UGANDA WILDLIFE AUTHORITY RELAXES GORILLA TREKKING PERMIT POLICY

Following the outbreak of Covid-19, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the Virunga National Park authorities temporarily suspended gorilla trekking safaris, research related activities in their respective gorilla safaris parks. However, Uganda through UWA announced relaxing re-schedule gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking permits policy. This was disclosed by the Executive Director of UWA Mr. Sam Mwandha on a virtual press conference at UWA headquarters Kamwokya, Kampala.

The move to loosen gorilla trekking permit policy in Uganda is intended to encourage continuity of gorilla tourism. The idea behind is to let gorilla permit rescheduling other than cancellation by visitors who booked their gorilla trips or on plan to visit Uganda for gorilla tracking holiday. The policy presents tour operators and travelers on Uganda safaris with a great opportunity to reschedule their gorilla trekking permits for up to about 2 years which comes with no penalty. All this, is aimed at creating a flexible environment for both the tour operators and travelers which at the end won’t lead to loss making in tourism business. The relaxed gorilla trekking permit policy also benefits visitors who made a 30 percent deposit to book a gorilla permit in Uganda.

After covid-19 Uganda gorilla tours

UWA is hopeful about continuity of gorilla tracking tours in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park post covid-19. Uganda through Ministry of Health and the general public are working hand in hand to ensure the country gets out of this crisis. Although the country has presently registered 97 covid-19 cases, about 55 have recovered and no death cases have been recorded yet. With increase in recoveries and decrease in new cases, we are hopeful of getting back to the wild to interact with our closest relatives-mountain gorillas.

To ensure safety of mountain gorillas in the wild, a number of set guidelines have also been put in place and they include;

• A distance of about 8-10 meters should be kept at all times from gorillas.
• All trekkers must be on masks.
• Don’t use flashlight cameras when taking photos of mountain gorillas.
• Only 8 visitors are allowed to trek 1 gorilla family.
• Leave the gorilla habitat in a better state than you found it.
• Only persons above 15 years are permitted to track gorillas.
• 1 hour is allowed for you to strike your imaginations with gorillas.
• Don’t go track gorillas if you have flue or ill and in case of cough, please cover your mouth and when sneezing, cover your nose.

Where to go for gorilla trekking in Uganda

All tourists on gorilla tour in Uganda visit only Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to track mountain gorillas. These 2 gorilla safaris parks host nearly half of all the 1063 mountain gorillas which presently still thrive on earth. Presently, over 21 gorilla families have been fully habituated and ready for gorilla trekking and they include 20 in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which can be trekked in Buhoma, Rushaga, Nkuringo and Ruhija sectors. These include Oruzogo, Bitukura, Mubare, Habinyanja, Rushegura, Kahungye, Busingye, Mishaya, Katwe, Kutu, Nkuringo, Nshongi, Kyaguriro, Christmas, Bweza, Bikingi, Rwigi, Mucunguzi, Bushaho and Mukiza. Gorilla trekking safaris in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are conducted only in Nyakagezi gorilla family.

Cost of gorilla trekking permits in Uganda

The cost of gorilla trekking permits in Uganda differs depending on the categories of visitors and the current rates are effective till 30^th June, 2020.

• Foreign non-residents=$600
• Foreign residents=$500
• East African citizens=shs.250000

Starting from 1^st July, 2020, the cost of gorilla trekking permits in Uganda will be as follows;

• Foreign non-residents=$700
• Foreign residents=$600
• East African citizens=shs.250000

You can book gorilla trekking permits in Uganda through reservation team at Maranatha Tours and Travel or directly with UWA. However, what is most important is for you to ensure that you reserve your permit early enough to avoid last minute booking which may result into lots of disappointment due to the high demand. It is possible for you to book your permit with us about 3-4 months before your actual date to trek mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

In summary, the move to loosen the gorilla trekking permit policy in Uganda plays a significant role in the tourism sector given the situation at hand. With this relaxed policy, please don’t cancel your trip but simply change dates of travel and by so doing, we shall save the tourism industry.