How many gorilla permits are available in Uganda per day?
How many gorilla permits are available in Uganda per day?: Gorilla permits are documents of cards issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority which is a body managing and controlling all national parks in the country. The use of a gorilla permit is to enable you to trek mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga national park where these apes are found. Mountain gorillas in Uganda live in the tropical forests of Bwindi and bamboo vegetation of Mgahinga national park where they feel comfort and peace.
Uganda has the highest population of mountain gorillas in the whole world because Bwindi impenetrable forest national park alone harbors more than a half of the mountain gorillas living in four sectors f the park namely-Nkuringo, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Buhoma. Mgahinga national park has the least population of mountain gorillas and so far only one gorilla family called Nyakagezi is found in this park.
Bwindi impenetrable forest national park has 21 mountain gorilla families of which 19 are fully habituated and available for trekking and 2 are semi-habituated and have been designed for gorilla habituation. In Mgahinga national park, there is only one mountain gorilla family available for trekking and it’s called Nyakagezi.
Number of gorilla permits in Uganda
With 19 mountain gorilla families and 1 gorilla family fully habituated in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga national park respectively, Uganda has 160 gorilla trekking permits per day. These are found at Uganda Wildlife Authority a government body managing and controlling Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks. The mountain gorilla permits are always available to travelers that are 15 years and above at a fee. When it comes to gorilla habituation which is only done in Uganda and in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, there are only 8 gorilla habituation permits in Uganda per day. In conclusion, Uganda has a total number of 160 gorilla permits per day.
Booking gorilla permits for Uganda
First, you will have to decide on which gorilla park you are going to visit, the dates of the month and year you want to travel, and whether you are to use a local tour operator or Uganda Wildlife Authority when booking the permits. After getting the dates you want to travel and visit mountain gorillas, you can contact a local tour operator or reservation office at Uganda Wildlife Authority via email. The email must contain these dates and this will help them to check for the availability of the permits.
When the gorilla permits are available, you will be sent an email with the cost of the gorilla permits and the different banking details. You will choose which is favorite for you, send money for the gorilla permit and thereafter send a scanned copy of your receipt confirmation. Your gorilla permit shall be booked and you will be able to trek mountain gorillas when you arrive in Uganda.
When to buy gorilla permits in Uganda?
Travelers are advised to book gorilla permits in advance of 3-4 months before the gorilla trekking day. Travelers most especially those that are visiting Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga national park in the dry season must book their gorilla permits 3-4 months earlier in advance to avoid last-minute booking disappointments because the gorilla permits tend to get done quickly. Uganda Wildlife Authority sells gorilla permits on a first come first serve basis and this is why we advise travelers to buy permits as early as they can.
Travelers that are visiting Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla park in the rainy season of March to May and October to November don’t have to rush buying gorilla permits. A traveler can get a gorilla permit even a few weeks to their gorilla safari if they are coming in the rainy season. This is because there are few travelers visiting the park because of too much rainfall in the park every day.
How much do gorilla permits cost in Uganda?
Gorilla trekking permits for Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga national park are of the same price at Uganda Wildlife Authority. A single gorilla trekking permit in Uganda costs $700 for foreign non-residents, $600 for foreign residents, and UGX250,000 for citizens of East Africa. The gorilla trekking permit price comes with a park entrance fee, ranger guide fee, community development fees, and one hour around mountain gorillas. The gorilla habituation permits which are used in Nkuringo and Rushaga sectors of Bwindi cost $1500 for foreign non-residents, $1000 foreign residents, and UGX750,000 citizens of East Africa.
