Why are passport details required when booking Uganda and Rwanda gorilla permits?
Booking Gorilla Trekking Permits in Rwanda and Uganda: Methodology
If you want to go gorilla treking in Uganda, you have to have a confirmed or tentative date. Including the folks you intend to go with for gorilla treking.
An inquiry or safari consultant verifies the availability status per your date from the Uganda Wildlife Authority or Rwanda Development Board gorilla permit listing when you email us.
We kindly ask that you get gorilla permits as soon as they become available as they fast run out. Still, their daily maximum is eight licenses for each gorilla family. Consequently, particularly in the busiest seasons of June to September and December to January, the demand for these permits is very strong.
Later on when Uganda Wildlife Authority or Rwanda Development Board issues the gorilla permit, certain personal information is needed like names on the Passport, nationality, date of birth, and passport expiration date.
Why Should I Show Passport Details When Making a Gorilla Permit Order for Record Keeping?
For records only, the Uganda Wildlife Authority—also known as Rwanda Development Board—makes use of passport information. They track which Nationalities visited the mountain gorillas most and the reasons for their visits year. Furthermore, the mountain gorillas that need to be preserved need money, hence the people who help them to survive are also recorded under these bodies.
Advertising Scope of Gorilla Trekking Safaris
Knowing passport information, Uganda and Rwanda can target most advertising for the gorilla trekking tours. The present census counts only around 1000 mountain gorillas alive on Earth.
The marketing teams have to visit these records in order to decide where to promote the mountain gorillas.
Finding the age of a visitor on a gorilla trekking trip
Gorilla trekking is age 15 years and above, hence some passport information is required to search for this. Since the timing of finding the mountain gorillas is unclear, no youngster below this age may engage in gorilla treking. Young children below the age of fifteen could not be patient in the woods.
Because of volcanic activity, the ground of the places where mountain gorillas reside is jagged; hence, occasionally you need trek several ridges and plateaus to reach the mountain gorillas. A youngster below this age might find it difficult to negotiate steep and treacherous hills to reach the mountain gorillas.
Find out when the Passport May expire.
Presenting the date the Passport can expire helps us to guide you on when to conduct gorilla trekking most wisely. We advise you to renew your Passport so that your trip plans are only disturbed once the day of gorilla trekking is decided upon if it expires before that.
Easy client identification on Gorilla Trekking Safari
On the day of gorilla trekking, some of these specifics are displayed to help visitors to be readily recognized during the briefing. The age is determined based on the data even when they are being assigned to gorilla households.
Some Information To Add On The Gorilla Trekking Accomplish Certificate
Every guest receives a certificate of success upon returning from the gorilla trip. One of the mementos you should keep with you to serve as a reminder of your kind donation to the mountain gorilla survival during your safari.
How much could I pay for a gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda and Uganda?
A Rwanda gorilla permit is $1500 per person; a Uganda gorilla permit runs $800 per person per trip.
This covers one hour with the mountain gorillas, park admission fees, ranger guide feed, security, gorilla medicine, local community assistance, and others.
The Gorilla permit fee excludes transportation to the location, gratuity, porter expense, refreshments, and other personal things.
Can I postpone the permission for the Gorilla Trekking?
As long as you write to Uganda Wildlife Authority or Rwanda Development Boards declaring a standing cause for you not attending the scheduled gorilla trekking date, you are free to reschedule.
Imagine they answer and grant you permission. If you paid your gorilla permit in installments, you must have paid it in whole. Top up so that it may be moved to a future date. Paying for a gorilla permit in 30% and 70% of the total fee is allowed by Uganda Wildlife Authority and Rwanda Development Board respectively. But carrying in installments for the gorilla trekking permit is only permitted ninety days before the date. Top-up so has to be done at least 90 days before the trip.
Before rescheduling, our safari adviser must confirm the availability of the gorilla permits for the day of your preferred option.
Where To Go Gorilla Trekking In Uganda and Rwanda?
Bwindi Impenetrable Park
Located in southwest Uganda, this park has a dense ancient forest that has endured many years. Among the four only mountain gorilla habitats, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has approximately half the total count seen worldwide. There are eighteen gorilla families in full view for visitors at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park consists of four gorilla trekking sites due in great part to its vastness. To be under one authority was extremely important. These four places cover Buhoma, Ruhujah, Rushaga, and Nkuringo.
You ought to reserve lodging near these sites so you won’t have to rush from one place to another catching up with the briefing. Sometimes the slick roads—especially in the wet seasons—cause the roadways linking these places to be inaccessible.
Mginga National Park
Mgahinga National Park stretches far southwest in Uganda. There is one gorilla family available for visitors right now. The Nyakagezi gorilla family moved to Rwanda as, in the wild, the gorillas lacked awareness of political borders.
Mountains you might climb in Mgahinga National Park span eight hours’ travel time. Among these mountains are Mountains Muhavura, Sabyinyo, and Gahinga.
With around 115 bird species, including Albertine Rift endemics, the park is among the well-known birding hotspots.
Volcanoes National Park
One gorilla treking site in Rwanda is Volcanoes National Park. With a background of five mountains—Mountain Sabyinyo Mountain—Volcanoes National Park offers an amazing perspective that makes it a great wildlife destination in Rwanda.
Mountains Karisimbi, Bisoke, Gahinga, Mountain Muhabura.
To see the mountain gorillas in Rwanda, you have to get a gorilla permit. Volcanoes National Park consists now of fifteen gorilla families.
How should I behave on the Gorilla Trekking?
You have to go to a briefing before embarking on gorilla treking as the ranger guide covers a lot. Therefore, even if you study the guidelines for gorilla trekking, make sure you follow the briefing as additional information regarding the specific family you are seeing will be covered.
Trekking to find the mountain gorillas requires you not to create noise in the forest as they are very sensitive to foreign disturbance in their vicinity. A rush in the jungle caused by any noise might disturb neighboring gorilla families or forest inhabitants.
If you come across an infectious ailment like cholera, coughing, flu, etc., offer to remain behind.
Feeding mountain gorillas or other forest residents is very illegal as wild creatures have to hunt for food.
Once you find the mountain gorillas, keep about eight meters away from them. They are very prone to human illnesses, hence maintain some distance from them. This is a preventive action for diseases.
Though just one hour is permitted, provoking the mountain gorillas is banned as it may disturb them and drive the family into hiding.
Mountain gorillas and other forest residents take their food from the ground, hence spitting on plants or the ground is banned. Spitting on it might contaminate these surviving primates with pathogens.
Every trekker should always wear a facemask; furthermore, keep your shoes clean.
How Much Is a Gorilla Trekking Safari in Rwanda and Uganda?
The gorilla trekking safari packages go into premium, middle ground, and budget ranges.
First you have to get a gorilla permit; the normal price for all packages in Rwanda or Uganda.
Other elements that give gorilla trekking safaris more thought include
The count of guests funding the gorilla safari.
The fee per person dropped the more people joined the gorilla trekking expedition. You get to split certain costs such car hiring, gasoline, and others. On gorilla trekking safaris, single visitors pay the whole safari fee.
The gorilla trekking tour booking date
Usually, the peak season draws expensive expenses for most services due to the global great demand. On the other side, the low seasons provide opportunity for cheaper rates for several services like housing, driver guides, and others.
Extra activities along with gorilla trekking
Since every activity is priced differently, the safari package price increases with the more activities mixed with gorilla trekking.
The days to engage in gorilla trekking expedition
Since service providers charge daily expenses, the safari package increases the more days you remain on the gorilla trekking vacation.
Arranging your gorilla trekking trip at least six months ahead lets you choose from a large spectrum of services.
Is Trekking Gorilla Difficult in Uganda or Rwanda?
The geography of Uganda and Rwanda gorilla trekking sites is volcanic with jagged mountains. Because of the mountains that define Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, the paths there are steeper. Consequently, while steeper, the gorilla trekking experience in Rwanda is rather fascinating as well.
Mgahinga National Park gorilla trekking in Uganda is comparable to that of Rwanda as Mgahinga National Park is on the southern side of three Volcanoes that the Rwanda side owns. Among these mountains are Mountain Muhavura, Mountain Sabyinyo, and Mountain Gahinga.
Having some degree of fitness will help one to be comfortable on the way to find the mountain gorillas. Each National park has sedan chairs for usage in the forest in case of physical disability.
Porters will help you move to where the mountain gorillas could be relaxing or eating. Hiring a porter can assist you carry your equipment and other possessions before gorilla trekking. Every porter you employ helps the re-families by a little fee.
The most of the porters are locals from the nearby area. You help to preserve the mountain gorillas by employing a porter. The mountain gorillas and other forest inhabitants living nearby should be appreciated by the society.
Mountain gorillas are mobile creatures, hence even if you choose which gorilla family is more easy to find, you must be patient. Especially for adventurous humans, they remain in a certain place for particular reasons like the availability of food and the want of the Dominant Silverback.
