On 6th May 2017, Rwanda government through Rwanda tourism Board announced changes in the price of gorilla permits in the country. This involved the introduction of Rwanda’ USD15000 exclusive gorilla trekking which has proved to be very expensive when it comes to gorilla trekking activities in the whole world. Tourists and all those who can afford can now trekking Rwanda gorillas exclusively by pay a handsome amount of USD15000. Exclusive gorilla trekking simply means that if you pay USD15000, you will be allocated a gorilla family. With this, you will be able to trek a given gorilla family alone or with your friends which is totally different from the normal gorilla trekking where you are joined by other tourists to make a group of maximum eight people.

Why Rwanda’s USD15000 exclusive gorilla trekking is too expensive.

Before the introduction of Rwanda’s USD15000 exclusive gorilla trekking, those who wished to enjoy a special and exclusive gorilla trek would pay for eight gorilla permits. They would explain to park management that they needed to track a given gorilla family on their own and would be allocated to one family by park management. Let’s take an example where each gorilla permit costs USD1500 (Based on the new tariffs), one would be required to pay USD1500x8 which is USD12000. This would an able you to trek a given gorilla family exclusively but now, you will be required to pay USD15000 which is very expensive since one has to add an extra USD3000 on top of USD12000 for gorilla permits.

This therefore makes Rwanda’s USD15000 exclusive gorilla trekking a very expensive venture for tourists seeing that Uganda who are the currently competitors have their gorilla permits in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park at USD600 in high season and USD450 in low season. Because of Rwanda’s price hikes, we are likely to see a shift in the number of tourists going to Rwanda. Uganda and Democratic republic of Congo are likely to benefit from this hike at the expense of Rwanda.

For all those interested in Rwanda’s USD15000 exclusive gorilla trekking, please contact Encounter Africa safaris as we do operate gorilla tours to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda as well as gorilla safaris to Bwindi Impenetrable national Park and Mgahinga National Park in Rwanda.