There will be a cost or penalty for rescheduling gorilla permits in Uganda after the fact in 2020 and 2021, according to the Uganda Wildlife Authority. An additional 25% of the original permit price would be levied if a gorilla permit has to be rescheduled at the last minute, under a new policy by the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

Attention all anyone interested in purchasing or rescheduling gorilla permits for Bwindi or Mgahinga National Park: please act promptly to avoid the fee that will be imposed due to the postponement of the gorilla permit rescheduling process.

Can you tell me the background of the penalty for rescheduling gorilla permits at the last minute?

Visitors to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga National Park, Volcanoes National Park, and Virunga National Park are need to purchase gorilla permits in order to spend an hour in the company of mountain gorillas.

For this one hour, you may snap pictures and see how these wild animals act. As a token of appreciation for your part in helping to ensure the continued existence of mountain gorilla populations in countries like Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, you will receive a certificate upon completion of your gorilla trekking adventure.

Similar to the other three nations where mountain gorillas are found, there was no way to transfer gorilla permits from one date to another when trekking for these primates began in Uganda. Put simply, there was no way to change or postpone the dates of the gorilla trekking.

In an effort to make things more accommodating for tour companies and people, the Uganda Wildlife Authority loosened up on the restrictions around gorilla permit rescheduling.

If you need to change the date of your gorilla permit at the last minute, you may do so by requesting a late reschedule. No one will be fined if they apply two weeks before to their scheduled gorilla trekking date to change the date of their booked permits. Those who want to reschedule their gorilla permits within 8 days of the trekking dates are the only ones who will be fined for doing so.

Steps to reschedule gorilla permits in Mgahinga and Uganda-Bwindi national parks.

According to the rules set forth by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, there is a specified procedure for rescheduling licenses for gorillas. It is important to remember that gorilla permits must be reserved in advance to ensure availability.

On behalf of their customers or individuals, travel operators may book gorilla permits directly with UWA a year or two in advance. Many things may happen during this period, such as the individual being ill or experiencing unforeseen events.

If there is a need to amend the dates of the journey, the affected party must officially notify the Uganda Wildlife Authority, writing to the attention of the Executive Director, of their decision to do so. The latter need to be able to display the quantity of permits that must be relocated, together with the original and expected transfer dates. The individual responsible for transferring these gorilla permits should be able to provide a justification for the transfer, together with supporting documents.

You may either send this formal letter by regular mail or attach it to an email and send it to the headquarters of the Uganda Wildlife Authority. To make sure the letter is received and sold, one must follow up. The decision to approve or reject the rescheduling will be made when the letter reaches the executive director’s office.

Once approval is given, the information technology department of the Uganda Wildlife Authority will be alerted and will update your gorilla permits to reflect the revised date. At that point, the head of reservations at the Uganda Wildlife Authority will be notified of the revisions via letter from UWA, and you will be able to choose your acceptance at a later time.

An identifying number is produced for each gorilla permit booking and is printed on the receipt you received upon purchase. You will need to provide this receipt together with this ID in order to update it in the system after authorization is granted. You will be provided with a new ID to keep track of and review. Also, there won’t be any penalties or fines if you change your gorilla permits two weeks before your expedition. Rescheduling gorilla permits at the last minute will result in a fee.

How to change your Uganda gorilla permit reservation?

If you need to reschedule your gorilla permit in Uganda at the last minute, you’ll have to pay 25% of the entire fee. The price of gorilla permits for the fiscal year 2020-21 is USD800, which is effective July 1st. If you purchase a gorilla permit and want to reschedule it at a later date, you will be charged USD175 (or 25% of USD800). Please be sure to request date changes in plenty of time to prevent this.

The owner is responsible for keeping all gorilla permits topped up and for rescheduling any that expire. To rephrase, full payment is necessary according to the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Individuals and tour companies are permitted by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to pay 30% of the total gorilla permit payment.

The remaining 70% may be paid three months before to the trekking date. Make sure you top up your gorilla permits before requesting a rescheduling in an official letter written to the Executive director. This is necessary in the event that your original dates need to be changed and you would want to modify the dates.

Just a heads up, you can only postpone your Uganda gorilla permit once. That is to say, in order to avoid making clerical errors while making reservations and then expecting leniency from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, you should inform your office personnel of this. To avoid booking your gorilla permits on the incorrect date, Katland Safaris will double-check the dates you provide when you purchase your gorilla trip.

Please check with the Uganda Wildlife Authority to confirm that the new day you would want to reschedule your gorilla permits is available. Katland Safaris will verify the new dates’ availability of space before advising you on how to proceed with your gorilla permit booking. We may suggest other dates either before or after the one you’ve requested if the ones you’ve chosen don’t have any available spots.

What gives rise to the penalty for rescheduling gorilla permits in Uganda at the last minute?

Gorilla permit rescheduling in Uganda may be caused by a number of factors. In such cases, tour operators or individuals may need to reschedule their trekking dates. A change in flights, illness, or death might be a contributing factor. We may accommodate date changes for any cause, but please let us know at least one week in advance; otherwise, a 25% fee will be applied.

When planning a safari to Rwanda or Uganda, why not choose Katland?

With headquarters in Entebbe, Katland Safaris takes great pride in being a gorilla destination management organization. We have been offering gorilla trekking tours in Rwanda and Uganda for over ten years, and in that time we have learned what it takes to put together affordable vacation packages that nevertheless provide an unforgettable experience.

When you contact us, our office and field personnel will respond to your inquiries with the expertise and reliability you deserve. According to TripAdvisor and SafariBookings, two of the most well-known travel websites in the world, we are among the top African tour operators.