Uganda gorilla trekking price
Uganda gorilla trekking price
Uganda gorilla trekking price / cost of gorilla trekking in Uganda : Gorilla trekking is a thrilling activity in Uganda where you move into the dense tropical rainforests in search of the habituated gorilla families and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in two destinations that is Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park. Gorilla trekking is also done in other African destinations apart from Uganda which include Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park in Democratic Republic of Congo. Price of a gorilla trekking safari is one of the major questions that visitors ask before embarking on a gorilla trekking tour. In response to the question, price of a gorilla trekking tour is determined by various factors including type of accommodation, cost of a gorilla trekking permit, transportation, length of your gorilla trekking safari among others.
Uganda gorilla trekking price breakdown
Cost of a gorilla trekking permit
A gorilla trekking permit is a legal document that is issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority to any visitor above fifteen years of age allowing him or her to visit any habituated gorilla family in either Bwindi impenetrable national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park. When planning a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda, a gorilla trekking permit is the first requirement to budget for and it costs $600 per person for foreign non-residents and it will later be revised to 700usds effective June 2020, $500 per person for foreign residents and UGX 250,000 for East African citizens. However Uganda increased the price of a gorilla trekking permit by $100 therefore effective 1st July 2020 the foreign non-residents will be paying $700 and $600 for the foreign residents.
A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda can either be acquired directly through UWA by contacting the offices via email or telephone calls or you can book through a trusted tour operator like Achieve global safaris. Gorilla trekking permits should however be acquired 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date because they are competitive and usually get sold out especially during the peak season in the months of June to September and December to February.
Cost of accommodation
When budgeting for your gorilla trekking tour accommodation should also be considered. The gorilla destinations in Uganda have a wide range of accommodations where you can sleep and they range from luxury, midrange and budget. When budgeting for accommodation the length of your gorilla trekking safari should also be considered. Budget lodges range from $50 to $100 per room, midrange lodges range from $150 to $200 per room and luxury lodges start from $300 up wards per person per room. The least number of days you can spend on a gorilla trekking tour is 3 days gorilla trekking safari if you are coming from Kampala and 2 days gorilla trekking safari from Kigali.
On the 3 days gorilla trekking safari you will spend two nights at the lodge in that on the first day you will travel from Kampala to Bwindi impenetrable national park, carry out gorilla trekking on the second day and travel back to Kampala on the third day. on the 2 days gorilla trekking from Kigali you will spend the first night at the lodge, do gorilla trekking on the second day and travel back to Kigali. When booking a lodge, you should choose the one near the destination where you will be trekking from for easy accessibility to the park headquarters. You can contact us for the accommodation rates.
Cost of transportation
When budgeting for transportation you should consider length of the safari and the type of transportation to the gorilla destinations. Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park can be accessed by both road and air transport means. When using road transport Achieve global safaris has a number of safari vehicles which will transport you to and from the safari destinations, we can also hire land cruisers for visitors who prefer travelling in land cruisers. The distance from Kampala to the gorilla destinations is about 8 to 10 hours’ drive therefore when budgeting for transportation you will consider fuel, number of days, type of vehicle used and the driver who will drive you to the destination and back.
Visitors who prefer air transport there are domestic airlines like Aerolink which operate scheduled and chartered flights from Entebbe airport or Kajansi airfield to Kihihi and Kisoro airstrips. The flight takes about one hour and on arrival you will be connect to the park headquarters by road therefore when budgeting for air transport you will calculate for the flight ticket and ground transport. You should contact Achieve Global Safaris for flight booking and transportation rates to the national parks.
Cost of a Porter
Porters are people who offer help to visitors who want to participate in gorilla trekking. Visitors are however advised to hire porter because gorilla trekking is done in steep slopes which get muddy and slippery during the rainy season therefore the porter will give you a push, pull and also carry your backpack during trekking. The elderly and disabled visitors who want to participate in gorilla trekking are required to hire porters who will carry them in sedan chairs to the gorilla families in the jungle. Hiring a porter at the park headquarters costs $15 and hiring porters and a sedan chair for the disabled visitors costs $400. Some porters are students and others have families therefore when you hire a porter you will be indirectly contributing to community development.
Tipping cost
Tipping is a form of appreciation for the services rendered. Tips can therefore be offered to your guide, waitress/waiters at the lodge, park guide, rangers, porters among others. The amount of tipping depends on how much you want to give because in Uganda tipping is not mandatory.
A 3 days gorilla trekking safari is the minimum gorilla trekking tour when coming from Kampala and visitors on the safari will travel to the gorilla destination on the first day which takes about 8 to 10 hours, do gorilla trekking on the second day and travel back to Kampala on the third day. Therefore when you budget for the permit, accommodation and transportation the price of a 3 days gorilla trekking safari based on 2 people is $1,125 per person sharing a double room (budget accommodation), $1,250 per person sharing a double room (mid-range accommodation) and $1740 per person sharing a double room (luxury accommodation). Travelling alone is more expensive than travelling in a group because when you are alone you will pay transportation, accommodation alone yet when you travel in a group the transportation and accommodation costs will be shared.
Visitors interested in gorilla trekking tour should contact Achieve Global Safaris for affordable and breathtaking gorilla trekking safaris to Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park.
