Gorilla Trekking Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Is it Worth It?

When I had the chance to visit East Africa, I absolutely had to add gorilla trekking to my itinerary. Gorilla trekking was something I never in a million years thought I’d be able to do, so while I was in the area, I made it a point to get this worked into my three week safari itinerary. Gorilla trekking is one of those once-in-a-lifetime bucket list experiences and I had to do it!

Bwindi National Park in Uganda is a great example of conservation done right. During my 5 day Uganda safari, while staying at the Rushaga Gorilla Lodge, I got to cross this experience off my bucket list.

If gorilla trekking in Uganda is on your radar, here’s the low-down on everything you need to know—from permits and visas to packing tips and what to expect.

Why Uganda for Gorilla trekking?

Simply put, gorilla trekking Uganda was the cheapest option that offered a safe experience. You can go gorilla trekking in three African countries: Rwanda, the DRC, and Uganda.

Rwanda is the most expensive of the three, and from my research, it offers pretty much an identical experience as Uganda, Being that I was spending so much time on safari in East Africa, I wanted to keep the costs down somehow, so Rwanda, with its permits costing nearly twice as much as Uganda, was out.

The DRC – or Democratic Republic of Congo – offers gorilla trekking at a cheaper rate than Uganda, but — it’s the Congo. This isn’t exactly a safe place to travel, to say the least, so that was out.

So, Uganda it was!

Permits and Visas

We booked our safari through SafariBookings.com – this is a safari aggregator and you’ll find many, many different types of safaris that include gorilla trekking in Uganda – so just look for one that has good reviews and has the itinerary you’d like at a price within your budget.

READ MORE: How to Pick a Tour Company for an East Africa Safari

Our safari company handled the permits and logistics for us, which was a huge relief. When booking a trip like this, make sure whatever company you choose offers this service.

Permits cost $800 if you arrange them yourself, while safari packages (including permits) can range from $1,500 to $6,000, depending on the experience you want and how many days and other destinations you’re going to include. Either way, you’ll also need a visa to enter Uganda, which is $50 for US Citizens. Again, I highly recommend doing a safari package – and I say this as someone who doesn’t like packaged tours or deals!

You can apply online—just make sure your passport is valid for six months beyond your arrival date, you have proof of a yellow fever vaccination, and a passport-sized photo.

For us, we did a 5-day Uganda safari that included Queen Elizabeth National Park and gorilla trekking in Bwindi. If I did this again, I would skip Queen Elizabeth NP (it wasn’t that great when compared to what we saw in Kenya and Tanzania), and just go for the gorilla trekking.

The Trekking Experience

Our day started around 7 AM. Our lodge, the Rushaga Gorilla Lodge, was only a 5 minute drive to the meeting point, which meant that we could enjoy a leisurely breakfast before heading out to the trek. At the ranger station, we had an orientation session, followed by local dance performance by a nearby pygmy tribe and then trekking group assignments were handed out. The district we visited manages five gorilla families, and groups are split based on fitness levels and/or desired length of a trek. Even if hiking isn’t your strong suit, they can accommodate you—porters are even available to carry you on a chariot (I’m not joking!) if needed. Of course, this will cost extra and you’ll need to make arrangements beforehand.

Every person in the group was given a walking stick – these were really nice and hand-carved with gorillas on the top stump of the stick. Very cool!

Trackers head out hours before your group to locate the gorillas. By the time you start hiking, their location is pinpointed, making your chances of seeing them incredibly high.

The trekking groups typically consist of eight to ten tourists, a guide, two armed guards (yes, armed with machine guns and machetes, but mostly for elephant safety…mostly. Remember — and not to scare you — but you are near the DRC so .), and any hired porters. All in, it’s a well-organized and safe-as-it-can-be experience.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is gigantic and has many, many different ranger station areas from which gorilla treks start. We were assigned the Rushaga area. Personally, I don’t think any area is better/worse for trekking – you’ll get to see the gorillas, don’t worry. When your safari company gets your permit, the park officials will assign the trekking area. This will also determine where your lodging will be located.

Our trek was very short — it was only about a 15 minute walk through the jungle before we reached our assigned family. Despite the short walk, the terrain is muddy and uneven, and sometimes steep; you are NOT walking on a trail – you are literally bushwhacking through the forest and will need to navigate fallen tree branches, stumps and mud pits.

Everyone’s trek on this day was short. All of the groups essentially ended back at the ranger station at the same time. Once you’re finished with the trek, you’re given a certificate of achievement.

You are not allowed into Bwindi National Park without being on one of these guided treks. You cannot do this experience on your own!

Hiring a Porter

Before you begin the trek, you have the option to hire a porter. Even though it wasn’t really necessary — especially since our trek was so short — it supports the local community. Porters, who live in the nearby communities, will come to the ranger stations each day when the treks start, hoping to get chosen for a trek. If they are not chosen, they make no money that day. Porters can help you with your camera bag, navigating the rough terrain, and offering a steady hand when the path gets slippery. It costs about $20 (plus a tip at the end). My sister and I thought it was worth it.

My sister and I were the only people on our trek who hired the porters. I felt really bad.

Observing the Gorillas

Once you reach the gorilla family, porters stay back, and only your small group, guide, and guards approach. Before you step forward, there’s one final briefing on safety and etiquette.

You get one hour with the gorillas—strictly regulated for their wellbeing. These gorilla families are habituated, meaning they’re accustomed to humans visiting daily for short periods. Overstaying could cause them stress.

One hour might not sound like much, but it’s more than enough. Take your photos, then put your camera down to sit, watch and take it all in. Absorb every moment with these magnificent creatures!

Photography Gear

Taking photos of the gorillas was much, much more difficult that I anticipated. I brought with a 100-400mm lens and sometimes, we were just too close to the gorillas for photos to turn out. Additionally, the forest is very dense and dark — the photos that I got needed to be taken at a very high ISO (so very grainy). The gorillas were often obstructed by leaves and vegetation, making it very tough to get a full on face shot. Plus, even though the groups are small, people in our trekking group just didn’t want to move to let others observe and/or take photos. Every man for himself on this trek.

If I did this again, I would take my 70-200mm f/2.8 lens – I feel like this would’ve been the perfect focal length, along with the fast fixed aperture, to get amazing shots in a dense forest. However, at the time, I did not own this lens! If you have it, definitely take it along on your trek.

What to Wear on a gorilla trek

We wore layers: Leggings under rain pants, moisture-wicking workout top, rain jacket, gloves (we brought leather work gloves to help grip trees and branches) and hiking boots. We did this in late March, which is the rainy season.

Final Thoughts – Is Gorilla Trekking in Uganda Worth It?

Overall, I enjoyed this experience and do feel that it was worth the cost. I enjoyed my time with the gorillas, observing them in their natural habitat but I don’t feel the need to do this again. I expected the trek to be much, much longer – I had prepared gear and packed snacks, thinking we’d be out in the jungle for 8 hours, and it was only a 15 minute walk to the gorilla family. I love hiking and I thought I’d be out there all day. My sister, on the other hand, really appreciated that it was only a 15 minute trek. And it didn’t matter what group we were put it — all groups that day had a very short trek!

When the trek is so short, you don’t get that build up and anticipation that I expected to have so it was a little bit of a letdown. It was also very difficult to take decent photos. I took hundreds of photos and had only like a dozen that turned out — most were blurry, obstructed by another trekker’s head, or vegetation blocked the view of the gorilla. When someone in our group got a good view of a gorilla, no one wanted to move to let others observe. The guide did step in and had people move around so others could see, but in general it was everyone for himself on this trek. Plus, my sister and I are short, so seeing over other people’s heads to view gorillas added to the challenge.

Bottom line, if you have the chance to do this, DO IT. You’re going to roll the dice with the other travelers on your trek and how long the trek actually is will obviously depend on where your assigned gorilla family is located, but in general, it’s a good experience worth doing once.

Have you ever been gorilla trekking in Uganda? I’d love to hear about your experience! Leave a note in the comments!