Gorilla trekking is worth the money it costs, it is the most expensive tourism product both in Uganda and Rwanda. This is mainly because these gentle creatures are very rare and can only be found in four national parks in three African countries like Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. National parks with mountain gorillas include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Gorilla permits still cost 600 dollars for tracking and 1,500 dollars for habituation but starting on 1st July 2020, gorilla trekking permit will cost 700 dollars per person after Uganda Wildlife Authority decided to increase its price. This is because of the increased costs Uganda Wildlife Authority is meeting in the conserving these gentle creatures and the habitat where they live.

Rwanda has the most expensive gorilla permit which costs 1500 dollars each followed by that of Uganda which costs 600 dollars then lastly that of DR Congo costing 450 dollars. Gorilla permits in Congo cost less compared to other places because of low demand for gorilla permits and it’s because of the civil conflicts and political fights. Sometimes rangers are kidnapped and killed in the Virunga national park which scares away tourists from going there hence the high demand in Rwanda and Uganda.

Gorilla trekking is an adventurous activity which involves going through difficulties through hiking but when you set your eyes on these gentle creatures, you don’t regret as to why you paid your money for the experience. In order to go for gorilla trekking, you should be physically fit because the activity involves hiking the high altitudes of the mountains where these mountain gorillas stay, visitors should also expect discomfort since hiking is done in the tropical rain forests in Bwindi, Volcanoes, Mgahinga and Virunga. Clients should also expect to use a lot of energy and time when looking for these gentle giants. However the load of work is reduced by the porters at the destination who are hired to carry some luggage for the clients so clients shouldn’t be worried about anything because the experience is worth it.

Here are the reasons as to why we convince our clients that gorilla trekking is worth the money it costs.

The social interaction of these mountain gorillas is amazing to see especially when they are all together as a family. These mountain gorillas are human-like in behavior. For example, they groom each other, feed their young ones, play with their baby gorillas, silverbacks protect their families since they are the leaders and protectors of their families. All sorts of interactions among the gorillas is amazing to see when you are close to them. Observing the mountain gorillas while interacting amongst themselves makes the experience worth the cost.

Secondly setting your eyes on a silverback/male gorilla is so amazing. This is because it’s physically different from the other family members like the mother gorillas and young ones. This is because it has a silver stripe on its back fur which it acquires when developing to adulthood. They are also big in size as compared to other family members.

In Uganda, 20% of the revenue generated from tourism is taken back to the communities neighboring these attractions which are used to start up projects where community members can benefit from like in terms of jobs creation, social services hence improving their standards of living and realizing the importance of these gentle creatures. In Uganda, 20% is diverted back to communities neighboring these parks. The rest of the revenue is used by the government to improve on the medical services, schools, improving on road infrastructure among others.

The reviews we get from our clients also convince us that the gorilla trekking experience is worth the cost because they are always positive.  In conclusion, the one-hour interaction with the mountain gorillas starting from the time you set your eyes on a gorilla family and it’s designed for our clients to carefully observe the social interaction of these creatures, take photos, record videos and also enjoy the company of the mountain gorillas in their natural home. Kindly contact Adyeri Creations Limited or visit our trip advisor page for information about gorilla safaris in Uganda.