What is the Average Cost of Gorilla Trekking In Uganda?
The Average Cost of Gorilla Trekking in Uganda starts from 1,560$ to 2900$ per person sharing for two people Sharing on a 3 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking tour to Bwindi depending on the type of accommodation one chooses. One should note that the average cost of Gorilla Trekking in Uganda depends on many factors including the cost of Gorilla Permit which is $800 Per person for foreign residents and $700 Per Person for Foreign residents effective and 300,000UGX for East African Citizens. A Uganda Gorilla Habituation Experience Permit costs US $1,500 for foreigners, US $1,000 for foreign residents and 750,000 Ugx for Ugandans and East African Citizens and it allows one to spend the whole day with the Gorillas.
Factors That Determine The Cost of Gorilla Trekking in Uganda
The overall price of a gorilla trekking excursion in Uganda is largely influenced by the cost of the gorilla trekking permit which costs $800 per person. When other additional elements such as lodging, meals, and transportation are factored in, the estimated total for a 3-day Gorilla trekking safari in Uganda ranges from approximately $1,600 per person (Budget) to $1,900 per person (Mid-range). The Gorilla permit fee is fixed while costs for other items/trip elements are relative and are entirely depend on your preferred style of travel (budget or luxury accommodation), transport (public, private or self-drive) and whether you want to plan your trip through a tour operator to handle it yourself. Below we explain in Details the factors that determine the average cost of a gorilla trekking tour in Uganda to give you a clear picture of what you should expect.
Gorilla Permit Cost
The Uganda Gorilla Permit costs 800$ Foreigners, 700$ for Foreign residents and 300,000UGX for East African Residents. The Gorilla permit cost includes park entrance fees, gorilla watching for an hour, advance trackers and ranger fees. A Gorilla Habituation Experience Permit costs US $1,500 for foreigners, US $1,000 for foreign residents and 750,000 Ugx for Ugandans and East African Citizens and it allows tourists to spend the whole day with the Gorillas.
The largest percentage of the gorilla permit fees in Uganda finances the conservation program and the government retains at least 15% leaving approximately 10% for development programs for communities surrounding the gorilla National parks. The Gorilla Permit is inclusive of a guided gorilla trekking excursion into the misty woods and a park ranger.
Any person above 15 years can book the gorilla permit through a licensed tour operator and you should note that when you only buy Gorilla permits from local operators usually they will charge a logistical fee of about $30 per permit. The $30 is not charge when you book a Gorilla tour package inclusive of a permit, accommodation and transportation.
Transportation Cost
A 4*4 Safari vehicle hire together with a driver and fuel costs from US $150 -US $300 per day depending on the type of car needed and the budget of the traveler. The cost is inclusive of car, gas (fuel) and a professional English-speaking driver who will drive you to the gorilla trekking center and lodge. Internal Scheduled flights to the gorilla trekking parks will cost from US $550 for a round trip.
The gorilla National parks in Uganda are approximately 300 miles (500 kilometers) from Entebbe International Airport with a driving time of approximately 10-11 hours. You may access the gorillas in Uganda by arriving through Kigali International Airport and embarking on a road drive of approximately 5 Hours. Another alternative is to take a local light flight to any of the two small airports outside Bwindi (Kisoro and Kihihi Airports) and then transfer by road to the lodge on an approximately 1.5 hours on the dirt road.
Accommodation Cost
The cost of accommodation depends entirely on the budget and choice of the traveler. The gorilla trekking accommodation will cost from US $50 to US $100 dollars a night for budget, US $150-US $280 for mid-range and US $350 to US $3000 per night for luxury. Note booking with Engabi Tours and Travel may attract you some discounts on the cost of accommodation since they have personal relationships with most properties or lodges.
All lodges for gorilla trekking are remotely located with amazing jungle jungle treatments which feature balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows spoiling you with panoramic views and lush surroundings. Gorilla Trekking lodges provide daily menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner covered within your room price and most of them will pack lunch for your gorilla trekking activity or your long drive at the end of your stay. For high-end lodges, the room price includes selected drinks like house wines, soft drinks, coffee, water and tea.
Other Uganda Gorilla Trekking Tour costs may include costs of visas and vaccinations, costs of porters and costs of Gorilla trekking items.
Note that you can keep your Uganda Gorilla trekking cost down by traveling with a group or another person, staying in good budget lodges ,avoiding charter flights and not forgetting that Gorilla trekking Uganda is cheaper than Gorilla trekking Rwanda.
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