Weekend gorilla trekking safaris – Booking gorilla permits in Uganda and Rwanda -Budget Gorilla trekking safaris
Weekend gorilla trekking safaris – Great Adventure Safaris operates weekend Gorilla trekking Safaris to either Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda or Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
All our weekend Gorilla safaris start on Friday and end on Sunday, and can either start in Kigali or Entebbe. These sort of Gorilla trips are built for persons that don’t have much time during the week to spare for Gorilla trekking.
The price of all our Weekend Gorilla Safaris is Inclusive of one Gorilla trekking permit in either Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks in Uganda, or Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, or Kahuzi-Biega and Virunga National Parks in DR Congo. Gorilla Permits in Uganda cost USD800 per person, the permits in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park cost USD1500 per person, whereas gorilla permits cost USD400 in DR Congo.
As you may have already noticed, Gorilla Permits in Uganda cost a lot less than the permits in Rwanda. Trekking gorillas in Uganda saves you a whopping USD700 on permits which can be put to paying for a midrange two nights stay in a standard room at Mutanda Lake resort a favourite midrange lodge overlooking the Virunga mastiff.
Important Gorilla Trekking information worth reading before you go
- What is gorilla trekking?
Gorilla trekking is a fully active adventure experience that involves hiking up uneven terrain, mountains and through tangled vegetation cover hacked by rangers and porters using machetes to create a temporary passage to the gorillas. The type of gorillas you are trekking to see is the rare mountain gorillas.
- Where to do gorilla trekking?
Mountain Gorilla trekking in Africa can only be done in three countries; Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo. Uganda and Rwanda are considered the Safest Places to see Mountain Gorillas.
In Uganda, Gorillas can be seen in two National Parks; Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
In Rwanda, Gorilla trekking is done in Volcanoes National park and nowhere else.
In DR Congo, Gorilla trekking is done in two National Parks; Virunga National park for the mountain gorillas and Kahuzi-Biega National Park for the low land gorillas.
- Price of a gorilla Permit.
The price of Gorilla Permits in Uganda:
USD800 per person for Foreign Non Residents.
USD700 per person for Foreign Residents including ex-pats in Uganda.
UGX300,000 per person for East African citizens.
- In Rwanda, Gorilla permits cost:
USD1,500 per person for Foreign Non-Residents.
USD500 per person for Foreign Residents.
USD200 per person for East African Citizens.
In DR Congo, Gorilla permits cost:
USD400 per person for Foreign Non Residents.
USD200 per person for East African Residents.
USD20 per person for National Residents.
The permit fees mentioned include; park entry fees, 0ne gorilla trekking permit and guide fees.
- Best time to go gorilla tracking.
Although Gorilla trekking can happen anytime all-year-round come rain or sunshine, the best time to go gorilla tracking is in the dry season months of June to August and December to February. During this time, the trails and drier and less slippery. Trekkers are likely to enjoy a fairly drier gorilla trekking experience and good weather for photography.
- What to expect during gorilla trekking.
Your morning on the day of the trek starts with you getting dressed up in the appropriate gorilla trekking gear and outfit (see: Gorilla trekking Clothing & Gear). You will then be transferred by your guide to the respective gorilla briefing point where you will be briefed about gorilla trekking, the dos & don’ts (see: gorilla trekking rules). After the briefing, you will walk into the forest and start your gorilla tracking experience in the company of ranger guides who will interpret the plants, birds, insects and anything of interest in the forest. On finding the gorillas, you will be allowed a maximum viewing and photography time frame of one hour in meters with them. Return to your start point for a certificate awarding ceremony having participated in the gorilla trekking experience. The certificates are souvenirs for you to take back at the end of your gorilla Safari.