Who doesn’t want to come face-to-face with a glorious Silverback in his natural surroundings? To watch the General strut his stuff, to watch mothers and babies feeding together, and see the juveniles playing around.
After all, if you’re travelling to Rwanda, I’ll bet that this is the main reason why you are travelling there.
But, don’t leave booking the gorilla trekking permit to last. This should be the first thing you check, and work your trip out based on the date of your permit.
And with all gorgeous creatures that are under protection in this world, there are very strict rules and regulations and permits that you need to get before you even think about confirming your trip.
In other words, don’t confirm your trip or your air tickets until your gorilla trekking permit is secured.
Where Do You Get Your Gorilla Trekking Permit From?
If you are booking your trip yourself, you need to go to the Rwanda Tourism website where you can secure your gorilla permit online.
The permits are monitored and issued by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).
Under the fees, there is a button that says ‘Buy Permit’ and then you fill in your details online.
Please, please make sure you take our comprehensive travel insurance because once issues, these permits are non-refundable.
If you also find that you have to change the date of your permit, the change fee is currently 20% of the cost of your permit and can take 7 – 14 days to happen, subject to there being gorilla permits available on the day you want to go.
So, if your permit costs US$1,500 per person, the amendment fee is US$300 per person.
Select The Correct Product for Your Gorilla Permit
Once you click the ‘Buy Permit’ button, you’ll be taken to a screen to select your date and provide details of the permit you are buying.
Site: select Volcanoes National Park from the drop-down menu
Product: select Mountain Gorillas from the drop-down menu
This is also the same place that you will go is you want to buy yourself permits to visit the Golden Monkeys , to visit Dian Fossey’s tomb and a few other sites (there are 13 options for you to choose from).
If you click on a date and there aren’t any permits available for that particular day, a red banner pops up at the top to tell you that there aren’t any permits available for that day. If this happens, you have to select another date.
How to Pay for Your Gorilla Trekking Permit
When you apply online, you can pay through the electronic portal.
SOMETIMES, very rarely, there are cancellations and slots open up and travellers want to pay at the park. This is allowed but the payment has to be made by credit card; they do not accept cash payments at all.
Are There Any Discounted Rates for Gorilla Trekking Permits?
You are in luck my friend, because there are!
If you travel during low season (November – May) you might qualify for a 30% discount off your gorilla trekking permit rates.
But there are terms and conditions that apply.
You can qualify during November to May for a discount if you combine your stay at Volcanoes National Park, with two nights at either Akagera National Park, or Nyungwe National Park.
For every 2 nights/ 3 days you spend at either Akagera NP or Nyungwe NP, you are eligible for the discount off one gorilla trek.
If you want a second permit, you need to book another 2 nights/ 3 days at either National Park
Have a look for more information about the 30% discount on the gorilla trekking permits.
How Many Gorilla Treks Should You Do in One Trip?
This is entirely up to you.
If the permits are available, you can go as many times as you wish.
I know of someone who booked two treks, one day after the other. He went on the first day and took his camera and captured videos and photos of them.
Then the second day he went back without any camera equipment. He just wanted to be completely present in the moment and fully immerse himself in the experience of being around the gorillas.
There is a Limit to the Number of Permits Issued Per Day
To keep things manageable and not to stress out the gorillas, there are a certain number of permits that are available every day.
At the moment, there are only 112 permits available per day.
And the Parks Board is extremely strict about this.
If you are travelling with three friends, and you book your permits, and then a fourth person decides to go with you at the last minute but there aren’t any permits available, the Parks Board will not grant you an extra permit so your friend can come along.
How Many People See Gorillas at a Time?
There are currently ten gorilla families in the Volcanoes National Park. Only one group of travellers may visit one gorilla family per day. There are also no more than maximum eight humans in a group.
So depending on if your group is full, it will only be you and a maximum seven other travellers, plus your guide and porters, visiting a gorilla family.
Better for you, better for the gorillas.
How Long Do You Spend with the Gorillas?
Once your guide has located the gorillas, you get to enjoy one hour with them.
This is to keep the impact on them as minimal as possible, because remember, humans are visiting them every single day.
Can You Book a Private Tour to See Gorillas in Rwanda?
Yes, you can, but then you need to pay for 8 permits to secure a group for yourself.
US$1,500 x 8 = US$12,000 total
I would also recommend that you email the RDB just to confirm. Their email address is reservations@rdb.rw.
Minimum Age Limit
The minimum age limit for gorilla trekking in Rwanda is 15 years.
How You Can Enjoy a Gorilla Trek if You Have a Disability
When you get to the park in the morning, the parks board staff divide everyone up into groups.
People are groups together, usually, by similar fitness levels as some gorilla families require more trekking to reach.
If you have a disability, don’t let that stop you. You can hire porters and/ or a stretcher, and they will carry or assist you, depending on your needs, to go and enjoy time with a gorilla family.
This is a lot more common than you might think and it is best to book this in advance.
Additional costs:
- Porter: US$11.00 per porter
- Stretcher: Price ranges from US$300 – US$500 per stretcher
Email the RDB to book these services at reservations@rdb.rw.
PS: You can also book a porter to help you even if you don’t have a disability. They push and pull you up and over mud, trees and so much more. It really can be a fun-filled adventure! Everything is what you make of it.
What to Do Next…
If you are wanting to go to East Africa, and you do want to experience the awesomeness of the gorillas in Rwanda, follow these steps:
- Take out travel insurance
- Check availability of the gorilla permits and lodges/ hotels that you want to stay at.
- Provisionally book your accommodation (so if you cancel, you won’t be charged cancellation fees)
- Go to the website to secure and pay for your gorilla trekking permits
- Once secured and issued, then work on your flights and confirm the rest of your trip.
Happy Travels!
If you have any questions, please reach out through my contact page.