The Price of Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda and Uganda

The cost of gorilla trekking is relatively high compared to other wildlife encounters as we will discover in this article. What is gorilla trekking and why is it so expensive? Gorilla trekking is one of the most thrilling wildlife activities in Africa. The experience is different from a game drive in the Serengeti, Masai Mara or Kruger National Park.

Gorilla trekking is special because mountain gorillas look and behave like we humans. They live in families led by a dominant silverback who dictates everything that is done by the group. Gorilla trekking is expensive because mountain gorillas are endangered and because of that many people want to see them. The high numbers of tourists interested in observing wild gorillas has forced many governments to raise the price of permits. You can say the principle of demand and supply applies here. The higher the demand, the higher the price. But demand is not the only explanation for the high cost of gorilla trekking permits. The governments need funds to protect the primates as you will find out from another article about whether gorilla trekking is ethical or not.

Gorilla conservation involves significant investments in research, infrastructure, Rangers and scientists. This requires money. Part of the money collected from gorilla permits is used to fund activities related to protecting these majestic primates. In general, 15% of the money collected from gorilla permits goes to the government, 10% to the local communities and 75% to gorilla conservation. It is important to note that if the cost of gorilla permits were reduced considerably, too many tourists would visit the primates hence affecting their overall well-being.

Note: Mountain Gorilla trekking is possible only in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Uganda, mountain gorillas can be tracked in Mgahinga and Bwindi National Park. In Congo, the primates are found in Virunga National Park while in Rwanda it is the Volcanoes National Park. Eastern Lowland Gorilla Trekking is only possible in the Democratic Republic of Congo. If you are interested in Western Lowland gorilla trekking, you would have to visit Central African Republic, Congo, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

The Cost of Gorilla Trekking in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo

The cost of gorilla trekking differs from country to country. It is important to note that the price of gorilla permits is just a fraction of the overall cost of gorilla trekking. You still have to consider transportation, accommodation, food, Visas, air tickets, packing lists, porters and tips for the Guides. We will be discussing each of the elements in the overall gorilla trekking cost in the following paragraphs. We hope that by the end of the article, we would have answered the following questions:-

1. How expensive is gorilla trekking?
2. What is the cost of gorilla trekking?
3. How much does a gorilla safari cost?
4. How much does gorilla trekking cost?
5. What is the gorilla trekking price range?
6. How much does it cost to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda
7. How much does it cost to go gorilla trekking in Uganda
8. What are the gorilla trekking in Rwanda prices?

The cost of a gorilla permit: If you are planning to do gorilla trekking in any of the three countries, you will need to acquire a gorilla permit. A gorilla permit is a document that allows you access to the gorillas. In Uganda, gorilla permits cost $700, in Rwanda $1500 and Congo $450. The high price of Rwanda gorilla permits makes the cost of a Rwanda safari more expensive for international Travelers. If you are an East African national, you can obtain a gorilla permit in Uganda for 300,000 shillings. During low seasons of the year, Gorilla permits may be sold on a discount in Virunga National Park of Congo for as little as $250 dollars (This could change soon). The price of gorilla trekking in Congo is lower because of this generous discount. Rwanda may also have discounted permits for African Union Citizens, foreign residents, large groups, families and those taking part in other activities in the country. Uganda has discounted gorilla permits for foreigners who are residents in East Africa. A Rwanda gorilla trekking cost is higher than in Uganda or Congo because of the of the price of permits.

If you are interested in the gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi, you will have to pay $1500 for a permit. The Gorilla habituation experience is quite different from normal gorilla trekking. It takes the whole day and involves spending 4 hours with mountain gorillas instead of the one hour allocated to tourists during standard gorilla trekking.

A gorilla permit is a requirement for tracking gorillas. You cannot be allowed to take part in the activity without showing your permit to the park authorities. What is included in the price of a Gorilla Permit? A gorilla permit includes interacting with the gorillas for one hour, park entrance and Ranger fees.

To book a gorilla permit, you need to go through your tour operator or one of the government authorities in the respective countries. In Uganda, the Uganda Wildlife Authority issues out gorilla permits while the Rwanda Development board does the same in Rwanda. If you are planning on a safari in Congo, you can book a permit with the Virunga National Park website or through your tour operator. It is important to book your gorilla permit at least 2 months in advance. If you are planning to travel in the peak season (June, July and August), we recommend that you do the booking at least 5 to 6 months before the trip so that you don’t go through the stress of asking different tour companies if they have availability.

The cost of accommodation: One of the things you will have to consider while planning your gorilla tour is where to sleep. All the gorilla national parks have high quality lodges. Your choice of accommodation will depend on your budget. The good budget hotels cost anywhere between $50 to $130 dollars a night. Good mid-range hotels go for between $150 to $200. The luxury hotels start from $300 to $5500 per night. You can book these hotels on your own if you are planning to do a self-drive but most travelers book the hotels through a reliable tour company. If you book a hotel yourself, ensure that it is located close to the starting point of the gorilla family or sector you have been assigned. If you book too far away, you may not show up for briefing on time hence missing the trek. This is all the more reason why it is better to book your gorilla tour through a reputable tour operator. This particular recommendation is very applicable to those planning to do gorilla trekking in Uganda.

The cost of food: Apart from accommodation and gorilla permits, you need to take into consideration expenses on food, drinks and particularly water. The hotels provide this but you are going to need water and food when out of the hotel or traveling. Food and drinks should cost you about $40 each day if you are traveling on your own. If you are planning to buy expensive booze or cigars, you might have to plan for them separately. You should not worry about food, if you book your vacation with a tour company. The company should take care of the food and water while at the hotel and when traveling between activities. You can read a related article about the cost of a safari in Uganda.

The cost of transport (Plane tickets and hiring a vehicle): After securing the gorilla permits and identifying a lodge, the next thing that comes to mind is how to get to the gorilla park. Air tickets to and from your country of origin can cost between $600 to $2500 depending on your choice of airline. If you are planning to book chattered flights from within the gorilla trekking country, you might need to part with another $600. Should you find internal flights way beyond your budget or should you decide that you want to experience more of the African countryside, then traveling by road from the airport is highly recommended. Hiring a car in Rwanda and Uganda will cost you between $70 to $150 a day excluding fuel and a driver. Expect to travel on the road for long hours especially if you are tracking in Uganda and Congo. It takes between 8 and 10 hours of driving to reach Mgahinga and Bwindi Impenetrable park from Entebbe international airport. The driving distance from Kigali International Airport to the Volcanoes National Park is 3 hours. Those who choose to do gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park have to first land in Kigali and then proceed to the Congo border in a journey that can take about 4 hours.

Arranging your own vacation in an unfamiliar and developing country can be complicated. It is why most Travelers leave the issue of transport, permits and accommodation to their chosen tour operators so that they are only left with the task of showing up. It is also important to note that few tour companies book air tickets on behalf of their clients. Consult you tour company to see if they can help you with booking flights to and from your country of origin.

Cost of items on the gorilla trekking packing list: For the best experience while tracking and watching the gorillas, you will need to travel with a good camera, insect repellents, sunscreen, hiking boots, hand gloves, a pair of binoculars and a rain jacket. These are all hidden costs that need to be taken into consideration apart from the gorilla permit itself. You might want to read more about the items recommended on the gorilla trekking packing list.

Visas and border crossing: Gorilla trekking often involves crossing borders between Uganda, Rwanda and Congo. If you are planning to do gorilla trekking in Congo, expect to cross the Goma border post at a cost ($100 for the Visa). Those who find the price of gorilla permits in Rwanda beyond their budget can choose to go for more affordable gorilla trekking in Uganda instead but arrive through Kigali to avoid the 8 hours of driving from Entebbe to the park. Gorilla trekking from Uganda through Kigali involves paying a VISA fee of $50 at either the Katuna or Cyanika border crossings. The East African tourist visa can also be acquired at a cost of $100 for those who are combining safaris in different countries of East Africa.

Yellow Fever vaccination card: This may not seem important but it is a requirement for entering Uganda and Congo. If you read reviews about gorilla trekking, you will learn that yellow fever vaccination cards are one of the key documents asked at the airport and while crossing borders. If you are planning to travel to most African countries, you need to consider the cost of taking the shot.

Cost of porters (especially for the elderly Travelers): If you are traveling with heavy equipment, bags or video cameras, you will need to hire a porter to help you carry them while tracking the gorillas. The porters can also help you carry packed lunch and lend a hand during the difficult sections of the trek. Gorilla trekking for the elderly is more complicated because they would need to use sedan chairs and hire about eight porters to lift them up to the tracking point. It can cost about $400 to hire a Sedan chair and the porters to carry it. Porters live close to the gorilla parks and some were once poachers. A few of the porters are students who are looking for money to top up their school fees or parents interested making some money to put food on the table. By hiring these porters, you contribute to their general well-being and indirectly help them support their families. Hiring a porter costs about $15 and they can be found at the park offices or during the briefing. You may want to know how gorilla groups are allocated to travelers.

Tips for the Guide/Driver, Park Rangers and Hotel staff: Sometimes hotel staff, Guides, Rangers, Waiters and Waitresses go out of their way to make sure that your time with them was memorable. Out of courtesy, you might decide to show your appreciation for the work done by giving them tip. The amount depends entirely on you. Tipping during gorilla trekking is not compulsory and should only be paid after a service is rendered and you are happy with it.

Note: The cost of gorilla trekking also depends on how many days you set aside for the activity. A 1 day gorilla tour in Uganda will cost about $1150 per person if traveling with someone. A 2 days Uganda gorilla tour will cost about  $1400 per person if traveling with someone on budget. The 3 days gorilla tour in Uganda will cost $1550 per person if traveling with someone on budget. If you are planning to track the gorillas in Rwanda, add $800 to the prices above to get an estimate of your overall expenditure. Luxury gorilla trekking tours can cost between $1800 to $7000 depending on the lodge you choose. These prices do not include air tickets, tips, alcoholic beverages and any expenses that appear personal in nature.

Traveling alone is more expensive because you have to pay for transport, accommodation and fuel yourself. Moreover, it is important to note that companies add some markup costs to the overall trip to cater for administrative services (Guides, office staff, office functionality).

How can you save on gorilla trekking costs given the above expenses? One way is to do gorilla trekking in the cheaper destinations like Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Another is to ask your tour operator to offer you the best budget lodges. Avoid traveling alone so that you can share the costs of transport, accommodation and fuel with your spouse or friend. You can also travel in low seasons (rainy season) when less tourists visit the countries. You may find that accommodation facilities are cheaper and that there are discounts for hotels and even gorilla permits in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo. You can also save costs by using public transport but this is risky because you have no control of the time you leave or reach your destinations. Public buses in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo do not leave on time. You risk arriving late for briefing at the park headquarters or missing the activity altogether. You can’t afford to miss the activity because gorilla permits are expensive. Moreover, there is no guarantee that you can purchase one for the next day even if you want to.

Other ways of cutting on costs is to avoid taking chattered flights within the country. Most of the chattered flights are very expensive. The reason for the high costs of internal flights is that few local people travel by plane. The few local travelers has forced Airlines to compensate by hiking prices. Traveling by road may take hours but will provide you with a rare opportunity to marvel at the African countryside, landscape, beautiful scenery and the local people going about with their lives. The best way to learn about a country is by observing the cities and also countryside. Last but not least try to compare costs from different tour operators. Do not go for the cheapest because you might end up regretting. Go for a tour operator with affordable rates but can guarantee quality services. The tour operator must be able to cater for the important elements of the trip which should include food, accommodation, water, fuel, a Driver/Guide and a car. Ask them to share details about the accommodation options. Many tour operators promise much but do not deliver on quality (Experienced driver, vehicle, hotels etc.). Book with a tour operator that can book for you good accommodation facilities even if they cost slightly higher. The hotel choice is very important and can make or break a trip. You don’t want to mess up your holidays because you are trying to save on a few dollars.