How many gorilla permits are available in Uganda

November 14, 2019

How many gorilla permits are available in Uganda daily?

Uganda as a country where mountain gorillas live has two national parks of Bwindi impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. These two national parks combined have about 19 habituated mountain gorilla permits with 18 gorilla families resident in Bwindi impenetrable National Park while one gorilla family is in Mgahinga National Park. Each gorilla family is worth 8 gorilla permits except the two mountain gorilla families that are reserved for gorilla habituation experience that are trekked my a maximum of four people every day.

Given the above background, there approximately 156 gorilla permits available for normal one hour gorilla trekking in Bwindi and 8 permits in Mgahinga National Park making it 164 permits. When one adds the 8 gorilla permits reserved for gorilla habituation experience brings the total number of gorilla permits in Uganda to 172 gorilla permits. The above mentioned figure make Uganda to be a country with the highest number of gorilla permits in the whole world followed by Rwanda in the volcanoes National Park and Democratic republic of congo in the virunga National Park.

Number of permits available in Bwindi impenetrable National Park

Bwindi impenetrable National Park is the highest number of mountain gorillas in the whole world when one combines both habituated and non habituated mountain gorilla families resident in the jungles of the Bwindi impenetrable forest located in south western Uganda. With about 17 mountain gorilla families habituated and two semi habituated, Bwindi impenetrable National Park provides 156 gorilla permits for normal gorilla trekking and 8 gorilla permits for gorilla habituation (gorilla habituation experience allows one to spend up to four hours with mountain gorillas under habituation. Gorilla habituation can only be done in the southern part of Bwindi impenetrable National Park though there efforts to create more families for gorilla habituation experience in other regions).

Encounter Africa safaris operates budget, Mid range, and Luxury gorilla trekking safaris to see mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. We have gorilla safaris starting from 3 day gorilla excursions to more than 7 days Gorillas and other activities combined. We handle all logistics involved in arranging gorilla tours including reserving and booking your gorilla permit. Feel free to contact us on email of telephone and we will provide you with accurate and reliable information to assist you in organizing a memorable gorilla trekking trip to either of the two national park that are home to mountain gorillas in Uganda.

How much is a gorilla permit in Uganda

Gorilla permits in Uganda cost $600 per person per trek for one hour gorilla excursion and $1500 for gorilla habituation experience permit to spend four hours with mountain gorillas. All payments are made in US Dollars to Uganda Wildlife Authority head offices in Kampala and must be paid in advance at least a day before your actual gorilla trek. Effective 1st July 2020, Uganda gorilla permits will cost $700 per person for foreign non residents, $600 for foreign residents with working permits and 250,000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens. Gorilla permit price keeps changing every after two year. This price is determined by Uganda Wildlife Authority after consulting other stakeholders.

How much does Uganda earn from gorilla permits daily?

The government of Uganda earns over $80,000 from selling Bwindi impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park gorilla permits daily. This is based on an assumption that all gorilla permits available daily are sold to those interested in trekking mountain gorillas. Gorilla permits tend to sell out during high seasons compared to low seasons. Therefore it not automatic that Uganda Wildlife Authority normally gets maximum profit or sales from permits daily. Another reason why Uganda cannot achieve 100% gorilla permit sales daily is that it faces competition from Rwanda as well as Democratic republic of Congo which are the other two countries with mountain gorillas.

How is money from Uganda gorilla permits utilized?

Uganda Wildlife Authority collects gorilla permits money on behalf of the government of Uganda and later transfers it to the coffers of the government. This money is used to pay Uganda Wildlife Authority staff who run the day today affairs of the organization, it also goes to the conservation and care of mountain gorillas as well as communities around Bwindi impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. Communities benefit from schools, hospitals and roads constructed using this money. By trekking mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable National Park, you directly contribute to the revenues of the government of Uganda, gorilla conservation programs as well as community development.

How many gorilla passes are there in Mgahinga National Park daily?

Located in southwestern Uganda, Mgahinga National Park is the second National Park with mountain gorillas in Uganda. Unlike Bwindi impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga has only one habituated mountain gorilla family which produces only 8 permits daily. This therefore means that a maximum of 8 people are legally allowed to see habituated gorillas on a daily basis. Mgahinga does not have an option of gorilla habituation experience since the only gorilla family in Mgahinga is fully habituated. Mgahinga National Park is situated in southwestern Uganda in the virunga ranges which are shared between three countries of Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of congo. Mgahinga and Volcanoes mountain gorillas freely move from one park to the other and if something like this happens, the country where gorillas will be at that particular time normally handles the sale of permits at that particular time.

The question of how many permits are available in Uganda daily depends on how many gorilla families are available now and how many will be habituated in the future as well as those that might merge or separate. We expect Uganda to have more permits in the coming few years to absorb the much demand from people how are flocking Uganda for gorilla trekking.

For more information about how many gorilla permits are available in Uganda on a daily basis, how to book Uganda gorilla permits and tour, feel free to contact Encounter Africa safaris and we will make sure that everything is taken care of in the shortest possible time that you will not imagine. We have overtime excelled in organizing memorable gorilla safaris on behalf of our clients and our record can be seen by the many safari reviews and feedback left by our clients on trip advisor and Safari bookings. Contact us now for affordable and value money safaris to Uganda and Rwanda.