What is the maximum hours can one spend with gorillas in Rwanda?
The maximum time you can spend with gorillas in Rwanda is one hour. This rule helps protect the gorillas, giving them enough space to eat, rest, and care for their babies. Rwanda is home to 15 gorilla families you can visit, with names like Hirwa, Susa, and Amahoro. These families live in Volcanoes National Park, the only place in the world where mountain gorillas are found. The park is made up of five large volcanoes: Gahinga, Sabyinyo, Muhabura, Bisoke, and Karisimbi.
To visit the gorillas, you need to get a permit, which is like a ticket. You have to choose a date and tell how many permits you want. Iconic Africa Safaris, will always help to arrange this for you. While the time with gorillas is limited to one hour, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Standing close to these powerful animals is both thrilling and unforgettable as you watch them in their natural habitat.
The best time to book the Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari
Rwanda is a place where you can go see gorillas any time. But most vistors like to go when it’s not so rainy. That’s in June, July, August, September, December, and January. A lot of people want to go then, so it’s hard to get a spot if you wait too long.
To be sure you get to see gorillas, it’s best to book your spot six months to a year ahead of time. When it’s busy, like in the dry season, it’s even harder to find a spot. Plus, everything else, like where you’ll stay and how you’ll get around, costs more because so many people want to go.
If you go in March, April, May, or November, though, it’s not as busy. You might even be able to get a spot at the last minute. And since fewer people want to go then, you might have the gorilla tour all to yourself or just with the folks you’re traveling with. Sometimes, you can even get a discount on the tickets during these times.
So, if you don’t have a lot of money but still want to see gorillas in Rwanda, the best time to go is when it’s not so busy. That way, you’ll have a better chance of getting a spot and maybe save some money too.
The cost of the Rwanda Gorilla permit?
The ticket for seeing the gorillas in Rwanda costs different amounts for different people. For visitors who aren’t from Rwanda, it’s $1500. But if you’re a foreigner living in Rwanda, it’s $500. And if you’re from East Africa, it’s $300. When you decide to go see the gorillas, you have to stick to that plan because changing it costs extra money.
When you buy a ticket to see the gorillas, it pays for a bunch of things. It covers the cost of having a ranger guide with you, making sure everyone stays safe, helping out the local community, looking after the mountain gorillas, and giving you an hour to spend with the gorillas. Plus, when you’re done, you get a certificate to show you did it.
But there are some things the ticket doesn’t cover. If you want someone to carry your stuff for you, like a porter, that costs extra. And you’ll need to bring your own food and water for the trip. Anything else you need, like sunscreen or a hat, you have to bring yourself.
The possibility of paying in installments for the Rwanda Gorilla permit?
In Rwanda, you can buy gorilla permits in installments. This means you can pay for them in two parts: 30% at first and then 70%. To be able to pay in installments, you need to buy the permit 90 days before you plan to go trekking. Also, make sure to pay the rest of the amount 90 days before your trekking day. If you don’t pay the remaining 70% on time, your permit will be made available to other people, and you won’t get your initial deposit back. So, it’s important to keep track of the payment deadlines.
The possibility of rescheduling the Rwanda Gorilla permit?
If you need to change your gorilla permit date in Rwanda, you can do it through the Rwanda Development Board. But there’s a small fee for this. To request a new date, just write to them and explain why you need to change it. If you have proof, you can include that too, but it’s not necessary if you don’t want to share personal details.
Once they confirm, they’ll find a new date for you based on when there’s availability. Just remember, you can only change your permit if you’ve already paid for it. And if you paid in installments, you need to pay the full amount before rescheduling.
The new date you choose has to be within the same year as your original booking.
