If you’ve been researching a gorilla safari, you’ve probably seen both “gorilla tracking” and “gorilla trekking” and wondered which one to book. The short answer: they’re the same thing.
Two words, one activity
“Tracking” describes what the rangers and trackers do: follow the signs a gorilla family leaves behind, such as broken stems, footprints and last night’s nests, until they find them. “Trekking” describes what you do: hike through the forest to reach them. The Uganda Wildlife Authority’s official permit calls it “gorilla tracking”, while many travel companies say “trekking”. Either way you buy the same permit and get the same hour with a habituated family.
What is different: habituation
The option that really is different is the Gorilla Habituation Experience. Instead of visiting a fully habituated family for one hour, you join researchers and trackers with a family that is still getting used to people, and you can stay for up to four hours. Groups are just four visitors, and it’s only offered in Uganda’s Bwindi.
Side by side
- Gorilla tracking / trekking: one hour with the family, up to eight visitors, US$800 in Uganda (US$600 in April, May and November), US$1,500 in Rwanda.
- Gorilla habituation: up to four hours, four visitors, US$1,500 in 2026, rising to US$1,800 from January 2027.
Which should you book?
For most people, a standard gorilla trek is perfect: an hour goes further than you’d expect. Choose habituation if you’re a keen photographer, love behaviour and fieldwork, or want a quieter, longer encounter.
