Price of gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda.
The cost of gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda: Gorilla trekking is one of the most well-liked tourist activities in Africa. It entails walking through a tropical rainforest to find habituated mountain gorillas and spending an hour with them in their natural environment. In Rwanda, gorilla trekking is conducted in the Volcanoes National Park, but in Uganda, it is conducted in two national parks: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which is situated in the country’s southwest, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which is home to the greatest number of mountain gorillas.
The cost of a gorilla trekking permit, transportation, lodging, the duration of the safari, the cost of hiring a porter, tipping, and the number of travelers all affect the price of gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda. Traveling alone is more costly because you are responsible for covering all of the costs.
Gorilla hiking permit prices in Rwanda and Uganda
A gorilla trekking permit is a legal document that the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) or Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) issues to tourists above the age of 15 that permits them to spend an hour with the mountain gorillas and visit habituated gorilla families.
While a gorilla trekking permit in Volcanoes National Park costs 1,500 USD per person for all nationalities, it costs 800 USD per person for foreign non-residents, 700 USD per person for foreign residents, and 300,000 UGX per person for East African citizens in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
The price of lodging
The second thing to think about while organizing a gorilla trekking trip in Rwanda or Uganda is accommodations. Because lodging options in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and Volcanoes National Park vary from affordable to luxurious, the cost of lodging depends on your budget.
Budget lodging costs between $50 and $130 per room, midrange lodging costs between $150 and $300 per room, while luxury lodging costs $500 and more. Maseke Adventure Co.Ltd, a reputable travel operator, can make reservations for lodging. In order to arrive in time for the gorilla trekking briefing, travelers who like to reserve their own lodging should make sure the lodge is close to the starting site.
The price of transportation
The next step is to find a way to go to the gorilla locations after obtaining the gorilla trekking permit and deciding on the kind of lodging you will be using. Since there are two ways to go to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and Volcanoes National Park, the cost of transportation varies based on the form of transportation used to get to the gorilla sites in Rwanda and Uganda.
Air travel involves scheduling or chartering domestic flights with Aero Link Uganda or Bar Aviation from Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro or Kihihi airstrips. Alternatively, you may employ road transportation, such as a safari land cruiser or safari van.
The length of the safari also affects transportation costs. For instance, in Uganda, the shortest gorilla trekking safari lasts two days, starting in Kigali, where the driver guide will pick you up from the airport and take you to either Mgahinga Gorilla National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park on the first day. You will hike with gorillas on the second day before returning to Kigali.
The shortest duration for a gorilla trekking safari when you fly into Entebbe International Airport is three days. On the first day, you will be transferred to either Mgahinga Gorilla National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where you will go gorilla trekking.
On the second day, you will return to Kampala. Your tour operator may organize transportation to Volcanoes National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
The price of employing a porter
It is recommended that tourists who want to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda hire a porter to assist them carry their cameras and bags and to push and pull them on the walk, particularly during the rainy season when the jungle becomes slick and makes gorilla hiking challenging.
Because some porters have families and others are schoolchildren, travelers who hire porters while gorilla trekking will be supporting community development. Hiring a porter might cost anything between $15 and $20 per porter.
Tipping
Tipping is a way to show gratitude to park rangers, waiters, waitresses, guides, hotel employees, and driving guides for their hard work. Tipping is optional in Rwanda and Uganda, although it serves as a motivator for guides, hotel employees, and others to continue providing excellent service. The size of the tip is up to you.
