of great ape exist in the wild. Back at your accommodation, which is the tranquil Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, keep an eye open for gorillas strolling right through the camp!
Part of this 5-day rainforest experience includes luxurious and authentic tented accommodation, as well as an encounter with the indigenous Batwa people. For those seeking to extend their East African journey, this fly-in gorilla safari is a great match with a trip to the Serengeti or the Masai Mara to see the Big 5 or Wildebeest Migration.
Highlights:
- Accessible fly-in location
- Accommodation in a private concession
- Gorilla-trekking safari
- Batwa community experience
- Guided forest walks and exceptional birding
PER PERSON Sharing
Itinerary FROM $11,850 CAD
PER PERSON Sharing
Itinerary FROM $18,950 AUD
PER PERSON Sharing
Itinerary FROM €18,000 EUR
PER PERSON Sharing
Itinerary FROM £14,400 GBP
PER PERSON Sharing
Itinerary FROM R226,000 ZAR
PER PERSON Sharing
How Much is Gorilla Trekking?
Rates generally depend on timing (i.e key travel seasons like holidays) and level of luxury (the type of amenities and exclusivity). As a guideline, gorilla trekking can range anywhere from approximately 600 USD per person per night in low season to over 3,025 USD at the finest lodges in high season.
What Costs Are Included?
Most accommodations are all-inclusive; all your meals, snacks, beverages, alcohol (with some exceptions) are part of your room rate. The price of a gorilla trekking tour is determined by your travel style, accommodation choice, transfer comfort and mainly the cost of a gorilla permit at the time of travel.
The only things you’ll have to pay extra for are porters (a must have!) and just gratuities for the incredible staff who will make your stay at each lodge so memorable.
Anja Naude
"A true bucket-list item and a very unique experience! Mountain gorillas are endangered, with only about 100 left on earth, all of which are in Africa. To come close to these gentle giants, spend one hour with them and get to experience the family and their interactions is truly special and memorable; there is nothing quite like it!."
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