Can I buy a gorilla permit by myself?

Can I buy a gorilla permit by myself? – How to reserve and pay for my gorilla trekking permit? – Where and how to buy my gorilla permits in Uganda and Rwanda.

Can I buy a gorilla permit by myself? – Are you planning to visit Africa to go gorilla trekking and you are wondering ‘Can I buy a gorilla permit by yourself?’ How to Reserve and Pay for A Gorilla Trekking Permit in Uganda and Rwanda? Uganda Gorilla Trekking Permits can be purchased up to two years in advance direct from Uganda Wildlife Authority Offices ”UWA” only through a registered tour operator. Then Rwanda gorilla trekking permit can be bought through the Rwanda Tourism Board ”RTB” or via a registered tour company. A Uganda Gorilla permit/ticket can be reserved and paid for in full (100% payment) in advance through a Uganda registered Tour operator Great Adventure Safaris for tracking dates that fall within a period not exceeding one (1) year from the date of reservation as follows;

1. a) Offline mechanism for reservation and payment:

1) Booking a permit/ticket begins with contacting a Tour Operator to check with UWA to inquire about the availability of tracking slots at the preferred location and on the desired date.

This inquiry can be made via email, by calling the UWA reservations contact numbers, or by visiting any of the UWA reservations locations listed above to speak directly with a UWA sales executive.

If no slots are available, the UWA sales executive will inform the operator or client and provide alternative dates and locations with availability.

If there is availability, the tour operator or client shall instruct the UWA sales executive to reserve the permit/ticket in the UWA booking system.

2) UWA will issue a proforma invoice to confirm the client’s gorilla and chimpanzee tracking services reservation.

3) The reservation is valid for 7 days without payment. To secure and guarantee the reservation, the tour operator (client) must within these 7 days pay the total invoiced funds to UWA bank accounts using allowable payment methods. Failure to do so will result in the reservation being released back to the market for sale to other interested parties

1. b) Online reservation and payment:

1) UWA will implement online reservation and payment modules, contingent upon the development of a robust and secure system by UWA to ensure the integrity of permit/ticket guidelines and the security of clients’ funds

2) UWA will communicate the availability of these modules once ready, and any subsequent changes to the system, particularly those related to the online payments module, will be duly communicated. UWA will provide training to eligible operators on how to use the booking system for reserving and paying for available permits/tickets.

3) The system will display a calendar showing clearly the dates and locations with availability. If no availability exists, the operator will not be able to proceed beyond that point

4) If availability is confirmed, the system will guide the operator through the next steps, up to the point of payment using their card details or mobile money

5) For online payments related to gorilla and chimpanzee tracking services, full payment (100%) must be made immediately using the tour operator’s card details or mobile money.

NOTE: Uganda Wildlife Authority reserves the right to amend these terms from time to time.

NOTE: All payments will be made in full at the time of payment. No deposits will be accepted by Uganda Wildlife Authority.

Where is Gorilla Trekking done in Uganda and How to Reserve and Pay for A Gorilla Trekking Permit in Uganda?

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in Mghainga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park which has 4 sectors which include Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo and Rushaga. Buhoma sector is located in the northern part of Bwindi and Ruhija sector in the North Eastern part of Bwindi both sectors are located close to Queen Elizabeth National Park making it easy to combine gorilla trekking with game viewing if you are trekking at these sectors. In the southern Part of Bwindi it is where Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors are located close to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for gorilla trekking and Golden monkey tracking. Each sector has different habituated mountain gorilla families open for gorilla trekking with Rushaga sector having many families compared to other sectors.

How Much Is Gorilla Trekking in Uganda?

A Gorilla Uganda Permit costs USD800 per person per trek for Foreign Non-Residents, USD700 for East African Residents, USD500 for Rest of Africa Citizens and USD80 for East African Citizens. This Gorilla permit gives you an opportunity to spend a one-hour encounter with mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park once you find them on your trek.

How to Reserve and Pay for A Gorilla Trekking Permit in Uganda

Can I buy a gorilla permit by my self? – Gorilla trekking permits are purchased only from Uganda Wildlife Authority through a registered tour operator, this can be done at their headquarters in Kampala for tourists arriving in Uganda through Entebbe it is recommended to purchase their gorilla permits from Kampala and for tourists arriving in Uganda through Kigali they can purchase their permits through a registered tour operator. Great Adventure Safaris is one of the best gorilla safari companies which can purchase for you your gorilla permit in advance and on short notice, once you confirm your dates and share them with us via email or WhatsApp we will first tentatively reserve the gorilla permits for you online and then send you an invoice for you to make payment and once money comes through on our account we will purchase your gorilla permits immediately and send you scan copies of your permits for your records and perusal and this will confirm you have purchase your gorilla permits for your gorilla trek in Bwindi forest for a given date.

What is the best time to go Gorilla Trekking in Uganda?

The best time for gorilla trekking in Uganda is during the drier months of January, February, June to early September, this is makes it easier to travel to the park and gives a clear view of gorillas given the vegetation cover is not too much high grown

Where and how to buy gorilla permits in Uganda

Where and how to buy gorilla permits in Uganda, there are currently around 176 gorilla trekking permits available per day in Uganda. These are split between the habituated gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for gorilla trekking in Uganda. For those interested in spending much more time with the gorillas in Uganda you can do gorilla habituation experience a 4-hour encounter with the gorillas in their natural habitat in Biwndi, for habituation there are only 4 gorilla permits available per day.

Many questions are usually asked on how to book gorilla permits for Uganda? Where and how to buy gorilla permits in Uganda, Purchasing gorilla permits? Gorilla permits booking information, how can I purchase a gorilla permit, where can I buy permits in Uganda and Rwanda, what is the best time for gorilla trekking in Uganda. In our Gorilla Permit Booking Information, we answer all these question, you will need to have your gorilla permit secured in advanced to confirm that you are booked for Gorilla Trekking Uganda in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Where and how to buy gorilla permits in Uganda, Gorilla Permits in Uganda are purchased from Uganda Wildlife Authority in Kampala these can be secured directly by yourself or through a local trust worthy Uganda tour operator.

How to book gorilla permits in Uganda?

Can I buy a gorilla permit by my self? Once you have your planned dates of travel confirmed we will need you to send us an email at info@greatadventuresafaris.com or WhatsApp so that we check for availability of gorilla habituation permits online with the Uganda Wildlife Authority once we confirm permits are available for your planned dates we will let you know so that we can send you an invoice for you to make payment for the permits. Once the payment is done and we have received it on our account we will go ahead and purchase your permits immediately and send you a scanned copy of the permits for your records and perusal, this will confirm you are booked for Gorilla Trekking Experience in Bwindi Forest National Park. It is advised to book your Gorilla permits in advance at least 2-3 months’ prior your visit given the fact few permits are available per day and sell out very quickly on first come first serve basis.

Cost and Getting Gorilla permits in Uganda

Where and how to buy gorilla permits in Uganda, The Gorilla permit in Uganda Costs $800 Per person per trek for the Foreign nonresidents, $700 Per person for residents and $80 for East African Citizens (Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi and South Sudan), this gives you an opportunity to spend one-hour encounter with the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Uganda has 22 habituated gorilla family groups with 21 found in Bwindi and 1 in Mgahinga this means 176 Gorilla permits are available every day for gorilla trekking in Uganda. Gorilla trekking in Uganda also gives you an option to spend more time with the mountain gorillas through Gorilla habituation experience which is only done in Bwindi forest, gorilla habituation permits costs $1500 per person giving you an opportunity to spend 4 hours encounter with the semi habituated mountain gorillas under the guidance of trackers and researchers as opposed to one hour for the normal trekking. Getting gorilla permits in Uganda can be done directly by booking them through Uganda Wildlife Authority or through a trusted tour operator in Uganda like Great Adventure Safaris.

What is the age limit for Gorilla Trekking in Uganda?

The minimum age limit for Gorilla Trekking is 15 years and the maximum age is 85 years depending on fitness levels. Gorilla trekking for elders is now made possible especially in Bwindi forest through provision of sedan chair carriers, these chairs are used to carry those who feel unfit and are unable to walk into the forest at the time of their trek, you will be carried by potters to and from the forest during your trek, hiring the sedan chair can done in advance or at the day of the trek and price ranges from 400-500 dollars.

Gorilla Permit cancellation penalties and policy in Uganda

To go for gorilla tracking you are required to have a gorilla permit, with this it is preferred that one who books a gorilla permit should be able to utilize it for the trek on a given date, Gorilla permit cancellations penalties and policy in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo are the same when you fail to make it to the date of the trek from 0 to 8 days, to the day of tracking and with this you don’t get the refund for the permits. Contact us here for details.

What to pack for Gorilla Trekking in Uganda?

During gorilla tracking, you will need a comfortable, hard-wearing, pair of walking shoes or boots.  Conditions are generally very muddy when it is raining. There are uphill sections which may be quite steep and strenuous.  It is also advisable to wear a long-sleeved cotton shirt and lightweight long trousers to protect yourself from the undergrowth, stinging nettles, and biting ants.  Suggested Items to pack for Gorilla trekking in Uganda include;

Contact us on How to Reserve and Pay for A Gorilla Trekking Permit in Uganda and Rwanda through Great Adventure Safaris.