How Do You Know Your Gorilla Permit In Uganda Or Rwanda Is Guaranteed?

How do you know that your gorilla permit in Uganda and Rwanda is guaranteed? When you purchase the gorilla permit, a receipt is issued as an acknowledgment of having paid for your permit. This receipt has the Uganda Wildlife Authority or Rwanda Development Border logo and header. For those who book gorilla permits through a tour operator like Encounter Africa Safaris, we can scan the gorilla permit receipt upon request. 

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In Uganda, gorilla permits are issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Currently, Uganda has 152 gorilla trekking permits sold daily and 8 gorilla habituation permits per day. Uganda has two gorilla trekking destinations: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park.

Rwanda currently has 96 gorilla permits open to public booking. Volcanoes National Park is the only home of mountain gorillas in Rwanda, with 15 gorilla families open to public booking.

Securing the gorilla permit is the only thing that guarantees gorilla trekking, but the gorilla permits are limited. The number of people accepted to do gorilla trekking per day per family is a maximum of 8 for conservation reasons. 

Mountain gorillas are vegetarian, and if a huge number of tourists are allowed to enter the forest, they will trample on the mountain gorilla food. The mountain gorillas have to eat enough food that can support their massive bodies through the day and night.

What Guarantees A Gorilla Permit In Uganda Or Rwanda?

Purchase Gorilla Permit from Rwanda Development Board or Uganda Wildlife Authority

The only bodies that sell and regulate gorilla trekking permits for Uganda or Rwanda are the Uganda Wildlife Authority and Rwanda Development Board. Upon securing the gorilla permit, a receipt is issued, which you can present to get a gorilla permit or card.

You must have some patience when you call to check for gorilla permit availability from the Uganda Wildlife Authority or Rwanda Development Board. This is because of the long queue of calls to the reservation office.

 If you are Doing it yourself ( DIY), you have to follow up on your gorilla permit by yourself and make other arrangements, too. This may be quite hectic as you keep moving back and forth. Be sure to contact these bodies using the numbers on their website to avoid conmen.

Book a gorilla permit through a tour operator.

When you book your gorilla permits through an accredited Uganda or Rwanda tour operator, you are sure that your gorilla permit is safe. Encounter Africa Safaris is one of the few companies accredited by The Uganda Wildlife Authority and Rwanda Development Board. This also gives us special access to the list of gorilla permit availability for both Uganda and Rwanda.

In the past, checking gorilla permit availability was centralized to the safari reservation office of the Rwanda Development Board or Uganda Wildlife Authority, which is now solved. Some Uganda or Rwanda-accredited tour operators like Encounter Africa Safaris have access to this list.

As tour operators, we can secure the gorilla permit on behalf of our clients, collect it, and present it to the rangers for you on the day of the trek. We can also put together other gorilla safari amenities like accommodation, hire a guide, and make internal flight arrangements, to mention but a few.

Trust us to make your dream gorilla trekking safari in Uganda or Rwanda come true.

Top up your gorilla trekking permit.

Rwanda Development Board and Uganda Wildlife Authority accept installment gorilla permit purchase. To qualify for this, you must book your gorilla permit 90 days before the trekking date and top up 90 days before the trekking date or get a penalty.

When you fail to top up your gorilla permit, it is re-opened to the public and may be sold off. The gorilla trekking permits for the peak season are sold off early, with fewer chances of getting one at the last minute. 

 If you fail to top up your gorilla permit, hoping to do this on the day of the trek, know it may no longer be available, and even the prepaid money is no longer valid. You, by now, need to purchase a new gorilla permit in case you obtain one in resell or no-show.

To avoid such circumstances, purchase your gorilla permit in full and keep checking the date when your gorilla safari is starting to avoid last-minute panic. Be up to date with all your safari arrangements.

Collect your gorilla permit.

Receiving the gorilla permit receipt is one of many things that guarantee your gorilla permit. You must collect the permit or the card from the Uganda Wildlife Authority or Rwanda Development Board. The gorilla permit contains personal details like your full name and present on the passport, date of birth, nationality, passport expiry date, and others. These personal details are used for identification purposes on the trek day.

 These details are retrieved for the Uganda gorilla permit card on the day of the trek. You must know the area where your gorilla permit for Uganda is booked to avoid overnighting in the wrong area, yet the permit is reserved in another area.

When Is The Best Time To Book Gorilla Permits For Uganda Or Rwanda?

The best time to book a gorilla permit for Uganda or Rwanda is 6 months to a year upfront. Gorilla permits sell out fast, especially during the peak season, normally June, July, August, September, December, and January.

You can also book the gorilla permit for three months to the trekking day. However, chances of finding availability, especially during the peak season, are slim.

Last-minute gorilla permits may be available during the low season, generally in March, April, May, and November. The demand for gorilla safaris is lower in the shoulder season, but availability is only sometimes guaranteed. This is why you must check the availability of gorilla permits before traveling to attend gorilla trekking, no matter the season. Any time gorilla permit availability changes without warning.

How much is a Uganda or Rwanda Gorilla permit?

The Uganda gorilla permit costs $800 per person per trek for foreign nonresidents, $700 for foreign residents, and 300000shs for East African residents.

Rwanda gorilla permit, as of now, costs $1500 per person per trek for foreign nonresidents, $500 for foreign residents, and $300 for East African Residents.

What is included or Excluded in A gorilla trekking permit? 

The gorilla trekking permit includes:

• Park entrance fees.
• Security during gorilla safari.
• Ranger guide fees.
• Mountain gorilla conservation support.
• Community support.
• One hour with the mountain gorillas.

Exclusions of gorilla permit transport to gorilla trekking destinations, tips, porter hire, and any other items of personal nature.

Can I reschedule a gorilla permit for Rwanda or Uganda?

Uganda Wildlife Authority and Rwanda Development Board accept gorilla permit reschedule as long as you follow the following procedure:

Write to the Rwanda Development Board or Uganda Wildlife Authority requesting to move your gorilla permit to a future date. Attach backup as evidence of why you are unable to honor the day of your gorilla trekking experience that is pre-booked. In case you do not have this, you can leave it out.

Upon approval, your gorilla permit is moved based on the prevailing gorilla permit availability.

Note:

Uganda accepts two free gorilla permit availability times, but the executive director only guarantees the third time.

Rwanda charges for gorilla permit rescheduled service.

Which country is best for gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda?

Whether you go for gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda, the moment you are standing before the mountain gorillas is heart-melting no matter where you are. Planning to go gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda includes preparations, and so to find the difference of which country is best for gorilla trekking of Uganda or Rwanda, the below can be considered

• The number of gorilla permits

 Currently, Uganda has 152 gorilla permit slots from two gorilla trekking destinations: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. Rwanda has 96 gorilla permits open per day, and Volcanoes National Park is the only home of Rwanda mountain gorillas.

• Cost of gorilla permits

The current cost of Uganda gorilla per is $1500 per person per trek, while the Uganda gorilla permit cost is currently $800 per person per trek.

• Time taken to drive to the gorilla safari destination

The drive time from Kigali airport to Volcanoes National Park is about 3 hours, while from Entebbe airport or Kampala city is about 8 to 9 hours. You can also do gorilla trekking in Uganda through Rwanda, which is 5 hours to 6 hours drive from Kigali airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Additional Activities To Combine With Gorilla Trekking

Uganda has a number of optional activities to combine with gorilla trekking, like visiting the source of the river Nile, chimpanzee trekking, game drives, launch trips, white water rafting, and multi-cultural experiences, to mention but a few.

 Rwanda is limited to alternative activities to combine with gorilla trekking, like chimpanzee trekking, game drives, boat rides, and canopy walks, to mention but a few.

Minimum Time On Gorilla Safari

The minimum time on the Rwanda gorilla safari is 2 days, while the minimum time on the Uganda gorilla safari is 3 days. Rwanda is a perfect stopover if you must carry on with your journey to another safari destination.

How long is the gorilla trekking safari in Uganda or Rwanda?

The time of doing gorilla trekking is not easy to determine. Some tourists have located the mountain gorillas in two hours while others have spent more time depending on factors like the proximity of mountain gorilla food, the weather conditions prevailing in the days, the death of a gorilla family member, adventurous nature of the mountain gorillas to mention but a few.

It would be best to have some level of patience because mountain gorillas are free primates that wander the forest without stoppage; having some level of fitness keeps you going and does not delay the rest of the trekkers.

The ranger guide follows the pace of the slowest trekker, but this must not make you slow down the rest of the group.

 Is gorilla trekking safe?

Gorilla trekking is safe because the mountain gorillas are first habituated to human presence for an unknown time. The gorilla must undergo a mock-up before allowing the rest of the trekkers. Do not expect the mountain gorillas to charge at you, but follow the gorilla trekking safari rules religiously.

Each day, a team of trackers and rangers wakes up earlier to patrol the mountain gorillas and their possible wayabouts. Rangers use these clues to lead the tourists in the wilderness instead of moving carelessly in the vast forest.

One escorting ranger guides carries a machete to trim the way to the mountain gorillas, while another carries a rifle in case of emergency. They carry radio calls to keep communicating with security at headquarters in case backup is needed.

What to pack For Gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda?

• Safari boots
• The mountain gorillas live in the jungle with a rough environment, so you need safari boots for your feet.
• Safari clothes
• Wearing a long-sleeved shirt and trousers in wilderness-friendly colors like tan makes you feel comfortable while you trek to find the mountain gorillas.
• Insect repellant to apply as you walk into the forest and keep away stinging insects
• Safari hat to cover your head and protect it from dripping water off the leaves.
• A camera to keep memories of your gorilla safari.
• First aid kit with emergency medication in case you need it.
• Extra batteries to exchange with in case one runs low.
• A torch for lighting in the night when lights are out.
• Flip flops to change into after a long day in the wilderness.
• Foldable water bottle to carry drinking water with in case you need to quench your thirst.
• Some hard cash in case you need to do an on-ground purchase. Credit cards are not commonly used in Africa because of the long process of obtaining money from them.

Contact us for more information about gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda and get to know more on how to access your permit in time.