Gorilla Trekking Rules and Regulations: Distance, Health, Age, Behaviour and What Happens If You Break Them

Written by the Paramount Gorilla Expeditions guiding team · Last updated 14 November 2026

Gorilla trekking rules and regulations are the short list of things rangers will ask you to do, and not do, during your hour with a habituated mountain gorilla family in Uganda or Rwanda: keep your distance, keep your voice down, do not touch, do not use flash, do not trek if you are ill, and stay with your ranger. This guide is written on 14 November 2026. It sets out the rules that are widely published, shows where sources disagree, explains the reason behind each rule and tells you what to do if a gorilla charges or walks up to you. People search for it as gorilla trekking rules, gorilla trekking dos and don'ts, gorilla trekking regulations, gorilla trekking etiquette, gorilla trekking guidelines, gorilla trekking distance rule, gorilla trekking mask rules and what not to do when gorilla trekking.

Quick answer

The core rules are the same in Uganda and Rwanda: groups of no more than eight visitors, one hour with the gorillas, a minimum distance of seven metres, a minimum age of 15, no flash, no touching, no eating near the animals and no trekking if you are unwell. Your ranger gives a briefing before you walk and that briefing is the rule on the day, so listen to it even if you have read this page.

Two things are worth knowing before you go. First, the seven-metre rule is the figure most sources give, but a few sources say 10 metres for Uganda, and rangers cannot always keep the gap because gorillas walk up to people. Second, the rules exist mainly to protect the gorillas from human diseases, which they catch easily, so the health rules matter more than the rest. For the full day, hour by hour, read one hour with the gorillas.

Gorilla trekking rules at a glance

Chapter 01: Who sets the rules, and do they differ between Uganda and Rwanda?

In Uganda the Uganda Wildlife Authority runs gorilla trekking in Bwindi and Mgahinga, and in Rwanda the Rwanda Development Board runs it in Volcanoes National Park. Both follow the same basic code, which comes from conservation groups that work across the three countries where mountain gorillas live. The International Gorilla Conservation Programme also publishes a voluntary "Gorilla Friendly" pledge that asks visitors to keep their distance, limit the visit to an hour and not visit if sick. It is a pledge, not a regulation, but the park rules are close to it.

The differences are small. Rwanda has a fixed number of habituated families in Volcanoes National Park, which our Volcanoes National Park guide lists, and Uganda has more families spread across the Bwindi sectors and in Mgahinga. Dress and trek length vary more than rules do. If you are choosing between the two countries, our Uganda versus Rwanda comparison and the permit cost comparison cover the rest.

Chapter 02: How close can you get to a gorilla?

The distance rule most sources give is seven metres, about 23 feet. The Ugandan rules, as summarised by government and operator pages, say seven metres, and the research paper we cite below describes the Bwindi rule as "more than seven metres". One 2026 blog says 10 metres for Uganda and seven for Rwanda, and the IGCP pledge uses 10 metres. We tell guests to treat seven metres as the minimum and follow whatever number the ranger gives in the briefing.

The reason is disease. Mountain gorillas share about 98 per cent of their DNA with humans and catch human respiratory viruses easily. A sneeze can throw droplets several metres. The gap is also a courtesy: gorillas that feel crowded show it by staring, beating the chest or mock charging.

In practice, the gap closes without you moving. Juveniles walk up to visitors, females pass within arm's reach and a silverback may walk through the group to feed. Rangers cannot hold back an animal that walks toward you, so the real rule is this: never step toward a gorilla, and if one comes close, stay still or step back slowly as the ranger tells you. We cover what to do in Chapter 07.

Chapter 03: How many people, and for how long?

Groups are limited to eight visitors for each habituated family each day, a rule every source we read agrees on. Eight is small by design, and your group is usually matched by fitness and age so the slower walkers are not stretched. One hour is the time with the gorillas once you reach them. One source says the clock starts at first visual contact and another that it starts when the ranger calls the start, so the hour is not exact to the minute. The walk to find the family takes from under an hour to most of a day, and our fitness level guide explains what that means for you.

The hour is capped because longer visits stress the animals and raise the chance of passing on disease. If you want longer, the gorilla habituation experience in Uganda gives up to four hours with a family that is still being habituated, in a smaller group. Sources describe a maximum of four visitors for that option, and the rules on distance and health are the same. Our habituation experience in Uganda guide explains the trade-offs.

Chapter 04: Who is allowed to trek?

The minimum age is 15, in Uganda and in Rwanda, and we know of no exception. Our gorilla trekking age limit guide explains how the age is checked, what to do with younger children and which other activities suit them. There is no upper age limit, but you need to be able to walk on steep, muddy ground, and our senior and accessible safaris guide covers portering and the options for slower walkers.

You must also be well. Every source says to stay away if you have a cough, flu, cold, sore throat or stomach illness. Rangers check the group at the briefing and can turn a visitor away. A refund is not something to rely on: one source says Rwanda refunds half the permit fee if the warden decides you are unfit and Uganda does not, but we found that in only one place and we cannot confirm it. Buy travel insurance with evacuation cover that covers cancellation for illness, and read the permit terms before you pay. Our guide to booking gorilla permits explains payment and timing.

Chapter 05: What are the health rules?

Because disease is the main risk, the health rules are the strictest.

• Do not trek if you are ill. This includes a cough, a cold, diarrhoea or a fever. Tell your guide on the day before you start.
• Cover your mouth and nose if you must cough or sneeze, turn your head away from the gorillas and, if you can, step back first.
• Carry a surgical mask. Mask rules have changed since 2020. The IGCP pledge asks for masks and many operators hand them out, but we have not found a single rule that applies every day in every park, and research in 2014 found mask use was not a rule at Bwindi at the time. Bring one and wear it if your ranger asks.
• Keep your hands clean and do not touch your face after touching vegetation near the animals.
• Do not leave waste behind. If you need the toilet, tell your ranger. One source says the ranger digs a hole at least 30 centimetres deep and fills it afterwards, and another gives a slightly different depth, so ask your ranger. Carry out all litter.

Rangers and gorilla veterinarians watch the health of the families closely. The charity Gorilla Doctors treats sick or injured gorillas in the Virunga massif and Bwindi, and a human infection is one of the things it works to prevent. For the wider health picture for your trip, see our malaria and yellow fever guide.

Chapter 06: What are the behaviour rules during the hour?

• Keep your voice low. Talk in whispers or low tones, and do not shout or call out to the animals.
• Do not touch a gorilla. If a young gorilla touches you, stay calm and let the ranger deal with it.
• Do not make direct eye contact for long. Staring can be read as a challenge. Look away or look down if a silverback looks at you.
• Do not eat, drink or smoke near the gorillas. Eat your packed lunch before you reach them or after you leave.
• No flash. Flash is banned in Uganda and Rwanda. Our gorilla photography guide explains the settings that work in the dark forest.
• No drones. We have one source that bans drones outright, and in practice drones are not allowed for ordinary visitors. Leave yours at the lodge. If you are a professional who needs aerial or commercial footage, read filming and content-creator safaris and apply to the park authority for a filming permit.
• Do not point or wave at gorillas or imitate their sounds. Rangers use soft grunts to tell the group you mean no harm. Leave that to them.
• Do not leave your belongings on the ground near the animals. Young gorillas are curious.
• Stay in your group and behind your ranger. Do not walk ahead or wander off.

Chapter 07: What should you do if a gorilla charges or comes too close?

Silverbacks sometimes mock charge. Rangers tell you what to do in the briefing, and the advice in published sources is the same.

1. Do not run. Running can trigger a real chase.
2. Crouch down slowly and make yourself smaller, and do not stand tall.
3. Look down or away. Avoid staring.
4. Stay with your ranger and follow the ranger's lead. The ranger will make low sounds to calm the group.
5. Stay silent and wait. Most charges are bluffs and stop in a moment.

If a gorilla walks toward you, stay still or step back slowly as the ranger tells you. Do not reach out to touch it. One blog says that around 99 per cent of charges are bluffs, but we cannot find a source for that figure, so we do not rely on it. What we can say is that rangers know each family well, read the mood of the silverback and keep you out of trouble. Our is gorilla trekking safe guide covers the risks in more detail.

Chapter 08: What happens if someone breaks the rules?

Rangers lead the group and have authority to end a visit. In practice they ask first. A visitor who keeps ignoring the rules, for example by using flash, getting too close or trekking while ill, can be asked to leave. The permit is not usually refunded. The rules are also enforced by the rest of the group, since one person's mistake costs everyone the experience. We brief guests the night before so that nothing in the forest comes as a surprise.

Chapter 09: Do visitors follow the rules in practice?

A study in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, published in February 2020, watched tourist treks in Bwindi in 2014 and found that the seven-metre rule was broken on 52 of 53 treks. About 68 per cent of the observations were at or inside seven metres, and about 14 per cent were at three metres or less. The researchers noted that gorillas often approach people, which is one reason the rule is hard to keep. The paper's data are more than a decade old, and rules have been tightened since, but the finding is a reminder that the rules protect the gorillas best when you follow them without waiting to be told. The authors also report that in a 2011 study about a quarter of tourists said they would trek while ill, which is why rangers check at the briefing.

Chapter 10: How do you prepare so the rules are easy to follow?

The rules are easier to keep if you arrive prepared.

1. Rest and stay healthy in the days before the trek. Wash your hands often and avoid crowds on the flight if you can.
2. Dress for the forest. Our what to wear for gorilla trekking guide covers boots, gloves and layers, and the East Africa safari packing list covers the rest.
3. Pack light. A small daypack with water, a packed lunch, a rain jacket and a mask is enough. Hire a porter, which also supports the community.
4. Read the briefing back. Ask your guide to repeat the rules that matter most to you, especially distance and what to do if a gorilla approaches.
5. Choose the right trek. If you are worried about the walk, tell us when you book so we can request a group that suits you. The first-time gorilla trekking guide walks you through the whole experience.

Chapter 11: Why do the sources disagree?

The rules above come from published sources that do not always agree, and we say so rather than choose one quietly. The seven-metre figure is the most widely cited, but one 2026 blog says 10 metres for Uganda, and the IGCP pledge also says 10 metres. Some sources say the hour starts at first sight and others at the ranger's signal. The mask rule has changed over time and varies by park. A few details, including the refund for illness, the hole depth and the drone ban, appear in only one place, and we mark them that way. The park authorities may update their rules at any time, so we confirm the current rules for your date when we quote your trip, and your ranger's briefing on the day overrides everything on this page.