Before you meet the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, every visitor must attend a mandatory briefing on the 7 official UWA gorilla trekking rules for 2026-2027.
These rules protect both you and the gorillas – who share 98% of human DNA and are highly vulnerable to human diseases. From keeping a strict 7-meter distance to the 1-hour viewing limit, no flash photography, whisper rule, and no trekking when sick, following these regulations is compulsory and enforced by your UWA ranger guide.
This is the most important rule and your ranger will enforce it strictly. Mountain gorillas share 98% of human DNA, which makes them extremely vulnerable to human diseases like flu, cough, and even common colds. You must stay at least 7 meters away. If a gorilla approaches you – especially curious juveniles or a silverback showing dominance – you must slowly step back, stay low, and avoid eye contact. Do not run. Your ranger will guide you. This distance also reduces stress on the family and keeps the experience wild and natural.
Once you find the gorilla family, your UWA ranger starts a timer – you have exactly 60 minutes. It may sound short after a 2-5 hour hike, but this limit is intentional. Longer human presence raises stress, alters natural behavior like feeding and grooming, and increases disease risk. One hour is enough for amazing photos, to watch babies play, mothers feed, and silverbacks watch over the group. When the hour ends, your ranger will signal you to leave quietly, even if you want to stay longer.
Gorillas are very sensitive to sound. Loud talking, laughing, or shouting can scare them, cause a silverback to charge to protect his family, or make the group move deep into the forest. From the moment you start trekking until you leave the park, speak in a low whisper and only when necessary. Let your ranger do the talking. The forest rewards silence – you will hear birds, insects, and the gorillas communicating with soft grunts and chest beats.
You cannot eat, drink, smoke, or even open your water bottle within 200 meters of gorillas. Food smells attract gorillas and dropping crumbs can transmit bacteria and disease. The same applies to smoking – gorillas will be curious about the smell. Finish your snacks and water during the trek before the ranger says “we are close.” Once with gorillas, keep your backpack closed and zipped.
You can take photos and videos, but flash is completely forbidden. A sudden flash blinds and frightens gorillas and can provoke a silverback to charge. Switch your camera and phone to silent mode, turn off flash permanently, and avoid that red autofocus light. Move slowly when taking photos. For best results in dark forest, use ISO 800-3200, no flash, and keep your shutter quiet. Professional filmmakers need special UWA clearance.
If you have flu, cough, sore throat, diarrhea, or fever on trekking day, you must tell UWA and you will not be allowed to track. Even a common cold can kill a gorilla because they have no immunity to human illnesses. Rangers will check you during briefing. If you are sick, UWA may give you a 50% refund or allow you to reschedule your permit depending on availability. Be honest – it’s about saving a critically endangered species of only 1,063 left in the wild.
Leave nothing in the forest. No tissues, no wrappers, no bottles. Everything you carry in, you carry out. Do not touch gorillas, even if a baby touches you – remain still. Never go between a mother and her baby, never stare directly into a silverback’s eyes (he sees it as challenge), and never try to feed them. Your UWA ranger’s word is final – if he says crouch down, move back, or leave, you must obey immediately. He knows each family’s mood.
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