Gorilla permit price and penalties 2024-2025

The mountain gorilla trekking permit is the document issued by the responsible body of a given country that will allow you meet these great apes of Africa in their natural habitats Albertine rift valley in Virunga massif. The bodies responsible for the issuance of gorilla trekking permit include Uganda wildlife authority of Uganda, Rwanda development board of Rwanda and Virunga national authority of DR Congo.

All the gorilla trekking permits are issued with the specific dates on which they are going to be trekked. However, through you tour operator you can request the dates of your permit to be revised either to the earlier or later dates. To reschedule your permits there is some terms and conditions that must be fulfilled for your request to go through. Let us look at the prices of gorilla permits for each country and the conditions under which your permit can be rescheduled to the new dates of trekking.

All you need to know about Uganda gorilla trekking permits

The price of the gorilla trekking permit

The gorilla trekking permit in Uganda costs 800$. That price includes the park guide, the park ranger and the park entrance fees. However, the prices do not include the tipping fees and the fees for the porter, in case of heavy luggage, you will need to pay extra fees for the porter who will help you to carry your luggage.

These permits are issued with the specific date on which they will be trekked. In case you don’t use permit on that specified date without communicating to the responsible authority, that permit become invalid, and you cannot use it on the future date. Furthermore, those permits are allocated which sector they are supposed to be trekked or which park between Bwindi Forest national park and Mgahinga gorillas national park you are supposed to be visiting on your specified day. This is done to ensure the well being of gorillas and their inhabitant

Gorilla Permit rescheduling procedure in Uganda

Rescheduling a gorilla permit is done upon the request of the request of the visitor who had already booked the gorilla permit but wish to change to a new date. The visitor writes to the tour operator through which he or she booked her permit informing the need to change his or her permit to the new dates.

The tour operator will check with Uganda wildlife authority to confirm the availability of the permit on the new suggested date. If on the suggested there is unallocated permits, then the request is granted by the Uganda wildlife authority. This is necessary because the availability of the permit per day is limited. If on the suggested date there is no available permit, the client is informed and be requested to suggest another date on which she can get the gorilla trekking permit. However, before applying for gorilla permit rescheduling, this is what you need to know.

for the first time rescheduling

If you are rescheduling for the first time and the permit trekking date still has at least 2 weeks to come, then the rescheduling will be for free of charge as long as there is an availability on the newly suggested dates

second time rescheduling

If you are rescheduling for the second time, you will be panelized with the fee of 25% of your trekking permit which is an equivalent of 200$. This money is supposed to be paid in advance before your permit is rescheduled

late rescheduling

If you are rescheduling for the first time but within two weeks of your trekking date, you will also be charged 25% of your trekking permit which is an equivalent of 200$. The money mu be paid before rescheduling of your permit

trekking at a wrong location

Trekking at a wrong location will come with the penalty of 50% which is an equivalent of 400$. The wrong location could be heading to a different sector of Bwindi national park from the one indicated on your permit. Or heading to Bwindi national park instead of Mgahinga gorilla national park.

The Uganda gorilla trekking permit can only be rescheduled for a maximum of two times. Beyond that your permit will be invalid and you won’t be able to use for any future date.

What you need to know about mountain gorillas in Rwanda

Price of gorilla trekking in Rwanda

The price of walking with these majestic giants of Africa in their natural habitats of volcanoes national park of Rwanda will cost you 1500$. The price includes park rangers, park guide and park entrance fees. However, the prices exclude tipping and the porter fees. The porters will help you to carry your luggage during the trekking places.

The permit fees are paid to the Rwanda development board, the body responsible for all tourism activities in Rwanda. The gorilla trekking permit are issued with the specific dates of trekking. However, in the case unforeseen circumstances before the trekking date, the board has created a window where you can request for your trekking dates to be revised to a new date. Rescheduling your permit to the new date will depend on the availability of the permit on the new suggested date or you will be requested to come up with the new suggestion when the availability will be.

Rwanda gorilla trekking permit rescheduling procedure

Rwanda development board allows you to reschedule your permit whenever you find a challenge as long as there is still one week or more before your trekking dates. If you are within the week to your trekking date and you can’t make it to the trekking destination, then your permit will be invalid, and you won’t be able to use it for trekking.

the cost of rescheduling

The price of permit rescheduling in Rwanda is 20% of the permit value. Currently that is an equivalent of 300$. The money is paid to the Rwanda development board and must be paid before the request is granted and accepting the request will always depend on the availability of the permit on the suggested dates.

Can you completely cancel your gorilla permit

Once your gorilla trekking permit is booked in Uganda or Rwanda it can not be canceled, you will not be compensated any amount of money. However, in case you come for the trekking and fail to meet the gorilla family you was allocated. you will either be allowed to do the trekking on the following day or be compensated 75 percent of your gorilla trekking permit.

Conclusion

Life is totally unpredictable as we can’t know what tomorrow brings. On top of that trekking gorillas requires you to be in a very good health as human diseases can also affect these endangered great apes. Therefore, in case of any unforeseen circumstance communicate to the responsible bodies to have your permit rescheduled to the new preferred date. However, rescheduling will come with some penalty that must be paid.

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