So you’ve been wanting to get up close with a family of mountain gorillas? Us too!
Problem is… Where to start, and how much will it cost?
Here’s our simplified guide to planning the perfect trip without breaking the bank 😉
2 Main Destinations: 🇺🇬Uganda & 🇷🇼Rwanda
Whilst there’s also Virunga in DRC, your main options from Nairobi are Bwindi in Uganda and Volcanoes park in Rwanda.
🗓️ When to Go?
- ☀️Peak / Dry Seasons are June to Aug or Dec to Feb. Dry hikes and gorillas are more easily spotted when they’re not hiding from rain – However this also means more tourists and higher price$
- 🌧️ Avoid March – May! Long rainy season; heavy rains, mud, but fewer tourists and potential permit discounts in Uganda.
- 👍Off peak Sweet Spot is October – November: Short rainy season, so a good balance of less rain, fewer crowds and lower prices 🤓
Good to Know:
- The “Yellow Card”: You must have your Yellow Fever vaccination certificate to cross the land border between Rwanda and Uganda. No card, no entry!
- Permit Availability: High season requires booking 6+ months in advance!
- Gorilla Movement: During the wet seasons, gorillas tend to stay at lower altitudes, making treks shorter but wetter.
✈️Getting There
💡 Pro Tip: Many people fly into Kigali even if they are trekking in Bwindi (Uganda) because the drive is only ~4.5 hours across the border, compared to 9+ hours or another flight from Entebbe!
- NBO ➔ Entebbe (1h30) Direct flights are $300-$400+ with Uganda Airlines or Kenya Airways
- +Overnight stay in Entebbe, then fly to Bwindi Park (1h30) with Aerolink
- NBO ➔ Kigali (1h40) Direct flights are $400-$550 with RwandAir and less with Jambojet
Road Transfers 🚙
- Kigalii > Volcanoes Park, Rwanda: ~3 hours (Easy but Rwanda is more expensive option)
- Kigali > Bwindi, Uganda: ~4.5 hours. (Aka ‘The Kigali Shortcut’)
- Entebbe > Bwindi, Uganda: 8+ hours (A beautiful but long haul)
💰 2026 Park Fees
Gorilla permits are the biggest cost, but the money goes directly to conservation. These are per person, per trek:
| National Park | Non-Residents | Arica Resident | EA Citizen |
| Bwindi (Uganda) | $800 | $700 | 350,000 UGX (~$95) |
| Volcanoes Park Rwanda | $1,500 | $500 | $200 |
🐒 Know your Great Apes! What’s the Difference?
Gorilla Trekk ($$$): The Main Event! You’ll hike for 3-6 hours and then have 1 magical hour with a family of these magical creatures 🦍
International permits are $800 per person in Bwindi, $1500pp in Volcanoes park
Chimpanzee Trekk ($$): High energy! Chimps are loud, fast and move en masse through the canopy. Guided Treks last 3-4 hours.
International permits are $200pp in Kibale and Mgahinga parks (Uganda), and $250pp in Nyungwe and Volcanoes parks (Rwanda)
Golden Monkey Trekk ($): The “light” version. Easier 2h hike to the bamboo forests at the base of the mountains. These guys are super social, curious and it only costs $100pp 🐵
💡NB All treks include park entry fees, a local guide and park ranger – You can hire a porter for $20 extra
🏡 Sleep Boutique (Without Breaking the Bank)
Well located lodges can be expensive.. Here are some affordable boutique gems.
NB these are international rates, prices will be lower for EA residents
Bwindi Park, Uganda
Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge (3*) Simple, colorful cottages near Rushaga entry gate (Southern sector). It’s cozy, authentic and the food is great too!
💲Standard ensuite double cottage from $240 per night on B&B
Mutanda Lake Resort (4*) Located on a peninsula on Lake Mutanda with epic views of the Virunga Mountains. It’s a 45 min drive to the trek, but waking up to the sunrise over the lake and volcanoes is 100% worth it.
💲Standard ensuite double cottages start from $185 per night on B&B
Volcanoes Park, Rwanda
La Locanda (3*) A charming, Italian-run guesthouse in Musanze. It’s simple, stylish, and serves the best pizza in the mountains. (They also run several private bush homes)
💲Small ensuite doubles start from $140 per night on Half Board
Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (4*) Well located near park HQ, they have a pool (bliss after a hike!), beautiful gardens, and can also help with permits, treks & transfers
💲Standard ensuite double rooms start from $310 per night on Full Board
🛂 The Paperwork: eVisas Made Easy
Don’t let bureaucracy bog you down, here’s the scoop:
- The East Africa Tourist Visa (EATV): For $100, you get 90 days of multiple-entry travel between Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda. Apply through the country you’ll enter first!
- Uganda eVisa: If you’re only doing Uganda, it’s $50
- Rwanda eVisa: Also $50 for a single entry
- DRC Visa: A bit trickier – You usually secure this ($105) only after booking a trek or lodge package in Virunga National Park
💡 Smart Travel Tips
- 🤓The “Kigali Shortcut”: Fly into Kigali but trek in Uganda. You save $700 on the permit price and only add 2 hours to your drive.
- 🎒Hire a porter for ~$20 per day. Even if you’re fit, avoid blisters and support local!
- 🐜Bug spray and Talcum Powder: Thank us later!
- ☔Pack light & waterproof: A lightweight rain poncho, waterproof hiking boots (break them in before you arrive!), and long socks (tuck intro your trousers so ants don’t join the party).
🧠Get insured! Check out World Nomads
🦍 Sample 4 Day Bwindi Itinerary
NB This trip uses the “Kigali Shortcut” – Flying from Nairobi to Kigale and then crossing into Uganda. It’s the most time-efficient and budget-friendly way to see the gorillas without having to drive 8+ hours or take another flight from Entebbe.
Day 1
AM: Catch an early flight from NBO to Kigali. RwandAir and Kenya Airways have direct 1h30min flights starting 8 AM which would land at 8:30 AM local time 🤓
Meet your driver and grab a quick lunch in Kigali then head toward the Cyanika Border. It’s a scenic 3-hour drive through the “Land of a Thousand Hills.”
PM: Cross into Uganda and check into 3* Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge right by the Rushaga entry gate
Day 2: The Main Event – Gorilla Trekking
7:30 AM: Head to the park HQ for a briefing. You’ll be assigned a gorilla family based on your fitness level.
The Trek: This is it! You’ll hike through dense vines and ancient ferns. It could take 2 hours; it could take 4. When you find them, the forest grows silent. You have one golden hour to watch them eat, groom and play.
Afternoon: Get your “Trek Certificate” and head back to your lodge to crack open an ice cold Nile beer 🍺
Day 3: Golden Monkeys or Lake Vibes
Drive 1 hour to Mgahinga National Park for a Golden Monkey trek. These guys are fast, photogenic, and live in beautiful bamboo forests ($100 per person permit).
Plan B (The Chill Option): Relax or explore Lake Mutanda. Take a wooden dugout canoe across the water with the Virunga Volcanoes reflecting on the surface. Sundowners galore 🍻
Stay at our favourite eco boutique lodge: Kisoro Art Island
Evening: Head back across the border to Musanze (Rwanda) to shorten your drive for the final day.
Day 4: Kigali Culture & Fly Home
Morning: Enjoy a slow breakfast overlooking the volcanoes. Drive 2.5 hours back to Kigali.
Lunch: Visit Question Coffee Cafe for a tasting (some of the best beans in the world) or shop for vibrant baskets and fabrics at Kimironko Market then late lunch at La Creola (upmarket, fusion) or Repub (Casual, local cuisine)
Guided tour of the Kigali Genocide Memorial
Evening: Catch the 6:00 PM or 9:00 PM flight back to Nairobi. You’ll be back in your own bed by midnight smiling and with a camera full of memories 😁
💰 The Budget Breakdown (Guide Prices)
| Item | Approx. Cost (per person) |
| Return Flights (NBO-KGL) | $480 – $600 economy |
| Bwindi Gorilla TrekkIncludes: Guide, ranger, ~1h with gorillas and trek certificate | $800 (International) $700 (African)$85 (E.Africa Residents) |
| Golden Monkey TrekkIncludes: Guide, permit & transport | $250 |
| Accommodation (Shared room on Full Board)*Rates vary by season | $100-200 ppnn for 3* Eco Lodge $200-350 pppn for 4* Boutique Lodge$400+ pppn for 5* Luxury lodge |
| Ground Transport Return transfers from Kigali | $400 – $600 (Split between your group / other travellers) |
| Visas (EATV) | $100 |
TOTAL | ~$1,450 pp (EA residents)– $1,850 pp (International) Flights excluded |
Quick Tips for the Road 😉
- Plastic Bag Ban: Rwanda is famously clean. Do not bring plastic carrier bags into the country; they will be confiscated at the airport.
- Currency: Carry US Dollars printed after 2006. Older bills are often rejected by banks and park authorities in East Africa.
Leftfield Alternatives 👀
- If you’re in Uganda, head off-grid to Lake Bunyonyi (Our version of Swiss lakes).
- In Rwanda, a sunset boat ride on the Twin Lakes (Burera and Ruhondo) is the perfect way to cap off your trip.
Want More Top Tips?