How to Go Gorilla Trekking on Budget
Guide on how to Buy Gorilla Permits – Help & Advice on Getting a Gorilla Permit
Obtaining a Gorilla Tracking permit in Uganda, Rwanda and the Congo requires the visitor to book over 6 months in advance. Mountain gorilla safaris take place in the following countries in Africa
- Uganda – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park : 8-9 hours’ drive from Kampala. Can also be accessed from Rwanda, Arrival via Kigali crossing into Uganda via Katuna border – its just 4 hours drive
- Uganda – Mgahinga Gorilla National park : 9-10 hours’ drive from Kampala. Visitors can also reach Mgahinga national park via Cyanika border through Volcanoes national park side – its just 4 hours drive
- Rwanda – Parc National des Volcans / Volcanoes national park : 2-3 hours’ drive from Kigali
- DR Congo – Parc National de Virunga / Virunga national park : 1-2 hours’ drive from Goma
How to obtain Uganda Gorilla permits
Gorilla permits in Uganda are only issued from the Uganda wildlife authority offices and cannot be got from the Bwindi headquarters. You can book your gorilla permit through a reputable safari company. Make sure your request a copy of your gorillas permit.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority is situated at Kira road, Kamokya or you can sending them an email at .Travelers who prefer to buy their permits themselves can contact the UWA offices directly via email. Once you decide on your gorilla safari dates, its best to confirm and pay for your gorilla permit as soon as possible. Payments can be received via electronic transfer and make sure to send your payment receipt so UWA can trace your funds. UWA will keep your booking for a maximum of 7 days. If they have not received payment within that window you will lose the booking. UWA does not accept credit card payments.
Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks Tariffs:
Non Residents US$600
East African Residents: US$475
Uganda Citizens: Ush250,000
Refunds/Cancellation of Gorilla Trekking
UWA shall refund the full tracking fee, if the visitor fails to track due to illness, The park warden decides in a visitor is really sick r not. This means the visitor needs to have traveled to Bwindi forest or Mgahinga national park and present at briefing.
If visitors fails to see gorilla on their gorilla tour, in 12 hours due to movement of the gorillas are entitled to 75% refund or go trek gorillas the following day without payment. All refunds are done from Uganda wildlife offices in Kamwokya.
In a visitor makes cancellation, UWA will retain the following percentage.
- 0 – 8 days to tracking date – no refund
- 9 – 45 days to tracking date – 75% (25% refund to client)
- 46-90 days to tracking date – 50%
- 91 days and above to tracking date – 25% (75% refund to client)
In 2016, Bwindi impenetrable forest has over 1000 mountain gorilla species with 12 gorilla groups with 96 gorilla permits available each day – which are dispersed in 3 sectors of Bwindi. Gorilla groups include
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