A gorilla trekking permit is a document that authorizes a visitor to participate in a gorilla trekking tour in any gorilla national park. Gorilla trekking tours in East Africa are conducted in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Rwanda gorilla trekking tours are done in Volcanoes National Park. In Uganda, gorilla trekking tours are done in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, gorilla trekking tours are done in Virunga National Park and Kahuzi-Biega National Park. All persons should be at least 15 years of age before considering a gorilla trekking tour in East Africa.
The gorilla trekking permit grants each visitor a chance to locate a particular habituated gorilla family through the dense rainforest. This hike could last between 1 to 8 hours, depending on the location of the gorillas and how fit you are to hike through the rugged terrain. Once you find the endangered gorillas you are given 1 hour in their presence.
This time is considered adequate for a visitor to observe and gain insight of the basic behaviors of the gorillas in their natural environment. In Uganda visitors have a great opportunity of spending 4 hours with the gentle giants if they opt for a gorilla habituation experience, only done in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Booking a gorilla permit in Rwanda is through the Rwanda Development Board situated in Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda. Each gorilla permit is at $1,500 per person per trek for a foreign non-resident, $500 for a foreign resident, $200 for a Rwandan citizen, $200 for the rest of East Africa and $500 for the rest of Africa. Booking a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda is done through the Uganda Wildlife Authority in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. Each permit is now at $800 per person per trek for a foreign non-resident, $700 per person per trek for a foreign resident, UGX300,000 per person per trek for an East African citizen and $500 for the rest of Africa.
Booking a mountain gorilla trekking permit in the Democratic Republic of Congo is done directly with Virunga National Park. Each gorilla permit can be acquired at $400 per person per trek. Booking the eastern lowland gorilla trekking permit in Kahuzi-Biega National Park is also done in at the national park. Each permit cost $400 per person per trek for a foreign non-resident, $200 for an East African citizen and $20 for a Congo citizen. Since the country is still facing security issues, the permits are less booked compared to those in the other two countries, thus making them readily available at any time of the year.
Though you can consider booking your gorilla permit directly as mentioned, the best way to guarantee a stress-free booking process is to do it with a reputable tour company like us. We assure you a smooth gorilla trekking permit booking process by leveraging our familiarity with the national parks and their authorities. We are knowledgeable about the best times to book, ensuring availability and a hassle-free tour experience for any traveller to East Africa. Also, a reputable tour company like us is staffed with experienced tour consultants, tour guides and others. We can plan the entire tour package with you, to make a tailored one that includes convenient accommodation, meals, transportation and other tour activities.
Booking through us requires that you first make contact, through our communication platforms—website, phone, WhatsApp, email, Facebook, X (formerly twitter) etc. We shall check for the availability of the permit for that particular date you hope to trek gorillas. Once it is confirmed that the permit is available for your desired date, we will send you an invoice that requires you to make a certain minimum payment. When you make the payment into our account, we will proceed to purchase the permit for you. Afterwards, we will send you a softcopy of your permit to acknowledge your gorilla payment.
Booking a gorilla trekking permit can be done throughout the year, however, your choice for traveling depends on their availability. If you opt to travel for a gorilla trekking tour in the dry season, chances of acquiring a permit are much lower in Uganda and Rwanda compared to the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is because the dry season is the peak season for tourism and a permit has to be booked in advance, at least 3 months before the tour. If you are interested in visiting any of the 3 countries for gorilla trekking tours during the wet season, you will have a higher chance of acquiring a permit since relatively fewer visitors book them. However, during the wet season, the heavy rains that fall cause the gorilla trails and access roads to be muddy and slippery hence challenging to navigate. Booking during the wet season is also advantageous for budget tourists. This is because you get a higher chance of acquiring the gorilla permit on a discounted fee.
