Booking a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda can only be done through a local and trusted tour company like Standard Safaris. This process of booking a gorilla permit begins from the moment of confirmation of the visitor’s desired trekking date. After confirming this trekking date with the tour operator, he then checks for the availability of the date and also confirms if there’s space. The visitor is thereafter given a heads-up and green light for the whole payment of the gorilla permit at 100% through the tour company. The tour company, after receiving the payment for the gorilla permit, then completes the purchase of the permit from the Uganda Wildlife Authority. For accountability and transparency, the tour operator or company, after receiving the gorilla permit, sends a scanned copy to the visitor. The booking process of a gorilla trekking permit is not complicated, however, it requires that you use a trusted and licensed tour company like Standard Safaris. This is because such a company is accountable and trusted through generations of experience, and also is equipped to organize your entire gorilla tour. Booking a gorilla trekking permit is best done at least three months before the actual trekking date. This is because gorilla trekking is a highly attractive activity that sees many visitors coming to Uganda to participate in this activity, yet there are limited permits available per day. Only 8 people are allowed to trek a specific gorilla family daily. This is done not to stress or frighten these primates with many people, since they are still wild animals, though habituated.
What is the cost of booking a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda?
The price of a gorilla trekking permit varies depending on the nationality and the region from which the visitor originates. A gorilla trekking permit is a document that offers access to visitors to trek mountain gorillas in the different gorilla destinations in Uganda. A foreign non-resident pays USD 800 for a gorilla trekking permit, a foreign resident USD 700, and East African citizens pay UGX 300,000. The money collected from the sale of gorilla trekking permits is important for the well-being of these endangered mountain gorillas. This is because it funds important projects like the conservation and protection of these primates. It also funds the maintenance of the gorilla destinations by paying the workers, such as game rangers, and fencing the parks. A large percentage of this money also goes to developing communities around the gorilla destinations as a way of giving back to the communities that harbor these destinations. This development of community is a way of sustainability and the first level of conservation of these primates.
What are the gorilla destinations in Uganda?
Uganda is known as the Pearl of Africa because it is a cradle of life for most of the flora and fauna, and gorillas are no exception. This enclave of beauty, gifted and blessed by nature, hosts two mountain gorilla destinations as unveiled below.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
In the hierarchy of the best gorilla destinations in the world, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park climbs the ladder to the apex. This massive lip is attributed to different factors, but mainly because of the many mountain gorillas it hosts. Bwindi is situated in the far southwestern region of Uganda, close to the Rwandan border. This park stretches for over 331 square kilometers, encompassing districts of Kisoro, Kabale, and Kanungu. The park’s large size is divided into four gorilla sectors that ease the gorilla trekking process. These four sectors of Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija, and Nkuringo harbor over 459 mountain gorillas. These primates are social animals living in over 50 gorilla families. Among these families, only 26 gorilla families are habituated and available for gorilla trekking. The park’s existence goes deep into the early years, since the scientists have observed that some vegetation in the park has been there for over 25,000 years. However, the establishment of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park as a protected national park came later in 1991, shortly after the discovery of mountain gorillas in the park.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is arguably the smallest gorilla destination in the whole of the Virunga Conservation Area. Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is quite simple compared to the other destinations, given its relatively steep terrain and less vegetation. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is located in the Kisoro district of Uganda, spanning about 33.7 square kilometers. Over 100 mountain gorillas inhabit this massive destination of Mgahinga with a single gorilla family. The history of gazetting this gorilla destination into a national park stretches to 1991, following the sighting of these primates in the park area.
When is gorilla trekking in Uganda best done?
The dry season always comes on top as the best time for gorilla trekking, experienced from June to September and from December to February. The conditions tabled by the dry season favor gorilla trekking so much. This period receives humid temperatures of dry weather and limited rainfall patterns that leave the park dry with sparse vegetation. These conditions also favor mobility through the gorilla destinations. The sparse vegetation in the gorilla destinations also helps to spot these mountain gorillas, hence there is little hindrance from the vegetation. However, it is also important to note that Uganda has a highly unpredictable weather due to the changing climate zones. Since it may rain heavily in the dry season or shine for prolonged periods in the wet season. Therefore, any season can be favorable for gorilla trekking depending on one’s schedule or preferred time.
