Gorilla Trekking Permits in Uganda
Gorilla Trekking Permits in Uganda; Gorilla trekking in Uganda takes place in the dense tropical forests in south western Uganda, that is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Kanungu district and Mgahinga Gorilla Forest National Park in Kisoro district. Uganda has the largest mountain gorilla population in the world.
Gorilla trekking permits are a license in the form of an electronic document that offers tourists access to national parks for gorilla trekking, that is, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga in Uganda. Uganda Wildlife Authority, located in Kampala, is the only authorized organization with the right to sell gorilla trekking permits to tourists.
In Uganda, gorilla trekking permits cost USD 800 to foreign non-residents, USD 700 to foreign residents with working permits, USD 500 for the rest of African citizens, and UGX 300,000/= to East African nationals (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi). This permit only authorizes one day and one hour while with the mountain gorillas, but trekking might exceed 30 minutes to 8 hours. For gorilla habituation, a permit costs US $1500.
Gorilla trekking permits are always available in limited numbers due to the competitive demand for gorilla trekking in Uganda, especially in the period of June, July, August, September, December, and February. It’s advisable to purchase your permit not less than 4 months prior to your trekking dates. According to Uganda’s trekking rules, a permit is issued to a tourist 15 years and above. A group must consist of not more than 8 people.
In Uganda, before deciding on purchasing a permit, you have to specify the region you prefer to trek as per your interests, as a major consideration, because it decides where you will stay while on your trekking trip, most especially if your interest is Bwindi forest gorilla trekking. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has four gorilla trekking regions: Buhoma in the north, Ruhija in the east, Rushaga and Nkurigo in the south, with 15 gorilla family groups.
Process of getting a gorilla trekking permit
- After deciding on the suitable dates you wish to go for mountain gorilla trekking, contact a tour or safari operating company, and in this case, Achieve Global Safari should be among the best choices. Provide your agent with the dates (year, month, and day) to book your ticket.
- Your agent will inform you about the possibility of doing trekking on the dates of your choice, and if the gorilla trekking permits are not available, you can reschedule.
- Scan and email a copy of your identification documents and a passport. These details are required by the Uganda wildlife authority as they affect the pricing of the permit (price varies among foreign non-residents, foreign residents with working cards, and East African citizens) and also to know if you’re eligible to participate in trekking (only 15 and above).
- Make your payments by sending money to a bank account if you’re using a tour company, or email a bank payment confirmation to reservations@ugandawildlife.org if you’re purchasing the ticket directly from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).
- A scanned copy of the purchased Bwindi gorilla trekking permits shall be sent to you in a few days after successfully making all your payments, and upon arrival, your card will be handed over to you by your tour agent.
