Uganda Gorilla Trekking Permit in 2021
Uganda Gorilla Trekking Permit in 2021: A gorilla trekking permit is a legal document issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority allowing tourists to track habituated mountain gorillas in the country. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is conducted in Bwindi Impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park in the south-western part of Uganda.
Price of Gorilla trekking permit in Uganda.
A single gorilla trekking permit in Uganda costs USD 700 dollars for the foreign non-residents, USD 600 dollars for the foreign residents and UGX250, 000 for the East African citizens.
Visitors interested in gorilla habituation can do so at Bwindi Impenetrable national park at a fee of USD 1500 person. Gorilla habituation in Uganda gives visitors an opportunity to learn more about the behavior of mountain gorillas, their feeding habits and how they socialize with one another in their group. Visitors doing gorilla habituation in Uganda get to spend four hours with the mountain gorillas once a gorilla group has been located.
Uganda Gorilla trekking fees include park entrance fees for the day, guide fees and community development contribution.
How to Book your Gorilla Trekking permit in Uganda.
Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda can be acquired directly through UWA offices in Kampala or through a trusted tour operator like Explore Rwanda Tours which will organize your entire safari including the transportation, accommodation, meals, gorilla trekking permit and activity you wish to be added on your itinerary.
Price of Accommodation
When planning for your gorilla trekking safari in Uganda, accommodation is also one of the factors to consider depending on the length of your trip. Explore Rwanda Tours has a variety of gorilla trekking packages for visitors looking to trek gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park.
Our 3 days Bwindi gorilla safari, involves visitors spending two nights in one of the lodges in Bwindi national park. The itinerary can be broken down as follows on day 1 you will leave Entebbe airport/ Kampala and drive to the park which is located in southwestern part of Uganda. The journey from Kampala to Bwindi impenetrable national park takes about 9-10 hours by road and is filled with lots of spectacular views of the countryside.
On day 2, you will get to do gorilla trekking in Bwindi national park which takes about 2 to 8 hours or more depending on how long it will take you to locate your gorilla group. On day 3 depart from Bwindi national park and head back to Kampala.
There are plenty of accommodation options in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park which range from budget, midrange and luxury accommodation. The lodges in both destinations usually offer full board services which include the accommodation and all meals. Budget accommodation prices in both national parks can range from $50 to $70 per room when sharing in a group of two people, midrange accommodation prices range from $80 to $120 per room when sharing in a group of two people and the luxury accommodation prices start from $150 per person when sharing a room.
Cost of transport to and from the park.
When budgeting for transportation you will consider the safari vehicle, the guide who will be driving you to and from the destination and the fuel that will be used. For visitors who want to use public means of transport on their gorilla trekking safari in Mgahinga gorilla national park or Bwindi impenetrable national park, our team of travel consultants at Explore Rwanda Tours will acquire for you a gorilla trekking permit though we don’t recommend public means of transport.
Alternatively, visitors can fly to either Bwindi national part or Mgahinga gorilla national park from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airfield. Aviation companies in Uganda like Aerolink operate scheduled flights from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi airfield to Kihihi airstrip for those travelling to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Kisoro airstrip for those doing gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park.
Visitors can also fly from Kigali international airport in Rwanda to Bwindi impenetrable national park for gorilla trekking and then go back to Kigali. At Explore Rwanda Tours, we can book for you tickets for your gorilla trekking flying safari to and from either Bwindi Impenetrable national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda. Therefore on your gorilla trekking flying safari you will budget for the plane ticket and the vehicle which will pick you up from Kihihi or Kisoro airstrip to the park.
Cost of a porter
If you are carry a lot of luggage or simply want to hike light, you can always hire the services of a porter. Visitors trekking gorillas in Bwindi national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park can always hire a porter from the park headquarters.
Tipping cost
Tip is an appreciation that visitors give as an appreciation for the services offered. Gorilla trekking tips can be offered to the guides at the end of a safari, park guides after gorilla trekking, waiters and waitresses at the lodges and porters who will be helping you during gorilla trekking. There is no standard tipping policy in Uganda therefore visitors can tip as much as they feel they want to tip.
Booking a gorilla trekking tour in Uganda
Gorilla trekking tour in Uganda can be booked anytime of the year; although visitors are advised to book at least 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date because the gorilla trekking permits in Uganda are on high demand and usually get sold out therefore to avoid disappointments its advised to book in advance.
Conclusion: You can always combine gorilla trekking in Uganda with other activities such as birding, cultural encounters like the Batwa trail experience, nature walks and golden monkey trekking or a game drive, boat cruise or lion tracking in Queen Elizabeth national park and Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale national park.
