How do I get gorilla permits for Bwindi?
How do I get gorilla permits for Bwindi? Over 1074 mountain gorillas are living in different parts of the world. Some of the mountain gorillas are in the Virunga conservation area which includes Mgahinga national park, Virunga national park, and volcanoes national park. Bwindi is another area where mountain gorillas do live and this area is home to more than half of the mountain gorilla population in the whole world. To trek any of the mountain gorilla families in these national parks you need a gorilla permit that is got at a fee.
Getting gorilla permits for Bwindi takes a few steps and making decisions on who to use to get the permits. If a traveler is to get the gorilla permits using Uganda Wildlife Authority, they should expect to get late replies. If a traveler is to get gorilla permits using a local tour operator they must google and look for the best which is not always easy most of the time.
Are you looking for eh best local tour operator to help you on getting a gorilla permit or even organize the whole safari? Just search for Africa adventure vacations limited, they will help you on booking the gorilla permits in the quickest way possible. A gorilla permit is a pass that allows any traveler to trek mountain gorillas in a national park. Booking a mountain gorilla trekking permit is advised because the permits tend to sell out quickly especially if planning to trek in the high season.
What is a gorilla trekking permit?
For any tourists to have an opportunity to encounter mountain gorillas in their natural habitats, they must have a gorilla permit. This is a card that is issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority a body in charge of tourism activities in Uganda. The gorilla permit is a card that shows that a traveler is qualified to trek or habituate a gorilla family in the park. A gorilla permit is only given to a person that is above the age of 15 years old and can be used for a single day. The gorilla permit includes ranger guide fees, park entrance fees, and community development fees.
Below is how you can get gorilla permits for Bwindi in Uganda;
A young gorilla in rushaga sector
Booking gorilla permits directly from Uganda Wildlife Authority; Uganda wildlife authority is a body in charge of tourism in the country and is the one responsible for issuing gorilla trekking permits. To book gorilla permits, you will contact the reservations office using an email. The email should contain the dates of the month and year you want to travel and this information will be used to check for the availability of the trekking permits. If there are permits on the dates you said, you will be sent an email containing different banking details that you can use to send the money for the money. When the money has been received your trekking permit will be booked.
Using a tour operator; The best way to get gorilla permits for Bwindi is using a local tour operator who is licensed so that they don’t steal your money. The best tour operators are those that are registered under different associations such as The Association of Uganda Tour Operators. The tour operator must be licensed by Uganda Tourism Board for such operators are trustworthy. Africa Adventure Vacations is one of the local tour operators we have got in Uganda and they do help in booking gorilla permits as well as safaris.
To book a gorilla permit with Africa Adventure Vacations, you will let us know the days of the month and year you are intending to track mountain gorillas in Bwindi. We shall use this information to check for the availability of the trekking permits with the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Once the permits are available, we shall let you know and thereafter send you an email containing banking details of how you can send money. When you are done sending money and we have received it, we shall go ahead and book the permits for you. After we shall send you a scanned copy for your confirmation.
Requirements to get a gorilla permit for Bwindi
To get a gorilla permit in Bwindi gorilla park you need a passport or a national identity card that has each and every detail about you. Any of the above requirements is used to find out the real age of the traveler and if the traveler is 15 years old and below, they can’t be given a permit. For a traveler to get a gorilla permit for Bwindi, they must be age 15.
How much does a gorilla permit costs in Bwindi?
A single gorilla permit in Bwindi costs $700 for foreign non-residents, $600 for foreign residents, and UGX250,000 East African citizens. A gorilla habituation permit costs $1500 for foreign residents, $1000 for foreign residents, and UGX750,000 for East African citizens. A gorilla permit to Bwindi is only sold to people that are above the age of 15 years old. The gorilla permit allows you to be around mountain gorillas in Bwindi for 1 hour, comes with ranger guide fees, park entrance fee, and community development feed.
Uganda Wildlife gorilla trekking permit
Gorilla permit cancellation policy
Travelers that have already booked gorilla permits and are planning to cancel them should know that Uganda Wildlife Authority retains a certain percentage of the gorilla trekking fee. 0-8 days to the trekking activity, you will be refunded zero money. 9-45 days to trekking, you will be refunded 25% of the total money and UWA will retain 75%. If you cancel the gorilla safari between day 46 to 90 to the trekking date, you will be given back 50% of the total money while those that will cancel between day 91 and above will be given 905 of their money back. This gorilla cancellation policy is for Uganda Wildlife Authority but not the local tour operators.
How many gorilla permits are in Bwindi?
Bwindi has 19 habituated gorilla families for trekking and 2 gorilla families for habituation. This means that there are 152 gorilla trekking permits and 8 gorilla habituation permits in Bwindi. In conclusion, Bwindi has 160 gorilla permits available for trekkers every single day at Uganda Wildlife Authority. The number of gorilla permits looks much but travelers are advised to book them in advance especially if they are planning to visit the park during the dry season for they sell out quickly.
