Without a doubt, Gorilla Trekking is an expensive Venture. Permits to Trek & see Gorillas in Rwanda cost USD1,500 per person to spend one hour with a habituated Gorilla Family in Volcanoes National Park.
Gorilla Permits in Uganda cost $700 per person (will increase to $800 per person effective 1st/July/2024) – cheaper than Rwanda but still costly for an activity that only lasts 1 hour.
Related: Why does Rwanda charge 1,500 per person for Gorilla Permits.
Why is a gorilla safari so costly?
- Research, monitoring, and safety
Because Gorillas are considered critically endangered, they require constant research studies and monitoring to ensure they continue to exist. Both Gorilla research and monitoring require a lot of money which is financed through the sale of Gorilla Permits thus making it expensive for one to go gorilla trekking.
In each gorilla country, bodies responsible i.e. Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in Uganda and Rwanda Development Board (RDB) in Rwanda hire personnel to monitor the where of the gorillas like; their movements, feeding, and ongoing health status. Every morning, an advanced group of trackers hikes into the forest to check on the gorillas. Similarly, tourism police and other armed rangers are hired to accompany tourists during their trek to see the gorillas. This is to ensure the client’s safety from any possible external attacks by either poachers or rebel groups from DR. Congo who in the past used the gorilla habitat as their hiding place.
- Limit human interference
One of the reasons gorilla trekking has been made expensive is to control or limit human interference. Mountain Gorillas are considered an endangered species with hardly 1,000 still surviving on earth. These can only be seen in three places; Uganda, Rwanda, and DR. Congo.
Rwanda & Uganda remain the safest places to see gorillas – click & read our blog; Why gorilla trekking in Congo is considered unsafe.
On a typical gorilla trekking day, only 08 persons are allowed to trek and visit a particular gorilla family. It is at this point that the high price charged on gorilla permits ($700pp in Uganda or $1,500pp in Rwanda) helps limit crowds. Not Many can afford it, meaning that there will be fewer people visiting. This, in turn, helps to minimize human interference and possible disease transmission from us, humans, onto the gorillas – remember they are endangered species and if we are not careful we could lose them completely.
- The livelihood of the communities living beside the gorillas
Gorilla tourism has become an indirect source of livelihood for the communities living besides the gorilla parks. Both governments have a standing revenue-sharing policy with the local communities in a bid to promote sustainable gorilla conservation. For example, In Uganda, the locals are entitled to 20% of the total revenue earned from the sale of gorilla permits. Revenue sharing with local people has created a positive attitude of local people towards gorilla tourism and conservation hence create a conflict-free harmonious living between the locals and the management of respective national parks.
In a bid to continue conserving these endangered species, all governments have put up clear Gorilla Trekking rules and regulations for tourists to follow. We kindly request that you adhere to these regulations as they protect both you and the gorillas.
Gorilla trekking rules & regulations
- Keep a distance of about 5 to 7 meters which is about 15 feet from the Mountain Gorillas. This way you protect the mountain gorillas from diseases and illnesses humans may be carrying and not seem threatening to gorillas
- Stay together as a group when you are in the presence of the Gorillas to reduce potential confusion of the gorillas
- Voices need to be kept low and it is best to keep silent and just treasure the moment with the Mountain Gorillas.
- Do not partake of food or drinks and no smoking in the presence of the Mountain Gorillas.
- Don’t stare straight into gorillas’ eyes – this can be seen to be aggressive.
- Don’t ever run from a gorilla – if one approaches you just act submissive and crouch down.
- If you sneeze or cough, turn your head away from the gorillas so as not to spread your germs.
- No flash photography is permitted. Do not make a lot of movement when taking pictures-keep it calm.
- There is no touching or attempting to touch the Gorillas.
- Keep your voices down until you are well out of range of the Mountain Gorillas.
Learn more about the rules that govern Gorilla Trekking and why you should adhere to them
