Gorilla Trekking Permit
Gorilla trekking permit is a legal document similar to an ATM card issued by the governing body to the visitors above the age of 15 allowing them to participate in gorilla trekking in any of the national parks.
Gorilla trekking is a fascinating activity where visitors move in the jungle in search of the endangered mountain gorillas and once found spend one hour with the gorillas in their natural habitat.
Mountain gorillas are interesting primate species found in 4 national parks in Africa namely Bwindi Impenetrable national park and Mgahinga national park in Uganda, Volcanoes national park in Rwanda and Virunga national park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Bwindi Impenetrable national park is the most visited destination because it harbors over 400 mountain gorillas which is half of the world’s mountain gorillas and they are found in four sectors namely Ruhija sector in the east, Rushaga sector in the south, Nkuringo sector in the south and Buhoma sector in the north. Volcanoes national park is also one of the most visited gorilla destinations due to easy accessibility of the park because unlike other destinations gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park can be done in one day in that you can fly to Kigali International Airport trek gorillas in the park and later fly back to any other destination.
Cost of a gorilla trekking permit
Cost of a gorilla permit in Uganda: Bwindi impenetrable national park harbors 19 habituated gorilla families which are found in the four sectors, therefore, there are about 152 available permits on a daily basis and Mgahinga national park is a home of one habituated gorilla family, therefore, there are 8 available permits on daily basis. A single gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi national park and Mgahinga Gorilla national park costs $600 for Foreign Non-Residents, $500 for Foreign Residents and UGX 250,000 for East African citizens and was increased to $700 for Foreign Non Residents and $600 for Foreign Residents effective 1st July 2020.
Gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda: Volcanoes national park harbors about 15 habituated gorilla families which means that there are 120 available gorilla permits on a daily basis for visitors who want to engage in gorilla trekking. A single gorilla trekking permit in Volcanoes national park costs $1500 for all nations and it’s the destination with the highest gorilla permit as compared to Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Gorilla permit in Congo: Virunga National park is a home of 8 habituated gorilla families which implies that there are 64 gorilla trekking permits available on a daily basis for visitors who want to visit the gorillas in their natural habitat. A single gorilla permit in Virunga national park costs $400 for Foreign Non Residents and the Democratic Republic of Congo offers a discounted gorilla trekking permit at $200 during the low season so as increase the number of visitors in the low season. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the only gorilla destination that offers a cheap and discounted gorilla trekking permit.
How to get a permit
A gorilla permit can be acquired through contacting Uganda Wildlife Authority a tourism organization in Uganda through email or telephone calls, in Rwanda a gorilla trekking permit can be got though contacting Rwanda Development Board through email or telephone calls and in Democratic Republic of Congo a gorilla trekking permit can be acquired through contacting Virunga reservations office through email or telephone calls.
A gorilla trekking permit can also be acquired by contacting a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris. This is the best option because it will save you all the hustle and acquire a gorilla trekking permit for you. While using this option you will contact the company with the dates, month and year when you want to trek mountain gorillas, we will check for availability of the gorilla trekking permits and request you to make a deposit of the gorilla trekking permit. Once the deposit has been made, you will send scanned copies of your passport which will be used when acquiring the permit and we will purchase the permit for you and scanned copies of the permit will be sent to you as confirmation.
Achieve Global Safaris will not only book for you a gorilla trekking permit but will also plan your entire trip by taking care of all accommodation, meals, transportation, planning other interesting and exciting activities to engage in and breathe taking destinations to visit for memorable experiences while on a safari in Uganda and other countries.
When to acquire a Gorilla permit?
Gorilla trekking permits can be acquired anytime throughout the year though it is recommended to book for the permits 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date so as to avoid disappointments because gorilla trekking permits in Bwindi national park, Mgahinga national park, Volcanoes national park, and Virunga national park are competitive and usually get sold out especially during the peak season in the months of June, July, August, December, January and February.
What is included in a Gorilla permit?
Gorilla trekking activity in Bwindi national park, Mgahinga national park, Volcanoes national park, and Virunga national park takes about 2 to 6 hours depending on the location of the mountain gorillas because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. Gorilla trekking in all the above national parks allows a maximum number of 8 people to trek each gorilla family and spend one hour with the endangered mountain gorillas in their nature habitat taking photos with a flashless camera.
A gorilla permit includes the services of a park guide who will be leading you through the trails and giving you information about the gorillas, the security of the armed park rangers, park entrance fees and is valid for one day. However, a gorilla trekking permit doesn’t include the tips and hiring a porter who will offer you help during trekking in the steep and slippery forest.
Do you want to enjoy, get exciting and adventurous moments on your safari, gorilla trekking is a must-do activity where you have to first acquire a gorilla permit to allow you have a successful and lifetime experiences on your safari.
