Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Permits

Rwanda gorilla trekking permits are the passes that a traveler presents to the park officials to be allowed to do gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda. Gorilla trekking is the activity that involves hiking rainforests in search of the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. These mountain gorillas are about 1063 of them left in the entire world, and they are inhabited in only three countries in four national parks, say; Bwindi Impenetrable National Park of Uganda that has more than half of the total gorilla population, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park of Uganda as well, Virunga National Park of the Congo and the Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is done from the celebrated Volcanoes National Park which was home and base of the great primatologist Dian Fossey. To access Volcanoes National Park to do gorilla trekking particularly, travelers are required to have Rwanda gorilla trekking permits.

Gorilla trekking permits are very crucial in gorilla safari reservations and booking for without it one cannot undertake this exciting gorilla trekking activity. It is this gorilla permit that travelers present to park officials on the day of gorilla trekking. Travelers are advised to first confirm the availability of gorilla permits for their preferred dates before they confirm a gorilla trekking safari. Planning one’s gorilla trekking safari is advised as there are very few gorilla permits available in Rwanda per day, that is: with about 12 habituated gorilla families available in Rwanda, only 8 persons per gorilla family per day can visit.

How to check for Rwanda gorilla trekking permits availability

Travelers can check for Rwanda gorilla trekking permits availability by contacting the Rwanda Development Board (the body that regulates the parks and tourism sites of Rwanda) directly. Alternatively, travelers can check for gorilla permit availability and also book them through trusted tour operators. Just send an email to any of them inquiring of the availability of Rwanda gorilla trekking permits and they’d get back to you as soon as possible. Booking a Rwanda gorilla trekking safari through trusted tour operators is also recommended as they will cater for all your needs and guide you in the best way possible. Once travelers are informed of the availability of gorilla permits on their desired dates, paying as soon as possible to guarantee and secure them for you is required. Should the dates preferred by the travelers not be available, adjusting one’s itinerary to the next available date is advised.

Upon paying for one’s gorilla permit, a scanned receipt is sent to you and you’ll be able to get your gorilla permit once you arrive for your gorilla trekking safari from your driver-guide.

This gorilla permit is property of the government of Rwanda and particularly the Rwanda development board. On the day of gorilla trekking, just before the trek starts, all gorilla permits are collected and are returned to the RDB offices in Kigali for recycling. The gorilla permit is only but a pass.

Rwanda gorilla trekking permits cost $1,500 per permit which admits only person. This gorilla permit price is for all travelers interested to do gorilla trekking in Rwanda, including the Rwanda citizens themselves. In Uganda though, gorilla permits cost only $700 foreign non-residents, $600 for foreign residents and UGX250,000 for East African citizens. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is much cheaper and has more gorilla families that travelers can choose from to do gorilla trekking. It is possible to do gorilla trekking in Uganda from Kigali. Get in touch with a trusted tour operator to help you with this arrangement.

Given that gorilla permits are few and do sell out very fast irrespective of the cost, booking these gorilla permits way in advance is very much advised. The peak season, which runs in the dry months of June to September and December to February, especially has gorilla permits being scarce if not available at all. Booking at least 3-4 months before your gorilla trekking safari is important.

Rwanda gorilla trekking permits allow one to do gorilla trekking in the Volcanoes National Park, home to a number of habituated gorilla families that travelers can visit. Volcanoes national park is only 2 hours away from Kigali International Airport, which makes it possible to do gorilla trekking in Rwanda in just a day. Travelers can fly into the airport and get transported to the park, do gorilla trekking and then get transported back to the airport for the outbound flight. Contact a trusted tour operator to help you plan and schedule this, and to also book and purchase for you Rwanda gorilla trekking permits.