Gorilla trekking safaris remain the signature experience at the heart of every itinerary we build, but Silverback Gorilla Tour offers far more than a single primate encounter. Explore East Africa on expertly guided wildlife safaris across vast open landscapes and rich ecosystems, with sunrise and sunset game drives that put you face to face with Africa's most iconic animals in their natural habitat. Our safaris span renowned destinations including Murchison Falls National Park, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Serengeti National Park, and Queen Elizabeth National Park, where lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, cheetahs, and buffalo roam freely across the savannah.

Beyond game drives, chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park and Nyungwe Forest National Park offers rare, close encounters with primates that share nearly 98% of human DNA, adding real depth to a Uganda or Rwanda safari built around more than one species.

Safari Styles Built Around You

How a Silverback Gorilla Tour Safari Works

Uganda and Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Permits

Every gorilla trekking safari starts with a permit, and understanding how Uganda and Rwanda compare helps you choose the right country for your trip. A Uganda gorilla trekking permit costs USD 700 and grants a full hour with a habituated gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Rwanda's permit costs USD 1,500 for the same one-hour encounter in Volcanoes National Park, with the higher price reflecting shorter transfers from Kigali and Rwanda's more polished tourism infrastructure. Both countries share the same Virunga Massif gorilla population, and permits for either should be booked 3 to 6 months ahead of peak season travel given strict daily limits per family.

Uganda and Rwanda Gorilla Tours

Our gorilla trekking safaris range from a single focused day to extended, multi-park circuits, giving you real flexibility over how much time you spend with the mountain gorillas.

1 Day · Rwanda

1 Day Rwanda Gorilla Trekking

A fast, focused gorilla trekking day in Volcanoes National Park for travelers short on time but not on ambition.

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2 Days · Uganda

2 Day Uganda Gorilla Safari

A relaxed two-day gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, with time to properly settle in before your trek.

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2 Days · Rwanda

2 Day Gorilla Trekking Rwanda

A compact Rwanda gorilla trekking itinerary combining a full trek with comfortable lodging near Volcanoes National Park.

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2 Days · Uganda from Kigali

2 Days Mgahinga Gorilla Trek From Kigali

Cross from Kigali into Uganda for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, an easy add-on to a Rwanda itinerary.

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3 Days · Uganda

3 Days Uganda Gorilla Flying Safari

Skip the long road transfer with a domestic flight direct to Bwindi, maximizing your time with the gorillas over three days.

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3 Days · Uganda

3 Days Uganda Gorilla Tour

Our classic three-day Bwindi gorilla trek, balancing a full trekking day with genuine time to unwind before and after.

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3 Days · Congo

3 Days Congo Lowland Gorilla Safari

Track lowland gorillas in the dense forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a genuinely different gorilla trekking experience.

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4 Days · Uganda

4 Days Uganda Gorillas and Lake Bunyonyi

Pair a Bwindi gorilla trek with a relaxing stay at Lake Bunyonyi, one of Uganda's most scenic freshwater lakes.

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4 Days · Uganda

4 Days Uganda Gorillas and Mt Sabyinyo Hiking

Combine gorilla trekking with a hike up Mount Sabyinyo's three-country summit, a genuine bucket-list volcanic climb.

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4 Days · Rwanda

4 Days Rwanda Gorilla Tour

A well-paced four-day Rwanda itinerary centered on Volcanoes National Park, with room to explore beyond the trek itself.

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4 Days · Rwanda

4 Days Rwanda Gorillas and Karisimbi Hiking Safari

Trek gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, then hike Mount Karisimbi, the tallest of the Virunga volcanoes.

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4 Days · Rwanda

4 Days Rwanda Gorillas and Wildlife Safari

Combine mountain gorilla trekking with broader Rwandan wildlife viewing in one well-rounded four-day trip.

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4 Days · Rwanda

4 Days Rwanda Gorilla and Mount Bisoke Hike

Pair your gorilla trek with a hike to Mount Bisoke's striking crater lake, one of Volcanoes National Park's finest views.

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5 Days · Rwanda

5 Days Rwanda Primates Safari

A five-day primate-focused circuit combining gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking across Rwanda's top forest parks.

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7 Days · Rwanda

7 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari

An extended Rwanda safari giving you real depth beyond the gorilla trek itself, with time for the country's other highlights.

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8 Days · Rwanda

8 Days Rwanda Safari

A comprehensive eight-day Rwanda circuit weaving gorilla trekking together with the country's wider wildlife and culture.

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10 Days · Rwanda

10 Days Rwanda Safari Tour

Our most complete Rwanda itinerary, combining gorillas, golden monkeys, chimpanzees, and Akagera's Big Five in one trip.

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Uganda Tours

Beyond gorilla trekking, our Uganda tours cover golden monkey tracking, chimpanzee trekking, savannah game drives, and birding across the country's leading national parks.

3 Days

3 Days Mgahinga Golden Monkey Tracking Tour

Track playful golden monkeys through the bamboo forests of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park over a focused three-day trip.

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3 Days

3 Days Queen Elizabeth National Park Tour

Game drives through Queen Elizabeth's savannah and the Kazinga Channel, home to tree-climbing lions and abundant wildlife.

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5 Days

5 Days Uganda Gorillas and Wildlife Safari

Combine Bwindi gorilla trekking with a savannah game drive circuit for a genuinely well-rounded five-day Uganda trip.

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5 Days

5 Days Uganda Primates Safari

A primate-focused circuit spanning gorillas, chimpanzees, and other Uganda forest species across five well-planned days.

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6 Days

6 Days Uganda Safari

A well-balanced six-day Uganda itinerary combining primate trekking with classic savannah game viewing.

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7 Days

7 Days Uganda Primates Safari

An extended primate safari giving you genuine depth across Uganda's gorilla, chimpanzee, and monkey trekking destinations.

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10 Days

10 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari

A full cross-border circuit combining Uganda and Rwanda's best gorilla trekking, primates, and wildlife in one trip.

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14 Days

14 Days Uganda Safari Adventure

Our most complete Uganda itinerary, covering the country's major parks, primates, and cultural highlights in two weeks.

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3 Days

3 Days Chimpanzee Habituation Experience

Spend extended time with a chimpanzee community still being habituated, a longer and more immersive alternative to standard tracking.

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3 Days

3 Days Uganda Birding Tour

A dedicated birding itinerary across Uganda's richest wetland and forest habitats, ideal for serious birders.

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3 Days

3 Days Kibale Chimpanzee Trekking Tour

Track chimpanzees through Kibale Forest, widely regarded as one of Africa's premier chimpanzee trekking destinations.

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4 Days

4 Days Kibale Chimpanzee Trekking and Crater Lakes

Combine chimpanzee trekking in Kibale with the striking volcanic crater lakes scattered across western Uganda.

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Rwanda Tours

Our Rwanda tours combine Kigali city culture, Volcanoes National Park primate trekking, and Nyungwe Forest chimpanzee tracking into itineraries ranging from a single day to a full ten-day circuit.

1 Day

1 Day Kigali City Tour

Explore Rwanda's capital in a single day, taking in its history, culture, and the Kigali Genocide Memorial.

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3 Days

3 Days Chimpanzee Tracking in Nyungwe Forest

Track chimpanzees through Nyungwe's ancient rainforest canopy, one of the oldest forests in Africa.

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3 Days

3 Days Rwanda Gorillas and Golden Monkey Trekking

A focused three-day primate itinerary combining mountain gorilla trekking with golden monkey tracking in one trip.

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A Complete East Africa Wildlife and Cultural Adventure

Beyond its signature gorilla trekking experiences, Silverback Gorilla Tour offers a genuinely wide range of immersive wildlife and cultural adventures across East Africa. Guided mountain hikes, authentic interactions with local communities, relaxing boat rides on rivers and lakes, and camping under open skies all sit alongside our core primate safaris. For dedicated primate enthusiasts, gorilla habituation experiences, golden monkey tracking, and colobus monkey encounters are all available in destinations including Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Volcanoes National Park. Scenic nature walks and vibrant city tours highlighting local culture and history round out itineraries that are thoughtfully tailored to your interests, schedule, and travel style.

Alongside mountain gorilla trekking, we also build customized wildlife safaris across Uganda and Rwanda's top destinations. In Uganda, that means diverse landscapes and rich wildlife in Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park. In Rwanda, classic savannah safaris center on Akagera National Park, home to the famous Big Five in a genuinely scenic setting.

Kidepo Valley National Park

Lake Mburo National Park

Uganda Safari vs. Rwanda Safari: Which Fits You?

Deciding between a Uganda gorilla safari and a Rwanda gorilla safari comes down to a few practical factors beyond permit cost alone. Uganda offers greater gorilla family variety across Bwindi's four trekking sectors, plus easy pairing with Big Five game drives in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls National Parks, and chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest, widely regarded as one of the best chimpanzee tracking destinations in Africa. Rwanda offers shorter transfers from Kigali International Airport, well-developed lodge infrastructure around Volcanoes National Park, and a compact itinerary that suits travelers with less time but a higher travel budget.

When to Book Your Uganda or Rwanda Safari

Uganda and Rwanda's dry seasons, running June through September and December through February, offer the easiest trekking conditions and the most reliable wildlife viewing across every park we operate in. Gorilla and golden monkey permits sell out fastest during these windows, so booking 3 to 6 months ahead is genuinely the safest approach for peak season travel. The wetter months from March to May and October to November bring lush, vivid scenery and noticeably thinner crowds, along with occasionally muddier trekking conditions in exchange for a quieter, more intimate primate encounter.

Why Travel With Silverback Gorilla Tour

With over 20 years of combined expertise across Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania, Silverback Gorilla Tour handles the full weight of planning a gorilla trekking safari, permit booking, lodge selection, private transfers, and expert local guiding, so every part of your trip is genuinely seamless from first inquiry to final game drive. Whether you're drawn to a private luxury safari, a focused primate trekking itinerary, or a longer multi-park wildlife circuit, every journey is tailored to your comfort, interests, and travel style rather than fitted into a fixed template.