Back to JournalUganda · 8 min read
First-timer's guide to gorilla trekking in Bwindi
By Across The Wild · 24 February 2026
Permits, fitness, packing, ethics - everything we tell our guests before they go.
Meeting a mountain gorilla family is one of the most humbling hours you will ever spend. Only around 1,000 individuals remain on earth, and roughly half live in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Permits are strictly controlled. Uganda issues eight permits per gorilla family per day, at $800 each.
Fitness matters. Treks range from an hour to a full day of steep, muddy forest.
Pack layers: waterproof boots, gaiters, gloves, a good rain shell.
Ethics are non-negotiable. Seven-metre distance, one hour with the family, no flash.
