Are you planning for a gorilla safari to Africa and you do not know when you should book your permit or how early you should book for your gorilla safari? Well, in order for you to take part in gorilla safari, a number of factors have to be considered while planning for a successful primate adventure of this kind.
As you plan for a memorable gorilla tour, one of thing you shouldn’t forget is securing your gorilla permit. This must be done early enough! How early should it be done is a main question that nearly everyone asks and very significant and at end of this article, you would have got the answer to this important question.
A gorilla permit is a very important requirement for every trekker who wishes to embark on gorilla safari in Uganda, Rwanda or DR Congo. A permit is what allows you track only one habituated family and given the high demand for permits, visitors are always encouraged to book for their permits in advance to avoid any kind of disappointments. In Uganda, about 136 gorilla permits are always available for visitors to purchase and these represent about 17 habituated groups that are available for visitors to trek in Uganda Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park, in Rwanda-there are about 80 permits that are always available for purchase and they represent the 10 groups that have habituated and readily available for visitors to trek then 64 in DRC which represent about 8 habituated families in Virunga National Park. Note, one gorilla group is equal to eight visitors!
Usually, visitors wishing to take part in this tremendous primate adventure are advised to book their permits at least 3-6 months earlier before the actual trekking date. However, others even book 2 years earlier. Booking a permit in advance is something of great significance. First, it gets you out of the stressful moment on the last minute booking when it becomes very challenging for one to find a permit the fact that demand for them is very high. Normally, things become worse especially during the dry season which is also regarded as high/peak season which is the busiest period in the gorilla parks. The dry season begins from June to September and December to February. However, the wet season is equally ideal for trekking and kick starts from March to May and from December to February. Besides, it allows you to plan for other things which are of great value for this adventure. Note that gorilla trekking isn’t only securing for a permit but also for you to plan for means of transportation to and fro the destination, lodges and accommodation options for your overnight stay while on safari plus meals and many other factors. By booking your gorilla safari early enough, you will have a well-planned vacation in Uganda or Rwanda that will leave a lasting memory in you.
The cost for gorilla permits varies from country to country. In Uganda, you can obtain one at $600, in Rwanda at $1500 per person while in the DR Congo you need about $400 and this also applies to those of you who wish to trek for eastern lowland gorillas at Kahuzi Biega National Park.
You can book a permit through a registered, recognized ground tour operator or company or through a reservationist at Uganda Wildlife Authority if you are to track mountain gorillas in Bwindi or Mgahinga National Park; reservationist at Rwanda Development Board if you are heading off to Rwanda. Send your email with dates you wish to track gorillas and we shall check the availability of gorilla permits for you as you sit back home. The dates you intend to track gorillas are available, we shall reserve a permit for you and you will be required to make a deposit.
In conclusion, if you are planning to take part in gorilla experience in Uganda, Rwanda or DR Congo, make sure that you book your permit early enough to avoid being disappointed due to shortages that come as a result of high demand for gorilla permits. Contact us and we shall be of great help to you!
