A gorilla permit is a card issued to the traveler allowing them to be guided into the jungles to find a habituated gorilla family and spend a full hour in their presence. This amazing activity done in only three countries in the world and that’s Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo.
Gorilla permits are issued by government conservation bodies in their respective countries. For the case of Uganda, you can only get your gorilla permits with Uganda Wildlife Authority while in Rwanda, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) is in charge of issuing the gorilla permits. Booking gorilla permits directly with government agencies may turn out to be burdensome for you, we recommend you get help of a local travel agent to ease the process for you. Gorillaland Safari Holidays will in this case be your rightful partner in this entire process in Uganda and Rwanda for Gorilla and chimpanzee tracking permits.
How much do gorilla permits cost in Rwanda, Uganda and DR. Congo?
Gorilla permit in Uganda for Bwindi forest and Mgahinga National Park costs 600USD per person for foreign non-residents, Foreign Residents are charged 500USD and 250,000 UGX for Ugandan citizens and East African citizens. Rwanda’s gorilla permits cost 1500USD per person and this charge applies to everyone that wishes to track the Gorillas in the Volcanoes National park. This was increased recently in May 2017 from $750 for conservation purposes. DR Congo charges the least amount of only 400USD per person and this is apparently the cheapest gorilla permit in all Gorilla tracking destinations.
Uganda Wildlife Authority has also raised their Gorilla permit cost to 700USD for foreign non-residents, Foreign Residents to 600USD to be effected on 1st July, 2020. This has been done for conservation purposes to help in taking care of and conserving these endangered creatures in Bwindi.
When to book a gorilla permit
You need to contact your travel agency to help you on booking your gorilla permit in advance. It is right that you book your gorilla permit at least 3-5 months in advance for peak/high season due to the high demand for Gorilla permits. The low season is not so competitive but you may fail to get a permit for your desired date, you will therefore need to book in advance just like in the peak season.
Peak season for gorilla trekking in Uganda is normally between June to September and early November through December to February. Gorilla permits tend to be very scarce and if you intend to trek the gorillas during in Uganda, Rwanda or Congo, you need to book them months in advance to your travel date. Gorillaland Safari Holidays will help you through this whole process of acquiring your permit.
