The 7-Meter Rule
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) sets a minimum distance of 7 meters between visitors and gorillas. This rule exists to protect the gorillas from human diseases — they share 98.4% of our DNA and are vulnerable to respiratory infections. Rangers enforce this rule, and you will be briefed on it before the trek.
In Practice: Gorillas Come to You
Habituated gorilla families are accustomed to human visitors. They have been gradually introduced to human presence over years. In practice, gorillas sometimes walk directly past you, sit down a few meters away, or even approach out of curiosity — especially juveniles. When this happens, the ranger will tell you to stay still and calm. You do not need to retreat.
Info
Some of our most memorable encounters have been when a juvenile gorilla walked right past a guest to reach a feeding spot, or when a silverback settled down to rest just 4 meters away. These moments happen naturally and cannot be planned.
Rules During the Encounter
- Maintain 7 meters minimum distance — rangers will position you
- No flash photography — flash can startle and stress the gorillas
- Keep your voice low — whisper if you need to communicate
- Do not eat or drink near the gorillas
- If a gorilla approaches you, stay still, avoid direct eye contact, and look slightly downward
- Do not touch the gorillas under any circumstances
- If you are unwell (cold, cough, flu), do not trek — reschedule instead
- Maximum 1 hour with the gorilla family
Photography at Close Range
You can take photos and video — just no flash. At 4–7 meters, even a smartphone takes extraordinary photos. A camera with a 24–100mm lens covers all situations. The forest canopy is dark, so use higher ISO settings (1600–3200). Some of the world's best gorilla photographs were taken on phones.