Rwanda · May 2026
There are fewer than 1,000 mountain gorillas left on earth. They live in a small cluster of forested volcanoes on the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Spending one hour with a habituated gorilla family is one of the most moving wildlife experiences available anywhere.
Trekking conditions vary enormously. Some days the gorillas are found within 20 minutes of the trailhead. On others, you may hike for four or five hours through steep bamboo forest before finding them. The altitude — Volcanoes National Park sits at 2,400–4,500 metres — means fitness matters.
Permits are limited to 96 per day across all gorilla groups combined, and they must be booked months in advance. Rwanda charges USD 1,500 per permit. It sounds expensive. It is, in fact, one of the most reasonable prices in wildlife tourism given what you receive in return.