How to Book a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda
How to Book a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda
How to book a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda; A gorilla trekking permit is a legal card/document issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to visitors above the age of 15 years allowing them to visit any habituated gorilla family. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in two gorilla destinations which are Bwindi impenetrable national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park both located in southwestern region. Uganda is a home of more than 20 habituate gorilla families which are available for trekking on a daily basis.
There are two ways of booking gorilla trekking permits in Uganda for example booking directly through Uganda Wildlife Authority by contacting the head offices in Kampala via email or telephone calls.
Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda can also be booked through a tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris whereby you will reach out to us with your names, date and gorilla destination you wish to visit. We will later check for permit availability and if there are permits available you will be asked to make a deposit for the permit. Once the payment has been made we will purchase the gorilla trekking permit on your behalf and send you a scanned copy of the receipt as confirmation. Once you arrive in the country, we will be able to provide the permit to you. Booking your gorilla trekking permit through Achieve global safaris is the best option to use in that its fast, less tiresome and we will also be able to plan for your entire safari for example transportation, accommodation where you will stay, other activities you will engage in during the safari, other interesting destinations to visit among others.
Best time to book a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda
A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda should be booked 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date because the permits are competitive and get sold out quickly especially during the dry/ peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February therefore in order to avoid last minute disappointments, you are advised to book in advance.
Cost of a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda
A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda costs 700USD per person for foreign non residents, 600 USD per person for foreign residents and 250,000 UGX per person for East African citizens. A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda allows you to spend one hour in the presence of the mountain gorillas and is valid for one day.
Gorilla trekking experience
Gorilla trekking is an extraordinary activity where visitors move into the tropical rainforest in search of the habituated gorilla family and once found spend one hour with the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in Buhoma sector, Nkuringo sector, Rushaga sector and Ruhijja sector in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park. Trekking of the mountain gorillas in any of the sectors starts in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow at the park headquarters. After the briefing you will be divided into groups of 8 people where each group will be allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is well conversant with trekking trails. Allocation of mountain gorilla groups is done according to physical fitness, age and personal preference therefore in case you are not physically fit, you are advised to communicate with your driver guide so that they allocate you a gorilla family that is easy to trek. Gorilla trekking takes about 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on where the gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food.
During trekking you will be able to other wildlife species in Bwindi and Mgahinga forests including mammals like forest buffaloes, duikers, bush pigs, elephants, other primates like chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, L’hoest monkeys, view variety of bird species, plant and tree species among others. Once the gorilla family is located you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their habitat which gives you a chance to learn more about their behaviors, habitants, watch gorillas feed, breastfeed, play, groom young ones, take photos and record the interesting moment.
Booking a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda is very easy as long as you use the best option. For more information about how to book a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda you can contact us at Achieve Global Safaris.
