How do I get Gorilla Permit in Uganda

How do I get gorilla permit in Uganda for my much anticipated Uganda gorilla trekking safari is something that travelers do wonder about when they come to realize that they are actually in for a gorilla safari in Uganda. Uganda is a beautiful Pearl of Africa which hosts the largest population of the remaining mountain gorillas. The endangered mountain gorillas can only be found in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Uganda, mountain gorillas can be found in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, all located in the south western part of Uganda.

Gorilla trekking is the eco-tourism activity which has travelers hiking these habitats of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in search of mountain gorillas and spending only one hour with gorillas once encountered. Gorilla habituation however has travelers spending about 4 hours with semi-habituated mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. To take part in a gorilla trekking in Uganda, or a gorilla habituation experience, one needs a Uganda gorilla permit which comes at a cost. It is the funds however collected from this gorilla trekking activity that is used to protect and conserve the endangered primates. Without a gorilla permit, you cannot take part in a gorilla trekking in Uganda safari activity in any of the two gorilla destinations in Uganda namely Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

What is a gorilla permit?

Before you know how to get a gorilla permit in Uganda, knowing what a gorilla permit is, is important. A gorilla permit is document or card which allows one to have access to gorilla trekking in any gorilla destination in Uganda say Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. If you want to encounter the mountain gorillas in the wild, you need to get yourself a gorilla trekking permit. A gorilla trekking permit allows one to take part in gorilla trekking in Uganda, for a maximum of one hour per person per trek. There are about 20 habituated gorilla families in Uganda which tourists can visit with a gorilla trekking safari; and given that only 8 trekkers can visit a single gorilla family per day, only few travelers can visit the gorillas thereby controlling the number of travelers who do encounter the gorillas the gorillas per day. Apart from a gorilla trekking permit, gorilla habituation permits allow travelers to take part in the gorilla habituation process, an activity that has trekkers joining gorilla experts and specialists as they habituate the gorillas to accommodate human interaction and presence.

How much is a Uganda gorilla permit?

A Uganda gorilla trekking permit costs $700 for foreign non-residents, $600 for foreign residents and ugx250000 for East African citizens; while a Uganda gorilla habituation permit costs $1500 per person per trek. It is important to note that the Uganda gorilla permit price is not inclusive of any other activity or items like accommodation, meals, transportation, souvenirs among so many others. The Uganda gorilla permit price only allows you a single gorilla trek, not even other activities in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

How To get a gorilla permit ?

How to get gorilla permit in Uganda is not so hard. Gorilla permits in Uganda are issued by only the Uganda Wildlife authority, a body responsible for the protection, conservation and regulation of all national parks in Uganda. It is possible to visit the Uganda Wildlife Authority for gorilla permits right from its offices in Kampala, and yet more convenient for you to use a reliable tour operator to purchase the gorilla permits on your behalf from UWA given they are on-ground. Gorilla permits in Uganda for a Uganda Safari do sell out very fast, booking in advance is therefore advised especially for travel during the peak season of June through September, and December to February. When booking for your gorilla permit in Uganda, be sure to know which gorilla region you are interested in and book accordingly. The four Bwindi Impenetrable National Park sectors include Buhoma sector, Nkuringo sector, Rushaga sector and Ruhija sector.

A tour operator is the best choice to help you get a gorilla permit in Uganda, without you the traveler going through the hustle. The tour operator could also help you make further reservations in regards to transportation, accommodation among others, for your complete Uganda gorilla safari.

There are about 152 gorilla permits in Uganda available per day for travelers to encounter gorillas either in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Only 8 persons per gorilla family per day can encounter mountain gorillas in Uganda, and must be 15 years and over in healthy condition that is to say, not be sick with contagious illnesses like flue and cough lest the gorillas caught it too since they are susceptible to human infections.