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Gorilla and chimpanzee permits are limited and often sell out three to six months ahead, especially in July, August and December. Book as early as you can, particularly for a group of four or more or if you have fixed travel dates.
Reasonable fitness helps, but you do not need to be an athlete. Treks can run from thirty minutes to several hours over uneven forest terrain, and porters are available to carry bags and offer a hand on steep sections. Tell us about any mobility concerns when booking so we can plan accordingly.
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for entry to most of the countries we operate in. We recommend consulting a travel health clinic six to eight weeks before departure for country-specific guidance on malaria prevention and other recommended vaccinations.
Permit prices are set by each country’s wildlife authority and change periodically. As a rough guide, Rwanda’s gorilla permit is around $1,500, while Uganda’s is around $800. We confirm current pricing at the time of booking since these fees are set by governments, not by us.
A standard trek gives you one hour with a habituated gorilla or chimpanzee family once you find them. A habituation experience runs longer, up to four hours, and follows a family that trackers are still in the process of acclimatising to human presence.
The two dry seasons, roughly June to September and December to February, offer the easiest trekking conditions. Trekking runs year-round, though, and the wetter months bring lush forest, fewer crowds and sometimes lower permit availability pressure.
Park authorities cap gorilla trekking groups at eight visitors per habituated family, and chimpanzee groups are similarly limited, to keep pressure on the animals low. We book your permits within these limits regardless of your group’s size.
Most countries set a minimum age of fifteen for gorilla trekking, largely for disease-transmission reasons since gorillas are highly susceptible to human respiratory illnesses. Younger children can often join lower-intensity activities like savannah primate viewing or forest nature walks instead.
Sturdy, ankle-supporting boots, a rain jacket regardless of season, gardening-style gloves for grabbing vegetation on steep sections, a hat, and a daypack with water are the essentials. We send a full packing list once your trip is confirmed.
We do not book international flights, but we advise on entry requirements and can arrange airport transfers. Most of our destination countries offer e-visas or visa-on-arrival for common nationalities, and we outline the current requirements for your specific itinerary.