Gorilla tours are the most sought-after wildlife experience in East Africa, and Offmap Safaris plans them in Uganda, in Rwanda and across both countries. A gorilla tour combines a trek to meet a habituated mountain gorilla family with the permits, lodges, transfers, guides and extras that make the day work. This page explains how gorilla tours work, how to choose between Uganda and Rwanda, how long a tour should be and how we build one for you. Pick your country below, or ask us to compare both.
What a gorilla tour includes
A gorilla tour is more than the trek. It starts with the permit, which is limited, tied to a date and non-refundable. Around it we arrange your airport pickup, transfers, accommodation near your trailhead, meals, a driver guide, park fees and any extras such as golden monkey tracking, chimpanzee tracking or a safari in a savanna park. On trek day, a ranger guide leads a small group of up to eight visitors to a gorilla family, and you spend one hour with them. The tour is built around that one fixed date.
Gorilla tours in Uganda or Rwanda
Uganda offers gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, with forest scenery, a choice of sectors and easy pairing with chimpanzees, big game and the Nile. Rwanda offers gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, a short drive from Kigali, with excellent organisation and golden monkeys nearby. See our dedicated pages for gorilla tours in Uganda and gorilla tours in Rwanda, then read our guides to gorilla trekking in Uganda and gorilla trekking in Rwanda.
How long should a gorilla tour be
A short gorilla tour can be three or four days, such as a fly-in trek in Uganda or a Kigali and Volcanoes trip in Rwanda. Five to seven days lets you add golden monkeys or a park. Eight to twelve days combines gorillas with chimpanzees, big game and the Nile in Uganda, or Rwanda's three parks. Longer trips can combine both countries or add Kenya and Tanzania for the Great Migration. We recommend adding a rest day after the trek and a buffer night before it.
Gorilla tours by style and budget
We plan gorilla tours at three levels. Our budget gorilla safaris keep lodging and transport simple, our mid-range gorilla safaris balance comfort and cost, and our luxury gorilla safaris use the best lodges close to the trailheads. See our accommodation guides for Uganda and Rwanda. Whatever the level, the gorilla experience itself is the same.
Permits and booking
Gorilla permits are limited, so the order of booking matters: permits first, then lodging, then flights and extras. Permits are non-refundable and name-specific, so we confirm passport details and dates before anything is paid. Read our gorilla permits page and permit checklist for how it works, and book six to twelve months ahead for June to September and December to February.
Who can go and how fit you need to be
The minimum age for gorilla trekking is fifteen. You do not need to be an athlete, but you should be able to walk for several hours on steep, muddy ground at altitude. Porters are available and recommended, and they support local families. Tell us about health concerns early, and read our health and safety page and visa and entry guide. We can often choose a gorilla family that is easier to reach.
What else to add to your gorilla tour
Most guests add chimpanzee tracking, golden monkey tracking or a classic safari. Read our mountain gorillas page, chimpanzee page, golden monkey page and primate safaris to see the options. Uganda pairs gorillas with Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls and Kibale, and Rwanda pairs them with Nyungwe and Akagera.
How Offmap Safaris builds your gorilla tour
We start with your dates, group and priorities, then compare countries honestly, including cost, travel time and what you will see. You get one clear total price, a day-by-day plan and a named contact who answers WhatsApp. Our guides are experienced and our vehicles are well maintained. We handle permits, lodges, transfers and extras, and we keep you informed until you are home.
Gorilla tour itineraries
Our itineraries are built around the trek date. Examples include a four day Uganda fly-in, a five day Rwanda tour with golden monkeys, a seven day tour with Nyungwe chimpanzees and a ten day tour combining Uganda and Rwanda. We show your itinerary day by day with no prices on the itinerary itself, and give one total price in your quote.
Browse our primate safaris and our country pages for Uganda and Rwanda for more examples.
Frequently asked questions in detail
Many guests ask whether they can choose their gorilla family, and the answer is that families are assigned by the park on the morning of the trek based on fitness and preference, within what is available. Guests ask whether gorillas are dangerous, and the answer is that habituated families are calm when rules are followed. Guests ask what happens if they feel unwell, and the answer is that you should not trek, and travel insurance matters because permits are non-refundable.
Responsible gorilla tourism
Gorilla tourism works because it pays for protection. Permit revenue funds park management and anti-poaching, and part of it is shared with communities near the parks. Our tours follow the rules: small groups, no flash, seven metres of distance and no trekking when unwell. Hiring porters and buying local crafts keeps money in the villages. Read our mountain gorillas page to learn how the species has recovered.
At a glance
- Uganda, Rwanda or both
- 3 to 12 day tours
- Permits and lodges booked together
- Budget, mid-range and luxury
- Chimpanzees, golden monkeys and safari add-ons
Keep exploring
- Gorilla tours in Uganda
- Gorilla tours in Rwanda
- Gorilla permits
- Mountain gorillas
- Budget gorilla safaris
- Mid-range gorilla safaris
- Luxury gorilla safaris
- Primate safaris
Plan a safari around Gorilla Tours: Gorilla Trekking Tours in Uganda and Rwanda
Tell us your dates and what you most want to see, and we’ll time your safari to match it as closely as nature allows. Talk to us, or browse our safari packages to see how a migration-timed itinerary is put together.
Gorilla Tours: Gorilla Trekking Tours in Uganda and Rwanda
