The Guide to Gorilla Permits
The Guide to Gorilla Permits: The Uganda Wildlife Authority is the state body responsible for issuing cards, or tickets, that allow trekkers above 15 to see mountain gorillas in their natural environment. The Uganda Wildlife Authority requests information from a national identity card or passport to verify a traveller’s age. For anyone to be able to trek with mountain gorillas, they need to get a gorilla permit.
The Guide to Gorilla Permits
Number of Gorilla Permits
There are two types of gorilla permits, including gorilla habituation permits that allow a traveller to be part of the process of gradually introducing the gorillas to the presence of human beings for 4 hours. Following the ultimate guide to gorilla permits, “these gentle giants and humans are thought to share 98% of the same DNA; a gorilla trekking permit is a card that permits visitors to spend an hour with fully habituated mountain gorillas and observe their behaviours.
With the ultimate guide to gorilla permits, you can also take pictures of the mountain gorillas and make videos that you can upload to social media to show your loved ones. There are only 160 gorilla permits in Uganda; 152 are for the national parks of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga. Additionally, Uganda has eight gorilla habituation permits, which are limited to use in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
The cost of a gorilla permit includes park entrance, fees for ranger guides and trackers, park security, fees for community development, and a one-hour visit with the mountain gorillas. Everything covered by a gorilla permit charge, excluding time spent with mountain gorillas, is included in the gorilla habituation fees.
Those who have paid for gorilla habituation licences are permitted to spend four hours in the company of mountain gorillas and engage in any activities that help the apes become accustomed to having humans around. Accommodations, park transportation, porter costs, and sedan chair expenses for the elderly, disabled, or pregnant women are not included in the gorilla permit fees.
Where can I get a gorilla permit?
Following the guide to gorilla permits, the Uganda Wildlife Authority, a government agency overseeing tourism and animal protection in all of the nation’s national parks, is the place to obtain a permit for gorilla trekking. For the same cost, a reputable local tour company can also provide the gorilla permit. Travellers who follow the ultimate guide to gorilla permits can look out for local tour operators on Google or ask a friend who has been abroad for recommendations, or they can use the Uganda Tourism Board’s permits to conduct tourism-related activities.
How to Book a Gorilla Trekking Permit?
Using a tour operator
For the same cost, gorilla permits can be reserved through a nearby tour company. Find a local tour operator you can trust, then send them an email with the dates of your desired gorilla trekking month and year, as well as the national park you would want to visit, to make a reservation. The information shall be used to verify the availability of the gorilla permits with the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
If the permits are available, you will receive an email with the cost of the permit you want as well as the various banking information you will need to make the payment. If payment is made, a scanned copy of the receipt must be sent for verification, and
As an individual
Following the Guide to Gorilla Permits, the Uganda Wildlife Authority directly offers gorilla permits to tourists planning their gorilla safaris. It will be necessary for travellers to send an email to the bookings office with their desired month and year of gorilla trekking. If you are visiting Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, you should include the region you want to visit in your email, as well as the national park you wish to hike in.
The data will be used to determine whether gorilla permits are available; if they are, you will be able to embark on a gorilla trekking expedition. You will be requested to adjust the dates if the permits are unavailable on the specified days. You will receive an email detailing the cost of the permits and the various banking details where you can select and transmit the payment for the entire permit or booking if the permits are available.
We may arrange for the permits for you when you send the money and email us a scanned copy of the receipt. Before entering the park, you must pick up your permits at the Uganda Wildlife Offices.
Is it possible to pay gorilla permits in instalments?
Yes, following the guide to gorilla permits, tourists can now pay the Uganda Wildlife Authority or regional tour operators in instalments for their gorilla permits. When making a reservation, a traveller may pay 30% of the entire cost of the gorilla permit; the remaining 70% must be paid three months before the gorilla trekking date. Three months before the trekking date, travellers who do not pay the remaining money will forfeit their 30% booking.
How much does a gorilla permit cost?
There are two types of permits for gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation in Uganda. For foreign non-residents, a gorilla trekking permit costs $800; for foreign residents, it costs $700; and for East African citizens, it costs UGX 300,000. A gorilla permit enables visitors to spend an hour in the natural environment of mountain gorillas.
Gorilla habituation involves spending four hours with mountain gorillas, and a permit costs $1500 for non-resident foreigners, $1000 for residents of other countries, and 750,000 for East African citizens.
Best time to buy or book a gorilla permit?
Following the guide to gorilla permits, travellers must purchase or reserve their gorilla trekking permits at least three to four months before the trip. Uganda Wildlife Authority sells the permits on a first-come, first-served basis. Purchasing a gorilla permit in advance aids in the appropriate planning of the safari and the selection of the area in which you wish to walk with mountain gorillas.
When it comes to visiting Uganda during the dry season, travellers should reserve their permits three to four months in advance, as these are in high demand. However, those who plan to visit during the rainy season can book as early as one month before the trekking activity, as permits are guaranteed to be issued. A few visitors are considering visiting the park during the rainy season because it is marked by an abundance of rainfall.
