Can a 14-year-old go gorilla trekking?

In Uganda, the Wildlife Authority's client charter says children aged 13 to 14 shall be allowed to track if an adult signs a waiver of liability. In Rwanda the minimum is 15 and no exception is published.

Can a 12-year-old go gorilla trekking?

No. No official document in Uganda or Rwanda provides for children under 13. A 12-year-old can track chimpanzees in Kibale or Kyambura Gorge, and golden monkeys in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park.

What is the minimum age for chimpanzee tracking?

Twelve with the Uganda Wildlife Authority, in Kibale and Kyambura Gorge. It is 15 at Budongo Forest and in Rwanda's Nyungwe National Park.

Is there a maximum age for gorilla trekking?

No. Neither Uganda nor Rwanda sets one. Uganda asks elderly visitors with health complications to declare them before tracking so the guides can help.

What is the minimum age for the gorilla habituation experience?

Uganda publishes no separate age for it. The general rule for tracking and viewing gorillas, 15, applies.

Do we need to prove a child's age?

Bring the passport. Uganda validates a visitor's documents against its booking records, and Rwanda verifies tourist documents at the park gate.

Gorilla trekking

How old do you have to be to go gorilla trekking?

Fifteen, in both Uganda and Rwanda. The Uganda Wildlife Authority's client charter adds one exception: children aged 13 and 14 may track if an adult signs a waiver of liability. Rwanda publishes no exception. Chimpanzee tracking with the Uganda Wildlife Authority is open from 12, and so is golden monkey tracking in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park, so a family with younger teenagers still has primates to see. Neither authority sets an upper age limit.

Checked against official sources on 5 October 2026. Sources

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Minimum ages, activity by activity

From the Uganda Wildlife Authority's guidelines, tariff and client charter, the Rwanda Development Board's booking portal and the parks' own price lists, checked 5 October 2026.
Activity	Where	Minimum age
Gorilla trekking	Bwindi and Mgahinga, Uganda	15; 13 and 14 with a signed waiver
Gorilla trekking	Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda	15
Chimpanzee tracking	Kibale and Kyambura Gorge, Uganda	12
Chimpanzee tracking	Budongo Forest, Uganda	15
Chimpanzee tracking	Nyungwe, Rwanda	15
Golden monkey tracking	Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda	12
Volcano hikes: Bisoke, Karisimbi, Muhabura, Gahinga	Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda	15
Dian Fossey tomb hike	Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda	15
Sabyinyo hike	Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda	12
Nature walk	Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda	5

The Uganda Wildlife Authority publishes no minimum age for golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga, for game drives or for boat cruises. Budongo's limit is set by the company that runs chimpanzee tracking there, not by the Authority.

The exception for 13 and 14 year olds in Uganda

The Authority's guidelines and its tariff give the minimum age as 15 and say nothing more. Its client charter, dated May 2026, adds that children aged 13 to 14 shall be allowed to track on condition that an adult signs a waiver of liability.

Because the three documents are not worded alike, ask for confirmation that the waiver will be accepted before a permit is paid for a 13 or 14 year old. No official document provides for children under 13, and Rwanda publishes no exception at all.

Permits are checked against your documents at the park: Uganda validates what the visitor presents against its booking records, and Rwanda verifies tourist documents at the gate. Bring each child's passport on the day.

What younger children can do, and what it costs

Park entry in Uganda: children under 5 are exempt, and those aged 5 to 15 pay the child rate. For foreign visitors that is US$20 a day against US$40 for an adult in Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth and Kibale, and US$25 against US$45 in Murchison Falls.
Game drives and boat cruises in Uganda's parks carry no published age limit, so they are open to the whole family.
Nature walks with the Uganda Wildlife Authority: children under 12 may join only if an adult accompanies them.
Akagera, Rwanda: children aged 5 and under enter free, and child rates apply from 6 to 12. Entry for international visitors is US$100 for an adult and US$50 for a child.
Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch: rhino trekking is US$60 for an adult and US$30 for a child up to 12, by the ranch's own price list.
The Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre at Entebbe charges non-residents US$15 for adults and US$10 for children aged 3 to 14.

A child too young to trek stays at the lodge with an adult from your party while the others are in the forest. Tell us the ages and we plan that day into the route.

No upper age limit

Neither authority sets a maximum age. The Uganda Wildlife Authority asks elderly visitors with health complications to say so before tracking, so that the guides can give extra support.

How fit do you need to be?

Common questions

Can a 14-year-old go gorilla trekking?: In Uganda, the Wildlife Authority's client charter says children aged 13 to 14 shall be allowed to track if an adult signs a waiver of liability. In Rwanda the minimum is 15 and no exception is published.
Can a 12-year-old go gorilla trekking?: No. No official document in Uganda or Rwanda provides for children under 13. A 12-year-old can track chimpanzees in Kibale or Kyambura Gorge, and golden monkeys in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park.
What is the minimum age for chimpanzee tracking?: Twelve with the Uganda Wildlife Authority, in Kibale and Kyambura Gorge. It is 15 at Budongo Forest and in Rwanda's Nyungwe National Park.
Is there a maximum age for gorilla trekking?: No. Neither Uganda nor Rwanda sets one. Uganda asks elderly visitors with health complications to declare them before tracking so the guides can help.
What is the minimum age for the gorilla habituation experience?: Uganda publishes no separate age for it. The general rule for tracking and viewing gorillas, 15, applies.
Do we need to prove a child's age?: Bring the passport. Uganda validates a visitor's documents against its booking records, and Rwanda verifies tourist documents at the park gate.

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Sources

Every fact on this page was checked on 5 October 2026 against these sources. Rules change on the authorities’ schedule, not ours, so confirm anything time-sensitive before you travel.

Planning questions

How fit do you need to be for gorilla trekking?Altitude, terrain and trek length by park, and what makes it easier.
What happens on a gorilla trekking day?The briefing, the walk, the hour with the family, and the rules.
Can you cancel a gorilla permit and get a refund?The refund scale, illness on the day, not seeing the gorillas, and changing your date.

Travelling as a family?

Tell us the children's ages and we will build the route around what each of them can do.

Plan my trip Gorillas or chimpanzees?Ask on WhatsApp Email us