Gorilla Trekking Prices
Gorilla trekking prices are upon the discretion of the local tour operator a tourist books with. There are no standard prices for gorilla safari activities as there a lot of travel expenses involved when one is carrying out the arrangement and some of the normal expenses involved in gorilla trekking include 4×4 ground transportation car hire, full time English speaking guide, accommodation fees, gorilla permits and enroute meals so different tour operators have different price quotation for gorilla trekking. However, there are specific prices for gorilla trekking permits in the different three countries. In Uganda a gorilla permits goes at a price of USD 600$, in Rwanda USD1500 and Dr. Congo 400$
Gorilla Trekking Permits
In general a gorilla trekking permit is a verified document that is approved by the ministry of tourism to you watch the gorillas in their natural environment. Countries with the rare mountain gorilla have different bodies responsible for issuing out the gorilla permits with terms and conditions ,In Rwanda RDB(Rwanda Development Board) is the body responsible for monitoring and issuing out gorilla permits for gorilla trekkers and Dr. Congo ICCN (Institut Congolais pour le Conservation de la Nature) the governmental agency responsible for all DR Congo’s protected areas also responsible for gorilla permits, for the case of Uganda, a gorilla trek permit is given out by Uganda Wildlife Authority(UWA) a national agency handling Uganda National Parks and wild reserves. Gorilla Permits in both Rwanda and Congo are in form of papers with all required details and names yet in Uganda all details are uploaded on an electronic card which is charged on the gorilla tracking day NB For any tourist willing to reserve gorilla permits on their own and contact the responsible bodies above for instance travelers on self drive vacations.
In Other wards government organizations are responsible for issuing out gorilla permits to tourists who wish to visit gorillas in their habitats but also the would-be trackers of gorillas can get the permits from the local tour operators that buy them from the organizations responsible to help you ease you work just because the tour operators are ever on ground and they always have first hand information about the process in case of any updates. As mentioned the authorities for gorilla permits include Uganda wildlife authority in Uganda, in Rwanda, Rwanda development boards at the tourism department and in Congo Virunga Foundation in response to ICCN.
When to book a gorilla permit
A tourists or visitor is supposed to book for a gorilla permit in advance of like six months before traveling to the gorilla destination as these are always on a high demand and if one does not book earlier he/she might miss out. The prices of gorilla permits in the three different countries differ; A single Uganda gorilla permit costs USD 600$, in Rwanda USD 1500$ and in Congo it costs USD 400$. These prices are always standard throughout the year and they are never changed unless it is communicated by the authority in charge like it was officially communicated in Rwanda about price changes from 750$ to 1500USD in May 20017.