Kenya Safari and Gorilla Trekking: Combining Kenya with Uganda or Rwanda

Seeing lions on the Masai Mara and spending an hour with a family of mountain gorillas makes for one of the world's great wildlife journeys. Here's how to combine a Kenya safari with gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda.

Where can you see mountain gorillas?

Mountain gorillas live only in the Virunga volcanoes and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, shared by Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There are no wild gorillas in Kenya, so you'll fly from Nairobi to Kigali (Rwanda) or Entebbe (Uganda). Both flights are short.

Uganda or Rwanda?

Permit numbers are strictly limited each day, so book well ahead, especially for June–September. Permits are included in our gorilla safaris.

How fit do I need to be?

Treks take from 1 to 6 hours over steep, muddy, high-altitude terrain. Moderate fitness is enough, and porters can carry your bag and help you on the slopes. The minimum age for gorilla trekking is 15.

Sample combined itineraries

1. Masai Mara + Rwanda (7 days): 3 days in the Masai Mara, fly Nairobi to Kigali, then 4 days for gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
2. Kenya Classic + Uganda (14 days): the Mara, Nakuru and Amboseli, then the full Uganda primates circuit with chimps in Kibale and gorillas in Bwindi.
3. Luxury East Africa: fly-in Mara, Rwanda gorillas and a beach finish on Zanzibar.

Best time to go

Gorilla trekking happens all year. The drier months, June–September and December–February, make trails easier, and these overlap neatly with Kenya's best safari seasons.

What to pack for gorilla trekking

• waterproof hiking boots with good grip
• a rain jacket and long trousers
• gardening gloves for grabbing vegetation
• a daypack, water and snacks
• a camera without flash, since flash photography is not allowed.

See all gorilla and primate safaris, or ask us to combine gorillas with your Kenya safari.