Gorilla trekking begins early — briefings at ranger stations in Bwindi or Volcanoes National Park typically start around 7:30am, after which trackers who've been in the forest since dawn radio back a family's approximate location.
The hike itself varies enormously: some families are found within 45 minutes of the trailhead, others require four or five hours of steep, muddy terrain. Porters are available to carry packs and offer a hand on difficult sections, and hiring one is worth every dollar.
Once you reach the gorillas, you're allowed exactly one hour in their company, keeping a recommended distance of seven metres. It passes remarkably fast — most travellers describe it as the shortest hour of their trip.
Permits are limited and must be booked well in advance: Rwanda issues a fixed number of daily permits for Volcanoes National Park, while Uganda's Bwindi Forest operates a similar system across several sectors.
A reasonable fitness level helps, but porters and flexible route options mean most travellers, including those in their sixties and seventies, complete the trek without serious difficulty.
"The best safari plan is the one built around your pace, not a fixed template — ask questions until your itinerary reflects exactly that."
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