Just like any other consumable product that has a price tag on it, a gorilla permit also has a price tag on it depending on the country you are doing it from. In all the three East African countries (Uganda, Rwanda, Congo) where gorilla trekking takes place, there are various procedures that one should adhere to before being given a green flag to go in the actual process of gorilla trekking. The most paramount procedure here is securing a gorilla permit which can be done through agents or directly from the responsible authorities. Below is a detailed account of how one can attain these gorilla permits;
When booking a gorilla permit from outside Uganda, you first have to contact UWA’s reservation office by email inquiring about availability of the dates you intend to track the gorillas. Note that you need to consider a full day of travel from Kampala to Bwindi after you have landed in Kampala.
If the exact dates you want are unavailable, you can request UWA to let you know of the nearest dates. You then reply to them expressing your intent to book those permits, and requesting them to temporarily hold them as you make payment. At this time, they will advise you of their banking details, so that you can proceed to make an electronic transfer of the money. Please remember to immediately send a copy of the transaction voucher/ receipt by email or fax to UWA.
The transfer should usually take not more than 3 days and UWA will keep your tentative booking for at least 7 days as they await the transfer to go through. Please ensure that you instruct your bank to deduct the bank charges from you. Otherwise if the money sent is less, your permit may not be booked.
Gorilla Permits are also booked through a Tour operator or travel agent. Many intending gorilla trekkers have however found the above procedure tedious and have sought our quicker and less tedious ways of reserving their gorilla permits by working with local Uganda tour operator. Gorillas and wildlife safaris will not charge you for buying gorilla permits if you are getting other tour services like transfers and tours through them .The procedure is almost similar as above, except that the tour agencies tend to speed-up the process and most likely you will get your gorilla permit confirmation faster. However, there are certain things that you have to put right before your permit is issued like the dates you want to track these primates, your full names plus those of other people you are travelling with as they appear in your passport. There are situations when some tourists buy gorilla permits and then eventually end up not making it to the actual tracking due to various reasons beyond their control. So these permits remain in the hands of these tour operators who now begin looking for buyers of these permits.
Ugandan tour operators through their umbrella association (AUTO) almost buy up to 80% of the available tracking permits at up to 2 years out from the intended month of tracking. Each member may purchase up to 20 permits in any month. Individuals and non-members of AUTO can purchase a maximum of 2 permits each in the month 3 months prior to the intended month of trekking .So you can contact AUTO members an purchase these permits from them.
However, in Uganda, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) is proposing to put all gorilla permits for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park on line to be accessed by all people within and outside Uganda. According to management of Uganda Wildlife Authority, putting gorilla permits online will increase sales thus more money into the government’s treasury and to the Uganda Wildlife Authority to be used in conservation of wildlife in all protected areas. UWA management also argue that Tour Operators have been complaining about failure to get availability when they call Uganda Wildlife Authority central reservations office in Kampala and that if permits go on line then one can see them instantly.
Putting gorilla permits on line is yet to be seen as it has received a lot of resistance from the Private sector most especially from Ugandan Tour Operators under their umbrella organization called the Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO) who argue that by putting gorilla permits online will not only put them out of business since International Tour Operators will be able to buy them directly from Uganda Wildlife Authority offices but will also kill the tourism industry as a whole since clients will only be coming to Uganda for gorillas and then go for wildlife viewing in other neighboring countries of Kenya and Tanzania that have a competitive advantage over Uganda. Uganda Tour Operators argue that the role of selling gorilla permits should be left to them since their businesses create employment to several people and that if they are deprived of this, they will run out of business. They further say that the role of Uganda Wildlife Authority is not to market Tourism products such us gorilla permits but is to conserve Wildlife in and outside Protected Areas. The role of Marketing Uganda as a tourism Destination is supposed to be done by Uganda Tourism Board and therefore conflict of interest has been sighted.
Following the above issues, several meetings were convened to discourage Uganda Wildlife Authority from putting gorilla permits online and this ended up attracting the attention of the Minister of Tourism and Wildlife who has instituted a committee comprising of representatives from AUTO, Local Communities, Uganda tourism board and Uganda Wildlife Authority and is to be chaired by The Ministry of Tourism. Outcomes of this committee will be communicated later. Therefore as of now this system to put Ugandan gorilla permits online has temporarily stalled till further notice.
Just as in Uganda, even in Rwanda this mechanism has also totally failed due to various issues that have created divergent views towards the application of this module. The private sector also smelt a rat in being driven out of business yet in Congo this mode of online gorilla booking has never been thought of and there are no signs of conceiving such an idea.
So when it comes to the actual scenario of going for a gorilla trek in Uganda,there are mainly 3 modes of transportation to the gorilla trekking territories of Uganda especially Bwindi impenetrable forest which is the major park where gorilla trekking takes place unlike Mgahinga which receives very few people.
The first mode is when one takes a chartered flight especially Aero link from Entebbe airport and to either Kisoro or Kihihi air strip depending on which section of Bwindi you are going to be trekking these primates. Then from here you will be transported to your section of gorilla trekking the following day. However, this mode is for the financially viable tourists as it is a little bit expensive compared to the other modes.
The other mode of transportation is when the tour company provides transportation in the whole safari package. So you are picked up from either the airport if at all you are landing on that day or from your hotel and then you are driven in a safari land cruiser to this impenetrable forest.
The last mode of transport though not commonly used by tourists and very taxing is the use of public means to and from the National Park. The first step is to know which part of the National Park you will be visiting so that you establish which Bus you will be using. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has two sections and that is the southern section and the Northern Section.
If you are going to trek gorillas in the Southern Section, you will need to take Buses that go to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Mbarara, Kabale and then Kisoro Town. But if you are going to track gorillas in the Northern Sector of Bwindi, you need to take Buses that go through Mbarara, Ntungamo, Rukungiri, Kihihi and the boarder town of Butogota.
Whether you are to visit the south or North of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, no public means will transport you up to the park head quarters. If you decide to go to the North, then you need to budget for a motor cycle transfer from Butogota Town to Buhoma Park head quarters. Please check with your Lodge/Hostel if they can offer you transfers to and from Butogota Town. If you decided to visit the southern section, Buses are likely to drop you either in Kabale or Kisoro and from there, you will need to organize transport either to Nkuringo or Rushaga.
Gorilla Families that can be trekked from the south include Nkuringo gorilla family on Nkuringo Side, Nshongi, Kahungye, Mishaya, Bweza, Busingye gorilla groups in Rushaga. Gorilla families that can be trekked from the north are Rushegura Gorilla Group, Habinyanja and Mubare gorilla families. Other gorilla families that can be trekked from Buhoma include Oruzogo and Bitukura. These two can also be trekked if you stay in Kabale town but you will need an early rise to start the drive up to the starting point.
Several Bus companies do operate daily on these routes and they include: Post Bus, Gateway Bus Services, Horizon Buses and Bismarkan Bus Company.
While travelling in these buses, you need to be extra serious with your luggage as there are so many thieves that may target you. Please ensure that you hold your luggage all the time, move with it when moving out of the Bus at all times. Most targeted items include Laptops, Money among others. We as companies don’t recommend travel by public means of transport as the risks are more than the benefits but should you decide to do so please take extra care.