Frequently asked questions

Both countries offer mountain gorilla trekking, but they suit different trips. Rwanda is compact and polished: Volcanoes National Park is about two and a half hours from Kigali airport, so a gorilla trek fits into two or three days. Uganda is bigger and more varied, with chimpanzees, tree-climbing lions, the Nile at Murchison Falls and a gorilla permit that costs $800 against Rwanda's $1,500. Many guests combine the two.

Yes, and it is one of the most rewarding ways to see the region. The two countries share a border close to the gorilla parks: Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is about three hours from the Rushaga sector of Bwindi via the Cyanika border post. A popular route flies into Kigali, tracks golden monkeys or gorillas in Rwanda, then crosses into Uganda for Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth and Kibale before flying home from Entebbe.

Two days is the minimum for a Rwandan gorilla trek from Kigali, and three days for Bwindi in Uganda. A week lets you add chimpanzees and a savanna park, and ten days or more covers most of Uganda. Our itinerary builder works out what fits into the number of days you have, and tells you how many days you would need to add anything it had to leave out.

The two dry seasons, June to September and December to February, are the easiest months for trekking and the best for game viewing. The wetter months (March to May, and October to November) bring greener scenery, fewer visitors and, in Uganda, lower permit prices in April, May and November. Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking runs all year.

Gorilla permits are limited to eight visitors per gorilla family per day, so they sell out. For the dry-season months we recommend booking three to six months ahead, and earlier for July, August and the Christmas holidays. Shorter notice can still work, especially in Uganda, so message us with your dates and we will check availability.

Every trip is quoted individually, because the price depends on your group size, season, lodges and route. The biggest fixed cost is the permits, which are set by the wildlife authorities and passed on at cost. Tell us your dates and budget and we will send a full quote with nothing hidden.

As of October 2026, a gorilla trekking permit costs $800 in Uganda ($600 in April, May and November) and $1,500 in Rwanda. Each permit covers one person for one trek, including the hour with the gorillas, park entry and the ranger guides. We book permits for you directly with the Uganda Wildlife Authority or the Rwanda Development Board.

A reasonable level of fitness is enough. Treks run from about one hour to most of a day depending on where the gorilla family has moved, on steep and often muddy trails at altitude. Walking regularly in the weeks before your trip helps a lot. Porters can carry your bag and help you on steep sections, and in both countries the rangers try to match less mobile guests with a family that is easier to reach.

Yes. Trekkers must be at least 15 years old in both Uganda and Rwanda. Younger children can still enjoy a safari with us: game drives, boat cruises, rhino tracking at Ziwa and cultural visits all welcome families.

Sightings are very close to certain. Trackers go out early each morning to find the habituated family, and the rangers then lead your group to them by radio. Gorillas are wild animals and no one can promise a sighting, but missing them is rare.

Kibale National Park in Uganda has the highest density of primates in Africa and the most reliable chimpanzee tracking in the region. Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda offers chimpanzee trekking on steeper terrain, plus the canopy walkway and large troops of colobus monkeys. A Kibale permit is $300 and a Nyungwe permit is $150.

Golden monkeys are an endangered primate with bright orange-gold fur, found only in the bamboo forests of the Virunga volcanoes. Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda runs habituated golden monkey tracking, usually a shorter and easier walk than a gorilla trek. The permit is $100.

Most visitors need a visa for Uganda, applied for online before travel, as Uganda no longer issues visas on arrival. Rwanda issues visas on arrival to all nationalities, and citizens of African Union, Commonwealth and Francophonie countries can visit Rwanda without a visa for up to 30 days. If you are visiting both, the East Africa Tourist Visa covers Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya on one visa.

It is a single 90-day, multiple-entry visa costing $100 that covers Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya. You apply through the country you will enter first, and it lets you cross between the three as often as you like within the 90 days. It is the simplest and usually the cheapest option for a combined Uganda and Rwanda safari.

Yes for Uganda, where every visitor must show a yellow fever certificate. Rwanda only asks for one if you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk, and Uganda is one of those countries, so on a combined trip you should carry your certificate throughout.

Both countries welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, and the national parks and lodges on our routes are well run and well protected. Rwanda is known for being one of the safest countries in Africa. As anywhere, we recommend checking your government's travel advice before you go, and your guide is with you throughout the trip.

Pack light layers, a waterproof jacket, sturdy broken-in walking boots, long trousers and long sleeves for the forest, gardening gloves for gripping vegetation on trekking trails, insect repellent, sun protection and binoculars. Rwanda bans single-use plastic bags, so leave them at home.

US dollars are widely accepted for park fees, activities and tips, alongside the Ugandan shilling and the Rwandan franc. Bring clean, undamaged dollar notes printed in recent years, because older or torn notes are often refused. Cards work at most lodges and in Kigali and Kampala, but carry some cash for rural areas.

Gateway Bliss Safaris is run by Amanya Godwin, a guide with twenty years of experience across Uganda’s parks. Godwin and a small team of guides he trusts lead every trip personally, in a private 4x4 safari vehicle, so you have the same knowledgeable guide from arrival to departure.

Our quotes include gorilla, chimpanzee and rhino tracking permits, park entrance fees, game drives and boat cruises, accommodation as listed, your private 4x4 vehicle and English-speaking driver-guide, airport or border transfers and government taxes. International flights, visas, travel insurance, tips and optional extras are not included.

Message us on WhatsApp or use the itinerary builder to send your dates and interests. We reply with a tailored itinerary and quote, and once you are happy we secure your permits and lodges. Permits are paid in full to the wildlife authority when they are booked, which is why we confirm them first.

Yes. Gateway Bliss Safaris Limited is incorporated as a private limited company with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau, registration number 80043123119667.