How To Plan Cost A Budget Gorilla Trekking Tour

Budget gorilla tracking safaris can be organised but inclusive of a private tailor made tour. Budget gorilla tracking also involves buying a gorilla permit. In Uganda, the price for a gorilla permit is sold at $ 600 and Rwanda at $ 750. This cost cuts across all tour packages and tracking gorillas too doesn’t distinguish whether budget or luxury gorilla safari.

Uganda has discounted gorilla trekking permit seasons that any one wishing to travel budget can use. During this time, even the lodges that seem to be very expensive during the peak seasons reduce there prices to attract customer. This would be one of the best options for someone with a fixed budget yet wishes to do gorilla trekking. You may spend your nights in a midrange or luxury lodge even with your fixed budget.

Gorilla tracking can also be mixed up with some other wildlife safaris like a game drive and launch cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Chimpanzee habituation in Kibale National Park to mention but a few. When gorilla trekking to see the gorillas, you must have gears like the rain coat or poncho, tracking boots, long sleeved trouser and shirt, garden gloves and several other gorilla trekking wears.

A budget gorilla trekking safari mainly includes budget accommodation, vehicle, fuel, a guide, a gorilla trekking permits and several others. You can also cut down your cost by sharing with others who wish to join a group for gorilla trekking. 

Some budget accommodations that can be booked for gorilla in Bwindi forest National Park and Volcanoes National Park include Bwindi view guest camp, Buhoma community bandas, Kinigi guest house, Gorilla Resort, Wag Tail and several others. Travelling by public transport is possible and cheaper but safety is not a guarantee especially for your property and life. Buses normally leave Kampala so early in the morning but because of reckless driving, you may end up getting accidents and the roads are impassable too.

Budget gorilla trekking can also be an alternative for saving money to enjoy other beauties of the Pearl.

Gorilla Trekking Safari Company Uganda Rwanda

A gorilla tracking safari is joyous when you book with a credible gorilla trekking company. It is quit interesting to know that your trip has been well handles and all you need to do is travel. We do book gorilla permits on behalf of out esteemed customer and even if you are not booking the rest of your Uganda trip with us we are ready to secure your gorilla permit. On arrival you can inform us where to find you and deliver your gorilla permit.

Because of our great relationship with several accommodations in Uganda especially those closer to the gorilla trekking spot, we save you the hassle of searching for where to spend your nights. We book in advance your overnight accommodation in the area where your gorilla permit has been secured so that you do not have to wake up very early in the morning to head for briefing.

As a company that has advanced in booking gorilla trek safaris, we also do secure flight tickets for our clients who wish to fly to Bwindi instead of taking the long drive. We have great relations with the companies that organise scheduled and charter flights. Upon booking your gorilla trip, we provide you with options of how to get to Bwindi forest national park and the available timings for your flights to Bwindi.

For those who are handicapped, we can also offer assistance for your movement to see the gorillas. There are sedan chairs that can be hired but this must be earlier arranged. Porters with a woven stretcher can also be arranged on ground to take you to the gorillas in case you wish to be lifted. This can also be arranged.

Our gorilla trekking tours are very much affordable and we can also tailor our tour packages to soot our clients needs. We have luxury, midrange and budget tour packages but you can also mix all these to enjoy your experience in Uganda. We can arrange your gorilla trekking safari to Uganda or Rwanda and book gorilla permits for you in both countries.

Apart from gorilla trekking, we can also combine you trip with a chimpanzee trekking experience in Kibale, Murchison falls National Park Wildlife tour or Queen Elizabeth National park launch trip. This can also be possible. You may also opt to fly to Kidepo National park which is one of the highly desired national parks in Uganda but because of its distance from the main center and the long drives that make it inaccessible

We have scheduled gorilla trekking safaris which you can possibly join and share your trip experience with others.  We do not accept children on these trips but can organise a private gorilla trekking tour for your family. Our prices for gorilla trekking tours are affordable and very pocket friendly.

Gorilla Trekking Permit

A gorilla permit in Uganda or Rwanda is the main pass to a confirmed gorilla tracking safari. In Uganda gorilla permits are printed on temporary cards where details including your name, nationality, date of birth and passport number.

Upon inquiring for your gorilla trek, we check availability from Uganda Wildlife Authority which is the major body that sells gorilla permits. Gorilla permits are sold on first come first serve basis and only 8 per day per gorilla trekking group are issued out. You must be very vigilant to secure a permit in time because of the competitive demand. 

How to book a Gorilla permit

Upon inquiring for a gorilla trekking tour, you must provide us with the details of what dates you would prefer taking your gorilla trek. We find availability from the Uganda wildlife Authority and send you details of our search immediately.

Our advise is you purchase your gorilla permit in advance by wiring fund onto our account because we do not purchase permits without proof of payment from a client. We highly inform clients to book a flight ticket after getting a gorilla permit because a variety of flights can be booked but there is no other option for a gorilla trekking permit.

When can I book Accommodation for gorilla trekking tour

Upon securing your gorilla permit, accommodation is pre-booked in the area where your permit has been booked.  In case you desire to overnight at a particular lodge, you must advise your agent so that both accommodation and the gorilla permit are booked in advance and in the area where you are spending the night.

Can I reschedule a gorilla permit or be refunded

Rescheduling a gorilla trekking permit may be possible but at an extra fee according to the Uganda Wildlife Authority rules. A gorilla permit can be rescheduled only once and upon availability on the dates of your preference. Refund for a gorilla trekking permit already purchased depends upon the Uganda Wildlife Authority policy. In case you miss tracking gorillas, no refund is given to you and the gorilla trekking card is void. 

What is the gorilla trekking age limit?

Gorilla trekking in both Uganda and Rwanda is allowed to tourists above 15 years. A gorilla trekking permit cannot be issued to a client below this age because gorillas are agitated by anyone who shows fright. The hike to see the gorillas is also quite tedious in that a child below these years may get tired even before getting half way the journey and never gets to see the gorillas.

Gorilla Trekking Uganda Versus Rwanda Tour

Whether trekking gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda the experience is awesomely the same.  Uganda gorilla trekking is done in Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park which is south westwards of Uganda sharing closer border with Rwanda at the Virunga volcanoes point. At time mountain gorillas from Uganda migrate to Rwanda and that is the reason why trekking gorillas in Mgahinga National park can only be confirmed on the day of tracking.

• ·         Rwanda has only one national park with mountain gorillas however Uganda has 2 National parks which are habitats to the mountain gorillas that is to say Bwindi Impenetrable National park and Mgahinga National park. Almost half of the total population of mountain gorillas are residents of Uganda.
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• ·         A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda is sold at $600 and during the low seasons, gorilla permits may be discounted to about $350 as per the advice from Uganda Wildlife Authority. Throughout the year, gorilla permits in Rwanda are sold at $750 with no low seasons or high season.
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• ·         Rwanda is generally a highland country so is the gorilla trekking Volcanoes National park. To get to the gorillas in Rwanda, you hike uniformly steep slope where the gorillas are normally found. This hike is quite tedious.
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• ·         Gorilla trekking in Uganda normally takes place in the undulating hills. You have to hike to the slopes of the close by ridges, and this depends on the prevailing weather conditions. Gorillas normally feed from the top of the highlands especially during the dry seasons so you have to locate them. During the wet seasons, they normally feed at the bottom of the highland because of the cold conditions.
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• ·         The drive from Kigali airport to Volcanoes national park is quite possible on the day of arrival because it is not so long and the roads are passable. In Uganda, driving from Entebbe or Kampala may take between 9 to10hours on a bumpy but scenic road. The way is awesome however it is better to spend a night in Uganda prior to the drive so as not to get so tired.
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• ·         Gorilla trekking in Uganda starts as early as 8.30am while Rwanda is an hour behind Uganda which is about 7.30 am. In both countries, trekking gears have to be prepared in advance. When is unique about Rwanda is you can hire some gears at the ranger station.
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• ·         ORTPN is the body responsible for selling Rwanda Gorilla trekking permits while Uganda Wildlife authority is responsible for seeking Uganda Gorilla permits.
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• ·         Whether you track gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda, you must have accommodation, which is Luxury, Midrange or Budget depending on your budget. For all-round experience, you can mix up your accommodations in your gorilla trekking safari.

What is The Best Gorilla Trekking Group

In Uganda, Gorilla trekking families are 10 but all are distributed within the northern and the southern sectors. These sectors also have gorilla trekking areas like Buhoma gorilla tracking area, Ruhija Gorilla trekking area, Nkuringo gorilla trekking area and Rushaga gorilla trekking area.

Gorilla trekking in either of these areas or sectors is memorable and each is unique in its own way. The best group for gorilla trekking is quite hard to identify because the experience is the same. Also the best gorilla group depends on what someone would like to achieve after trekking gorillas for example some trekkers wish to track the closet family so as not to get so tiered, the most challenging gorilla family, a gorilla family with the youngest infant, a gorilla group with an autocratic silverback, the first gorilla family to be habituated, a gorilla group with very many gorillas and so much more.

After an early morning briefing at the ranger station, you are divided into groups of 8 per gorilla family. The ranger guide leads you into the forest to start searching for the gorillas in the wilderness. You follow the tail where they were last seen the previous day. At times they move further into the forest to find better feeding ground, in case they had a fight with another family, loss of a group member all cause them to change position to even deeper ends of the park.

Gorilla trekking Safari tips

·         After packing your gorilla trekking gears, you must make sure all is well covered on your packing list.

·         A bit of fitness is comfortable while trekking to see the gorillas. Although not guarantee, since you have to hike up the steep slopes and get down the bottom to find the mountain gorillas without the help of any one.

·         While driving to get to the gorilla trekking area, avoid eating anything you are not sure of especially from the road side. This is because it may cause you some stomach upset or make you sick so missing out on your gorilla trek.

·         Tipping is a not compulsory but a token of appreciation for the services rendered on your gorilla trek safari. This encourages the people helping you to continue protecting the endangered  mountain gorillas.

·         Carrying cash on you while organising to come for your gorilla trekking trip is very helpful especially in Africa. This is because credit cards are rarely used to make payments and the money takes long to reflect on the account. Also there are memorable souvenirs that you can buy as remembrance for your gorilla tracking trip but can only be purchased with cash.

Pointing out the best gorilla trekking group to trek varies on one’s purpose for taking the gorilla trekking tour. Following the above safari tips is helpful for a comfortable tour.