Important Things to Consider When Booking a Budget Gorilla Safari

Are you planning your first gorilla safari but not sure of where you wish to go when you have to undertake the safari, how long the best possible trip will require, and most importantly how much money you will need for the gorilla safari. When booking a gorilla safari, keep in mind that you also need to make a budget for airfares (to and from Uganda, Rwanda, or Congo), the post, and pre-gorilla safari accommodation, besides the permit, food, gratuities, travel/medical insurance, and many others.

In this post, we will cover the most important things you need to consider when booking a budget gorilla safari. But before that, it should be noted that this kind of trip is costly, mainly because of the high cost of gorilla permits that go for $1500 per person for Rwanda, $700 for Uganda, and $400 for the Democratic Republic of Congo. This makes it one of the most costly wildlife experiences in Africa. However, you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy this adventure because there is an option of booking a budget gorilla safari, as long as you consider a number of things that include;

The Tour Agent

One of the biggest mistakes that travelers make is booking their gorilla safaris through the big dogs (high profile Companies) and through Tour Agents. The former already has a brand thus likely to charge a hefty amount for your gorilla safari while the latter will try as much as possible to make a high profit from your trip. Therefore to book a budget gorilla safari, it is advisable to search for different Tour Operators based within Uganda or Rwanda because they usually incur lower administrative costs thus likely to offer the most budget-friendly quotations.

Choosing the Gorilla trekking destination

Because you are looking for ways of booking a budget gorilla safari, the choice of gorilla trekking destination will be fundamental. Gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda go for about $1500 per person, $700 per person for Uganda, and $400 per person for the Democratic Republic of Congo. For this reason, the last two countries are ideal for budget gorilla safaris.

The Accommodation choice

Another important thing to consider when booking a budget gorilla safari is the choice of accommodation facility, where travelers are advised to book affordable but comfortable places of lodging. However, the budget doesn’t mean cheap as your trip and experience is likely to be ruined if you opt for something cheap. After visitors venture into the jungles to search for mountain gorillas, it is relaxing to come back, lay your head and enjoy food at a clean and comfortable place. Budget Lodges offer clean shared or private bathrooms, clean and cozy bedrooms, and nice food at lower tariffs ($50 to $80 per person). You can also book for the midrange Lodges that cost between $150 and $200 per night.

Repeated Gorilla Treks

Your gorilla trekking permit guarantees a single gorilla encounter, with one hour to interact with the Giant Apes. Some travelers aren’t aware that these gorilla permits allow them to see the mountain gorillas only once thus the more times you wish to trek them, the more gorilla permits are required. For this reason, cutting down on the number of times you trek these endangered creatures will save a great deal of money.

The Safari Vehicle

Booking an affordable safari vehicle is another thing to consider when booking a budget gorilla safari. A Toyota Land Cruiser can be hired for $250 to $300 per day while the safari van can be rented for $100 to $120 per day, depending on the Tour Operator/Car Rental Agency but the variation is small. For budget gorilla safari booking, go for the safari van, because they are also cozy, mostly air-conditioning, and also four-wheel drive.

The Number of days you are going for the Gorilla Safari

The most ideal gorilla safari for Uganda is 3 days, although visitors can opt for 5, 7, or 10 days safari. Because trekking the mountain gorillas is the main focus of this trip, you can save a lot of money by booking a trip of 2 or 3 days that starts from Kigali, Rwanda. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is only 4-5 hours’ drive from Kigali City including border crossing yet it is over 8-9 hours’ drive from Uganda’s Capital (Kampala).

Your arrival point

Your arrival point is likely to affect your overall estimate and therefore need to be considered when planning to book a budget gorilla safari. Travelers that arrive from Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport will need to spend as night in Entebbe or Kampala before proceeding to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. However, it is very possible to arrive and transfer to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park the same day because this destination is only 3 hours’ drive from the Capital.