Gorilla trekking is one of the great wildlife experiences on earth, and it starts with a permit. In 2026/2027 a gorilla permit costs USD 1,500 in Rwanda and USD 800 in Uganda, and that single figure shapes the whole trip.
Here is a clear look at what a gorilla safari costs this year, country by country, and what a full luxury trip adds up to once the lodges, flights and transfers are in.
Gorilla trekking cost at a glance, 2026/2027
- Rwanda permit USD 1,500 per person, Volcanoes National Park
- Uganda permit USD 800 per person, or USD 600 in low season, Bwindi and Mgahinga
- Uganda habituation, four hours From USD 1,500, rising to USD 1,800
- DRC permit About USD 400, but Virunga is closed to visitors
- Permit covers One hour with a gorilla family, rangers and trackers, park entry
- Not included Lodging, flights, transfers, meals, porters and tips
- Full luxury safari From around USD 4,800 per person for a short trip, all in
- Book ahead Six to ten months for peak dates, minimum age 15
What a gorilla permit is, and what it covers
A gorilla permit is a government issued ticket that lets one person spend one hour with a habituated mountain gorilla family. It also covers the trackers who find the family at dawn, the armed rangers who guide you, and park entry for the day.
It does not cover your lodge, your flights, transfers, meals, porters or tips. Those sit on top, and they are where the luxury, and much of the cost, really lives.
Rwanda gorilla permit cost in 2026/2027
A Rwanda gorilla permit costs USD 1,500 per person, set by the Rwanda Development Board, and the price holds steady for 2026/2027. Trekking takes place in Volcanoes National Park, a scenic drive of about three hours from Kigali.
Rwanda runs a deliberate high value, low volume model, so permits are limited and sell out early. In the low season, from November to May, you can earn a thirty percent discount, close to USD 1,050, when you add two nights across Akagera and Nyungwe. That saving does not apply in the June to October peak.
Uganda gorilla permit cost in 2026/2027
A Uganda gorilla permit costs USD 800 per person, roughly half of Rwanda's. Trekking is in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, in the country's lush south west.
In the green season months of April, May and November, the permit drops to USD 600, though those dates cannot be rescheduled. Uganda also offers something Rwanda does not, a four hour habituation experience in Bwindi, which lets you stay far longer with a family. It costs from USD 1,500, with a rise to USD 1,800 announced under the new tariff.
| Permit, foreign non resident | 2026/2027 price | Time with gorillas |
|---|---|---|
| Rwanda, Volcanoes | USD 1,500 | 1 hour |
| Uganda, standard | USD 800 (USD 600 low season) | 1 hour |
| Uganda, habituation | From USD 1,500 | 4 hours |
| DRC, Virunga | About USD 400 (park closed) | 1 hour |
What about the DRC?
The Democratic Republic of Congo offers the cheapest permit, around USD 400, in Virunga National Park. Virunga has been closed to visitors since 2020 for security reasons, so for now the real choice is between Rwanda and Uganda.
Rwanda or Uganda: which to choose
The permit is only part of the decision. Each country trekks a little differently.
Choose Rwanda for the shortest journey and the most polished logistics. Volcanoes is close to Kigali, the terrain is more open, and the lodges are superb. It suits a quick, seamless, ultra luxury escape.
Choose Uganda for value and adventure. Permits cost less, there are more families and sectors, and only Uganda offers the four hour habituation experience. Bwindi is wilder and greener, and it pairs beautifully with chimpanzees and the wider Uganda circuit.
The hour you spend among gorillas will outlast every figure on the invoice.
What a full luxury gorilla safari costs
Once you add a fine lodge near the park gate, private transfers or a light aircraft charter, meals, park fees and expert guiding, the permit becomes one line among several.
As a guide, a short luxury gorilla safari of three or four nights starts from around USD 4,800 per person, and climbs from there for the finest lodges and a Rwanda base. Our Uganda, Curated for You journey begins at USD 4,800 per person sharing, permits and fly in logistics included.
How to keep the cost down
- Travel in the green season for Uganda's USD 600 permit, or Rwanda's multi park discount.
- Combine parks or countries, so your flights and transfers work harder.
- Trek once rather than twice if budget is tight, though a second trek lifts your odds of a relaxed encounter.
- Book through one operator who handles permits, lodges and transfers as a single, clean quote.
When to go
The dry seasons, June to September and December to February, give firmer trails and easier walking. The green season, March to May and November, is quieter and cheaper, with lush forest and muddier paths, and gorillas that often feed at lower, easier elevations.
Booking tips for 2026/2027
- Book six to ten months ahead for peak dates, and longer for Christmas and New Year.
- Permits are now paid in full at booking, with no holding period, so lock your dates early.
- The minimum age is fifteen, with no exceptions.
- Bring a mask and self report if you feel unwell, to protect the gorillas.
- Book through a licensed operator. We handle the permits and the paperwork, so you simply arrive and trek.
Plan your gorilla safari with Ongeri
We build private gorilla journeys across Uganda and Rwanda, and we can pair the gorillas with the plains of Kenya and Tanzania for a grand East Africa loop. For a wider look at safari budgets, see our luxury safari cost guide, or browse our luxury safari tours.
