Multigenerational Gorilla Safari: Planning a Gorilla Trek for Grandparents, Parents and Teens

A multigenerational gorilla safari works well when it is planned around the oldest and youngest travelers. Grandparents trek with porters or a sedan chair, teenagers aged 15 and over trek alongside them, and anyone younger enjoys the forest, villages and game drives while the others are with the gorillas.

A multigenerational gorilla safari is one of the most meaningful trips a family can take together, and also one of the hardest to plan. Ages, fitness and interests pull in different directions. This page explains how we make it work. It is part of our guide to gorilla trekking for seniors and disabled travelers.

Can Grandparents and Grandchildren Go Gorilla Trekking Together?

Yes, as long as the grandchildren are at least 15. That is the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s minimum age for gorilla trekking, and there is no maximum age.

A 15-year-old and a 75-year-old can trek the same gorilla family on the same morning. The group walks at the pace of its slowest member, and older travelers have porters or a sedan chair, so nobody is left behind. Read more about the gorilla trekking age limit.

How Does a Multigenerational Gorilla Safari Handle Different Fitness Levels?

A multigenerational gorilla safari handles different fitness levels by giving each person the right support, choosing the gentlest sector, and booking the whole family into the same trekking group.

Family member	On trek day	Support we arrange
Grandparents	Trek with the family	Porters, or a sedan chair if walking is hard
Parents	Trek with the family	A porter each, for bags and steep sections
Teenagers aged 15 and over	Trek with the family	A porter if they want one
Children under 15	Stay at the lodge or join a village or forest walk	A guide and activities nearby

Takeaway: the trek adapts to the slowest walker, so the whole family can share the same hour with the gorillas.

We book everyone’s permits together, in the same sector on the same day, so the family is usually placed in the same group. Buhoma is usually our choice, with gentler trails and the most lodge options. Read why in our guide to the easiest Bwindi sector for seniors.

What Can Younger Children Do on a Multigenerational Gorilla Safari?

Children under 15 cannot trek gorillas, but they can join community walks, nature walks and cultural visits near Bwindi, and game drives and boat trips elsewhere in Uganda.

• Around Bwindi: village and community walks, short forest walks, and visits to the Batwa community.
• Queen Elizabeth National Park: game drives and a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, with elephants, hippos and, in Ishasha, tree-climbing lions.
• At the lodge: time with a grandparent who chooses to rest instead of trek.

What if the Teenagers Want More Than One Hour With the Gorillas?

Fit teenagers and parents can add a second trek with a different family, or the gorilla habituation experience in Rushaga, while grandparents rest.

• A second trek means a different family and a different forest, on another day.
• The habituation experience is available only in Bwindi’s Rushaga sector. It gives up to four hours with a semi-habituated family, and the permit costs $1,500. It is a long, demanding day, so it suits fit travelers aged 15 and over.

Splitting the family for one day means everyone gets the trip that suits them, and nobody spends a day doing something too hard or too easy.

How Do You Travel as a Big Family in Uganda?

For a big family, a private charter flight to Bwindi is often the simplest way to travel. It is quicker than the 8 to 10 hour drive and keeps everyone together.

Scheduled flights carry a small number of passengers, so a large family may not fit on one. A private charter flies on your own timetable, with no long road day for the grandparents. On the ground, we use safari vehicles with enough room for everyone and their bags.

Which Lodges Suit a Multigenerational Gorilla Safari?

Lodges close to the trek briefing point, with family cottages or rooms next to each other, suit a multigenerational gorilla safari best.

• Choose a lodge near the briefing point, so grandparents walk less on trek morning.
• Ask for family cottages or rooms side by side.
• Ask for the grandparents’ room near the main building.

Buhoma Community Haven Lodge, for example, has a family cottage. Read our guide to Bwindi lodges for seniors.

Frequently Asked Questions About Multigenerational Gorilla Safaris

What is the minimum age for gorilla trekking in Uganda?

The minimum age for gorilla trekking in Uganda is 15. There is no maximum age, so grandparents and teenagers can trek together.

Can a whole family trek the same gorilla family?

Yes, usually. Each gorilla family takes up to eight visitors a day, and booking all permits together in the same sector on the same day means the family is usually placed in the same group.

What do children under 15 do while others trek?

Children under 15 can join community walks, nature walks and cultural visits near Bwindi, or stay at the lodge with an adult who is not trekking.

Is a sedan chair available for grandparents?

Yes. Grandparents who cannot walk the trail can be carried to the gorillas in a sedan chair by a team of porters, for $300 to $500 per trek.

How much does a multigenerational gorilla safari cost?

Costs depend on group size, lodges and flights. Each trekker needs an $800 gorilla permit. Our 5-day senior-paced gorilla safari costs $6,215 per person.