How to Get Gorilla Permits in Rwanda.

How to get Gorilla permits in Rwanda is the first thing you need to check if you are considering trekking mountain gorillas in the land of a thousand hills, it is the document that allows travelers to be guided to come face to face with critically endangered species of the mountain gorillas according to the IUCN red list, the primate species are found freely within the volcanoes national park to the North of the country it is Africa’s first conservation areas in the Virunga volcanic region covering an area space of approximately 160 square kilometers, the forest straddles along borders between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Volcanoes National Park used to be a super large forest however due to internal conflicts and the effects of war, its area space kept on reducing to human settlements, a big thanks to the Rwandan government for the continued conservation policies the park has survived its time, it was made famous by the American primatologist Dian Fossey due to her great works on mountain gorillas, the park also featured in the movie “Gorillas in the mist”, which only increased on it being known to the world. The conservation area is comprised of 5 of the 8 series of the great Virunga Mountains hosting the highest peak of Mountain Karisimbi, some of these are shared with the neighboring states of Uganda and the democratic republic of Congo.

How to get gorilla permits in Rwanda is through the Rwanda Development Board, it is the only managing body in charge of permit purchasing, the permit is bought at $1,500 permit for foreign nonresidents, $500 for foreign residents, and $200 for east African citizens, they can be purchased directly the board or through a ground handling tour operator in Rwanda. It is advisable to buy these before the booking time to avoid missing out and inconveniences. Payments are done fully when it comes to permits. Purchasing are gorilla permit is restricted to individuals below the age of 15 years.

Gorillas trek beginning from the park headquarters in Kiningi, it is a strenuous activity and yet so rewarding at the end of the day, meeting the primates is a thrilling once in lifetime event that one will always remember, it takes 2-8 hours trekking or sometimes the whole day to see the primates, an hour is allowed after which you return. Trackers are advised to wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers, hiking boots, waterproof covers for phones and cameras, and rain gear, in case of heavy equipment, it is wise to hire a porter at the start of the hike.

Other activities of Volcanoes National Park require permits including golden monkey tracking in the bamboo forest, these are endemics of the Virunga mountains and can only be seen while here, they stand out from the other primates with their unique golden-brown colour with a bit of black. Hiking the Dian Fossey tombs area will require you to have paid forest walks and park entrance fees to the authorities.