Current Gorilla permit Price, Uganda, Rwanda, Congo
Current Gorilla permit Price, Uganda, Rwanda, Congo.The current cost of the gorilla permit is different depending on the country. Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda can easily be arranged with the purchase of gorilla trekking permits through Encounter Africa Safaris. However, Congo is a different case because of the political unrest in the country and at the moment, tourists are advised to trek mountain gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda only for security purposes.
A gorilla permit cost is one of the most important things that cannot be ignored, and although it is high in all three countries, it is worth it because you get to spend an hour with the primates but you also contribute to the conservation of the mountain gorillas.
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The current cost of the gorilla permit in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo is as below:
Uganda:
Uganda as a country has two gorilla permit types and these include the standard gorilla trekking permit and the gorilla habituation experience permit. The gorilla habituation permit can only be used in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the Rushaga sector. The cost of both types of permits is different, and the current cost of the standard gorilla permit is $800 for foreign non-residents, $700 for foreign residents, $500 for Africans from other African countries and Ugx300,000 for East African citizens.
The cost of the gorilla habituation experience permit in Uganda is $1500 for foreign non-residents, $1000 for foreign residents, $1000 for Africans from other African countries and UGX750,000 for East African Citizens.
Rwanda:
Rwanda has the most expensive gorilla permit and this is mainly because the country is a known luxury safari destination. Rwanda has excellent and good infrastructure leading to the trekking destination, the higher cost of the permit directly supports the conservation and community development programs.
The cost of the Rwanda gorilla trekking permit currently is $1500 for foreign non-residents, $500 for Africans from other African countries and $200 for East African citizens.
Rwanda offers discounts on gorilla permit costs, especially during the low/rainy season (March to May and October to November). The discount offered on the permits varies depending on the low season and several factors.
The RDB offers a 30% discount on the regular cost of the permit resulting in tourists paying $1050 per person but only if you have pre-booked to spend at least 2 to 3 nights in other Rwanda national parks that is Nyungwe Forest National Park or Akagera National Park.
In cases where the gorilla permits are purchased in bulk, a 10% discount is offered especially if you are purchasing 30 or more gorilla permits.
Families travelling together are eligible for a discount on the gorilla permits with each permit purchased having a 15% discount.
Congo:
The Democratic Republic of Congo has the most affordable permits among the three gorilla trekking countries. The cost of the gorilla permit in DRC is $400 for international tourists, $20 for Congo citizens and $200 for East African Citizens. Congo, however, offers discounts on gorilla permits during the low season (October to November and March to May), and the discounted gorilla permits cost $200 per person for international tourists.
What is included and excluded in the cost of the gorilla permit?
The gorilla permit in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo includes ranger guide fees, park entrance fees, conservation fees, treatment fees for the gorillas in case they fall sick, support to the local communities and security around the national park and during the trek.
The gorilla trekking permit excludes accommodation, tips, porter fees, transport, meals, other safari activities and personal purchases, among others.
How to purchase permits in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo
The purchase of gorilla trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda is easier and faster through a trusted tour operator. The user interface of the Rwanda Development Board booking site can easily be used to book and purchase permits, but we advise tourists to use local operators. When planning a gorilla trek permit, you need to be with your trekking dates and these will be provided to the tour operators so that they can check for the availability of the permits.
Checking for the availability of gorilla permits is done using the UWA website, accessed by tour operators and the RDB booking site in Rwanda. When the tour operators confirm that the permits are available, you will be requested to send in payments using the bank details provided after the permit has been temporarily booked on your behalf.
Tour operators cannot purchase the permits on your behalf if you have not yet sent in the payments.
When the payments are sent and confirmed, the permit will be purchased and a scanned copy as proof of purchase will be sent to you.
Congo: The gorilla permit in Congo can either be bought directly from the Virunga National Park authorities or through a licensed tour operator like Encounter Africa Safaris. If you want to apply for the gorilla permit directly, you have to send an email to the Virunga tourism office or check the website visit@virunga.org. We, however, advise tourists to use registered tour operators because they are well-versed in the region and can easily arrange the purchase of the permits with ease. After you send a message, you will receive several available options with instructions on what to do and how to make payments for the permit. The permit in Congo can only be reserved after you have made the payment and you also have to send a copy of your scanned passport. Note that it takes a week or more before the permit is processed.
The process of purchasing the permits through a tour operator is similar to the one in Uganda and Rwanda, but you have to book at least 3 to 6 months before the trekking date. After the purchase of the gorilla permit, the tour operator will arrange for other logistics, which include accommodation and transport, among others.
When to purchase the gorilla permits in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo
Gorilla permits in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis and have to be purchased at least 3 to 6 months before the trek date. There are limited permits printed per day. For example, only 160 permits are printed in Uganda (8 for Mgahinga and 152 for Bwindi), 96 permits are printed per day in Rwanda, and 64 permits are printed per day in Congo.
Because of the limited number of gorilla permits that are printed per day in each of the three countries, and yet they are in high demand, tourists have to book in advance to be able to take part in the exercise and booking early also helps in proper planning of the entire safari.
Why are gorilla permits needed to access gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo?
Mountain gorillas are an endangered species that needs to be protected at all times and one of the measures that was set up to ensure that the mountain gorillas are protected. The gorilla permits to limit the number of people that can access the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat per day, hence limiting the spread of diseases and disruption to the day-to-day activities of the mountain gorillas.
The gorilla trek permit fee covers several items that are essential to the conservation of the gorillas, and these include conservation fees, fees to cover medical care to the gorillas, ranger guide fees and security during the gorilla trek.
Cancellation of the gorilla permits in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo
Uganda and Rwanda: Uganda and Rwanda are similar, but note that there are instances where the cancellation policies are to be followed after a cancellation.
Congo: Cancellation of the gorilla permits is possible in Congo because of many circumstances, but note that there is an extra fee that is charged for every cancellation that is made when you apply. The cancellation policy in Congo is as follows with the charges that are applied.
0 to 7 days before departure: 100%
8 to 13 days before departure: 90%
14 to 19 days before departure: 60%
20 to 30 days before departure: 30%
31 days and more before departure: 2.9%
Uganda and Rwanda: Cancellation of the gorilla permits in Uganda and Rwanda is similar. A cancellation policy is also followed in both countries and below is the policy that is followed in Uganda and Rwanda.
0 to 8 days: no refund is made
9 to 45 days: 25% of the gorilla permit fee is refunded
46 to 90 days: 50% of the gorilla permit fee is refunded
91 days or more: 75% of the gorilla permit fee is refunded.
Refunds made for the gorilla permit in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo
There are no refunds made on gorilla permits, but there are instances where full refunds are made, although these are rare.
Uganda and Rwanda: Some of the instances where full refunds are made in Uganda and Rwanda include:
- If you fall sick after getting to the trekking destinations and are not able to participate in gorilla trekking, full refunds may be considered after a recommendation from the warden.
- If you get to the national park and fail to see the mountain gorillas after participating in the exercise the whole day, a 75% refund will be made,
- If you fail to trek due to unforeseeable circumstances like war, bad weather or border closures, a reschedule will be made or you will be offered a reschedule.
It is extremely important to first review the terms and conditions that are provided by the Uganda Wildlife Authority and Rwanda Development Board and the tour operators before booking and rescheduling your gorilla trek permits.
Reschedules on gorilla permits in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo
Gorilla permit reschedules refer to a situation where the dates of trekking mountain gorillas in their natural habitat are postponed to a later date depending on the availability of the dates upon request from the trekkers.
Rwanda: All reschedules in Rwanda come with a surcharge and they should not exceed 12 months from the initial date of trekking. If you are making reschedules for the permits, no refunds will be made.
Uganda: The first rescheduled permits that are made in Uganda are free of charge, but when a second reschedule is made, a surcharge of 25% is made on the original permit cost. Note that there are no refunds that are made when a reschedule is made.
All reschedules have to be submitted at least 14 days before the trekking date and this is done by writing a formal letter to the authorities stating reasons as to why you need a reschedule. Provide evidence if possible and wait for feedback from the authorities. Note that if the reschedules are made after 14 days, a surcharge of 25% will be incurred.
Note: Reschedules can only be made in the same country for the same activity previously booked and the same zones, especially in Bwindi like Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija and Nkuringo.
The gorilla permits that are bought through promotions and complimentary permits are not eligible for rescheduling.
Rescheduling can only be done on permits that have been paid for 100%. Payments that have been paid for in instalments cannot be rescheduled.
Other factors that affect the cost of gorilla trekking
After the purchase of mountain gorilla permits in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo, you need to look at other services and that contribute to the total cost of the gorilla trekking safari in all three countries and these include the following:
Accommodation: The type of accommodation that you choose will determine the overall cost of your gorilla safari. There are three categories of accommodation and these are budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation facilities.
The group size: Larger groups of tourists generally have a budget-friendly gorilla trekking safari, and this is because they end up sharing costs on many services like accommodation and transport.
Transport: Transport to the trekking destinations can be either road or air transport. Depending on your preference, road transport is more affordable as compared to air transport.
Contact us at Encounter Africa Safaris for more information about the current cost of gorilla permits in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo.