Gorilla permits in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo must be secured early enough as they get booked out very quick especially if you would like to travel during the peak season which covers June – September. The other months are December – February which are the dry months.
When planning your African safari to go visit gorillas in Congo, Uganda and Rwanda, it is very important that you secure your gorilla permit in advance from Virunga national park, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) or Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and Virunga National Park Authorities because mountain gorilla permits are in limited numbers as only a maximum of 8 people is allowed to visit a single gorilla group; therefore permits get finished quickly especially in the high seasons. Visiting gorillas in these countries is carried out in a very orderly way which only means that once you have secured your permit, you are guaranteed to visit these adorable endangered giants on the dates indicated on your gorilla permit. Most tour companies will include the gorilla permit in the price of your quotation when you book for a safari which comes very handy that securing it as an individual which may prove to be cumbersome.
In Uganda permits cost 700 USD per day per person and these can be obtained in Kampala at the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) headquarters.
Because of the reduced numbers of tourists during the covid-19 pandemic, the Uganda Wildlife authority in Bid to promote gorilla tourism and encourage tourists to visit during this time of the year has made a special offer to reduce the price of gorilla permits from $700 to $400 for every tourists.
The price has even become less for foreign residents paying $300 for gorilla permits and even lower for local tourists planning for visit mountain gorillas during this time.
There is also a provision of international booking where you can book your ticket through email directly with Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) although the only challenge is that credit cards are not accepted. You can also book through a local tour operator who will confirm your tour as well as reserve your gorilla permit. Be sure to get a scanned copy of your permit.
In Rwanda the permits are obtained from Kigali at the Rwanda Tourism Board offices (ORTPN) or in Ruhengeri near Volcanoes national park. The permits cost 1500USD and like in Uganda the permits also get limited due to the number of people allowed to see a single family of the gorilla, therefore earlier booking is paramount.
In Congo the permits are obtained from Virunga national park at a cost of 450USD per person per day and it is not any different from the 2 countries. The permits are given on first come basis.
It should be noted that availability of gorilla permits for a required date is not guaranteed and since there is a lot of competition for the gorilla permits, it makes it hard to secure a permit for oneself. Any delay in payment or confirmation may mean that you will be unlikely to obtain the permit on your preferred date. This only means that it always wise for one to make early permit bookings as well as payments about 4 months prior to the actual trekking month especially those planning for the high seasons which are January-February. The competition gets less in the low seasons that is June-September and December so the worry of missing a permit is less. After making payments and booking, there can’t be any cancellations lest a penalty waits.
Enjoy tracking the world’s most sought after creatures.
