What a Gorilla Trekking Day Is Really Like

A gorilla trek is one of the great wildlife experiences, and knowing how the day works helps you enjoy it. The details below describe a typical day in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Rangers set the exact rules on the day, so always follow their instructions.

The night before

Sleep near the trailhead if you can. A rested start matters, because the day begins early. Lay out your boots, gloves, rain jacket and daypack, and charge your camera. Our packing list has the trek kit.

Morning briefing

You gather at the park office, where rangers explain how the day will work and allocate gorilla families to small groups. The allocation takes account of fitness, preference and availability, so the same sector can produce very different walks. This is the time to say whether you want a gentler route, and to arrange a porter.

The walk

Trackers have already located the family, and the rangers lead your group in. The path may be a gentle stroll or a steep climb through mud, vines and thorns. The Uganda Wildlife Authority notes that Bwindi sits between 1,160 and 2,607 metres, so slopes are steep and the forest is dense. Walk slowly, drink often and use a walking stick if one is offered. A porter can carry your bag and give you a hand on steep sections.

Meeting the gorillas

When you reach the gorillas you leave non-essentials behind, and rangers brief you again. You then spend one hour with the family. Typical rules include staying a set distance away, keeping your voice low, not eating or drinking in front of the animals, not using flash and moving only when the ranger moves. If a gorilla approaches, you stay calm and follow the ranger's guidance. The hour passes quickly, and most people forget to take photographs.

The walk back

After the hour, you walk back to the trailhead. Many groups finish by early afternoon, although the length depends on the family you visited. Some parks hand out certificates, and many lodges celebrate with lunch.

How fit do you need to be

A moderate level of fitness is enough, and you can ask for a shorter route. Training with hill walks and stairs for a few weeks before you travel helps, and so does packing light. Porters are available and recommended.

Health rules

Gorillas can catch human illnesses, so if you have a cough, cold or stomach bug you should tell the rangers rather than trek. Rangers may require face masks and ask you to keep your distance. See a travel clinic ahead of time for vaccines and malaria advice, as the CDC (opens in a new tab) suggests.

A sample day at a glance

• Early breakfast at your lodge, then a short transfer to the park office
• Briefing, family allocation and the choice of porter
• The trek to the gorillas, which can take under an hour or most of a day
• Your hour with the family
• The walk back, then lunch and a well-earned rest

Photography tips

The forest is dark and the animals are black, so use a fast lens or a high ISO, switch off the flash and keep your camera strap short. Wipe the lens often, because humidity fogs glass, and protect your kit from rain. Take a few frames, then put the camera down and simply watch. The hour passes quickly, and the memory is better than any photograph.

Age and permits

Gorilla trekking has a minimum age of 15. Permits are issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (opens in a new tab) and are limited each day, so book as soon as your dates are fixed. Our guide to the best time to go explains the trade-offs between seasons.

What to do next

If you want to see how a gorilla trek fits into a trip from Mbarara, read our 3 day Bwindi gorilla trek and our 7 day western Uganda itinerary, then send your dates on the plan your trip page.