Rwanda Gorilla Permits

Rwanda is one of the few countries in East Africa which are known for having mountain gorillas. These animals live in the tropical forests of Uganda in Bwindi impenetrable National park and Mgahinga National park and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is expensive as you are required to pay 1500 US dollars compared to other neighboring countries like Uganda where trekking costs 800 US dollars and 400 US dollars in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is well known for being home to both the mountain gorillas and the golden monkeys. These will make your visit to this beautiful land of a thousand hills colorful. Do not worry there are several habituated gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park. Meanwhile, the Rwanda Development Board is a government body in Rwanda responsible for all tourism activities.

Volcanoes National Park has got 13 habituated gorilla groups. Each of these groups is trekked by a group of 8 people a day. Today Rwanda is recording high numbers of visitors who go gorilla trekking. Therefore, it is advisable to book early to guarantee your interest in trekking these animals. Gorilla trekking tours in Volcanoes normally starts early in the morning at around 7:00 am-7:30 am. This is at the park main entrance gate. There is always an opening briefing from one of the park officials at Kinigi headquarters.

How much is a Rwanda Gorilla Permit?

Trekking gorillas in volcanoes National Park costs 1500 US dollars for Foreign Non-residents. It is 500$ for foreign residents in Rwanda, 200$ for East African citizens and Rwandan nationals. Trekkers are given a 30% discount on the price when they have options of visiting other National Parks in Rwanda such as Akagera National Park, and Nyungwe National Park. They get 15% discount if they attend conferences in the pre and post-MICE events and see gorillas. Then, Us$ 30,000 for a minimum of 3 visitors spending three consecutive days. Us$ 15,000 is required for gorilla trekkers in a group with personalized tour guide activities.

How to Book a Rwanda Gorilla Permit?

Gorilla trekking is one of the most rewarding activities in the world and when planning to have a gorilla safari in Rwanda, you will need to first book your gorilla permit because there is a limited number of visitors coming to see these animals daily. There are 80 permits every day and all year round waiting for tourists to trek mountain gorillas in volcanoes national Park. Trekking these animals is easy and it can be done by getting a permit from the Rwanda Development Board via email or contacting them directly.

Another way you can attain a gorilla permit is by using travel agencies. Booking with a tour operator is the easiest and most reliable way to get these permits. In addition, it is always advisable to book your permit earlier before the trekking date, at least 90 days before because the permits tend to get booked out early. Immediately after the full confirmation of the booking, passport details are required and you are advised to give full information so as enable easy writing of the permit.

Any Other Activities in Rwanda?

Besides gorilla trekking in the Volcanoes National Park, there are also other things to do in Rwanda. These are also interesting and important as far as your safari is concerned. Some of the things are the golden monkey trekking which is also done in Volcanoes National Park. Trekking these primates starts at the same time as the gorillas. Currently there are only two habituated golden monkey families in this park. You can also go hiking and see the tomb of Dian Fossey. Also hike to the respective summits of Karisimbi and Bisoke. Visit the Karisoke research centre for 2 hours to explore some important studies by Dian Fossey.

Visit the Rwandan cultural centre where you will have a look at the country’s culture and background. Never ever forget to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial centre. In this peaceful place, you will have a look of the remains of the 1994 genocide victims. The genocide itself claimed the lives of over 800,000 people in only 100 days. But, with all these sad events, Rwanda is currently ranked as one of the first growing countries in East Africa. For more, contact us and plan your safari today to get the best services.

Soledad Gomez

Fun Safari. Loved it. Godwin was an amazing guide! He was informative, funny and took us around well. He was able to find so many animals and the weather was amazing. He allowed us to take time at each spot when we saw an animal we were looking forward to seeing. All our lodges were carefully chosen by Coleb and we all loved them. We booked the 6 days safari and highly recommend it to everyone visiting Uganda. We had a wonderful time!. 10/10 recommended!!

Maria Torondel

We rated this experience top of everything, because it truly was outstanding in every way! From our pickup which was punctual, quick and comfortable to our Safari in Murchison falls, Kibale and Bwindi NP, Standard safaris delivered to the dot. Our guide was a very Kind, punctual and extremely knowledgeable person who could tell us many facts about each and every animal we encountered. Due to his insights we were able to spot 4 of the Big Five, the Rhinos, buffaloes, lions and Elephants multiple times, as well as Hippos, Crocodiles, Giraffes and many more. Thanks to his calm and patience we were even able to watch an elephant fight right in front of us without any safety concerns. It was truly a very memorable day with a lot of fun and also good food.This is truly an experience for everyone, from solo travellers to big groups! Great tour company with a great guide!!!!!!!

Alexis F

This was an amazing experience organised by Standard Safaris through Coleb. During the tour itself, we got a chance to see so many animals and we learned a lot of interesting facts from our tour guide Godwin. He was funny and made sure we all got a chance to speak and see the full beauty of Uganda. We had an excellent time and a good tour for the whole family.

Elena Hoya

It was my first time in Uganda and honestly it was an amazing tour. Our pick up and drop off were comfortable. Our guide throughout the safari was excellent at his job. He was attentive with everyone and was very knowledgeable about all the cultures and landscapes of the country. During planning, Coleb did his best in tailoring our itinerary to fit our travel needs. I'm so glad we booked this tour. It was one of a kind.

E A

My wife and I had the trip of a lifetime, an unforgettable experience from start to finish. From gorilla trekking to game drives, every moment was magical and the wildlife encounters were simply breathtaking. Our guide Godwin was knowledgeable and attentive, and every detail of the trip was perfectly organized. Uganda’s beauty exceeded all our expectations, and the team took wonderful care of us throughout. Thank you for showing us the Pearl of Africa, we’ll cherish these memories forever. Highly recommended

KLAU conde

I LOVE MY SAFARI WE DID GORILLA TREKING AND WE WERE LOOKING FOR THE BIG FIVES, Everything was phenomenal the drivers the lodges my favorite one was Acacia Lodge, where you open the door of your lodge and you have the Elephants and hippos there . we also went to the Ecuatorian line very cool

Elisa Peralta

We spent a WONDERFUL time in Rwanda, thanks to Standard Safaris and especially thanks to our amazing driver George. If you plan to go on safari in Rwanda with Standard Safaris, ask him as your driver guide. He will share all his knowledge and experience about animals, nature, people, food etc… He drives very safely and is friendly. Thanks to him we saw a lot of animals ( especially the big 5😃 in Akagera NP) and Know so much more about Rwanda. We were travelling with our 2 children (7 and 11 years old), and they were delighted. We feel very lucky and we are grateful for this wonderful safari in East Africa.

Susana Lara Valenciano

We booked a 9-Days safari in Uganda with Standard Safaris, all-inclusive with a driver guide, all tour activities, permits and lodges. Honestly, we were very happy to have George as our guide. He drove us safely around the country and explained many things along the way. Thanks to him, we were able to spot many animals in the national parks, and we always stayed on track with our itinerary. The jeep was new and well maintained, however, the seats in the back were quite high with small windows, which made it difficult to look outside. But nevertheless, we still had a 10/10 safari experience in Uganda. We look forward to returning for another safari next year and telling our friends about Standard Safaris.

Pablo Sanchez Rubio

My wife and I had a gorilla safari of a lifetime in Uganda late last month. Our driver/guide Denis was incredible. He gave us so much information about Uganda and was so knowledgeable about the wildlife, cultures, people, politics, the geography, etc. By the end of the week we considered him a friend and we will recommend him and Standard Safaris to anyone looking to go to East Africa. Thank you so much guys!

Salome Ochando

If there were 10 stars I would give them. From my first "Hello" with Coleb to our last set of selfies on the equator with Denis, this tour company out-did themselves!! Absolutely professional and helpful from beginning to end. We're already booking another trip for next year! They had organised everything- gorilla permits, chimpanzee permits, all national park entrance fees, lodgings, every meal included. It was so easy I didn't even know where we were going until we were there! Pure relaxation. We had a few extra free days at the end so Coleb suggested adding on Mabamba Wetland and this was a wonderful experience with the shoebill and all these beautiful birds. Denis is the best tour guide I've ever met. 100% knowledgeable and professional and accommodating and..a new friend😊.. Thank you Standard Safaris!!