Gorilla Trekking Authorization
The identity card you are given to prove you paid for the gorilla trekking activities is called Gorilla Trekking Permits. Visiting gorillas, sometimes known as gorilla trekking, one must have a gorilla trekking permit. A gorilla trekking permit is a paperwork allowing one to hike mountain gorillas in their natural surroundings. Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in the Congo, Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga national park in Uganda also feature these delicate species.
Several months before the trip, say at least three to four months in advance, travellers are urged to get a gorilla trekking permit. You will sure track the gorillas after you have your trekking permit. Given their scarcity, these gorilla permits are competitive—more so during the busy seasons of June-September and December-February. Just 96 permits daily for tracking visitors from Uganda alone, which are sold out very first owing to great demand.
As noted above, a gorilla trekking permit is a document issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority in Uganda and the Rwanda Development Board in Rwanda allowing a visitor above the age of 15 to trek mountain gorillas in any of the parks they are in. A gorilla permit lets one person visit the primates for no more than one hour. The location of the gorillas determines the 30 minutes to up to 8 hour trekking time.
The two countries of Rwanda and Uganda have different gorilla permit rates. A gorilla trekking permit as of June 2024 will cost $700 for foreign non-residents, $600 for foreign residents, and UGX250,000 for East African citizens in Uganda. For foreign none residents, Gorilla Habituation Experience in Uganda is at $1,500; for foreign residents and East African citizens pat UGX750,000.
On the other hand, a gorilla trekking permit costs $1,500 for everyone, including residents of Rwanda. These permits can be obtained through websites or even Ruhengeri, close to Volcanoes National Park, or offices of Rwanda Development Board in Kigali.
Gorilla permits are distributed according to sectors. Before, Uganda Wildlife Authority used to distribute gorilla trekking permits based on the gorilla families; hence, if one wished to monitor the Mubare gorilla group she bought permits for that specific group. Currently, though, the Uganda Wildlife Authority grants licenses per sector; when you call in you are asked the sector you like to follow the gorillas from and the date and if the permits are available for that particular sector and date, you get a permit for it, after paying for it of course. Should permits for a sector and date you desire to track run out, you can substitute another date or even switch sectors. This is the reason guests are encouraged to first buy gorilla tracking permits before making hotel reservations.
Four parts of Buhoma, the north, Rushaga, and Nkuringo in the south and Ruhijja in the East of Bwindi, make up Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. Once you present yourself at the sector headquarters for briefing and hiking following your gorilla trekking permission, you are assigned a gorilla group based on physical fitness and preference. Remember just 8 persons can walk a given gorilla group or family; thus, be sure you are assigned appropriately for as long as there is room whether you wish to trek with family and friends or whether you want a particular group or maybe a hard, medium or simple walk.
Three families of Mubare the very first habituated group, Rushegura, and Habinyanja group make up the Buhoma sector, the most favored hiking sector found north of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. While the Rushaga region in the southern Bwindi comprises Kahungye, Nshongi, Mishaya gorilla families plus Busingye and Bweza gorilla families, the Ruhijja sector has three habituated groups of Bitukura, Oruzongo, and Kyaguriro groups. Still just one group exists in the southern Nkuringo sector.
Permits for gorilla trekking in Rwanda
The permits are left at the park headquarters following the trekking exercise. But you will get yourself a gorilla trekking certificate of accomplishment in return.
Crucially important to keep in mind;
Trekking gorillas is for those fifteen years and above.
Gorilla permits sell quickly; reserving in advance is necessary.
The Gorilla Permission Fee cannot be returned.
