What is Gorilla Permit? Booking Information for a Gorilla Trekking Permit

A Gorilla Permit is a document or card issued by wildlife authorities to visitors to allow them do gorilla trekking in the national parks where gorillas are found. For the case of Uganda, permits are obtained from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and in Rwanda, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) is in charge of issuing those permits. In Congo, gorilla permits are issued by the authorities of the Virunga National Park. One hour is what is granted to visitors to be with the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga, Volcanoes National Park or in the Virunga National Park.

Gorilla Permit Prices

To be assured of trekking gorillas, one has to make a booking for a gorilla permit some good months before the travel dates.

In Rwanda, a gorilla permit is priced at USD 1500 by Rwanda Development Board and Rwanda Tourism Board offices (ORTPN). The permits are bought in Kigali or Ruhengeri near the Volcanoes National Park.

In Uganda, a permit goes for USD 700 for tracking mountain gorillas either Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga National Park in south western Uganda. A permit for Gorilla Habituation Experience in Uganda is at USD 1500 and the visitor stays with the gorillas for more hours (four hours).

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, one has got to pay USD 400 for a permit to be able to trek mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park, found in the eastern side of the country.

Its only in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo in the while world where the endangered mountain gorillas are found. The other gorilla species like the eastern lowland and western lowland gorillas are also in central Africa as well as the zoos. The uniqueness of mountain gorillas is what makes them lovable for tracking. In the whole world, mountain gorillas total to around 1000 in numbers and the majority of them are found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. Its believed Bwindi Forest hosts half the population of the world’s mountain gorillas. The rest of the countries and the parks share the remaining gorilla populations.

If you are to take a gorilla trekking safari in any of these countries, its better you book a gorilla permit with a reputable professional tour operator for smooth and professional arrangements.