Companies allowed to book gorilla permits – Gorilla trekking companies in Uganda – Top gorilla safari company in Uganda
Companies allowed to book gorilla permits include a specific group of licensed tour operators, often members of organizations like the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO), that have direct access to the official permit database through the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and Rwanda Development Board (RDB). Tourists can also book permits directly from the UWA or RDB offices in person, or through any licensed tour operator, although some companies have special privileges and faster access.
Are you planning to visit Uganda for gorilla trekking and you are trying to find out which company you can go through to book your gorilla permits for gorilla trekking in Uganda? The Association of Uganda Tour operators (AUTO) has a list of Tour companies allowed to book Gorilla permits in Uganda to see mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Great Adventure Safaris is a full member of AUTO and Licensed by Uganda Tourism Board to conduct tour and travel business in Uganda and Rwanda. So when you contact Great Adventure Safaris, you are guaranteed of great and timely service while booking your gorilla trekking safari.
How to book
Through a tour operator: Licensed tour companies like Great Adventure Safaris have special access to the permit database and can book on your behalf. This often streamlines the process.
Directly with the authorities: You can book a permit in person at the offices of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) or the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).
Key considerations
Direct access: Only a selected group of tour operators can view and reserve permits online through official channels like the UWA and RDB databases.
Permit fees: A tour company may charge an additional fee (e.g., $50-$100) to cover the administrative costs of booking permits for you.
Advance booking: Some operators, particularly those with access to the online database, can reserve permits for you for a period of time while you make payment.
Package tours: If you book a pre-packaged tour, the cost of the gorilla permit is usually already included in the overall price.
Group bookings: The “Association of Uganda Tour Operations” (AUTO) is authorized to reserve up to 80% of all permits for members up to two years in advance.
Reasons why you should book your gorilla permit through a local tour company
Companies allowed to book Gorilla permits in Uganda. Great Adventure Safaris is one of the few tour companies or operators allowed access to Uganda Wildlife Authority gorilla permit database. We have a 24/7 access to permits for Mgahinga Gorilla National Park as well as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and are in position to check and advise availability anytime any day. When you book your gorilla trekking permit through us, you will be guaranteed fast response about the number of permits available on a given date and month to enable you make a proper decision pertaining your visit.
Not all companies in Uganda have the above privilege and once we find permits, we are also allowed to reserve them for a maximum of seven (7) days as we wait for you to make payment. In the seven days we will send you an invoice for you to make payment and when that is done, we expect you to send us POP (proof of payment) since it normally takes 3-4 working days for money to show on our Bank Account. We in most cases use our credit to pay and secure your gorilla permit even before your money show on our account. We accept both Electronic transfers as well as Credit/Debit card payments much as the later attracts a 5% surcharge.
As soon as gorilla permits are paid for at Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) we will send you scanned copies of the receipts by email and 2 weeks to your trek, we will again go back to UWA to pick your gorilla permit cards which will have to be presented on the day of trekking.
About Uganda Wildlife Authority gorilla permit online booking system
In order to ease the work of checking availability and reserving of gorilla permits in Uganda, Uganda Wildlife Authority developed an online system which allows authorized and selected Tour Operators to check availability and reserve gorilla trekking permits there and then online without hassle. This system was introduced in 2016 and is currently being used by selected Tour Operators such as Great Adventure safaris.
Initially, when a company would receive an inquiry about gorilla permits and tours, they had to contact UWA head office staff on phone or drive to their offices to check availability. This became time consuming and inconvenienced both tour operators and individual tourists. There was no chance of holding or reserving permits for 7 days as it is now meaning that gorilla permits were issued out on first come first serve to whoever would come with cash.
Due to so many telephone calls and emails, it became very hard to get audience or response something that was a problem to tour operators. With the introduction of this online system, working of checking gorilla permits has been made easy.
Who is allowed to check gorilla permits in Uganda online?
Ever since Uganda gorilla trekking permits went online, it’s only selected tour operators that can view and reserve them. Great Adventure Safaris is one of the few privileged tour operators who have access to this database and we normally provide availability to our potential clients as soon as possible.
What happens when the gorilla permit online system is down/Not working?
Sometimes Uganda Wildlife Authority gorilla permit online systems can develop complications just like any software. Once this gorilla permits online system is down or slow, we will call UWA head offices and be able to check availability on your behalf. We also have our representative who normally visits UWA offices daily and can always assist in checking and reserving your gorilla trek permit.
Can I book my gorilla permit directly with Uganda Wildlife Authority?
This is one of the many frequently asked question by people who are planning to visit Uganda for gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Is it possible? The answer is yes. Booking gorilla permits directly with Uganda Wildlife Authority requires you to make a phone call or send an email which will be replied to by one of their reservations staff. He/she will provide the availability of permits on the requested date and send you an invoice to make payment on UWA bank Account. Once payment is made, your gorilla permit card will be issued and you will have to collect it yourself after providing proof by show of driving permit or passport.
While this looks a simple and straight forward method of booking your gorilla permit, those who have tried calling or sending an email tend to receive late responses which can sometimes be frustrating. We have had clients who came to us confirming how stressful this was. We hope that this will improve with time but at the moment, we encourage you to book your gorilla permit with a recognized Tour company in Uganda to eliminate all this hassle. Contact Great Adventure Safaris and you will not regret at all.
Updates on Uganda gorilla permit price
Currently the Uganda gorilla permit price to see mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park cost $800 for Foreign Non Residents, $700 for Foreign Residents with a working permit and 300,000 Uganda shillings for citizens of East Africa.
Uganda also offers an opportunity to spend more time with mountain gorillas when you book a gorilla habituation experience permit which cost $1500 per person for four hours. Gorilla habituation experience safaris are currently being conducted in the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Rushaga and Nkuringo. For more information about Gorilla habituation safaris conducted by Great Adventure Safaris, please contact us.
Why book with Great Adventure Safaris your Gorilla Permits in Uganda.
At Great Adventure Safaris we provide personalized service with the utmost dedication to the safety and enjoyment of our clients. We are committed to the well-being of our staff and guests as well as to having a positive impact on the communities and wild places that our operations reach. On all our operations and safaris, we embrace the environmental ethic “Take Nothing but Photographs, Leave Only Footprints” all our packages are eco-friendly. Contact us here about Companies allowed to book Gorilla permits in Uganda.