Who can check Rwanda gorilla permits online

Tour operators can check for the availability of Mountain gorillas in Rwanda, and tourists can also check for their availability through the Rwanda Development Board website. The Rwanda Development Board is the government organization responsible for printing and issuing gorilla permits in the country, and it is also in charge of all the national parks in Rwanda. A gorilla permit is a document that gives you access to the Mountain gorillas in their natural habitat which is Volcanoes National Park. Rwanda has 12 habituated gorilla families tracked all year round and 96 gorilla permits are printed per day for gorilla tracking in Volcanoes National Park.

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The online gorilla trekking purchase system in Rwanda is easy to use and both registered tour operators and tourists can check for the Rwanda gorilla permits online. We, however, advise that you contact a tour operator like Encounter Africa Safaris to help you with the purchase of the gorilla permit and planning of the exercise.

The cost of the Rwanda gorilla permit

The cost of the gorilla permit in Rwanda as of now is $1500 for foreign non-residents, $200 for East African citizens, $500 for foreign residents and $500 for citizens from other African countries. Rwanda has an offer for permit discounts for tourists visiting and spending at least 2 nights at either Akagera National Park or Nyungwe Forest National Park paying $1050 per permit. The permit fees are a bit high and this is because they cover several aspects including the following:

• The Park entrance fees
• Security at the National Park for both the Mountain gorillas and the trekkers
• Community support
• Conservation support
• Ranger guide fees
• Medical care for the Mountain gorillas
• An hour with the Mountain gorillas.

The gorilla permit fee, however, does not cover the following.

• Personal shopping
• Transport
• Accommodation
• Tips
• Hiring porters.

How to book permits in Rwanda

Gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda have to be purchased at least 6 months or more in advance because there are only 96 permits printed per day, and they are always in high demand, especially during the dry/peak season. The earlier you book, the better choices you have especially on the accommodation type chosen. Gorilla permits can be booked through a registered tour operator like Encounter Africa Safaris, and the advantage of booking and purchasing a gorilla permit through a trusted tour operator is that the tour operators have extensive knowledge about Rwanda, the gorilla families and the different accommodation options you can choose from hence easing your safari planning. If you need to book and purchase gorilla permits in Rwanda, below are some of the things that you need to provide.

• The dates you would want to track gorillas in Rwanda. Select and suggest a few dates just in case the first choice that is made is already booked. When you come up with the dates, send them to your tour operator as this allows them to check for the availability of the permits on the given dates.
• A scanned copy of your passport with the passport number, nationality and name visible. Send the scanned copy to the tour operator, and these details will be used when processing the permit. The passport is used to vet out tourists who are not 12 years and above.
• Payments can be made through direct bank transfers or by credit card. But before you make the payments, make sure that the bank covers the withdrawal charges so that the payments sent are enough to make the gorilla permit cost.

You should, however, note that not all tour operators in East Africa accept credit card payments, and for all those that do, they add a surcharge of between 3% and 9%.

Once the tour operator checks and finds that the permits are available on the provided date, they will go ahead and pre-book the permit on your behalf but you need to make sure that the payments are made immediately due to the high demand. After the payments have been confirmed, the permits will be purchased on your behalf and a scanned copy sent to you. Upon arrival in the country, the guide will give you the original permit.

If you are purchasing the permits directly through the Rwanda Development Board, you need to send the bank payment confirmation to them via email.  If you are travelling alone, you will have to collect the gorilla permit from the Rwanda Development Board offices. Contact us for more information.

Is it possible to reschedule gorilla permits in Rwanda?

Yes, it is possible to reschedule gorilla permits in Rwanda but this can only be done if you follow the right procedure. You have to first write a formal letter to the Rwanda Development Board requesting to reschedule your gorilla permit to a later date. You also have to attach backup evidence giving a reason as to why you are unable to make it for gorilla trekking on the original date. When the reschedule is approved, the gorilla permit will be moved to a later date depending on the availability of the gorilla permits and unlike Uganda, Rwanda charges for the permit reschedules that are made per person.

When canceling a gorilla permit in Rwanda, you have to know that there is a cancellation and refund policy that is to be followed and this is as stated below.

• No refunds are made if make the cancellation 0 to 8 days before the trek date
• 25% refund to the client if cancellation is made 9 to 45 days before the trek date
• A 50% refund is made to the client if cancellation is made 46 to 90 days before the trek date
• A 75% refund is made to the client if cancellation is made 91 days or more before the trek date.

Note that all cancellations, refunds and reschedules are handled by the Rwanda Development Board and not the tour operators. The tour operators will just help ease the process of rescheduling, cancelling and refunds.

Do I own the gorilla permits after purchase in Rwanda?

Yes, to some extent you own the gorilla permit from the time of purchase to the day of the trek and after the briefing, the permit is taken back to the Rwanda Development Board head offices for reuse. Gorilla permits remain a property of the government of Rwanda even after purchase and no tourist is allowed to leave with the permit.

The gorilla trekking experience in Rwanda

Gorilla trekking is an activity that is carried out by tourists who are 12 years and above and it starts early morning with a briefing. The briefing is to be attended by all tourists and carried out by lead guides who take you through the rules and regulations that need to be followed when gorilla trekking, division of trekkers in groups is carried out during the briefing and assigning of the gorilla families to trek.

After the briefing, the trek starts at the trailhead with the different groups heading in different directions in search of the gorilla families that they have been assigned to. The duration of the gorilla trek takes time, and it is not known, as it depends on the location of the gorilla families, but it can take 1 to 6 hours. The trekking exercise takes you through different terrains, and the only way one can enjoy it is to be calm and patient. After locating the Mountain gorillas, each group has an hour with them before they trek back to the national park headquarters for the awarding of the certificate of participation.

Gorilla trekking is a safe exercise because before the gorillas are open to the public, they undergo habituation, which makes it easy for trekkers to get close to the primates. There is 24/7 security provided by the government and other security agencies, and there are rules and regulations that help protect both the gorillas and the trekkers. Tourists also need to make sure that they do personal security like following all the rules and regulations, not moving with valuables and avoiding counting money in public, among others.

Each morning of the trek, trackers are sent out to locate the last seen place of the Mountain gorillas and after locating them, the trackers use radio calls to communicate with the guides. All this is done to make sure that the trekkers have a chance to see the Mountain gorillas on the day of the trek. The trackers guide the lead guides, who then take the right direction in searching for the primates. Note that gorillas are always on the move and it might take you a while to locate them even after the communication.

During the gorilla trekking exercise, the ranger guides move with a machete which is used to clear paths through the thick forests because there are no clear paths. An armed ranger escorts the trekking group to ensure that the trekkers are safe and the rifles are fired into the sky in case of emergencies.

When is the best time to book permits in Rwanda?

The best time to book permits in Rwanda is 6 months up to a year. This is because the gorilla permits sell out fast mostly during the peak season experienced from June to September and December to February. Permits can also be booked 3 months in advance of the trek date; however, the chances of getting the permits a few months before the trek date are slim. There are sometimes last-minute gorilla permits available, especially during the rainy season from March to May and October to November, but this is not a guarantee.

Gorilla trekking rules and regulations in Rwanda

The gorilla trekking rules and regulations in Rwanda are some of the steps that the Rwanda Development Board to ensure that the gorillas are safe and the trekkers as well. All trekkers are supposed to follow these rules and regulations and failure to do so might lead to failure to trek and fines. The rules and regulations for gorilla trekking in Rwanda include the following:

• The age limit for Rwanda gorilla tracking is 15 years. Tourists can still trek as long as they are above 18 and can still trek since the exercise is physical.
• The distance tourists have to keep after locating the Mountain gorillas is 8 to 10 meters to ensure that there are limited human-to-gorilla infections.
• Groups of 8 are assigned a gorilla family per day. This is to reduce the number of people that have access to the Mountain gorillas and, in the end, protect the gorillas.
• Every group has a maximum of an hour with the Mountain gorillas after locating them
• Eating, drinking when with the gorillas and feeding them is prohibited
• Smoking negatively affects the Mountain gorillas and is not allowed.
• Touching the Mountain gorillas is prohibited
• When the Mountain gorillas approach, you have to follow the guidelines by not running away but crouching down and not looking the gorillas straight in the face.
• Take photos of the Mountain gorillas after turning off the camera flash
• Ensure that you communicate in low tones and avoid noise-making
• Human waste has to be buried in a hole 30cm deep so that the gorillas do not dig it up
• All sick tourists will not be allowed to trek gorillas to prevent humans from infecting the Mountain gorillas.
• Spitting on the vegetation within the national park is prohibited.

What to pack/bring for a gorilla safari in Rwanda

Some of the essential items that need to be packed for the best Rwanda gorilla safari include the following:

• Neutral-coloured long-sleeved shirts and trousers
• Knee-length safari boots
• Garden gloves
• Socks
• Insect repellent and sunscreen
• A sunhat
• A waterproof rain jacket,  ponchos, sweaters and scarves.
• A waterproof backpack
• Warm clothes including ponchos, scarves and sweaters
• Camera and binoculars
• Cash
• Refillable water bottle
• Snacks

Contact us for more information about gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda and get to know more about the trekking exercise. Let us at Encounter Africa Safaris help you plan your gorilla safari in Rwanda.