Have you always desired to engage in gorilla trekking but are limited by money? The good news is that you can actually go on this life changing gorilla safari on a Budget. This activity is one of the most exceptionally interesting Wildlife adventures offering trekkers with the opportunity to spend one hour with the critically endangered Mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.
However, the chance to have a closer encounter with Africa’s most desired primates doesn’t come cheap hence you have to pay a high price for it. Mountain gorilla permits are expensive but of course worth the experience since the revenues go to their conservation and is also important for the development of the local communities living around the National Parks (that inhabit these creatures).
Permits cost $1500 per person for gorilla trekking in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, $600 for the activity in Uganda’s Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Forest and $400 for Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga National Park. Nonetheless, another extraordinary activity exists in Uganda to allow tourists spend up to 4 hours with the mountain gorillas at only $1500. Therefore, you can participate on a gorilla trekking safari on a budget in the following ways;
Low season discount rates
Gorilla trekking in Uganda in the low season (April, May and November) is one of the great ways of tracking mountain gorillas on budget because this means you will be able to get discounted permits. Permits cost $450 for foreign non-residents, $400 for foreign residents and Shs 150,000 for East African Community residents. Although Rwandan gorilla permits are not discounted, most of the Safari Lodges just like in Uganda offer discounts for their room rates. Much as most tourists avoid the rainy season due to the verdant and thick vegetation, and slippery/muddy trail, it takes a shorter time to find the mountain gorillas because these primates have abundant food hence move shorter distance.
Book for the gorilla permit at least 6 months in advance
Due to the high demand and low availability of gorilla permits, it would be a good idea to acquire one in advance. This makes it easy to secure permits before their prices are suddenly increased. You can imagine the disappointment you get when you realize discounted permits are out of stock yet you can organized a budget safari.
Organize a group tour
Organizing for group tours allow tourists to save more money because most of the costs especially for transport, guide fees, fuel and accommodation are shared. For instance, it is cheaper when you book for a land cruiser as a group of four people than as an individual because it will be the same cost except shared if you are more people.
Get special offers from different companies
Before you book from a particular tour and Travel Company or airlines, first consult and inquire from a number of them before you make a final decision of which one to travel with depending on the best package offered. Not only that, some companies offer special offers at some seasons hence you can first consult with them before making the final decision.
In conclusion, you don’t have to be wealthy to book for a safari in Uganda. You can actually book a tour on budget through bargaining for special offers from tour companies or airlines, organize group tours, book with the low season discount rates and organize a safari from Uganda due to the reduced price of gorilla permits ($600 for Uganda instead of the $1500 for permits in Rwanda).
