Discounted gorilla permits for East African residents to Bwindi
Discounted gorilla permits for East African residents to Bwindi: After the covid 19 pandemic, Uganda Wildlife Authority decided to offer travelers discounted gorilla permits to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. Lots of travelers benefited from this offer most importantly the budget travelers. The reduction in gorilla permit prices attracted lots of travelers to the park including those who had opted to trek Rwanda gorillas. Travelers that had planned to visit the volcanoes national park changed their plans to Uganda because the Rwanda permit had been increased to $1500 from $750.
Discounted gorilla permits for East African residents are for the citizens of Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, and DR Congo who would wish to encounter mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. Gorilla trekking in Uganda can be done in Bwindi and Mgahinga national park both located in the southwestern part of Uganda. 19 mountain gorilla families are open for all kinds of travelers including the East African residents for Gorilla trekking activities and 2 are open for habituation activities in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park.
Discounted gorilla permits for East African residents to Bwindi were available from 1st December 2020 to 30th June 2021. The gorilla permit price was reduced to attract and welcome travelers back to gorilla tourism after the covid 19 pandemic. The price was reduced to enable every traveler to afford gorilla tourism during that time but the offer ended 30th June 2021. Discounted gorilla permits for citizens of East Africa were reduced from UGX250,000 to UGX150,000.
Only tourists that visited Bwindi in the period between 1st December 2020 and 30th June 2021 benefit from this offer. As of today the gorilla permit for East African residents is back to its normal price which is UGX250,000. Other categories also got discounts, for example, foreign non-residents permits went for as low as $400 and foreign residents $300.
How can East African residents book gorilla permits?
East African residents that are intending to visit Bwindi for gorilla trekking can book the permits using a local tour operator or by themselves directly with the Uganda Wildlife Authority. However much a traveler can book gorilla permits by themselves, it’s better they use a local tour operator because these book a permit and also pick it up for you from Uganda Wildlife Authority without any extra fee charged.
For East African citizens to book gorilla permits with a local tour operator, they must first look for a trusted one and in most cases, these are companies that are licensed by Uganda Tourism Board. Africa Adventure Vacation is one of the companies that can help East African residents get gorilla permits for Bwindi. To book with us, all you need is a date when you want to trek mountain gorillas.
With the date, month and year, our team will contact Uganda Wildlife authority to see if the permits are available and once they are then you will be sent an email containing the price of the permit and different ways you can send money. After sending money, you send us a scanned copy of the receipt of payments and your personal details for your permit to be booked. You will find the gorilla permit with us at6 the start of your safari.
East African residents who are organizing the gorilla safari to Bwindi national park by themselves can book gorilla permits directly from UWA and collect them at their offices when the time for Gorilla trekking comes. To book directly with Uganda Wildlife Authority, you need to get the dates of the month and year you want to travel and then contact the reservations office.
The information will be used to check for the availability of the gorilla permits and once they are available, you will be sent an email containing how you can send money. When you are done sending money, you will need a scanned copy of the receipt of payment with the passport or personal details for your permit to be booked.
When to book gorilla permits for East African residents?
The time to book bwindi gorilla permits for East African residents depends on the time they are intending to visit the park. Travelers that are planning to visit the ark in the dry seasons are the ones that need to book the permits 3-4 months earlier in advance because a lot of travelers are intending to visit the park and therefore permits sell out quickly.
East African residents that are to visit Bwindi during the rainy season which occurs from March to May and October to November don’t have to panic about buying the gorilla permits because they will always be available. The gorilla permits don’t sell out during the rainy season simply because a fee travelers visit the park due to plenty of rainfall.
The gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi
Gorilla trekking is carried out every day in all Bwindi sectors. The activity starts early in the morning with a briefing from the park wardens at the sector offices. These do each about the rules and regulations of the gorilla trekking activity, group trekkers according to age and physical fitness, allocate gorilla families, and get armed ranger guides to lead trekkers in the jungle.
Trekkers are led into the jungle by armed ranger guides and these take them through different trails while searching for where the apes could be. The search usually takes 2-7 hours depending on the location of the gorilla family as well as the speed of trekkers. The moment the mountain gorilla family is located, armed ranger guides give trekkers 1 hour to be around the amazing apes and this enables them to know more about their habits, watch them do daily activities, and take photos.
Best time for East African residents to visit Bwindi
East African residents can visit Bwindi at any time of the year however there are months that are better than the rest. The dry season from June to September and December to February is the best time when East African residents should visit Bwindi. This is because during that time there is little or no rainfall leaving the trekking trails dry, the vegetation is short and thin with great views of the mountain gorillas and the roads connecting to the park are passable.
East African residents can still visit Bwindi in the rainy seasons of March to May and October to November and this favors budget travelers because the lodges are at a discount. East African residents who visit Bwindi in the rainy season should come knowing that there is plenty of rainfall that makes the Gorilla trekking trails muddy and slippery, the vegetation is tall and thick with bad views of the mountain gorillas and the roads leading to the park are in poor conditions.