Gorillas are one of the most endangered primates remaining on earth. There are over 300,000 western lowland gorillas, 350 Cross River Gorillas, roughly 1000 recorded mountain gorillas and about 5000 Eastern lowland gorillas still roaming the planet. To some, the numbers may look high but only until you find out that over one million gorillas roamed the planet a century ago. Gorillas capture the attention of people around the world because of their sheer size and close resemblance to humans. Their DNA is very 
similar to that of humans and watching a family of gorillas is like going back in time to when we humans lived in wild.
In order to satisfy their curiosity, many tourists visit Africa with the sole reason of seeing gorillas. The most popular species and the one we shall focus on are the Mountain gorillas. Mountain gorillas are only found in Uganda, The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. To see these gorillas, one must prepare to pay for gorilla permits, air tickets, accommodation, meals and transport. We will talk about gorilla permits for today.
What is a gorilla permit?
A gorilla permit is a document which allows tourists access to the gorillas. There are two kind of gorilla permits. There is one for gorilla groups that are habituated and those still undergoing the gorilla habituation process. Gorilla habituation refers to a 3-year process where members of a particular wild gorilla group are identified and taken through a process of getting comfortable with humans in their presence. The gorilla habituation permit only exists in Uganda. Why? Because Uganda has many gorilla groups compared to Rwanda or Congo. Uganda still has many wild gorilla groups and two are currently undergoing the gorilla habituation process. Tourists can pay to take part in the gorilla habituation process under the guidance of researchers and senior trackers.
Gorilla permits allow the governments in the three countries to control the number of people who can visit each gorilla group in a day. Only 8 people are allowed to visit a particular gorilla group in a day for standard gorilla trekking. Only 4 people are allowed to visit a group still undergoing the habituation process. Gorilla Permits also help the governments raise extra money required for gorilla conservation.
How much is a gorilla permit?
The cost of gorilla permits varies from country to country. Gorilla Permits in Rwanda cost $1500 per person while in Uganda it costs $700 per person. In Congo, permits go for $450 per person. The cost of the gorilla habituation experience permit in Uganda is $1,500 per person. The Gorilla Habituation experience is more expensive because it involves more hours with the primates. It is also organized by senior Researchers and trackers. Normal gorilla trekking includes one hour of observing the primates whereas those registered for the gorilla habituation experience take 4 hours. The price of a gorilla permit includes park entrance and a team of Rangers to escort you to where the gorillas are. It doesn’t include meals, accommodation, transport or any other personal expenses. From all the above information, we can conclude that cheaper gorilla trekking is possible in Uganda than Rwanda.
Note: In Uganda, foreign residents in the country and other countries of East Africa pay $600. Citizens of East Africa pay $70 which is an equivalent of 260,000 Shillings. Rwanda also has special discounts for African Union citizens who pay $500 for a permit. Foreign residents in Rwanda also pay $500 for a permit. You can find more about gorilla permit discounts in Rwanda. There are also discounts for gorilla permits in Uganda but only on rare occasions. The last promotional gorilla permits in Uganda ended in June 2021.
How many gorilla permits are available in Rwanda and Uganda?
Rwanda has 10 habituated gorilla groups. This implies that there are 80 gorilla permits available each day. There are 19 gorilla groups in Uganda and this implies that about 152 permits are available for normal gorilla trekking. Apart from the 152, there are 8 permits available for the gorilla habituation experience. The Democratic Republic of Congo has got 8 gorilla groups open to tourists and 64 permits available on any given day.
How can I book a gorilla permit?
In Rwanda, gorilla permits are issued by the Rwanda Development Board while in Uganda it is the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Gorilla Permits in Congo are issued by the national parks directly. You can contact Virunga National Park for information about acquiring permits for gorilla trekking in Congo. It is important to note that you can also book gorilla permits through a tour operator as part of the overall cost of gorilla trekking. Gorilla permits need to be booked at least 3 months in advance especially if you are planning to travel during the peak months of June to August. We highly recommend that you book the gorilla habituation permit at-least 6 months in advance if you can. Gorilla permits generally sell like hot cake during certain months of the year. You risk not getting space if you don’t book your gorilla tour early enough.
How do you cancel a gorilla permit?
Several factor may force you to postpone a trip. You may get ill or have a flight cancellation. We have heard of tourists being prohibited from gorilla trekking because of a cold or flu. The COVID-19 
pandemic forced many countries to go into lock-down in order to contain the virus. The good news is that you can get a refund or request for your trip to be rescheduled if you are traveling with the help of a reliable tour operator. Uganda refunds 75% of the overall amount paid for a permit if you cancel 91 days or more before the trekking date. You will receive a 50% refund if your cancellation occurs between 46 to 90 days. If you cancel 45 days before the trek, you are entitled to a 25% refund. There is generally no refund for those who cancel a week before the tour. Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo accept postponement of tours and related gorilla permits. They can accept to reschedule the gorilla permit to be used on another date when you can show up.
Note: The possibility of making a cancellation is why it is better to book your gorilla permit with a reliable tour company. Good Tour companies can offer you a full refund or reschedule your trip. This is because they could use the booked permit for another client.
