Gorilla  Trekking Permit in Uganda – Bwindi impenetrable National Park

Gorilla trekking permit – Uganda is endowed with half of the world’s mountain gorillas found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Every visitor intending to do gorilla trekking and have an encounter with these primates in their habitats in the jungle should thereafter possess a gorilla trekking permit and access to the entire information on the valid and invalid permits with all the proceedings and the benefits of the permit.

A gorilla trekking  permit is a document issued by ORTPN which guarantees everyone to have an experience with the gorillas in their natural habitats in the jungle in trekking regions of Uganda in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park and as well Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. This permit allows you to spend one hour with the gorillas observing their behaviors, eating and taking as many memorable photos with them and habituation which is done in Uganda allows you to have four hours experience with the endangered primates alongside researches and game rangers in the process.

Uganda being one of the countries that inhabit mountain gorillas than Rwanda and DR Congo, there more than 17 habituated gorilla families and one family in Mgahinga National Park. Each family is visited by 8 people per day which means that there are more than 120 permits available every day all year.

Best time to book for your permit

Trekkers are required to book for the gorilla permit at least four months earlier before the actual trekking date. Travelers are also required to pay 30% of the total gorilla permit fee as a booking fee. The advance booking is to ensure timely allocation of the gorilla family since gorilla families live in different sections of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. Gorilla trekking is guaranteed when you acquire a permit. Uganda and Rwanda gorilla permits are very competitive and scarce most especially during peak seasons of January, February, July, August, September and December. Sometimes gorilla tracking permits get sold out four months in advance so any traveler needs to book prior to his planned dates.

More still advance buying of gorilla permits help in selecting the best accommodation in that particular sector where the allocated gorilla family resides

The gorilla sectors in Bwindi include, Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo and Nyakagezi in Mgahinga gorilla National Park. Note; gorilla tracking allocation is done on the time you are leaving for tracking in the forest depending on the level of fitness and physical abilities. Each region has its own gorilla groups or families and for those interested in trekking given region should let Safari Vacations & travel services ltd know so that we act accordingly while booking your gorilla permit.

Travelers do not get hard copies of gorilla permits before arriving gorilla destinations. We can only send you a scanned receipt and wait to get the permit on the day of trekking from your driver guides. More so even after paying for it, travelers do not become the owner of the permit. In all countries, gorilla permits are permanent property of respective governments in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo. A permit only allows you to see gorillas but you do not go with it

A gorilla trekking permit is valid for an hour after which it is claimed expired. The one hour does not include the time spend in forest searching for the gorillas but is counted from the time trekkers meet the gorillas since time to trek can be 30 minutes or extend to 3 quarters of the day depending on the movement of gorillas in the jungle.

The following are some of gorilla trekking permit regulations accompanied to it and how best you can enjoy gorilla tracking while in the forest and when you encounter these wonderful primates.

• Gorilla trekking is a strenuous activity. It is definitely not a walk in the park. You will need to be physically fit or have extra support to undergo this experience.
• Having a gorilla trekking Permit allows you to track but doesn’t guarantee you seeing the mountain gorillas. They are wild animals in the wild and can move freely as they please. Do note, that the chances of you seeing them as are good as 99%.
• Gorilla trekking can be a bit tedious ranging from 30 minutes to 6 hours to track a particular family depending on their movement of the day.
• You can spend a maximum of 1 hour with one gorilla family
• You must be 15 years and older to be allowed to track gorillas.
• A maximum number of 8 people are allowed on one trek
• Each group is assigned a Bwindi tour guide, two armed men and porters in case of extra luggage
• At the end of the trek, you are granted a gorilla tracking certificate
• It is advantageous to get this permit before you come for your trip to avoid the hustle of getting one from here. This is because they are limited and sold on a first-come-first-served basis.
• The Gorilla permit is non-renewable and is only valid for a specific date and tracking region.