The updated cost of Uganda gorilla safari permits is $800 from $700 per person as per the email Issued to tour operators in January 2024 by Uganda Wildlife Authority. Starting 1st July 2024, the cost of the Uganda gorilla trekking permit is to be $800 for foreign internationals, $700 for foreign nationals, Rest of Africa $500 and 300000shs for East Africans.
The increase in the price of Uganda gorilla permits is to support the mountain gorilla conservation, support more research about the mountain gorillas, help in the habituation process and much more.
According to Uganda wildlife Authority, in about four years more four gorilla families have been fully habituated open now to public visits and add to the list of Uganda gorilla families.
The new Uganda gorilla trekking families are in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and include
Nkuringo area in southern Bwindi : Posho gorilla family
Buhima area in Northern Bwindi: Muyambi gorilla family and Binyindo gorilla family
Rushaga area in southern Bwindi: Tindantine and Rwingi.
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As for gorilla habituation experience, there is an addition of two extra gorilla families according to Uganda Wildlife authority. At the moment, there are four gorilla habituation experience available to public booking. The maximum number of gorilla habituation experience families open to public booking is 4 gorilla habituation safari permits.
The gorilla habituation experience is an adventure where tourists in company of researchers follow a semi habituated gorilla family for four hours.
Gorilla habituation is a process by which a wild mountain gorilla family is familised with the presence of humans by researchers for a period that is not easy to determine. Depending on how fast these mountain gorilla adopt to human presence is how fast the public is allowed to visit them. Gorilla habituation process may take over two years.
The gorilla habituation process requires funding but part of these funds are collected from the sell of gorilla permits, some donations from well wishers, international conservation bodies but sometimes they are not enough to support all the activities.
How to Book a Gorilla Permit for Uganda.
Booking Uganda gorilla Trekking permits requires you to select a date for the gorilla trek or starting and departure time for your gorilla safari in Uganda. These help with checking availability of gorilla permits.
Please note that the minimum time for a Uganda gorilla safari is 3 day Uganda gorilla tour.
At Arch Safaris and Tours, upon receiving your gorilla safari enquiry our safari consultant checks for availability from the list of Uganda Wildlife Authority. For gorilla permits of the peak Uganda tourism season that is June to September and December to January, they sell out fast.
As soon as she or he gets the gorilla permit availability per your dates of preference, he or she responds back to you as soon as possible. This because the status of the gorilla trekking permits changes any time without warning.
Demand for gorilla permits is high throughout the world yet they are limited to maximum 8 per gorilla family for conservation reasons. In case the gorilla family is bombarded by a huge crowd of visitors, they may feel overwhelmed. It is easier for the gorilla family to run into hiding. Even so many people end up trampling on the grass where these primates feed.
When Is the Best Time To Book Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safaris?
Although gorilla trekking in Uganda is an annual safari activity, the dry season is many tourist’s favorite. The dry season normally acts as the peak tourism season of Uganda that is June, July, August, September, December and January.
It is best to book gorilla permits for the peak season atleast a 6 months to a year in advance to confirm this Africa safari adventure. The only ticket that gives you permission to do a gorilla safari in Uganda is the gorilla permit from Uganda wildlife Authority.
During the dry season, the trails of Bwindi and Mgahinga forest are quite dry since more sunlight is let in through the dense canopy. The rivers in the wilderness flow according to there normal course so creating a suitable space for tourists to explore the forest. Although these prehistoric forests are known for receiving unpredictable rains, the dry season rains are more mild.
Since the mountain gorillas make merry and feed closer to the ground during the dry season plus other forest inhabitants, more gorilla safari bookings flood the tourism industry of Uganda. Last minute tourists may get no chance to finding gorilla permit availability.
The cost of logistics that support gorilla tours like accommodations, vehicle hire, driver guide fees and much more are higher in the dry season yet completion is over the top.
The cost of Uganda gorilla safaris varies with category that is up-market, mid-range and basic. The gorilla permit cost is the only cost that all safari categories have in common. At the moment, the Uganda gorilla trekking cost until 31 June 2024 is $700 for international nonresidents, $ 600 for foreign residents and 200000shs for East Africans.
From 1st July 2024 to 31 June 2026 the cost of Uganda gorilla permits will be $800 for foreign nonresidents, $700 for foreign nationals, $500 for other African in other countries and 300000shs for East African residents.
The cost of the Uganda gorilla trekking permits covers park entrance fees, security, mountain gorilla conservation, support to the local community, one hour with the mountain gorillas, certificate.
Exclusions in the cost of the gorilla permit cost include snacks, tips, accommodations and others.
Other Uganda safari logistics costs that you may incur include accommodation costs, vehicle hire cost, cost of other additional safari activities and others.
How Sure Can I Be To See The Mountain Gorillas In Uganda?
Everyone would like an assurance of seeing the mountain gorillas after paying a hefty price for the gorilla trekking permit. There are about 99% chances of seeing the mountain gorilla in the wild.
Before the wild gorilla family is opened to public booking, it is first habituated for some time by researchers. Later mock tests for the gorilla family are done before opening it to the public. This helps mountain gorillas to withstand human presence atleast for one hour.
Although seeing wild animals in the wilderness is a chance opportunity, the case of mountain gorillas is a sure deal as they donot move so fast because of there weight. A normal fully grown male gorilla weighs about 200 kilograms and the female about half this weight.
Each morning, the team of ranger guides wakes up earlier than tourists to monitor the nesting point of the mountain gorilla family or there day hangout spot. After briefing, the ranger guide follows the trail leading where the gorilla family was last seen the previous day. To save time you spend in the forest the rangers also sue the clues given by the ranger guides earlier.
Is Gorilla Trekking In Uganda A Safe Adventure?
Gorilla trekking in Uganda is safe because these are highly protected primates and on the list of endangered species in the world. At the moment over 1000 mountain gorilla are residents of the Virunga area according to the resent population census. They are under the protection of conservation bodies in and outside Uganda.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority has a team of well trained ranger guides to protect, monitor and secure the mountain gorillas, other forest inhabitants plus visitors to these tropical rain forests. The safety of tourists is one of the priorities or the ranger guides in Bwindi and Mgahinga forest.
Other Uganda security agencies are in place to keep law and order but they coordinate with the on ground ranger guide security to provide safety to the tourists.
Before you walk into the forest for gorilla trekking experience, you have to undergo briefing from the ranger guides where you are given the dos and donts of gorilla safari. Missing briefing may amount to getting disqualified from gorilla trekking.
The cost of the gorilla trekking safari in Uganda is worth spending at because you get time to be with the only leftover mountain gorillas in the world. Just a few people get that opportunity to just be meters away from these few mountain gorillas believed to have shared time with the dinosaur. It is one of the once in lifetime adventure safari holiday adventures.
Taking a gorilla trekking safari is one way to support the existence of mountain gorillas since some of the funds from the sell of the mountain gorillas is used to support there conservation.
The local community needs to be supported so that they can understand the relevancy of the mountain gorillas and relevancy of preserving there habitants. A portion of the annual proceeds attained all year around is shared with the local community to run there projects.
If you want to give back to the local community, hiring a porter is one way to give back to the locals. A porter is a person who helps you carry your belonging while you trek to find the mountain gorillas.
How Difficult Is Gorilla Trekking In Uganda?
Gorilla trekking in Uganda is tiring because of the nature of the terrain which was affected by volcanic action which led to the creation of highlands like the plateaus and ridges. The thick vegetation that drapes over these highlands may be challenging to do though so you need to trim it with a machete to create a path.
The trails may be soggy and boggy from the regular rains that fall including the rotting foliage. This condition sometimes may make it so hard to hike so as to get where the mountain gorillas are.
Sometimes the mountain gorillas spend time at the slopes which is challenging to get too. You need to bear some level of fitness so as not to get muscle pulls before locating these primates.
The time of finding the mountain gorillas ranges from two hours or more depending on factors prevailing in the wilderness. When the mountain gorilla family you are a located to is adventurous, you may spend more time searching to find these primates.
Sometimes mountain gorillas have to relocate to new feeding ground, when the gorilla family loses a member they tend to go into hiding, the weather condition of the day that is in case its so wet the mountain gorillas go into hiding and much more. The pace of follow tourists contributes to how quickly or slow you get to these primates.
Having some level of fitness helps you to finally get where the mountain gorillas are fast or slow.
Upon finding the mountain gorillas, only an hour is allowed with them during gorilla trekking safari.
Which Is The Best Area For Gorilla Trekking In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is subdivided into four areas that is Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo but each area has its charming moments depending on your interest. The Buhoma area has the pioneer gorilla trekking families as Mubare gorilla family was opened for tourists booking in 1993, Habinyanja family in 1998 and the rest is history.
Ruhijah area is the birding haven of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and a key area that keen birders have opportunity to spot several bird species. Bwindi forest is home to over 350 birds have been recorded as residents of this forest inclusive of more than 23 species of Albertine rift endemics. By taking the trail to the Mubwindi swamp, you may spot over 100 bird species a day.
While in Nkuringo and Rushaga area, you have more chances to getting a gorilla family in case you travelled expecting to find a no-show. There are more gorilla families in the southern part of Bwindi forest.
For gorilla habituation experience, the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the most interesting. At the moment about four gorilla families are open for gorilla habituation adventure in Bwindi. Gorilla habituation safari allows you to have atleast four hours with a fully habituated gorilla family in the wilderness.