Is there a possibility of missing out on a gorilla permit for Mgahinga? Do you intend to trek for mountain gorillas in Mgahinga

Is there any possibility of missing out a gorilla permit?

January 10, 2025
News Journeys Uganda

 Is there a possibility of missing out on a gorilla permit for Mgahinga? Do you intend to trek for mountain gorillas in Mgahinga National Park? You also want to know whether there is a possibility of missing out on a gorilla permit for Mgahinga National Park. We are all aware that a gorilla trekking permit is required in order to view mountain gorillas in any national park. The Uganda Wildlife Authority gorilla trekking permit is a legal document that certifies a visitor’s eligibility to enter the jungle and see a mountain gorilla family. A lot of tourists always ask whether there is a possibility of missing out on a gorilla permit for Mgahinga, and the answer is yes. Since there are so few gorilla permits available in Mgahinga National Park, most visitors may not be able to obtain one. Additionally, due to its small size, Mgahinga National Park has only one habituated mountain gorilla family known as the Nyakagezi gorilla family.

There is only one mountain gorilla family in Mgahinga National Park, and that is the Nyakagezi family. According to UWA’s gorilla trekking rules and regulations, a single gorilla family may only be trekked by a maximum of 8 people, which means that the Nyakagezi mountain gorilla family is only granted 8 gorilla permits per day. This is insufficient for the thousands of visitors who intend to trek mountain gorillas, which are among the most adored primates in the world because scientists have found out that they share 98% of their DNA with humans.

Having a gorilla permit is necessary to fulfil the ambitions of many tourists who want to see mountain gorillas in their natural setting. There are only 8 mountain gorilla trekking permits available in Mgahinga National Park, so the first fortunate customers get to see the mountain gorillas up close. Many visitors, especially during the dry seasons, fail to obtain gorilla trekking permits for Mgahinga National Park, especially on their preferred dates, preferably during the peak season. Since most tourists come to the country for the pleasant weather and climate, the dry season is known as the high season. Gorilla trekking permits are available for all national parks through the Uganda Wildlife Authority on a first-come, first-served basis; thus, the earlier you book, the better your chances of obtaining a gorilla trekking permit.

There are additional situations in which tourists travelling in groups may not be able to obtain gorilla permits, such as when a single traveller discovers that the gorilla permits for Mgahinga National Park are sold out. Suppose there are only three permits left and a group request for five permits. Since UWA is unable to revoke early buyers’ permits, your only options are to wait until a later date or visit other national parks, such as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. There are two main reasons why there is a very high possibility of missing out on a gorilla permit for Mgahinga. One is that there are only 8 gorilla permits available for the park because of the one gorilla family available for trekking, and secondly, UWA sells these trekking permits to them on a first-come, first-served basis.

Having realised that there is a possibility of missing out on a gorilla permit for Mgahinga, how about making your reservation at least three to four months in advance? Gorilla permits are more likely to be still available to those who reserve them far in advance than to those who book weeks or months before the trekking date. You may have read that since several tourists relocate during the rainy season, you do not need to purchase gorilla permits right away. Regarding Mgahinga National Park, this is untrue; nevertheless, it might be true for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, where more than 160 gorilla permits are issued every day.

Making reservations in advance is the only way for visitors to be safe when it comes to obtaining gorilla permits for Mgahinga National Park. You should reserve your gorilla permit and wait for the trekking day, whether you wish to undertake gorilla trekking during the dry or rainy seasons.

How do I book gorilla permits for Mgahinga National Park?

You can purchase a gorilla permit for Mgahinga National Park directly from the Uganda Wildlife Authority or through a local tour operator like Journeys Uganda. However, if a local tour operator can obtain the gorilla permit for you for the same cost, why utilise UWA? We can get you a gorilla permit because Journeys Uganda is one of the local tour companies authorised to conduct tourism activities. You must first check the availability of the permits from UWA by providing the dates of the month and year you wish to trek in order to reserve a gorilla trekking permit with Journeys Uganda. When the dates are available, you are prompted to pay for them after sending them to the reservations office.

Most of the time, visitors deduct money from their safari budget to cover the cost of the gorilla permit. Your personal information is requested and is part of the gorilla permit. The driver guide will have your gorilla permit ready when you reach the destination for your safari, permitting you to trek.

What is the cost of gorilla permits for Mgahinga National Park?

You must pay a specific sum of money to UWA for conservation in order to obtain a gorilla permit for Mgahinga National Park. In Mgahinga National Park, a single gorilla trekking permit costs UGX300,000 for citizens of East African member states, $800 for foreign non-residents, and $700 for foreign residents.

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