How much is a gorilla permit in Rwanda, and what does it include?

How much is a gorilla permit in Rwanda, and what does it include? The current cost of the regular gorilla permit for Rwanda is $1500 for foreign nonresidents, $1000 for foreign residents, and $300 for East Africans. The Rwanda Development Board sometimes issues discounted Rwanda gorilla permits in the low season for $1050. Still, you must have booked at least two nights in Akagera National Park or Nyungwe National Park.

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Volcanoes National Park is the only home to the mountain gorillas in Rwanda. Currently, 15 gorilla families are fully habituated and open to public booking. For each gorilla family, only a maximum of 8 gorilla trekking permits are allowed to be booked. This is for conservation reasons, as humans' presence disrupts the mountain gorillas' day-to-day life. At the moment, Rwanda opens 96 gorilla permits for public booking.

What is covered in the cost of the gorilla permits for Rwanda?

The Rwanda gorilla permit cost includes ranger guide fees, park entrance fees, security, mountain gorilla conservation, local community support, one hour with the mountain gorillas, government tax, certificate, and briefing.

Exclusions in the gorilla permit cost are porter hire, tips, accommodation, transport, and other personal expenses.

Is the cost of the Rwanda gorilla permit worth the money?

Gorilla trekking allows you to stand just a few meters from the only mountain gorillas in the world. When you purchase the gorilla permit, you contribute to the fund supporting the mountain gorillas' sustainable existence.

The community around Volcanoes National Park is annually given a portion of the proceeds accrued from the sale of gorilla permits. This is like compensation for the times when mountain gorillas stray into the community. Also, to conserve the mountain gorillas, the community must be on board to give them a chance to appreciate the importance of the mountain gorillas in their habitat. This is done through sensitizing the community. All this requires funds.

By hiring a porter to carry your gorilla trekking gear, you are directly contributing to the local community. The porters use the wages you give them to support their livelihood. It is one of the most direct ways to give back to the community while on gorilla safari. 

Remember to tip generously, as this is a token of appreciation for a service well done for you.

Where to do gorilla trekking in Rwanda?

Volcanoes National Park, located in the northwestern part of Rwanda, is the only home to the mountain gorillas. As mentioned above, this park currently hosts 15 gorilla families that traverse the forest. Some of the gorilla families of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda include Agashya, Amahoro, Umubano, Hirwa, Susa, Sabyinyo, Karisimbi and others.

Other primates that live in Volcanoes National Park include golden monkeys, blue monkeys, black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, olive baboons, and others. Over 300 bird species inhabit Volcanoes National Park, including the Albertine endemics.

How Can I Book A Gorilla Permit for Rwanda?

To book a Rwanda gorilla permit, you must have a date and the number of gorilla permits you wish to book. At Encounter Africa Safaris, we help you secure the gorilla permits and other related logistics like accommodation, driver guides, and transport to lift off your shoulders the hassle of getting the gorilla safari into order. You can also book the gorilla permit through the Rwanda online portal.

When we receive your inquiry about going on a gorilla safari in Rwanda plus the above details, our tour consultant checks the availability of gorilla permits from the list of the Rwanda Development Board. As soon as we get the gorilla permit, the tour consultant will get back to you as quickly as possible.

We advise clients to purchase these gorilla permits as soon as possible because their availability changes at any time without warning. The gorilla permits are limited, yet demand is overwhelmingly high during the peak season: June, July, August, September, December, and January. 

To be on the safe side, some tourists book their gorilla permits for Rwanda as early as six months to a year in advance. As the peak Rwanda tourism season opens, the availability of gorilla permits becomes scarce.

For identification purposes, please provide us with your details, such as your full name as presented on your passport, date of birth, nationality, and expiration date.

Which is the easiest gorilla family to book in Volcanoes National Park?

When booking the gorilla permits in Rwanda, they are randomly secured, and after the briefing, the tourists are allocated these gorilla families randomly, too. It is hard to determine which gorilla family is more accessible to trek. This is because the gorilla family closer to the trailhead the previous day may be the next day's furthest.

No matter which Rwanda gorilla family you are allocated to, you must embrace it with joy because the moment you spend with the mountain gorillas is extraordinary, heart-melting, and unforgettable. It makes you forget all you may have gone through booking the gorilla safari and searching for them, and a moment sinks into the life of human second cousins, the mountain gorillas.

Can I Pay For Rwanda Gorilla Permits In Instalments?

Rwanda Development Board accepts installment gorilla permit purchases of 30% and 70%, respectively. To qualify for an installment gorilla permit purchase in Rwanda, you must book the gorilla permit 90 days before gorilla safari day and remember to top it up 90 days before gorilla trekking day. If you honor the top-up days, you retain the deposit, and the gorilla permit is re-opened to the public without notifying you.

Purchase it in full to prevent the risk of forgetting to top up the Rwanda gorilla permit. Provide the correct details on your passport because you may not be allowed to do the gorilla trek if the particulars are deferred on trekking day.

Can I Reschedule The Rwanda Gorilla Permit?

You can reschedule the Rwanda gorilla permit if you follow the proper procedures.

Every person who purchases a gorilla permit is sure to attend the gorilla tour. Still, due to unforeseen circumstances, you may be incapable of but hope to travel in the future. You must write to the Rwanda Development Board through your booking tour operator requesting to reschedule your gorilla permit. Do indicate the date to which the gorilla permit will be moved.

 Only gorilla permits paid for in whole or topped up can be rescheduled.

Upon accepting your gorilla permit reschedule request, your gorilla permit is moved based on the prevailing gorilla permit availability status.

Note that the Rwanda Development Board charges for gorilla permit rescheduling.

What Is The Age Limit For Booking A Rwanda Gorilla Permit?

Fifteen years and over is the age limit for booking Rwanda gorilla permits. During the gorilla trek, you walk in pristine Volcanoes National Park, which is rugged due to volcanic action in this area. Children below 15 years old may not bear the jungle situation.

The time you take to find the mountain gorillas is unpredictable, sometimes for longer hours, and children below 15 years may only be patient for a short time.

At a glance, the mountain gorillas are intimating, and their outlook may frighten a child, especially those below 15 years, even after they are briefed about what they are about to see. This causes chaos in the wilderness in case one makes noise.

What criteria is used to book gorilla permits in Rwanda?

The criteria used to allocate gorilla permits for Rwanda are hard to determine. Still, at times, it is based on factors like the physical fitness of participants, age limit, health condition, and others. No matter which gorilla family you are allocated to, focus on meeting the mountain gorillas because they are entertaining primates and charming to be in company with. It's a dream come true experience to be just about 7 meters from the vast mountain gorillas.

How Easy or Difficult is Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda?

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is quite strenuous because of the nature of the topography of Volcanoes National Park. This park comprises five volcanoes: Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhabura, Mountain Bisoke, Mountain Karisimbi, and Mountain Sabyinyo. The presence of these mountains conditions the topography of Volcanoes National Park, and sometimes, the mountain gorillas spend time on the slopes of these highlands.

Sometimes, you must hike where the mountain gorillas may be spending their day, which is quite tiresome. 

The time of finding the mountain gorillas varies due to the conditions prevailing in the wilderness. The Mountain gorilla family conquers and feeds from a particular area until food becomes insufficient, and then they move. When another wild family attacks the gorilla family, they may move, death of a family member, the adventurous nature of the gorilla family, and much more.

Even the pace of fellow tourists contributes to the time of finding the mountain gorillas. Do some exercises before the gorilla trek to keep fit and maneuver the jungle and highlands.

Although Volcanoes National Park has trails, sometimes they are blocked by creepers and vines, so the ranger guide with a machete has first to trim them to create a way for tourists.

Are mountain gorillas dangerous?

Mountain gorillas are not dangerous despite their intimidating appearance. Physically, mountain gorillas have dark-furred bodies and a scary look at a glance, but when you immerse into the hour with them, you realize how vulnerable they are.

In nature, mountain gorillas are shy and give off serene energy. They are cowards, too, so they often run into hiding when agitated. 

This doesn't mean you provoke the mountain gorillas because they can charge, too. When angry, the mountain gorillas do chest-thumping, hoot, walk on one leg, pull grass around them, and more drama.

Don't panic upon noticing such odd behavior; it may not be your fault. Please wait for the ranger guide to establish the root cause and follow his instructions. You may be required to crawl, pick some foliage, pretend to eat, and so much more to pay elegancy to the dominant silverback.

When leaving after the gorilla trek, do it stealthily and go and pick nothing from the forest, but carry only the photos and experience of your time with the only mountain gorillas in the world.

What To Pack For Gorilla Trekking Safari In Rwanda?

• Extract fully charged batteries to exchange with if one runs low
• Garden gloves to cover your hands in case you need to secure a tighter grip.
• Safari Boots that can withstand water-logged conditions in the forest in case the rivers overflow.
• A foldable safari hat with a large brim that can protect your hair from water dripping off the tree leaves
• Safari long shirt and trousers that can withstand forest conditions. They must be in colors like Tan or Khaki to camouflage dirt.
• A raincoat is needed if it falls in the jungle as this area is known to receive rain at any time without warning.
• First Aid kit with emergency items, especially if you have a non-communicable infection that may require urgent medical care.
• Medicated Insect repellent to keep away stinging insects in the wilderness
• A camera to capture highlights of the gorilla trekking tour for memories of your safari.
• A pair of binoculars to bring close the far-ranging items of your interest
• Toiletries, especially if your skin is sensitive to certain body chemicals.
• Energy bites to snack on when hungry and keep you going.
•  Shoe bags to keep in your dirty shoes, especially when you have no time to clean them up after the trek.
• Hard cash to change into local currency if you need to purchase specific items like souvenirs. Credit cards are rarely used in Africa because of the lengthy process of obtaining money from them.

For more assistance and information, Contact us and we will assist you with permit purchase and plan your safari as well.