There are fewer than 900 mountain gorillas left on earth. You can meet them.
A habituated family. One hour. Face to face. A moment you will never fully explain to anyone who wasn’t there.
88
Mountain gorillas remaining on earth
1 hour
Time with the family
5-8 km
Trek distance
USD 1,500
Permit fee per person
One of the most profound wildlife experiences on earth
You are in the volcanic highlands of northwest Rwanda, at altitude, in dense montane forest. The trackers ahead of you stop. They signal silence. And then — through the undergrowth — you see them. A silverback, unhurried. A mother with an infant. Young gorillas moving through the branches above your head. You are seven metres away. There is no glass, no vehicle, no barrier between you and one of the rarest animals on earth.
You have one hour. The rule exists to protect them — and it makes every minute matter in a way that is almost impossible to describe to anyone who wasn’t there.
USD 1,500 per person — the permit is a conservation contribution
The fee funds gorilla protection, ranger salaries, and community programmes. Rwanda’s gorilla population has grown 40% since systematic conservation began. This is not a tourist tax — it is the reason the gorillas are still here.
At a glance
What to expect
Your trekking day, step by step
Early morning briefing
You arrive at park headquarters at 5:30am. Rangers brief your group on gorilla behaviour, photography rules, and the 7-metre approach distance. Maximum 8 visitors per gorilla family. This is where the day becomes real.
The Trek
Duration varies by where the family has moved overnight — anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours. The terrain is steep and uneven volcanic hillside. Moderate fitness required. A porter is available and recommended — direct community income, and genuinely useful on the descent.
The encounter - 1 hour
The trackers stop. You hear the family before you see them. Then the forest opens and there they are — feeding, playing, resting. A silverback going about his morning, indifferent to your presence. You have exactly one hour. No more. Stay at 7 metres, no flash photography. When the hour ends, you trek back in silence. You will not forget this.
The return
Same route back to the trailhead. Lunch at the lodge. The afternoon is yours — an optional golden monkey half-day, a visit to the Dian Fossey tomb, or simply the view across the Virunga volcanoes with a cold drink in hand.
Two more primate experiences worth combining
Into the Volcanoes
Gorillas & Golden Monkeys
Rwanda Primate Trail
Gorilla and Green Hills
Two more primate experiences worth combining
Golden monkey trekking
Volcanoes National Park · Endemic to the Albertine Rift More playful, faster-moving, often easier to observe. Permit significantly more affordable than gorilla. Perfect half-day add-on.
Chimpanzee trekking — Nyungwe Forest
2 hr drive from Kigali · Overnight recommended One of Africa's largest montane rainforests. Chimp tracking plus 90-metre suspension canopy walkway. Over 300 bird species recorded.
Your adventure starts with a conversation.
Tell us what excites you. We builds the rest. Response within 48 hours
Practical information
When to go
Best months for gorilla trekking
Best weather and trail conditions.
Short dry season with fewer visitors.