Across the world, gorillas can only be seen in three (3) countries: Uganda (Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park), Rwanda (Volcanoes National Park) and D.R Congo (Virunga National Park). Each of the gorilla sanctuaries has a number of habituated gorilla families that are open to tourist visits. In Bwindi, there are more than nineteen (19) families, in Mgahinga there is one (1), in Volcanoes there are ten (10) while in Virunga they are eight (8).

The maximum number of tourists allowed visiting a gorilla family each day is eight (8) people. Each gorilla group can receive visitors for a maximum of one hour each day. This number has been limited to this so as to conserve and not interfere with the gorillas behavioral traits.

However, I cannot fail to talk about the gorilla habituation process an activity that is also open to visitor to participate.  During this, a maximum of just four (4) visitors are allowed to visit each gorilla family. during the habituation process visitor spend about four hours with the gorillas in the company of researchers and park rangers in a bit to habituate (familiarize the gorilla to human presence) the gorilla family. In Bwindi for example, this process is carried out in the Rushaga – Nkuringo area and offers tourists a longer time and more personal experience with the gorillas.

Important to note is that the number of people allowed visiting the gorillas is uniform across all gorilla sanctuaries in D.R Congo, Rwanda and Uganda.v