How To Book Mgahinga Gorilla Permits
You must know the date you intend to go gorilla trekking in order to book gorilla permits for Mgahinga National Park. Decide how many individuals you want to bring on your gorilla trekking expedition. Note that there is currently only one gorilla family, the Nyakagezi, in Mgahinga National Park. There is a history of this family of gorillas wandering into Rwanda.
A Few Specifics of Mgahinga National Park Gorilla Trekking
With a total area of roughly 33.7 square kilometers, Mgahinga National Park is the smallest national park in Uganda. This park, which is surrounded by Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is home to one of the few mountain gorillas in the world.
Other primates like as golden monkeys, olive baboons, grey-cheeked mangabeys, black and white colobus, red-tailed monkeys, and others exist here in addition to the Nyakagezi gorilla family, which roams the area.
The three volcanoes that make up Mgahinga National Park’s topography are Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhavura, and Mountain Sabyinyo. These highlands have unique, intact vegetation zones on their slopes, including montane woods, an alpine zone with enormous lobelia and groundsel forms, and an Ericaceous zone with big tree heather.
Mgahinga woodlands’ constantly growing list of birds is making it a popular destination for Ugandan birdwatchers. Ornithologists have so far proven that approximately 115 bird species, including endemics of the Albertine Rift, call this place home. As fewer birders have been visiting Mgahinga National Park, this list is anticipated to grow with time.
How to Reserve Gorilla Permits in Mgahinga National Park
Decide how many gorilla permits you want to reserve and the date you plan to go gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park. Eight gorilla permits are now available for public reservation in this park.
You can reserve a gorilla permit directly from the Uganda Wildlife Authority or through an authorized tour operator such as katland Safaris. When calling the Uganda Wildlife Authority, you must exercise patience because the reservation phone lines are frequently busy.
Our reservation staff looks up availability from the Uganda Wildlife Authority gorilla permit list when you contact us. Other than the previous 24-hour turnaround time, katland Safaris is one of the businesses that has been proven to have access to this list, allowing us to update gorilla permits for our clients more quickly.
Since gorilla trekking permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis, we encourage our guests to buy them as soon as possible. The public can only reserve a maximum of eight gorilla permits per day.
Provide certain passport information later, such as your entire name as it appears on the document, nationality, birthdate, and passport expiration date.
What is the price of the Mgahinga National Park gorilla permit?
The current price of a Uganda gorilla permit for Mgahinga National Park is $800 for foreign nonresidents each trip, $700 for foreign residents, and 300,000 shs for inhabitants of East Africa.
Only a maximum of eight gorilla permits for Mgahinga National Park are available for public reservation per day. In Mgahinga National Park, trekking for golden monkeys is another option. A Golden Monkeys trekking permit must be reserved.
What Does the Price of Mgahinga National Park Include?
The price of a gorilla permit covers park admission costs, security during the gorilla walk, an hour spent with the primates, assistance for the protection of mountain gorillas, support for the local people, and the cost of a ranger guide.
By purchasing a gorilla permit, you are contributing to the long-term survival of mountain gorillas, which were in danger of going extinct by the 1980s. After conducting a census that resulted in the counting of 300 mountain gorillas, American primatologist Dian Fossey brought the predicament of the species to the attention of the world’s conservation community. More than a thousand mountain gorillas currently reside in the Virunga region, a feat made possible by conservation initiatives.
What Does the Price of a Gorilla Trekking Permit Not Include?
In addition to helping you carry your safari supplies, a porter can push you as needed while gorilla trekking. The most immediate way to improve the lives of the locals is to engage a porter. The price of the gorilla permits does not include transportation to the location, gratuities, snacks, lunch, or any other personal belongings.
katland Safaris helps you plan your ideal gorilla safari in Africa and customizes an itinerary to meet your needs. We work with several lodging establishments that, when feasible, might offer some savings.
We take pride in our more than ten years of expertise organizing gorilla safaris and other safari activities in Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya, which has earned us excellent reviews on travel websites like TripAdvisor and SafariBookings, among others.
Is a gorilla permit worth the money?
Despite being one of the priciest holiday tickets, the gorilla permit is well worth the money. Some of the last mountain gorillas in the world that were in danger of going extinct by the 1980s are found in the Virunga region.
Since the Dian Fossey team counted roughly 300 mountain gorillas in the 1980s, the population has grown to over 1000 thanks to the money raised by the sale of gorilla safaris.
Twenty percent of the annual revenues from your gorilla trekking donations are donated to the local community to support their initiatives, such as building health centers, maintaining roads, and enhancing schools. This is one method to lessen the hostility that existed between people and mountain gorillas and involve the local population in the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Board.
Can I buy my Mgahinga National Park gorilla trekking permit in installments?
Although it is advisable to pay in full for gorilla permits, the Uganda Wildlife Authority also allow 30% and 70% installment permit purchases.
However, this only applies to those who buy their gorilla permits 90 days before to the trekking date. Before the ninety-day trip date, you must top up.
There could be a penalty for noncompliance.
Is it possible to reschedule Mgahinga’s gorilla permit?
After booking a gorilla permit, everyone wants to go on a gorilla trekking excursion, but unanticipated events may prevent this from happening. You can reschedule the gorilla permit if you still want to go gorilla trekking in the future.
Methodology
To reschedule your gorilla permit, send a letter to the Uganda Wildlife Authority. If you have any supporting documentation for your request to amend your dates, please include it in an attachment. This serves as a contingency plan in case you need to reschedule your gorilla trekking permit.
Depending on the current gorilla permit availability status, your permit is transferred to the new date after it has been approved.
Take note
Two free gorilla permit reschedulings for the same permit are accepted in Uganda. Only the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s executive director has the authority to provide approval for the third time. If you want to postpone the same gorilla permit for the third time, you will be penalized 25%.
For those who buy them in installments, you must top up your gorilla permit before it is relocated.
You can only reschedule a gorilla permit during the discounted time if discounted permits are made available to the general public. You must top up to the rate for that date if you want to move your discounted gorilla permit to a date after this window.
In Mgahinga National Park, how long is gorilla trekking?
Due to the various conditions that affect when to find the mountain gorillas, it is unknown how long gorilla trekking takes.
While some trekkers spend more than three-quarters of the day with the mountain gorillas, others glimpse them within two hours of beginning their journey.
When to look for mountain gorillas depends on a number of circumstances, including:
The gorilla hiking group’s speed
It could take a while to find the mountain gorillas and finish the trip if you are assigned to gorilla trekking with a slow group. Being physically active helps you go more quickly when gorilla trekking. Additionally, the range guide keeps up with the slowest hiker.
The weather at the time of gorilla trekking
If it’s the extreme rainy season, the ground could be slick and damp on a particularly rainy day. They can cause your hiking time to be delayed. During the intense rainy season, even the mountain gorillas enjoy feeding on the slopes. To find the mountain gorillas, you might need to hike.
The mountain gorillas’ feuding families
The losers of a quarrel among the mountain gorillas might be forced into hiding. Finding them could seem pointless if this is the family you are assigned to visit. The Uganda Wildlife Authority’s return policy may grant you a refund or let you to see another gorilla family in the future.
Having a Dominant Silverback that is adventurous
The entire family follows the dominant silverback when he engages in an exciting pastime, making it easy or challenging for trekkers to find this type of gorilla family.
Food sources for mountain gorillas nearby
Mountain gorillas can graze for a long time in one place, but the dominant silverback must look for new food sources when the supply runs low. It can take a while for them to relax, which would make the gorilla trekking experience more difficult.
Gorilla trekking requires a certain amount of patience because the creatures are allowed to roam freely in this environment. You can’t expect to find the gorillas in a specific area at this zoo.
Keep an open mind and keep an eye out for other fascinating species and characteristics in the forest, such as birds, butterflies, monkeys, and other creatures that this historic forest may have, to avoid becoming bored.
Is it challenging to go gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park?
The mountain gorillas spend some of their time in the relatively steep terrain of Mgahinga National Park, which is framed by the mountains Gahinga, Muhavura, and Sabyinyo.
The trails may be slick and have a lot of undergrowth that topples over during the intense rainy season, which is often March, April, May, and November. The water flowing down the slopes may even overflow the rivers. The wet season increases the likelihood of a marshy ground.
The proper gorilla trekking equipment, such as rainproof clothing, safari boots, long sleeves, long pants, and much more, must be carried.
You can rent a sedan chair service to assist you with your gorilla trekking expedition in Mgahinga National Park if you are elderly or physically disabled.
To what extent are mountain gorillas aggressive?
The mountain gorillas’ massive, dark-furred bodies and knuckle-moving gait make them appear frightening on the surface. When you glance into their eyes, you see that they are shy and have sunken brown eyes. The mountain gorillas are quiet and reserved in their natural habitat.
In the history of gorilla trekking, there have never been any reports of mountain gorillas assaulting people. Following several simulated visits, the mountain gorillas are made available for public viewing after becoming accustomed to human presence for at least two years.
What Rules Apply to Trekking with Gorillas in Mgahinga National Park?
It is prohibited to litter the forest during gorilla trekking because this changes the habitat of the mountain gorillas.
Once you find the mountain gorillas, you are only permitted to spend an hour with them. They are accustomed to spending only that amount of time with people, leaving them to carry out their daily tasks.
It is prohibited to eat or smoke in front of mountain gorillas.To prevent them from being tempted to steal what you are eating, do this at least 300 meters away from them. Since they are untamed creatures, they have to find their own food.
Due to the nature of the gorilla trekking environment, only youngsters aged 15 and over are permitted to participate. Due to their migration, it is unknown when the mountain gorillas can be found.
Spitting on the ground or plants is prohibited because it could infect the mountain gorillas with pathogens. Mountain gorillas are susceptible to human infectious diseases such as cholera, the flu, cough, and COVID-19.
Volunteer to stay behind and shield the mountain gorillas from infectious diseases if you have a contagious illness. It is unknown how widespread this sickness could be and how many mountain gorillas it could kill.
One of the precautions taken to stop the COVID-19 virus and other pathogens from infecting mountain gorillas is to wear a clean mask before seeing them.
When you find the mountain gorillas, keep at least 8 meters between you and them to avoid infecting them.
Because loud noises could frighten the mountain gorillas, they are not allowed in the jungle. They are extremely sensitive to noises that are unfamiliar to them.
Because the mountain gorillas might hide from the strange light, even flash photography is forbidden.
