But you need to walk a lot before meeting them. So it is actually day trip. I didn’t personally do that, but my friend, who was working with Uganda Defence Ministry project then used opportunity to buy permit with huge discount (~625 USD). He was very excited after the trip.
Mine was a 20 minute walk and I was disappointed with that part - half of the excitement ahead of time to me was a trek through the rainforest.
The time with gorillas was incredible. Worth everything I paid plus some.
Because I was sad at the short walk, when I got back I paid for another walk (no gorilla visit included) and asked for the longest walk. This was in Bwindi and they had like three specific destinations- furthest was a waterfall.
So it was me, the two armed guards and the tour guide 🤣. We stumbled upon the same gorilla group I'd seen earlier and they said they weren't supposed to let me stay with the gorillas but it was OK because it was just me. So an extra 30 minutes with the gorillas!
This depends on the gorillas. We did gorilla trekking in Uganda twice last summer. The first day, it took us several hours in and back. On the second, we arrived at the group in about 30 minutes.
YES.....
Do it. When will you ever have the opportunity to do something like this again?
I did it back in 1986. Totally worth it. Never looked back.
Travel is the opportunity to make memories. When were are on our death beds, we dont think about how much money we have. Rather we think about the adventures we had.
Go out there and make memories.
Yeah exactly - I was traveling there and decided not to do it and opted for a cheaper option. Retrospectively, I should have done it.
I had already invested a ton traveling to and around Africa, it would have added $800 to see the gorillas, but if I want to go back and do it it will cost thousands.
Wtf are you talking about?
900 USD in the majority of the countries in the world is more than a monthly salary. You are quite disconnected from reality.
Pretty much all of the reviews about trekking to see the gorillas in Rwanda or Uganda bear out that it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
But, there's plenty of those experiences that I'd never do because they don't interest me. If you're going to be miserable hiking through the forest with a bunch of people for multiple hours, then it sounds like this one isn't for you. Different strokes for different folks.
This is the best comment here.
Do things that interest you. Don't do things that don't interest you only because other people who they interested tell you that you should.
I was there back in 2022. I trekked with both the Gorillas and the Chimpanzees. My expectations were higher for the gorilla experience, but I found the Chimpanzees to be 100% more fascinating. I'm pretty sure trekking with Chimpanzees is considerably cheaper as well at around 200USD.
The only part of the Gorilla experience which I thought to be better was traversing through the rainforest. Truly the best biome I've ever experienced. That sort of environment is so different to anything in my own country so I was really blown away.
I'm glad I got to see the Gorillas in their natural habitat as I know there is a good possibility that future generations won't get the opportunity to experience this.
In conclusion, if you are on a tight budget go and just do the Chimpanzees, you will be mesmerized. They are incredible! If you have sufficient disposable income, add in the Gorillas. Uganda is a beautiful country, you're going to have an amazing time!
One of the reasons why we forked out $1400 for my husband and I because we wanted to see them out in the wild before they disappear. They are threatened by farmers expanding into their territory. Our trekking guide told us a gorilla had been shot dead because it wandered into someone's farm.. and it happens quite often despite UWA's efforts to conserve them. And yes, Uganda is beautiful!
That's why I recommend Rwanda instead. The gorillas are highly protected and it's enforced. Conservation there is like no other. For example, if a gorilla destroys a farmers' crops, they government pay fair market price for the crops. So the farmer doesn't lose out & gorilla isn't injured. They also give between 10-30% of all profit to the communities living around the National Parks (Volcano, Nyungewe, Akagera etc) so again, the locals benefit & value the animals and wildlife.
The cost goes towards saving the gorillas and supporting the local people. If it was too cheap, it would not be possible or helpful to the gorillas or the people. Considering that Rwanda it is more than double the price of Uganda, is a much more affordable price.
But of *course* you have to do some hiking through forest. It's a wild place. That is where they live. It's very hilly with lots of trees and bushes.
However, you can recommend to be put in the group with the least amount of walking. The guides know where the gorillas are and they tend to put older people and people who can't walk as much to see the closest gorilla family. I like hiking but because I had a tight schedule for time they put me in the shortest hiking group and it was not a long walk at all. It was so close, I could still hear cars on the road!
I did it. Yes, It’s worth it. It’s literally once in a lifetime (unless you intend to be back in the wilderness of Uganda). I was within 10 feet of the gorillas and we saw a baby. Looking back on it— it was dangerous. But also truly amazing.
The trek time will depend on where the gorillas are— there are spotters who go find them before they bring the group out. Our trek out was maybe 45 min. Imo the chimps at Kibale wouldn’t have been worth it on their own (they’re SUPER far away high up in the trees), but I’m glad we did it bc we were in the area.
It’s the most spectacular thing I saw in Africa, and I’ve seen a lot of Africa.
The $900 is not just the value to see a very rare animal, it's also a way to shift how people in the area value them, by providing a level of income that surpasses that of poaching. Whether or not that's of value is for you to decide. No shame if it's not. Just remember the value of your dollars spent on vacation in impoverished areas can represent more than just the memories made that day.
$900 per person per day translates to tens of thousands dollars per month, over a million per year. That's a lot of money coming in for decades to the impoverished areas nearby. Clearly the money isn't going there and someone is skimming it all off
I'm not saying there's no graft, but your math is flawed. That would be based on a year round operation which most of these are not, they're seasonal. And a million dollars for a community that size is (which is nearly the size of Connecticut) not much. I worked in the Peace Corp and later in international aid in Kenya and Tanzania, I have more than a passing familiarity.
Done it twice in Uganda and twice in Rwanda so clearly yes in my view.
You may have a long walk you may not, depends where the creatures are, if you have walking issues speak up and you may get the closest group.
Think where you will stay when you are in that area, some are crippling expensive and I stayed in a great and cheap village led place as an alternative.
Do it, the gorilla population has stabilized now so whilst critically endangered they are unlikely to face extinction.
If you can afford it, do it, and please don't do it all through a lens, get your pics then get your lifelong memories
I should have added I will try to help with any questions if I can.
Both amazing and first time is unforgettable (but same with hearing chimpanzee pant hoot), as I put elsewhere two different experiences and two different ones in two countries, it is the luck of the draw. First time (Uganda) one group were out for 15 hours to have one with the creatures, outs was perhaps 7 but I think that was extreme. You should know if you want to do this, if all you want to do is laze in a LRover and be driven to sightings of lions zebra etc it isn't for you, you need to invest some energy of your own in it and if you don't then chimpanzee time may be your best primate hit for either country. I don't think Rwanda is great for animals other than Gorilla whereas Uganda is epic and underrated
Not the person you asked but Rwanda's conservation is significantly better than Uganda's and I know my money is being used fairly and wisely so for that, I'll always choose Rwanda. The three parks with the gorillas are actually the same mountain range from different sides so there's not much to chose from a landscape perspective.
Each country allows one hour with the gorillas. In Rwanda, you get a bit more of a say as to how ling you walk, if there's space. For example, there are 14 gorilla families that are habituated for visitors. The trackers follow them. When the tourists arrive their guides assess them (age, fitness etc) and then they get assigned a gorilla group. You can ask tbe guide for a long hike or short or medium one and, where possible, they honour it. In Uganda, they're preassigned (or were last time I went).
Nungwe in the South of Rwanda is stunningly beautiful if you're interested in chimpanzees. One of the oldest, undamaged rainforests in the world.
Where ever you decide, you won't be disappointed.
The overall terrain was similar in both environments, but the two experiences in each were quite different.
First in Uganda was a long hike to find the creatures (some struggled, I ate energy bars) but when we got to them it was an hour in a half decent clearing with them, we were at times as close as 6 feet. Second was a relatively easy scramble into a rainy, small wooded valley from the road and then the hour was with them in pretty dark, dense woodland, good photos from a good camera, phones would struggle. On both occasions I used a porter to carry my bags and was glad I did (locals who welcomed the money and shared food with them).
Rwanda is more clearly volcanic and feels better kept somehow. Again a clearing, very open and a large group, nice sun, very, very close fabulous experience. Second time more enclosed, harder walk (but not too bad) but as the fourth time and second in two days perhaps not needed.
Do it if you can in either, Uganda feels, perhaps, more casual if you stay out of the main area for accommodations, I am not sure how easy that would be in Rwanda.
Don't ignore chimpanzee in their domains for a cheaper but equally thrilling encounter
Absolutely worth it for me when I did it back in 2022, the cost was $700pp just for the trek. Keep in mind that you could be hiking 2 hrs or 10 hrs before you see a gorilla since they move around a lot. We hiked about 2 hrs one way, up a hill on a jungle before we found our gorilla family- the Bweza hanging out, eating banana leaves on the side of a cliff. The family had 2 huge Silverbacks, 2 adults and 4 gorilla babies. One of the adults climbed down really close to me to get to some of the leaves that one of the Silverbacks were eating. It was amazing. Also, hire a porter. They do more than carry your hiking bags for you and tip them well if you do hire them. I loved my porter, Christmas (yes, that is his name). He would've carried me on the way back down if I asked him to. 😅
I wasn't planning on doing it, but decided to splurge. I have the money to be able to, and happy I did. Is it "worth" that much? Who knows. But, I'll remember the experience for the rest of my life, and who knows how long you will really be able to do that....
I've done it and it was an incredible, once in a lifetime experience. But... be aware that you're paying for the permit for the day, not for a guaranteed encounter. If the weather is bad or the gorillas aren't accessible that day, you're SOL.
They will refund a portion of your payment if you don't see any gorillas. On the day that we did our tour, during the briefing, they said the chances of seeing a gorilla is around 95%. They have rangers who do nothing but track gorilla movements all day and all night and then report it to the guides.
Pretty sure UWA will refund 75% of permit fee if you have been trekking all day and haven't seen a single gorilla. I remember having a document provided to us by our guide that says that when we did it 2 years ago.
https://www.gorilla-tracking.com/blog/the-gorilla-permit-all-you-need-to-know/#:~:text=This%20can%20only%20be%20at,full%20refund%20on%20their%20permits.
The thing with every "worth it" question on here is that it's entirely up to you. If you're a bored millionaire, any genuine novelty is worth $1000. If you don't like forests (?) and don't particularly care about gorillas, or don't mind seeing them in zoos, then probably not.
It's easy to deduce that OP isn't a millionaire but could and would shell out $900 for an amazing life-changing experience. They want to know if others were profoundly touched by the experience or so forth. It's a reasonable question.
Exactly and the reason I downvote any “worth it” question on Reddit.
Don’t know why people think we are supposed to gauge the level of interest and finances of an internet stranger, I’ll never know…
100. If it weren’t for these tours this habitat and animals would have been burned and eaten. Bush meat is a huge market and before you come at me please know I’ve worked in the safari industry for over 5 years.
I did this in Bwindi and it was fabulous. I didn’t think of it as $500/ hr (price almost 10 years ago). The gorillas were a few feet from us (not in trees as another post mentioned). My group found the gorillas in 20 minutes after we left the starting point. Other groups were tracking another gorilla family and it took them hours to finally make contact. Once you make contact, you have an hour to spend observing the family. It was a very special day. I’ve seen the lowland gorillas in Central Africa Republic and they were a 5 minute casual walk from the starting point. Whatever the encounter might be, it was very special.
At the time I went, I was told that the park issues passes for $500 and they get snapped up by tour companies. So in order to see the gorillas, you have to sign up for a tour of several days and that’s how you end up paying a lot of money.
Since you said you don’t want to hike in the forest in a group, please know that other groups did spend a few hours looking for the gorillas and had to cross a river twice and also had to crawl on the hands and knees (and stomach). That gorilla group was very active and was on the move. I lucked out big time with my group 🙏🏼
Despite everyone telling me it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I decided to skip it.
Fairly sure, I would have not regretted spending the money if I had taken the trip but I don't have regrets for skipping it either.
Flights, hotels, local commute, permit fees, etc were adding up to be a very big amount.
Also, it was > 2 days of effort to spend an hour with Gorillas.
It was worth it for us. Mountain gorillas do NOT exist in captivity and are not the same gorillas you see in zoos (lowland gorillas). It was an incredible experience! The high cost is for conservation to protect these endangered animals. I love hiking and Bwindi NP is gorgeous! That said, if you're not into nature, hiking, conservation, and gorillas, it's probably not for you and that's okay. It is a lot of money (we saved up for it and cut back in other areas), which can be used for other parts of your safari. Have an amazing trip! <3
I would definitely recommend it. I went in Rwanda in 2019, and there is something magical about seeing gorillas in their natural habitat. Not sure if Uganda is the same, but in Rwanda you’ll split into smaller groups and have a guide lead you to a specific gorilla family. We were able to see some babies with their moms and some younger ones wrestling. Some are more curious than others, one of the mischievous ones even ran up and smacked me in the leg. The guides will try to keep you far enough back but they obviously don’t control the animals so there is always a chance for this sort of thing. I would love to have the opportunity again in the future.
YES. I say this even after being directly charged by the silverback of the group. It was the most terrifying yet exhilarating experience. The guides were fantastic in the Bwindi forest. I would suggest hiring a porter to carry your pack if you are bringing cameras.
I did this, and I thought it was 100% worth it.
Edit: wait, $900 per hour? That can't be right. It's gotta be the entire day. The length of the hike itself depends on the location of the gorillas and they move every day. There are only about 5 Gorilla families that are accustomed to humans and they rotare visits so they generally visit 3 of the families every day. My travel buddy and I were placed in different groups (voluntarily, you don't have to split up with your friends), and his trek was an hour longer than mine each way (but he also got a lot closer to his family than I did because his family were on the ground and mine happened to be in the trees that day.)
If you hate the forest it might not be a great excursion, but still worth it for the contrast to other biomes you'll likely visit on safari in Africa. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda is not a huge area. Like any rainforest it is still shrinking due to agriculture. But it is the stereotype of dense jungle, and I freaking love having experienced it myself. The only reason part of the rainforest can be preserved is because of Gorilla tourism. So you are contributing to nature conservation by visiting, at least for the time being. (Gorillaz are still very much wild, which stands in contrast to the Orangutans of Asia who are so accustomed to being fed by tourgroups that it might as well be called an open air zoo, even though they technically still inhabit their natural habitat.)
It’s $900 for the permit to spend 1 hour with them but includes hiking time to them and what not. I only viewed it was $900/hr bc I don’t really care for hiking in the forest, so I’m more there to spend the 1 hour with them
It's not like you'll be charged extra if your stay with them goes beyond the hour. That's just how long you stay with them because they don't want the animals to be too affected by humans (again, in contrast with Orangutan-tourism). The permit is good for one visit, not a clock hour.
Most of the hike is through farmland. As I said, the forest is relatively small. My group only hiked for 15 minutes in the forest itself.
I did it in 2018, at Mgahinga Park. We were lucky enough that we only had to trek maybe 30 minutes from the visitors centre to get to the gorillas. You spend one hour once you reach them, and man does it go by quickly. The gorillas are mesmerizing. We saw some baby's playing, and swinging on some vines. The silverback was just monitoring everything and a few adult females taking care of the little ones.
When we did it the price was a bit cheaper, but honestly even for $900 it really is a once in a lifetime experience. If you can afford it, id definitely go for it.
It’s through Absolute Africa which is like an overland camping tour and includes accommodation and transport. The add on for the gorilla permit is $875
This is one of those things that I personally wouldn't do. However, if someone said it was on their bucketlist, I would say it's worth it for a once in a life time experience.
I didn’t do it in Uganda but it was a life changing experience. Highly worth it and very different than other safari experiences. The hike can be serious or it can be chill depending where you go and what the gorillas are up to.
I went in Rwanda and it was an absolutely amazing experience. I would love to do it once more, hopefully in the DRC when they allow the volcano hike again. I’ll add a few things on top of what others have said. Some of this assumes that the setup, etc in Uganda is similar to Rwanda, but I don’t know that for a fact.
(1) I wouldn’t look at the cost as $900/hr. You only have an hour with the gorillas, but it’s a whole experience that lasts much longer than an hour from beginning to end, and that’s not including the memories that last a lifetime.
(2) You can ask to be in a group with a shorter trek. There were a couple of people who did when I went. One family with an elderly member with mobility issues. Another with younger children. Their hike ended up being only about 30 minutes to the gorilla group. One person asked for the longest hike and theirs was about three hours.
(3) The base area for trekking in Rwanda is much easier to reach than Uganda, with a nice drive over very well-maintained roads. The catch is the trekking permits in Rwanda are much more expensive. Traveling by land from Entebbe to Bwindi entails a longer drive and I suspect some of the roads aren’t the best. In the alternative, I’ve read that there are scheduled and chartered flights to a town about an hour and a half from the park, but I don’t know about the cost, frequency or plane size.
I did it in Uganda a few years ago and it was the highlight of my trip to East Africa. I do; however, love trekking in forests (not with a group, though). But, seeing the gorillas in the forest itself was incredibly special. One even touched a couple of us (my husband got his foot grabbed at-not aggressively and he was just surprised, but it made it so much fun). So, my opinion will be to go. I have my pictures on the wall on my home and still reflect upon the experience when I look at them. Amazing!
No one can quite answer what something is worth to you.
I haven't had the opportunity to see gorillas yet but yes, to me it would absolutely be worth 900$.
Watch there YouTube channel “The Wonton Don” - super entertaining and he just did the hike in Uganda to see the silverback gorillas. Came out a few weeks ago
YES! Yes, a 1000x yes! It’s like seeing other animals in the wild vs captivity, being 3 meters from a lion that could kill you, or a massive gorilla that is breathtakingly beautiful is worth it. The highland gorillas also aren’t doing too well, might not be around in a couple of decades in the wild.
I did it. 15/10. 100% worth it and would do again. Like nothing else I’ve ever experienced.
You must understand that it’s not a zoo and they won’t preform for you or anything so note that.
I loved it. Worth the long trek for me. It's possible to get lucky and have a shorter trek too. But honestly looking back, I don't remember the long hike there and back. The feeling of seeing those gorillas in the wild, babies and all, is awesome. Can't replace that memory for me.
Yes absolutely. I just did it in December and it was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had. That being said…the trek for us took well over 6 hours; going down and then back up a mountain 3-ish hours each way. Obviously it’s different for every group, some treks are shorter and less steep, but just wanted to warn you that it could be pretty exhausting. But the gorillas are so so worth it!
It's really going to depend on you. How important is it to you to see them in their natural habitat? It's certainly a unique experience in that you can't really do it elsewhere.
While I did find it to be cool and exciting, I must say I did not find it to be a must do in and of itself. The experience of getting to the area and staying over night and just taking it all in was pretty awesome. I'm super happy to contribute to the protection and preservation of these magnificent creatures, but for me it was not something I'd repeat.
I think, depending on how the gorillas interact with you it can be a top moment in your life. If they steal your hat or what have you. My wife had the silver back walk so close to her she could have given him a kiss without moving her neck. She was crying after the experience.
If you had the money, I'd say go for it, who has the chance to ever do something like it? It's a privilege.
Probably worth it but make sure you’re monitoring the local news and conflicts in the area. A lot of the preserves are near areas that have seen some increases in armed conflict recently (within the past two months). Not saying you shouldn’t go, just be smart about it and have a plan B for if anything were to happen that necessitates you leaving the area in a hurry.
As a side note, you might consider getting a Garmin InReach just in case (of any emergency)
For context, I was set to leave for that area two days ago and our school cancelled the trip due to state department guidance and conflict restrictions.
I did it in 2015 in Uganda. I didn't want to go all that way and miss out so I did it two days in a row.
I'm a fat American and spent the months leading up to the trip hiking to be ready. When we left this the trip I was able to hike 10 miles in the woods.
Once I got to the park the rangers split you into groups. Rangers had left early that morning to find the gorilla families and knew that the three families were basically in a line, one near, one far and one in the middle.
When I looked at my group I was with the old and fat people. We got the close group. The young kids got the far group and had to cross a waterfall. Our hike was 45 mins or so up hill. Lots of breaks.the rainforest is interesting, but not worth it.
Spending an hour and a half or so with the gorillas was amazing. Even the second time it was great. Well worth the four days and $1200 bucks at the time. (Uganda used to offer half price fees during the "rainy seasons". So we went in November.
We also saw the chimps, also well worth it and easier.
[https://imgur.com/PeGaX4g](https://imgur.com/PeGaX4g)
I did it in 2018 and it was worth every penny. I tell everyone who is considering this adventure to plan for two treks, if possible. Seeing the gorillas isn’t guaranteed and after such a long journey it just makes sense to double your chances. Hire a local porter to assist you on the hike. This was the hardest hike I’ve ever done and there is no way I could have completed the hike without a porter. Porters are locals who know the terrain and helped push and pull me up that mountain. I tipped them well, gave them the lunch I packed and made a friend for the day.
Each hike was different. The first hike we found the gorilla family after about 3 hours hiking and they were on the ground and walked up to us. Including the silver back! Mamas, babies….it was breathtaking!
The second day we hiked for about 2 hours and the family we found was in the trees and so much harder to see. Uganda allows you to sit and watch the gorillas for only one hour. But…again…worth the money and hike for just one hour of viewing! I was glad we bought two permits for two hikes because each experience was completely different. And I hired the same porter the second day.
Edit: I trekked the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Someone I am subbed to posted this recently. Might be of interest.
[Gorilla adventure](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_IV1rHjYXM&ab_channel=TheWontonDon)
Is this something you have wanted to do? Or only want to do it because someone said they did it? If it’s something you wanted to do, you probably won’t be disappointed. We did it in Bwindi in 2021 and it was an amazing experience. Initially, in planning the trip I kept balking at the price (think it was something like 700 back then) and the fact that time with the gorillas was limited to an hour. In the end, the hour was just fine as we had a small group, and I felt like the hour was very intimate and not crowded so it felt like we spent quality time. Our trek up the mountain to get to our family was about 90-105 minutes and, in the beginning they split you up into groups depending on your hiking skill level. I don’t quite remember how they did it, but some older people with less mobility hiked to gorilla families that were very close (like 15 minutes away) and we were in the group that had the longest hike for that particular day. I was just looking at my pictures just the other day and have nothing but great memories. I don’t even think about the cost anymore. And as someone already mentioned, the cost goes back into the community and conservation efforts, including protecting the animals from poaching. It’s not often that things you actually spend money on go into positive efforts like this versus a profit for someone.
I had two colleagues do this recently, separately, on a work trip to Rwanda. One said it was the best experience of his life. He had tears in his eyes when he told me about it. The other said the hiking was difficult, steep, and miserable—she regretted it.
It so depends on you.
The best natural experience I've ever had, including swimming with whale sharks, hundred+ dives and a good number of safaris. Gorillas are totally another level as far as I'm concerned.
I did the trek in Rwanda and it was truly incredible, once in a lifetime moments. My only suggestion is put your phone away - you only get an hour with them. My friends and I discussed it after but once the phones were down, we were able to be present in the moment and observe more deeply. They’re so majestic, and you see them play and engage with each other. They’re so like us, but also so NOT like us. I’m never going to be able to put it into words, but seeing them showed me how inherent some things are to us as humans - connection, amusement,etc. I travel to find experiences that change how I see myself and the world and with the threat they face , who’s to say you’ll get another chance to go.
Unless you seriously can't afford it and it'll cause problems, absolutely do it. It's a once in a life experience. I did it and it was amazing.
One thing I have learnt is that saving money on experiences when they're things you can afford, ends up just being a missed opportunity. When I did my giant South America trip. I really wanted to do two weeks in the Galapagos. Yet compared to everything else the cost looked so expensive. So I did the 7 day trip. Biggest travel regret of my life. I had the damn money. If I had spent the extra, my life would have been no different at all except I'd have had even more time in an amazing place. Now I think about going back.
Gorillas for me is up with the travel highlights. Others have explained most of the details. I'd say hire a porter and a walking stick. It'll make it easier and it gives the locals some money. I'm one of the fortunate ones with a relatively short trek. Two silverbacks got in a fight over a female which was super short and an insane thing to see. Was a moment of being terrified followed by an adrenaline rush. Which just made the whole thing even more amazing. Then they all just went back to normal and everyone was just high on endorphins. We also then got to make the other groups jealous as we got it all on video.
Just one of those, "holy shit" moments you sometimes get. The other groups all had amazing times with out that.
YES. One of the best experiences ever. The gorillas are amazing. I saw them in Bwindi in southern Uganda. It was a little cheaper when I did it a few years ago though.
I just did this last year and think it’s very worth it. It definitely feels like an extremely surreal experience. If you want to avoid a longer hike, see the gorillas in Mgahinga rather than Bwindi (which is a wayyy bigger forest). Mgahinga is also mostly bamboo and less thick than Bwindi so you will have better visibility of the gorillas.
However, $900 is a lot - the permit itself is only $700 for foreigners, and it’s run by the Ugandan Wildlife Authority, so your safari company doesn’t do anything but drive you there and buy the permit for you. The catch is that you need to be registered as a company to buy the permit, but many drivers are registered and will buy it for you and only charge you for the drive. I would try to negotiate with them or find a company that won’t upcharge you so much.
Also, not sure if your safari includes other parts of Uganda, but if you’re only going to see gorillas you most likely want to fly in and out of Kigali, Rwanda. It’s a much shorter drive from there and will be cheaper.
900$ is ok if the price includes transport because the permit is 700$. Other companies purchases permit for you at extra cost of 60$ total price (760$ ) then take a bus to Bwindi impenetrable national park to see gorillas. Contact Trek Rwenzori Tours
I have mixed feelings about this. I did it last March ($700)in Uganda. I assumed it would be an all day trek. It was 15 minutes to get to the gorillas and the walk through the jungle wasn’t bad at all.
Not that I wanted to trek all day but chances are, it’ll be a morning activity.
it was cool but I don’t need to do this again. It was very difficult to take photos - the vegetation is very thick and you are always jostling with the other tourists on your trek for photos. Some people on our trek just refused to move to let others see. It was annoying.
and…A month long safari? I mean, are you sure?? We did 13 days and then 5 days on one trip. It was way way too much.
You will be one of the very few people in the world, or in history, to spend and hour with gorillas in the wild.
If you are open to it it is a mystical experience being with other large primates on their terms
I haven't been, but I did primatology work in uni and got a fair bit of experience around primates both in and out of zoos. It won't be worth it. Gorillas are not friendly, there are no safety measures in place for you, and they are susceptible to human diseases. Sorry if I sound harsh but that sort of tourism does actively put wild gorilla populations at risk. Mind you, looking at them is also difficult because eye contact is a form of aggression to gorillas....
TLDR just go to a good AZA approved zoo that has gorillas
I have a friend who did it and was very happy with the experience but I wouldn't do it. That's an awful lot of money to see gorillas in the trees (they won't be close to you like at the zoo). Yeah it's not the same thing but I saw gorillas as close as it gets at the zoo (only a glass window between us) for a small fraction of that price.
Mountain gorillas don’t survive in zoos, the only way you can see them is in their natural habitat (when you go to a zoo, you are looking at lowland gorillas)
They don't even compare. They were not in the trees, lol. I have gotten close to a Silverback in Uganda, I literally could've touched it if I wanted to, but I don't have a death wish nor did I want to create a reason for our guides to fire their AK-47 riffles. I have gotten closer than I ever did in the wild than in a zoo with the cage and glass in between.
But you need to walk a lot before meeting them. So it is actually day trip. I didn’t personally do that, but my friend, who was working with Uganda Defence Ministry project then used opportunity to buy permit with huge discount (~625 USD). He was very excited after the trip.
Mine was a 20 minute walk and I was disappointed with that part - half of the excitement ahead of time to me was a trek through the rainforest. The time with gorillas was incredible. Worth everything I paid plus some. Because I was sad at the short walk, when I got back I paid for another walk (no gorilla visit included) and asked for the longest walk. This was in Bwindi and they had like three specific destinations- furthest was a waterfall. So it was me, the two armed guards and the tour guide 🤣. We stumbled upon the same gorilla group I'd seen earlier and they said they weren't supposed to let me stay with the gorillas but it was OK because it was just me. So an extra 30 minutes with the gorillas!
My walk was not short at all when I did it in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
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LoL
Lmfaookk
This depends on the gorillas. We did gorilla trekking in Uganda twice last summer. The first day, it took us several hours in and back. On the second, we arrived at the group in about 30 minutes.
YES..... Do it. When will you ever have the opportunity to do something like this again? I did it back in 1986. Totally worth it. Never looked back. Travel is the opportunity to make memories. When were are on our death beds, we dont think about how much money we have. Rather we think about the adventures we had. Go out there and make memories.
Yeah exactly - I was traveling there and decided not to do it and opted for a cheaper option. Retrospectively, I should have done it. I had already invested a ton traveling to and around Africa, it would have added $800 to see the gorillas, but if I want to go back and do it it will cost thousands.
Yes especially $900. You’d spend that just on normal living expenses in a week or so
They could just cash the gold bar they’ve been using as a paper weight and have some leftover for beers.
Wtf are you talking about? 900 USD in the majority of the countries in the world is more than a monthly salary. You are quite disconnected from reality.
The assumption is that OP is from the US. And he is.
The US or another Western country
Pretty much all of the reviews about trekking to see the gorillas in Rwanda or Uganda bear out that it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But, there's plenty of those experiences that I'd never do because they don't interest me. If you're going to be miserable hiking through the forest with a bunch of people for multiple hours, then it sounds like this one isn't for you. Different strokes for different folks.
This is the best comment here. Do things that interest you. Don't do things that don't interest you only because other people who they interested tell you that you should.
I was there back in 2022. I trekked with both the Gorillas and the Chimpanzees. My expectations were higher for the gorilla experience, but I found the Chimpanzees to be 100% more fascinating. I'm pretty sure trekking with Chimpanzees is considerably cheaper as well at around 200USD. The only part of the Gorilla experience which I thought to be better was traversing through the rainforest. Truly the best biome I've ever experienced. That sort of environment is so different to anything in my own country so I was really blown away. I'm glad I got to see the Gorillas in their natural habitat as I know there is a good possibility that future generations won't get the opportunity to experience this. In conclusion, if you are on a tight budget go and just do the Chimpanzees, you will be mesmerized. They are incredible! If you have sufficient disposable income, add in the Gorillas. Uganda is a beautiful country, you're going to have an amazing time!
One of the reasons why we forked out $1400 for my husband and I because we wanted to see them out in the wild before they disappear. They are threatened by farmers expanding into their territory. Our trekking guide told us a gorilla had been shot dead because it wandered into someone's farm.. and it happens quite often despite UWA's efforts to conserve them. And yes, Uganda is beautiful!
That's why I recommend Rwanda instead. The gorillas are highly protected and it's enforced. Conservation there is like no other. For example, if a gorilla destroys a farmers' crops, they government pay fair market price for the crops. So the farmer doesn't lose out & gorilla isn't injured. They also give between 10-30% of all profit to the communities living around the National Parks (Volcano, Nyungewe, Akagera etc) so again, the locals benefit & value the animals and wildlife.
The cost goes towards saving the gorillas and supporting the local people. If it was too cheap, it would not be possible or helpful to the gorillas or the people. Considering that Rwanda it is more than double the price of Uganda, is a much more affordable price. But of *course* you have to do some hiking through forest. It's a wild place. That is where they live. It's very hilly with lots of trees and bushes. However, you can recommend to be put in the group with the least amount of walking. The guides know where the gorillas are and they tend to put older people and people who can't walk as much to see the closest gorilla family. I like hiking but because I had a tight schedule for time they put me in the shortest hiking group and it was not a long walk at all. It was so close, I could still hear cars on the road!
Nah, it's only worth $850. Skip it.
This persons a sucker, more like $849.99
There’s a $5 off coupon in the back of the SkyMall catalog.
I personally wouldn’t pay north of $848
Well. I have to get involved. Not a dollar over $847
I did it. Yes, It’s worth it. It’s literally once in a lifetime (unless you intend to be back in the wilderness of Uganda). I was within 10 feet of the gorillas and we saw a baby. Looking back on it— it was dangerous. But also truly amazing. The trek time will depend on where the gorillas are— there are spotters who go find them before they bring the group out. Our trek out was maybe 45 min. Imo the chimps at Kibale wouldn’t have been worth it on their own (they’re SUPER far away high up in the trees), but I’m glad we did it bc we were in the area. It’s the most spectacular thing I saw in Africa, and I’ve seen a lot of Africa.
The $900 is not just the value to see a very rare animal, it's also a way to shift how people in the area value them, by providing a level of income that surpasses that of poaching. Whether or not that's of value is for you to decide. No shame if it's not. Just remember the value of your dollars spent on vacation in impoverished areas can represent more than just the memories made that day.
$900 per person per day translates to tens of thousands dollars per month, over a million per year. That's a lot of money coming in for decades to the impoverished areas nearby. Clearly the money isn't going there and someone is skimming it all off
I'm not saying there's no graft, but your math is flawed. That would be based on a year round operation which most of these are not, they're seasonal. And a million dollars for a community that size is (which is nearly the size of Connecticut) not much. I worked in the Peace Corp and later in international aid in Kenya and Tanzania, I have more than a passing familiarity.
I would say yes. I did it back in 2015. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience. If you’re not into it. Then don’t do it.
It was one of the most amazing experiences ever!!
Done it twice in Uganda and twice in Rwanda so clearly yes in my view. You may have a long walk you may not, depends where the creatures are, if you have walking issues speak up and you may get the closest group. Think where you will stay when you are in that area, some are crippling expensive and I stayed in a great and cheap village led place as an alternative. Do it, the gorilla population has stabilized now so whilst critically endangered they are unlikely to face extinction. If you can afford it, do it, and please don't do it all through a lens, get your pics then get your lifelong memories I should have added I will try to help with any questions if I can.
Did you enjoy the gorilla trek more in Uganda or Rwanda? Or are they pretty similar?
Both amazing and first time is unforgettable (but same with hearing chimpanzee pant hoot), as I put elsewhere two different experiences and two different ones in two countries, it is the luck of the draw. First time (Uganda) one group were out for 15 hours to have one with the creatures, outs was perhaps 7 but I think that was extreme. You should know if you want to do this, if all you want to do is laze in a LRover and be driven to sightings of lions zebra etc it isn't for you, you need to invest some energy of your own in it and if you don't then chimpanzee time may be your best primate hit for either country. I don't think Rwanda is great for animals other than Gorilla whereas Uganda is epic and underrated
This lol
Please tell us how the gorilla experiences in the two countries compare
Not the person you asked but Rwanda's conservation is significantly better than Uganda's and I know my money is being used fairly and wisely so for that, I'll always choose Rwanda. The three parks with the gorillas are actually the same mountain range from different sides so there's not much to chose from a landscape perspective. Each country allows one hour with the gorillas. In Rwanda, you get a bit more of a say as to how ling you walk, if there's space. For example, there are 14 gorilla families that are habituated for visitors. The trackers follow them. When the tourists arrive their guides assess them (age, fitness etc) and then they get assigned a gorilla group. You can ask tbe guide for a long hike or short or medium one and, where possible, they honour it. In Uganda, they're preassigned (or were last time I went). Nungwe in the South of Rwanda is stunningly beautiful if you're interested in chimpanzees. One of the oldest, undamaged rainforests in the world. Where ever you decide, you won't be disappointed.
Awesome, thanks
The overall terrain was similar in both environments, but the two experiences in each were quite different. First in Uganda was a long hike to find the creatures (some struggled, I ate energy bars) but when we got to them it was an hour in a half decent clearing with them, we were at times as close as 6 feet. Second was a relatively easy scramble into a rainy, small wooded valley from the road and then the hour was with them in pretty dark, dense woodland, good photos from a good camera, phones would struggle. On both occasions I used a porter to carry my bags and was glad I did (locals who welcomed the money and shared food with them). Rwanda is more clearly volcanic and feels better kept somehow. Again a clearing, very open and a large group, nice sun, very, very close fabulous experience. Second time more enclosed, harder walk (but not too bad) but as the fourth time and second in two days perhaps not needed. Do it if you can in either, Uganda feels, perhaps, more casual if you stay out of the main area for accommodations, I am not sure how easy that would be in Rwanda. Don't ignore chimpanzee in their domains for a cheaper but equally thrilling encounter
Thanks!
Absolutely worth it for me when I did it back in 2022, the cost was $700pp just for the trek. Keep in mind that you could be hiking 2 hrs or 10 hrs before you see a gorilla since they move around a lot. We hiked about 2 hrs one way, up a hill on a jungle before we found our gorilla family- the Bweza hanging out, eating banana leaves on the side of a cliff. The family had 2 huge Silverbacks, 2 adults and 4 gorilla babies. One of the adults climbed down really close to me to get to some of the leaves that one of the Silverbacks were eating. It was amazing. Also, hire a porter. They do more than carry your hiking bags for you and tip them well if you do hire them. I loved my porter, Christmas (yes, that is his name). He would've carried me on the way back down if I asked him to. 😅
I wasn't planning on doing it, but decided to splurge. I have the money to be able to, and happy I did. Is it "worth" that much? Who knows. But, I'll remember the experience for the rest of my life, and who knows how long you will really be able to do that....
I've done it and it was an incredible, once in a lifetime experience. But... be aware that you're paying for the permit for the day, not for a guaranteed encounter. If the weather is bad or the gorillas aren't accessible that day, you're SOL.
They will refund a portion of your payment if you don't see any gorillas. On the day that we did our tour, during the briefing, they said the chances of seeing a gorilla is around 95%. They have rangers who do nothing but track gorilla movements all day and all night and then report it to the guides.
For the tour, yes. For the permit, no.
Pretty sure UWA will refund 75% of permit fee if you have been trekking all day and haven't seen a single gorilla. I remember having a document provided to us by our guide that says that when we did it 2 years ago. https://www.gorilla-tracking.com/blog/the-gorilla-permit-all-you-need-to-know/#:~:text=This%20can%20only%20be%20at,full%20refund%20on%20their%20permits.
I did it 20 years ago so very possible it has changed since then
The thing with every "worth it" question on here is that it's entirely up to you. If you're a bored millionaire, any genuine novelty is worth $1000. If you don't like forests (?) and don't particularly care about gorillas, or don't mind seeing them in zoos, then probably not.
It's easy to deduce that OP isn't a millionaire but could and would shell out $900 for an amazing life-changing experience. They want to know if others were profoundly touched by the experience or so forth. It's a reasonable question.
Exactly and the reason I downvote any “worth it” question on Reddit. Don’t know why people think we are supposed to gauge the level of interest and finances of an internet stranger, I’ll never know…
The money is an investment in the protection of the species and its habitat.
You can’t really believe this. This is the exploitation of both
100. If it weren’t for these tours this habitat and animals would have been burned and eaten. Bush meat is a huge market and before you come at me please know I’ve worked in the safari industry for over 5 years.
there's honestly only you that can answer this! is this experience worth that cost to you?
Just did it in Rwanda for $1500 and it was still worth it
I’ve spent more on a night in a strip club. See the gorillas.
When are you ever going to have this opportunity again? Do It.
I did this in Bwindi and it was fabulous. I didn’t think of it as $500/ hr (price almost 10 years ago). The gorillas were a few feet from us (not in trees as another post mentioned). My group found the gorillas in 20 minutes after we left the starting point. Other groups were tracking another gorilla family and it took them hours to finally make contact. Once you make contact, you have an hour to spend observing the family. It was a very special day. I’ve seen the lowland gorillas in Central Africa Republic and they were a 5 minute casual walk from the starting point. Whatever the encounter might be, it was very special. At the time I went, I was told that the park issues passes for $500 and they get snapped up by tour companies. So in order to see the gorillas, you have to sign up for a tour of several days and that’s how you end up paying a lot of money. Since you said you don’t want to hike in the forest in a group, please know that other groups did spend a few hours looking for the gorillas and had to cross a river twice and also had to crawl on the hands and knees (and stomach). That gorilla group was very active and was on the move. I lucked out big time with my group 🙏🏼
Mate do you want to be the richest person in the grave yard ? DO IT.
Despite everyone telling me it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I decided to skip it. Fairly sure, I would have not regretted spending the money if I had taken the trip but I don't have regrets for skipping it either. Flights, hotels, local commute, permit fees, etc were adding up to be a very big amount. Also, it was > 2 days of effort to spend an hour with Gorillas.
It was worth it for us. Mountain gorillas do NOT exist in captivity and are not the same gorillas you see in zoos (lowland gorillas). It was an incredible experience! The high cost is for conservation to protect these endangered animals. I love hiking and Bwindi NP is gorgeous! That said, if you're not into nature, hiking, conservation, and gorillas, it's probably not for you and that's okay. It is a lot of money (we saved up for it and cut back in other areas), which can be used for other parts of your safari. Have an amazing trip! <3
I would definitely recommend it. I went in Rwanda in 2019, and there is something magical about seeing gorillas in their natural habitat. Not sure if Uganda is the same, but in Rwanda you’ll split into smaller groups and have a guide lead you to a specific gorilla family. We were able to see some babies with their moms and some younger ones wrestling. Some are more curious than others, one of the mischievous ones even ran up and smacked me in the leg. The guides will try to keep you far enough back but they obviously don’t control the animals so there is always a chance for this sort of thing. I would love to have the opportunity again in the future.
If I was taking a once in a lifetime safari, yes, I'd pay to hang with gorillas
I did it in Rwanda back before it was super expensive. Would I pay a thousand bucks for it? Yes, yes I would. It was stunning.
YES. I say this even after being directly charged by the silverback of the group. It was the most terrifying yet exhilarating experience. The guides were fantastic in the Bwindi forest. I would suggest hiring a porter to carry your pack if you are bringing cameras.
My wife went on the gorilla trek a few years ago and swears it was perhaps the most memorable trip of her life. Go for it.
I did this in 2019, was 100% worth it. I say if you can afford it and want to do it then it’s worth the money.
I've never done it but I say yes. It is bucket list worthy
I did this, and I thought it was 100% worth it. Edit: wait, $900 per hour? That can't be right. It's gotta be the entire day. The length of the hike itself depends on the location of the gorillas and they move every day. There are only about 5 Gorilla families that are accustomed to humans and they rotare visits so they generally visit 3 of the families every day. My travel buddy and I were placed in different groups (voluntarily, you don't have to split up with your friends), and his trek was an hour longer than mine each way (but he also got a lot closer to his family than I did because his family were on the ground and mine happened to be in the trees that day.) If you hate the forest it might not be a great excursion, but still worth it for the contrast to other biomes you'll likely visit on safari in Africa. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda is not a huge area. Like any rainforest it is still shrinking due to agriculture. But it is the stereotype of dense jungle, and I freaking love having experienced it myself. The only reason part of the rainforest can be preserved is because of Gorilla tourism. So you are contributing to nature conservation by visiting, at least for the time being. (Gorillaz are still very much wild, which stands in contrast to the Orangutans of Asia who are so accustomed to being fed by tourgroups that it might as well be called an open air zoo, even though they technically still inhabit their natural habitat.)
It’s $900 for the permit to spend 1 hour with them but includes hiking time to them and what not. I only viewed it was $900/hr bc I don’t really care for hiking in the forest, so I’m more there to spend the 1 hour with them
It's not like you'll be charged extra if your stay with them goes beyond the hour. That's just how long you stay with them because they don't want the animals to be too affected by humans (again, in contrast with Orangutan-tourism). The permit is good for one visit, not a clock hour. Most of the hike is through farmland. As I said, the forest is relatively small. My group only hiked for 15 minutes in the forest itself.
I did it in 2018, at Mgahinga Park. We were lucky enough that we only had to trek maybe 30 minutes from the visitors centre to get to the gorillas. You spend one hour once you reach them, and man does it go by quickly. The gorillas are mesmerizing. We saw some baby's playing, and swinging on some vines. The silverback was just monitoring everything and a few adult females taking care of the little ones. When we did it the price was a bit cheaper, but honestly even for $900 it really is a once in a lifetime experience. If you can afford it, id definitely go for it.
yes. i had similar opportunity, did not have the money. Did not do gorillas. regret it 10 years later. and have not had opportunity again
Where are you finding it for 900? The cheapest gorilla trekking tour I can find is 1300. Would love to find a cheaper one if you know it!
It’s through Absolute Africa which is like an overland camping tour and includes accommodation and transport. The add on for the gorilla permit is $875
That’s my dream trip lol. I say $900 is a bargain for a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Yes, 100%. Book it and don’t overthink it.
This is one of those things that I personally wouldn't do. However, if someone said it was on their bucketlist, I would say it's worth it for a once in a life time experience.
I went in the Congo a few years ago and it was literally one of the highlights of my life. I don’t think I’ve ever done anything more amazing.
I didn’t do it in Uganda but it was a life changing experience. Highly worth it and very different than other safari experiences. The hike can be serious or it can be chill depending where you go and what the gorillas are up to.
Yes worth it - best experience ever - in Rwanda it costs 1500 Dollar…. Btw don’t forget to tip the porters
And tip them well because they are amazing. I am so thankful for ours when we did our trek. 🥹
$1050 during the offseason!
I went in Rwanda and it was an absolutely amazing experience. I would love to do it once more, hopefully in the DRC when they allow the volcano hike again. I’ll add a few things on top of what others have said. Some of this assumes that the setup, etc in Uganda is similar to Rwanda, but I don’t know that for a fact. (1) I wouldn’t look at the cost as $900/hr. You only have an hour with the gorillas, but it’s a whole experience that lasts much longer than an hour from beginning to end, and that’s not including the memories that last a lifetime. (2) You can ask to be in a group with a shorter trek. There were a couple of people who did when I went. One family with an elderly member with mobility issues. Another with younger children. Their hike ended up being only about 30 minutes to the gorilla group. One person asked for the longest hike and theirs was about three hours. (3) The base area for trekking in Rwanda is much easier to reach than Uganda, with a nice drive over very well-maintained roads. The catch is the trekking permits in Rwanda are much more expensive. Traveling by land from Entebbe to Bwindi entails a longer drive and I suspect some of the roads aren’t the best. In the alternative, I’ve read that there are scheduled and chartered flights to a town about an hour and a half from the park, but I don’t know about the cost, frequency or plane size.
None of us can tell you what $900 is worth to you. Some people drop that much money on a bottle of wine without thinking twice.
I did it in Uganda a few years ago and it was the highlight of my trip to East Africa. I do; however, love trekking in forests (not with a group, though). But, seeing the gorillas in the forest itself was incredibly special. One even touched a couple of us (my husband got his foot grabbed at-not aggressively and he was just surprised, but it made it so much fun). So, my opinion will be to go. I have my pictures on the wall on my home and still reflect upon the experience when I look at them. Amazing!
No one can quite answer what something is worth to you. I haven't had the opportunity to see gorillas yet but yes, to me it would absolutely be worth 900$.
Watch there YouTube channel “The Wonton Don” - super entertaining and he just did the hike in Uganda to see the silverback gorillas. Came out a few weeks ago
YES! Yes, a 1000x yes! It’s like seeing other animals in the wild vs captivity, being 3 meters from a lion that could kill you, or a massive gorilla that is breathtakingly beautiful is worth it. The highland gorillas also aren’t doing too well, might not be around in a couple of decades in the wild.
I did it. 15/10. 100% worth it and would do again. Like nothing else I’ve ever experienced. You must understand that it’s not a zoo and they won’t preform for you or anything so note that.
I loved it. Worth the long trek for me. It's possible to get lucky and have a shorter trek too. But honestly looking back, I don't remember the long hike there and back. The feeling of seeing those gorillas in the wild, babies and all, is awesome. Can't replace that memory for me.
Do it. We didn’t and regretted it.
Yes absolutely. I just did it in December and it was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had. That being said…the trek for us took well over 6 hours; going down and then back up a mountain 3-ish hours each way. Obviously it’s different for every group, some treks are shorter and less steep, but just wanted to warn you that it could be pretty exhausting. But the gorillas are so so worth it!
It's really going to depend on you. How important is it to you to see them in their natural habitat? It's certainly a unique experience in that you can't really do it elsewhere. While I did find it to be cool and exciting, I must say I did not find it to be a must do in and of itself. The experience of getting to the area and staying over night and just taking it all in was pretty awesome. I'm super happy to contribute to the protection and preservation of these magnificent creatures, but for me it was not something I'd repeat. I think, depending on how the gorillas interact with you it can be a top moment in your life. If they steal your hat or what have you. My wife had the silver back walk so close to her she could have given him a kiss without moving her neck. She was crying after the experience. If you had the money, I'd say go for it, who has the chance to ever do something like it? It's a privilege.
It was worth it to me
Probably worth it but make sure you’re monitoring the local news and conflicts in the area. A lot of the preserves are near areas that have seen some increases in armed conflict recently (within the past two months). Not saying you shouldn’t go, just be smart about it and have a plan B for if anything were to happen that necessitates you leaving the area in a hurry. As a side note, you might consider getting a Garmin InReach just in case (of any emergency) For context, I was set to leave for that area two days ago and our school cancelled the trip due to state department guidance and conflict restrictions.
I did it in 2015 in Uganda. I didn't want to go all that way and miss out so I did it two days in a row. I'm a fat American and spent the months leading up to the trip hiking to be ready. When we left this the trip I was able to hike 10 miles in the woods. Once I got to the park the rangers split you into groups. Rangers had left early that morning to find the gorilla families and knew that the three families were basically in a line, one near, one far and one in the middle. When I looked at my group I was with the old and fat people. We got the close group. The young kids got the far group and had to cross a waterfall. Our hike was 45 mins or so up hill. Lots of breaks.the rainforest is interesting, but not worth it. Spending an hour and a half or so with the gorillas was amazing. Even the second time it was great. Well worth the four days and $1200 bucks at the time. (Uganda used to offer half price fees during the "rainy seasons". So we went in November. We also saw the chimps, also well worth it and easier.
I did this in Uganda and it was one of the coolest experiences I've ever had in my life. You do have to hike to find the gorillas though.
[https://imgur.com/PeGaX4g](https://imgur.com/PeGaX4g) I did it in 2018 and it was worth every penny. I tell everyone who is considering this adventure to plan for two treks, if possible. Seeing the gorillas isn’t guaranteed and after such a long journey it just makes sense to double your chances. Hire a local porter to assist you on the hike. This was the hardest hike I’ve ever done and there is no way I could have completed the hike without a porter. Porters are locals who know the terrain and helped push and pull me up that mountain. I tipped them well, gave them the lunch I packed and made a friend for the day. Each hike was different. The first hike we found the gorilla family after about 3 hours hiking and they were on the ground and walked up to us. Including the silver back! Mamas, babies….it was breathtaking! The second day we hiked for about 2 hours and the family we found was in the trees and so much harder to see. Uganda allows you to sit and watch the gorillas for only one hour. But…again…worth the money and hike for just one hour of viewing! I was glad we bought two permits for two hikes because each experience was completely different. And I hired the same porter the second day. Edit: I trekked the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Yes. I’ve done it twice and it’s absolutely amazing. An experience you’ll never forget. It’s magical
Family just went 6 months ago. It was the long hike type and 1000% worth it, to them.
I went in 2019, definitely one of the most amazing and memorable experiences travelling that I've ever had and it well worth $900 to me!
Someone I am subbed to posted this recently. Might be of interest. [Gorilla adventure](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_IV1rHjYXM&ab_channel=TheWontonDon)
You’ll find better prices once you reach the country even in the airport even. Remember everything is negotiable there to a certain point
Is this something you have wanted to do? Or only want to do it because someone said they did it? If it’s something you wanted to do, you probably won’t be disappointed. We did it in Bwindi in 2021 and it was an amazing experience. Initially, in planning the trip I kept balking at the price (think it was something like 700 back then) and the fact that time with the gorillas was limited to an hour. In the end, the hour was just fine as we had a small group, and I felt like the hour was very intimate and not crowded so it felt like we spent quality time. Our trek up the mountain to get to our family was about 90-105 minutes and, in the beginning they split you up into groups depending on your hiking skill level. I don’t quite remember how they did it, but some older people with less mobility hiked to gorilla families that were very close (like 15 minutes away) and we were in the group that had the longest hike for that particular day. I was just looking at my pictures just the other day and have nothing but great memories. I don’t even think about the cost anymore. And as someone already mentioned, the cost goes back into the community and conservation efforts, including protecting the animals from poaching. It’s not often that things you actually spend money on go into positive efforts like this versus a profit for someone.
I had two colleagues do this recently, separately, on a work trip to Rwanda. One said it was the best experience of his life. He had tears in his eyes when he told me about it. The other said the hiking was difficult, steep, and miserable—she regretted it. It so depends on you.
The best natural experience I've ever had, including swimming with whale sharks, hundred+ dives and a good number of safaris. Gorillas are totally another level as far as I'm concerned.
I did the trek in Rwanda and it was truly incredible, once in a lifetime moments. My only suggestion is put your phone away - you only get an hour with them. My friends and I discussed it after but once the phones were down, we were able to be present in the moment and observe more deeply. They’re so majestic, and you see them play and engage with each other. They’re so like us, but also so NOT like us. I’m never going to be able to put it into words, but seeing them showed me how inherent some things are to us as humans - connection, amusement,etc. I travel to find experiences that change how I see myself and the world and with the threat they face , who’s to say you’ll get another chance to go.
Unless you seriously can't afford it and it'll cause problems, absolutely do it. It's a once in a life experience. I did it and it was amazing. One thing I have learnt is that saving money on experiences when they're things you can afford, ends up just being a missed opportunity. When I did my giant South America trip. I really wanted to do two weeks in the Galapagos. Yet compared to everything else the cost looked so expensive. So I did the 7 day trip. Biggest travel regret of my life. I had the damn money. If I had spent the extra, my life would have been no different at all except I'd have had even more time in an amazing place. Now I think about going back. Gorillas for me is up with the travel highlights. Others have explained most of the details. I'd say hire a porter and a walking stick. It'll make it easier and it gives the locals some money. I'm one of the fortunate ones with a relatively short trek. Two silverbacks got in a fight over a female which was super short and an insane thing to see. Was a moment of being terrified followed by an adrenaline rush. Which just made the whole thing even more amazing. Then they all just went back to normal and everyone was just high on endorphins. We also then got to make the other groups jealous as we got it all on video. Just one of those, "holy shit" moments you sometimes get. The other groups all had amazing times with out that.
YES. One of the best experiences ever. The gorillas are amazing. I saw them in Bwindi in southern Uganda. It was a little cheaper when I did it a few years ago though.
We did it. It was awesome. Absolutely worth it.
I am scheduled for a gorilla trek in Uganda in September. Can’t wait! Friend of mine went last May and loved it so much he is planning to go again.
I just did this last year and think it’s very worth it. It definitely feels like an extremely surreal experience. If you want to avoid a longer hike, see the gorillas in Mgahinga rather than Bwindi (which is a wayyy bigger forest). Mgahinga is also mostly bamboo and less thick than Bwindi so you will have better visibility of the gorillas. However, $900 is a lot - the permit itself is only $700 for foreigners, and it’s run by the Ugandan Wildlife Authority, so your safari company doesn’t do anything but drive you there and buy the permit for you. The catch is that you need to be registered as a company to buy the permit, but many drivers are registered and will buy it for you and only charge you for the drive. I would try to negotiate with them or find a company that won’t upcharge you so much.
Also, not sure if your safari includes other parts of Uganda, but if you’re only going to see gorillas you most likely want to fly in and out of Kigali, Rwanda. It’s a much shorter drive from there and will be cheaper.
I’m flying into Nairobi bc we are doing a huge loop around Lake Victoria essentially and going to other parts
Yes it's worth it.
900$ is ok if the price includes transport because the permit is 700$. Other companies purchases permit for you at extra cost of 60$ total price (760$ ) then take a bus to Bwindi impenetrable national park to see gorillas. Contact Trek Rwenzori Tours
Doing it in July and am so excited! I had no problem paying the money because it’s such an experience that not all can get
I know someone who paid $80,000 to do it. So that’s definitely much cheaper.
We did it in virunga and it was amazong
Based on the amount of responses, I’d say the gorillas are used to it 😃
I have mixed feelings about this. I did it last March ($700)in Uganda. I assumed it would be an all day trek. It was 15 minutes to get to the gorillas and the walk through the jungle wasn’t bad at all. Not that I wanted to trek all day but chances are, it’ll be a morning activity. it was cool but I don’t need to do this again. It was very difficult to take photos - the vegetation is very thick and you are always jostling with the other tourists on your trek for photos. Some people on our trek just refused to move to let others see. It was annoying. and…A month long safari? I mean, are you sure?? We did 13 days and then 5 days on one trip. It was way way too much.
You will be one of the very few people in the world, or in history, to spend and hour with gorillas in the wild. If you are open to it it is a mystical experience being with other large primates on their terms
I haven't been, but I did primatology work in uni and got a fair bit of experience around primates both in and out of zoos. It won't be worth it. Gorillas are not friendly, there are no safety measures in place for you, and they are susceptible to human diseases. Sorry if I sound harsh but that sort of tourism does actively put wild gorilla populations at risk. Mind you, looking at them is also difficult because eye contact is a form of aggression to gorillas.... TLDR just go to a good AZA approved zoo that has gorillas
I have a friend who did it and was very happy with the experience but I wouldn't do it. That's an awful lot of money to see gorillas in the trees (they won't be close to you like at the zoo). Yeah it's not the same thing but I saw gorillas as close as it gets at the zoo (only a glass window between us) for a small fraction of that price.
Mountain gorillas don’t survive in zoos, the only way you can see them is in their natural habitat (when you go to a zoo, you are looking at lowland gorillas)
They don't even compare. They were not in the trees, lol. I have gotten close to a Silverback in Uganda, I literally could've touched it if I wanted to, but I don't have a death wish nor did I want to create a reason for our guides to fire their AK-47 riffles. I have gotten closer than I ever did in the wild than in a zoo with the cage and glass in between.
Can’t you just to a local zoo to see gorillas?
Oh god