Why are Uganda gorilla permits cheaper than Rwanda – Gorilla trekking safaris and tours.
Anyone hoping to view mountain gorillas must get a gorilla permit for Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, or Rwanda. Insecurity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is driving many visitors to follow mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park as well as Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
Many elements come into play before any choice is taken as customers begin weighing expenses and experiences before deciding whether to pursue gorillas in Rwanda or Uganda. Those who are sensitive about the expenses of a gorilla tracking safari will most likely wonder why Rwanda gorilla permits are pricey or why Uganda gorilla permits are less expensive than Rwanda.
A gorilla permit in Rwanda costs USD1500., whereas in Uganda it costs USD800. Rwanda gorilla licenses have a much more costly price than Uganda.
Why are gorilla permits from Uganda less expensive than from Rwanda?
We shall attempt as much as we can to explain the numerous reasons Uganda gorilla permits are less expensive than Rwanda. Rwanda has a competitive advantage over Uganda in terms of gorilla monitoring, hence they may choose to raise the price of their gorilla licenses without influencing their sales.
One would rather pay highly for a gorilla permit in Rwanda and travel for a short distance (2-3 hours) from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park than 9-10 hours from Entebbe Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park when you consider the drive time/time spent from Kigali Capital to Volcanoes National Park.
Understanding this competitive advantage, Uganda’s government via UWA decided to cut the price of gorilla permits in order to attract those customer who would be ready to travel great distances from Entebbe to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and pay less.
Uganda spends less in marketing than Rwanda, which is another factor explaining the lower Uganda gorilla permits. Given Rwanda’s strong focus on marketing, one may raise their gorilla permit fee without compromising their population.
Uganda decided to cut the price to make them more affordable in order to benefit into gorilla tracking industry.
Arguments that Rwanda gorilla trekking experience is far better than Uganda, that Rwanda has few tourist attractions compared to Uganda and as so she has to capitalize on income from gorilla trekking; other reasons advance to explain why Uganda gorilla permits are cheaper. Most of these are still open for debate.
