Can I book a gorilla permit for Bwindi with a lodge?
Can I book a gorilla permit for Bwindi with a lodge?: Yes, a tourist can book a gorilla permit for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park with a lodge however not all lodges can help to book. The only lodges that can book gorilla permits for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park are those that are registered with the Uganda Tourism Board. The registered lodges have a valid tourism operating license that allows them to operate legally.
Booking a gorilla permit for Bwindi with a lodge
If a lodge is registered with Uganda Tourism Board with a valid tourism operating license they can help a tourist to purchase a gorilla permit for Bwindi. If a tourist finds such a lodge that is allowed to purchase gorilla permits from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, they can share the gorilla trekking dates for the lodge to first check for availability.
The lodge will contact the reservations office for gorilla permit availability in their sector and once they are available they will request you to send money for the permit booking. You can sign a contract and send the money which could be a percentage if you are booking 4 months or more before the trekking date or full payment if the trekking date is nearer.
Once the money is received by the lodge, they will be able to go to the reservations office at Uganda Wildlife Authority and purchase. After purchasing, they can share with you a scanned copy for confirmation. On the day of trekking, you will simply to the sector headquarters, give in your permit, and be part of the trekking team that day.
Tourists who fail to get a lodge that is licensed by the Uganda Tourism Board can choose to use a local tour operator to purchase a gorilla permit. Even though you are not going to do a safari with a local tour operator, some allow you to purchase gorilla permits for tourists at a small extra fee.
At African Adventure Vacations, we can help a tourist get a gorilla permit even though they are not using our company to do a safari. All we shall ask from you are the trekking dates so that we check for availability and reserve. If the permits are available in your favorite sector, we shall ask you to send money and when we receive it we shall go ahead purchase a permit and send a scanned copy.
When to book a gorilla permit for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park?
Tourists who intend to go gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park need a gorilla permit. The best time to book these gorilla permits is about 3 to 4 months or even more in advance. This is because gorilla permits are still available and there are fewer chances of disappointment. Tourists traveling in the low season may purchase the permits even 1 month before gorilla trekking in Bwindi forest for they are always available.
What is the cost of gorilla permits in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest?
There are two types of gorilla permits in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. The gorilla trekking permits come with one hour around the mountain gorillas and the habituation permits come with four hours with mountain gorillas taking part in activities that make the members get used to human presence around them.
Gorilla trekking permits cost $800 for foreign non-residents, $700 for foreign residents, $500 Rest of Africa, and UGX300,000 citizens of East African member states. Gorilla habituation permits cost $1500 for foreign non-residents, $1000 for foreign residents, and the Rest of Africa then UGX750,000 for Citizens of East African Member States.
When to go see mountain gorillas in Bwindi?
Tourists can go see mountain gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park at any time of the year however some months are better than others. June to September and December to February are the best times to visit Bwindi for they are characterized by little rainfall and plenty of sunshine.
Tourists who visit mountain gorillas of Bwindi during the dry season find the gorilla trekking in Bwindi trails dry and easier to walk through which enables trekkers to locate the mountain gorillas on time. The vegetation is dry and short which gives clear views of the mountain gorillas and other forest attractions. The roads to the park are dry and in good condition allowing tourists to access different areas on time.
Tourists may still go to see mountain gorillas of Bwindi during the rainy season of March to May and October to November. These months favor budget travelers who are looking for discounted accommodation facilities and tour packages. Tourists need to know that the rainy season period comes with plenty of rainfall and little sunshine.
During the rainy season, the gorilla trekking in Bwindi trails are muddy and slippery which affects the movement of trekkers inside the jungle, the vegetation is tall and thick giving unclear views of the mountain gorillas and other forest attractions, and lastly, roads leading to the park are in poor condition.
