Updated 15 October 2026

Gorilla Trekking With Asthma or Breathing Conditions: What You Need to Know What the trek asks of your lungs Gorilla treks last anywhere from one to six hours, with an hour spent with the gorillas. People with well-controlled asthma go gorilla trekking in Uganda all the time. The trek is a steep, sometimes long hike at 1,500–2,600 m, often in cool, damp morning air, so it is the effort and the cold air, more than the altitude itself, that most often trigger symptoms. With your inhalers in your pocket, a doctor’s check before travel, a porter and a word with the ranger, most people manage well. People with severe asthma, COPD or other serious lung or heart conditions need medical advice first and may want a lower sector or a sedan chair.

This guide explains what the trek demands, how to prepare and how to handle symptoms in the forest.

Gorilla Trekking With Asthma or Breathing Conditions: What You Need to Know

What the trek asks of your lungs

Gorilla treks last anywhere from one to six hours, with an hour spent with the gorillas. The trails are steep and often muddy, and once the trackers lead you off the path you may climb through thick undergrowth. You cannot choose the length, because it depends on where the gorilla family is that day. Short, steep climbs and sustained uphill effort are the parts most likely to bring on exercise-induced symptoms.

Mornings in the higher sectors are often 10–15°C and misty, and cold, damp air is a common trigger for people whose asthma is set off by exercise or cold. The altitude adds a little to the effort, since each breath carries less oxygen, but on its own it rarely causes trouble for people whose asthma is well controlled. Smoke from cooking fires in villages and some lodges can bother sensitive airways. Our guide to altitude and gorilla trekking gives the height of each sector.

Before you travel

See your doctor or asthma nurse six to eight weeks before the trip. Ask them to check that your asthma is well controlled, review your preventer, and agree a written plan for what to do if symptoms flare, including whether to carry a short course of oral steroids. Bring enough medication for the whole trip plus extra, and pack inhalers in your hand luggage, as checked bags can be delayed. A spacer helps you take a reliever properly when out of breath.

A letter from your doctor describing your condition and medication helps at airport security and lets the ranger understand that your asthma is not an infection. Make sure your travel insurance covers your condition and emergency evacuation. Building fitness with regular uphill walking or stair climbs in the months before also makes a real difference. See our guide to how fit you need to be for gorilla trekking.

Choosing a sector and timing

If your breathing is a real concern, ask your operator for permits in Buhoma, Bwindi’s lowest sector at about 1,500 m, rather than the higher Ruhija or the very steep Nkuringo. Permits are allocated by sector when you book, so mention this early. The drier months of June to August and December to February usually mean less slippery trails and less effort.

At the briefing on trek morning, tell the ranger about your asthma. Rangers try to match slower walkers with families that are easier to reach, though nothing is guaranteed. A gorilla permit costs US$800 (US$600 in April, May and November), and arriving at the lodge the day before the trek gives your body time to settle.

On the trek

Keep your reliever in a pocket you can reach at once, not in a bag carried by someone else, and take it before the climb if that is part of your plan. Wear a buff or scarf over your mouth in cold morning air. Hire a porter for your bag, as this lowers the effort considerably and the fee, usually about US$15–20, supports local families. Walk at a steady pace, ask for short breaks rather than pushing on, and drink regularly.

With the gorillas you may be asked to wear a face mask to protect them from human infections. If a mask makes your breathing harder, tell the ranger and stand a little further back while you adjust it. Do not trek if you have a chest infection or fever: you will feel worse, and coughs and colds can pass to gorillas.

If symptoms get worse

Stop, sit upright and use your reliever as your plan says. Rangers carry radios and can call for help. If your reliever is not working, you are too breathless to speak, or you feel drowsy, it is an emergency: the team will help you out of the forest to the nearest clinic. Bwindi Community Hospital in Buhoma is the main hospital in the area, and serious cases are evacuated to Kampala. Our guide to getting sick on a gorilla trip explains the options.

COPD and more serious conditions

For people with COPD, severe asthma, heart disease or who need oxygen, a standard trek may be too demanding. Your doctor is the right person to judge this. Options include a sedan chair carried by a team of local porters, which can be booked through the park or your operator, and asking for permits in the gentlest sector. See our guide to gorilla trekking with limited mobility for how this works.

Frequently asked questions