Gorilla safaris in Uganda are noted to be among the lucrative activities of tourism in the country of Uganda today. The encounter allows travelers from different parts of the world to have moments with the mountain gorillas whose fate is still listed as critically endangered by the IUCN on its famous red list.

Undertaking a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda cannot be affected if one does not have in possession of the gorilla permit. The gorilla permit which is a document that has been summarized into an electronic card as part of the innovative systems that have been ongoing at Uganda wildlife Authority to make access to the protected areas easier is issued by the same Authority under a sole arrangement that only allows one to purchase it directly or through an agent.

Gifted with two destinations where Uganda gorilla safaris can be conducted namely Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda has in total 104 gorilla permits that are distributed in her thirteen (13) gorilla families that are habituated. These Permits are always available every day and they are sold out on the arrangement of first come first serve which at times takes people by surprise to find out that they cannot get even a single permit to track gorillas on a particular day because of their late booking.

As a result of the high demand, the travelers interested in gorilla trekking safari tours in Uganda are advised to undertake the reservation of the gorilla permit way in advance so as to guarantee themselves the trekking experience. Also, earlier booking enables one to select the region of his choice from the four trekking regions of Bwindi where he/she intends to track the gorillas. This too has an effect on the accommodation as earlier booking enables you to book the permits in the respective region where your preferred lodge exists.

It can be noted that it is a requirement from the Uganda Wildlife Authority that the permit is not yet booked until one has deposited it. Normally, the issuing organization allows a 30% deposit for the booking that is 3 months to the date of tracking and beyond this period the full amount is required. However, for the Mgahinga trekking permits are paid on the ground as a result of the family’s former crossing to the adjacent Congo. Thus, one pays when the park authorities have fully ascertained that the group is available.

The gorilla permit in Uganda is still standing at $600 for the foreigners that do not stay in the East African community, $500 for the foreigners that stay in the partner states of the East African Community, and then 250,000/= for the natives of the partner states of the East African community. Most times, the Uganda Wild life Authority (UWA) offers discounts in these prices and this is always done for the wet season months that run from April to May and then November. This offer is always announced at the beginning of the year.

The booking process is followed by gorilla permit printing process and at this point the Uganda Wildlife Authority requires your passport details including the name, nationality, passport number and date of birth to enable them keep a clear track of the records. The foreign residents need to show the proof of their resident status in the region and the citizens as well to be allowed to undertake a gorilla safari in Uganda at a reduced price.