UWA to give AUTO free gorilla permits as commission

June 26, 2015

UWA to give AUTO free gorilla permits as commission

Uganda Wildlife Authority hopes to cement there relationship with the Uganda tour operators so as to create a great working environment. Uganda Tour operators has been the biggest marketing tool for the products of Uganda Wildlife Authority and so both need each other for better business and service providing.

In 2015, Uganda wildlife Authority proposed to give free permits to Uganda tour operators who sold over 30 gorilla permits per day. This was mentioned by then chair person of Association of Uganda Tour Operators during their annual general meeting which was held at Serena Hotel on 25th June 2015.

According to the Chairperson Mrs Babra Adoso, Uganda Wildlife Authority was to start offering free permits for every thirty permits booked by members of Association of Uganda Tour Operators. This was done to as one of the ways to give back to Uganda tour operators for the work well done.

Most Popular Gorilla Safaris

The was to give free mountain gorilla permits to Members of The Uganda Association of Tour Operators as commission for the permits they book on behalf of their clients from Uganda Wildlife Authority

How To Book Uganda Gorilla Trekking Permits

You must have the date when you hope to do gorilla trekking in Uganda. When you send us an Enquiry on info@gorilla-tracking-uganda.com, our tours consultant has to check availability per your dates of preference.

He or she gets back to you as soon as availability is given. In case its positive and you are sure about the date, its best to purchase your gorilla permit as soon as possible. This is because the gorilla permits are sold out very fast.

They are sold according to first come first served basis. No permit is spared for anyone without payment. This because of the high demand worldwide for the permits yet just 8 per gorilla per family are released to the public. By purchasing the gorilla trekking permit, you show some level of commitment to taking the safari.

Uganda gorilla permits for Bwindi Impenetrable National park are sold according to area. Bwindi is a vast national park and its divided into four areas that is Buhoma area, Rushaga area, Ruhijah area and Nkuringo area.

You must know where your gorilla permit is bought so that you can book accommodation for your gorilla trekking nights in the right place. In case you book accommodation in another area, you may be required to wake up early in the morning to drive long distances to attend the briefing in another area.

The huddles you go through crossing from one area to another are unpredictable like very slippery roads, finding a log across the road, flat tyre and others. You do not need to miss out on your gorilla trekking experience for such reasons.

Mgahinga National park in Uganda is also a gorilla trekking destination with only one gorilla family called Nyakagezi family. This however meanders into Rwanda or D.R.Congo at times, so its permits are sold according to availability of the gorillas.

Amongst all the mountain gorilla habitats, it’s the most remote and still having virgin environment because it is less visited. To book a gorilla permits for Mgahinga National Park, you need to check the availability of the mountain gorillas.

After booking the gorilla permit, you need to provide some personal details to be filled on your gorilla trekking card. These include your full names as listed on the passport, Nationality, date of birth, passport expiry date and others.

These are presented to the Uganda wildlife reservation team for record keeping and are filled on your certificate of gorilla trekking safari accomplishment.

What Is the Cost Of Gorilla Trekking Permit

At the moment the Uganda gorilla trekking cost is $700 per person per trek. These funds are used to support conservation of the endangered mountain gorillas, medical care for the gorillas, pay the ranger guide and much more.

Annually the proceeds accumulated from the sale of the mountain gorilla permits, 20 % of the gross profit is given back to the local community to support there projects. This is one of the ways to include the community in the gorilla conservation initiative.

When the locals are hired as porter to carry the tourists bags, they earn some money that is used to facilitate their day today need like medication, school fees, buying food and others.

The cost of the entire gorilla trekking safari is dependent on the cost of the gorilla permit.

The number of people travelling with for gorilla trekking, number of days to spend on safari, accommodation to stay at while on safari and much more determine the total safari cost.

When To Book A gorilla permit In Uganda

Since the gorilla permits get sold out fast especially during the peak seasons which are June to September and December to January, book in advance.

90 days to the date of your gorilla trekking day is the least time for you to be safe booking a gorilla permit. Sometimes tourists buy gorilla permits as early as a year in advance but these can be bought in instalments at least pay 30% of the total cost of the gorilla permit and top up later.

Although chances of getting a last minute gorilla permit may be available, finding space at accommodation facilities may be challenging because they are sometimes over booked. Chances of selecting accommodation to stay at are narrowed especially during the peak seasons.

When you book gorilla permits in the low season that is March to May or November, chances of getting low costs on other safari amenities like accommodation are high. This is because the seasons are not so busy ad at times you may have the gorilla family as a solo client.

How dangerous are the Mountain Gorillas

Although mountain gorillas are huge in size and have dark eyes, they are serene creatures. In nature, they are peaceful and love there families. Each gorilla family is led by a silverback who is the overall controller of most activities including expanding the family lineage.

The mountain gorillas entirely feed on vegetation with bamboo as there delicacy, leaves, soft stems, fruits and supplement there diet with ants.

During gorilla trekking, clients are advised not to provoke the mountain gorillas despite there serene nature. This is because when the mountain gorillas get agitated, they may go into hiding. Only one hours is allowed with the mountain gorillas so do not do anything that will destruct this hour.

When you locate the mountain gorillas, you are advised not to surround them so that they don’t feel ambushed. They are very sensitive primates that require just following the rules of gorilla trekking in order to succeed in locating the mountain gorillas.

When To Find The Mountain Gorillas In Uganda

The time for finding the mountain gorillas is not known because of there unrestricted movement. They are wild animals that must look for there own food. Sometimes locating the mountain gorillas may take between 2 hours to three quarters of the day.

Some little patience is required to succeed in finding the mountain gorillas. This is because of there uncontrolled movement and the conditions prevailing in the forest.

In case the gorilla family you are trekking has lost a family member, they move into hiding to morn. When a new birth is received in the family, there is joy all over. After winning a battle from a wild gorilla family, there is usually joy amongst the gorillas so location them may probably be easier.

During the severe rainy seasons, the mountain gorillas regularly feed from the slopes because food closer to the bottom of highlands may be covered in water. The Virunga area has a dense network of rivers that may over flow on the ground surface.

You must have the right safari boots that will not slide when you hike on the slopes. The mountain gorillas love feeding from the slopes at times.

Which Is the Best Park For Gorilla Trekking Of Bwindi Impenetrable National park and Mgahinga National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National park has the largest number of gorilla trekking families, which amount to about 18 gorilla families. Mgahinga on other side has only one gorilla family that is very mobile too.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has a wide choice of accommodation facilities where as Mgahinga National park is limited with the accommodations to stay at during gorilla trekking.

Mgahinga National park is rarely visited so its environment is still virgin whereas Bwindi Impenetrable National Park often receives visitors and trails are often created to enable them traverse the forest to the gorillas.

For Keen birders, birding in both Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park is very interesting as both parks host Albertine endemics like shelley’s Crimmsonwing.

How Difficult Is Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

Getting to the mountain gorillas is sometimes strenuous depending on there feeding or lounging location. Sometime they feed from the slopes and others times at the bottom. You need to have some level of fitness to enjoy the entire experience,

Gorilla trekking involves walking which is not the case with game drives where you are taken around in a vehicle. Your physical fitness determines a lot on when you are to locate the mountain gorillas.

At Encounter Africa safaris, we advise our clients to do a little exercises just to stretch the muscles and get them ready for the long trek. You can start with simple walks in your compound and them increase your pace as time goes by.

You don’t need to be in the gym to exercise your muscles.

Gorilla trekking doesn’t discriminate in physical appearance because sedan chairs are available for physically impaired clients. You have to hire the sedan chair in advance so that you can hire porters to carry it too.

Why hire A porter For Gorilla Trekking

If you want to directly support the community, hiring a porter to carry your belongings is one of the ways. They use the money paid to them to acquire home needs like medication, school fees, clothing and other

The porter carries your belongings while you trek freely to find the gorillas, he may give you a push when tired from hiking. When you locate the mountain gorillas, your bags remain with the porter so you are able to take better photos of the mountain gorillas.

What Is The Age Limit For Gorilla Trekking Safari In Uganda

15 years and above is the age limit for gorilla trekking because of the unknown time of locating the mountain gorillas. Children below this age may not endure the longtime of staying in the wild.

The first glance at the mountain gorillas may be frightening to the children below this age. You do not need to show your freight to the gorillas because they find you suspicious.

Shouting in the forest scares the mountain gorillas so try to keep low voices no matter what may scare you. This is hard to contain by a child below this age.

Sometimes the gorillas may walk over and touch you, which may not go well with a child below this age.

Children below this age get agitated by the environment around them and throw a tantrum which may cause a stampede in the forest.

What Else To Do Apart From Gorilla Trekking Bwindi Impenetrable national park

Birding is one of the most interesting activities in Bwindi Impenetrable National park or Mgahinga National Park. Bwindi hosts about 350 bird species like Shelley’s Crimsonwing, African Green Broadbill, Mountain and Yellow streaked Greenbuls, Rwenzori Batis and others. Mgahinga National Park has about 115 species of birds and the list is still expending.

Mountaineering in Mgahinga national park is another interesting activity you can take part in. some of the mountains you can climb in a day include Gahinga mountain, Muhavura Mountain, Sabyinyo Mountain.

Primate walks in both Bwindi Impenetrable national park and Mgahinga National park may give you chance to spot primates like olive baboons, vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, black and white colobus and others

Cultural walks in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National park take you into the life of the local people .Batwa cultural walk and Garama cave take you into the history of the Batwa who have the secrets of the Virunga forest. Buhoma community walk gives you a chance to see local medicine men, local beer brewing and others.