How much is gorilla tracking in Mgahinga national park?
How much is gorilla tracking in Mgahinga national park? The cost of seeing mountain gorillas in Mgahinga national park or any other gorilla park is high compared to other wildlife encounters. Gorilla trekking is a very expensive but affordable activity for people who want to see mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. Seeing mountain gorillas is every person’s dream come true after scientists discovered they are close relatives to human beings with over 98% human DNA.
Mgahinga national park in southwestern Uganda is one of the areas where gorilla trekking safaris can be done in Uganda. It’s a small national park of 33.9 sq. km with over 100 mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking is done on one mountain gorilla family named Nyakagezi which is habituated and open for gorilla trekking activities.
With so many people wanting to trek mountain gorillas, here is an article to help you know how much you need to have a successful gorilla trekking safari. By the time you end reading this article, you will have known how much money you need to have your dream safari come true in Mgahinga national park. Below are some of the things that take money on a gorilla trekking safari.
How much is gorilla tracking in Mgahinga national park?
The cost of a gorilla permit.
If you want to go gorilla trekking, you need a valid gorilla trekking permit from Uganda Wildlife Authority. A gorilla trekking permit is a card that will allow you to be part of the trekking team where you will see mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. In Mgahinga national park, a gorilla trekking permit does cost $700 for foreign non-residents, $600 for foreign residents, and UGX250,000 citizens of East African member states.
The cost of transport
Mgahinga national park is located a 9 to 10 hours drive from Kampala/Entebbe and about 2 hours by air from Entebbe or Kajjansi. This means tourists need safari vehicles or a plane to access Mgahinga national park. Road transport to Mgahinga national park requires a safari guide, fuel, and a car. Local tour operators normally charge $200 to $300 per day. By air transport, a tourist pays more, and different airline companies do charge different prices.
The cost of accommodation in Mgahinga park
One of the things that will take your money on a gorilla safari in Mgahinga national park is accommodation. You need a night in the park before the day of trekking as keeping time is a must. No one can live in Kampala/Entebbe or Kigali and trek mountain gorillas on the same day as the activity starts as early as 7. Accommodation facilities in Mgahinga national park range from budget to mid-range to luxury and the price starts from $90 to $700 per night.
The cost of food
Not all days on a safari you will eat food at a lodge where you slept. There are days when you have en-route lunch because you can’t reach the lodge or destination at the right time. Normally that food is paid is shillings because they are local hotels and the price ranges from UGX35,000 to UGX70,000 per person. When counting how much money you need to see mountain gorillas always calculate the food.
The cost of items needed for gorilla trekking
For one to enjoy gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park, they need to pack the best trekking gear. For tourists who don’t have some of them already will need to purchase them. The trekking gears include waterproof hiking shoes, long-sleeved shorts, long-sleeved shirts, long cotton stocks, a hat, a sweater, a rain jacket, sunscreen, insect repellents, a pair of binoculars, a camera, a drinking water bottle, energy-giving snacks, and a light backpack among others.
The cost of porters.
Hiring porters in Mgahinga national park is not a must. Porters are there to help carry the luggage of porters or carry elder and pregnant women on sedan chairs. The price of hiring a porter differs as they charge based on the weight of the luggage. Hiring a porter to carry luggage might cost $15 to $20 but one needs about $400 to hire a sedan chair which porters use to carry you.
Tips
Tipping is a way of appreciation when it comes to Ugandan culture. If you love what a person has done for you tipping is a good way to appreciate them. On a safari to Mgahinga national park, tourists can tip the waitress at the lodge, porters and rangers in the park, and even their safari guide. Tourists should know that tipping is not compulsory and it’s only done when you have like the person after a service has been rendered.
Even though gorilla trekking is said to be an expensive activity, tourists can always find a way of saving. On a gorilla trip to Mgahinga national park, tourists can save by traveling as a group as it does save on transport and accommodation costs, staying in affordable accommodation facilities, using road transport to the park, traveling in the low season, and may be engaging in a few activities.
