Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

An hour face to face with mountain gorillas in the rainforest

A full-day gorilla tracking tour from Kabale takes you into Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to hike through rainforest and locate a troop of mountain gorillas. After a park briefing, you trek with a guide until the gorillas are found, then spend an hour observing them from about 10 meters away. The trek itself can take 2 to 10 hours depending on where the gorillas have moved.

The experience

Your driver-guide picks you up at 5 or 6 in the morning from your hotel or residence near Lake Bunyonyi or in Kabale, and you travel to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park after an early breakfast. At park headquarters you receive a briefing on how to behave around the gorillas: staying roughly 10 meters back, moving quietly, following the rangers' directions. Then you hike into the rainforest to search for a troop.

The trek duration depends entirely on where the gorillas have moved that day. It can be anywhere from 2 to 10 hours. Your rangers guide you through the forest, reading signs and tracking the animals until they're located. Once you find them, you have a full hour to watch and photograph these animals in close proximity, with the rangers on hand to explain behavior and answer questions.

After the gorilla encounter, you drive back to Lake Bunyonyi or Kabale, ending the day as the sun moves toward evening. A guide speaks English or French throughout, and hotel pickup is included in the booking.

What’s included

• Park entry and parking fees.
• a live guide in English or French.
• hotel pickup from Kabale or Lake Bunyonyi.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Safari 2 Gorilla Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a guide who tracks gorillas daily and interprets their behavior. You'll join other travelers on an early departure with trek length depending on where gorillas are that day.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

How long does it actually take to find the gorillas once you start trekking?

The trek can take 2 to 10 hours depending on the gorillas' location and movement that day. Your guide will track them through the rainforest, and once located, you spend a full hour observing them.

What happens if the gorillas move far into the forest?

Your rangers track the troop's movement and guide you through the rainforest to find them. The distance and terrain vary daily, which is why the trek duration ranges from 2 to 10 hours.

How close do you actually get to the gorillas?

You stay approximately 10 meters away from the gorillas. Your rangers show you how to position yourself and behave during the hour you spend observing them, keeping the animals calm and safe.

What time does the day start and end?

Your driver-guide picks you up at 5 or 6 in the morning from your hotel in Kabale or near Lake Bunyonyi. After the trek and gorilla encounter, you return to your accommodation in the late afternoon or early evening.

Do I need any special fitness level for this tour?

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park trekking requires at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The trek involves hiking through rainforest terrain for 2 to 10 hours depending on gorilla location, so stamina and mobility are important.