There are fewer than 1,100 mountain gorillas left on Earth. They live in a small cluster of national parks on the volcanic mountains where Rwanda, Uganda, and the DRC meet. Trekking through dense rainforest to spend one hour with a habituated gorilla family is widely described as the most moving wildlife experience of travellers’ lives.
Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Rwanda is the most accessible gorilla trekking destination. The park headquarters at Kinigi is 2.5 hours from Kigali by paved road. Ten gorilla families are habituated for tourism; each receives one group of eight visitors per day. The trek ranges from 45 minutes to four hours each way depending on where the gorillas have moved overnight.
The Permit
Gorilla permits cost $1,500 per person. Revenue goes directly to conservation and community development. Permits must be booked well in advance — six to twelve months for peak season.
The Trek
You set off at 7am with a ranger, guide, and trackers who have been following the gorillas since dawn. The forest is dense and beautiful. And then, without warning, you are among them: a silverback lounging against a tree, infants tumbling over each other, a female nursing her baby three metres from where you stand.
You have one hour. No flash photography. Whispers only. The hour passes in what feels like four minutes.
Beyond Gorillas
Kigali is one of Africa’s cleanest, safest capitals. The Kigali Genocide Memorial is essential — Rwanda’s story of rupture and renewal is one of the most powerful in modern African history. Lake Kivu on the western border is perfect for a rest day after the trek.
Best Time to Visit
June to September and December to February are the dry seasons. But gorillas can be tracked year-round — some say the rainy season green is more beautiful.
