How to book a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda
How to book a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda; a gorilla trekking permit is a legal document or card that is issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to any visitor above the age of 15 allowing him or her to visit a habituated gorilla family and spend one hour with the mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking is an interesting activity in Uganda which is carried out in two destinations including Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park. There are about 20 habituated gorilla families in both Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park which are available for trekking on a daily basis. Each gorilla family is visited by a maximum number of 8 people per day which means that there are about 160 gorilla trekking permits available in Uganda.
Gorilla trekking is also done in other destinations like Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park in Democratic republic of Congo. Bwindi impenetrable national park is the most visited gorilla destination in Africa due to the fact that it harbors the highest number of mountain gorillas which are found on four sectors that is Nkuringo, Rushaga, Buhoma and Ruhiija.
How to book a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda
A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda can either be booked directly through Uganda Wildlife Authority by contacting the head offices in Kampala via telephone calls or email. You can also book a gorilla trekking permit through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris. When booking through a tour operator, you will contact us with the date, name and gorilla destination that you wish to visit. After contacting us we will check for permit availability and if there are permits that match with your date, you will be asked to make a deposit for the permit. Once we receive the money, we will acquire the gorilla trekking permit on your behalf and send you a scanned copy of the receipt as confirmation. Booking a gorilla trekking permit through a tour company is the best option in that its quicker, less tiresome and we do not only acquire the gorilla trekking permit for you but also plan for your entire gorilla trekking safari which involves transportation, accommodation, meals, other activities you can engage in while on the safari and advise on other interesting destinations you can visit to make your safari in Uganda unforgettable.
When to book a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda
A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda should be booked 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date because permits are usually competitive and get sold out quickly especially during the dry season also known as the peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February. Therefore in order to avoid last minute inconveniences you are advised to book.
Cost of a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda
A gorilla trekking permit in either Bwindi impenetrable national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park costs 700 USD per person for foreign non residents, 600 USD per person for foreign residents and 250,000 UGX per person for East Africa citizens. A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda is cheaper compared to Rwanda where a gorilla trekking permit costs 1,500 USD per person for all nationalities. A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda includes park entrance fees, one hour in the presence of the mountain gorillas, services of a park guide and security of visitors during trekking.
A valid gorilla trekking permit in either Bwindi impenetrable national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park will allow you to engage in an adventurous gorilla trekking activity which starts with a briefing at the park headquarters. After the briefing you will be grouped with other tourists to make 8 individuals and allocated a gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is knowledgeable about mountain gorillas and also conversant with trekking trails in the jungle. Gorilla trekking takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on the location of the mountain gorillas because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be able to view other primate species like chimpanzees, l’hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, view mammals like forest elephants, duikers, buffaloes, bush pigs, variety of bird species, plant and tree species among others. Once the gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn about the habits, watch them feed, breastfeed, play, take photos and record the breathtaking moments to show people back home after the safari.
For more information about how to book a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda you can contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website for interesting and affordable gorilla trekking packages.
