Detailed Guidelines to Booking Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Permit

Nestled in the east-central corner of the Dark Continent Africa is a small but vital country called Rwanda. When you immerse in the beautiful outdoors of Rwanda, enjoy the special packages of leisure, amusement, and fun. Mountains, and journeys in a cool and relaxed city yield a memorable expedition for a tourist.

Travel through Rwanda and enjoy the amazing, modern, clean, and organized capital Kigali, The less frequented ecosystem in Akagera, the treasure of Mountain gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park,  The hikers’ and nature lovers paradise of Nyungwe Forest, for our loves Chimps , The Beautiful landscape, hills, forests, the safe and unspoiled nature of the country truly confirm  Rwanda as The Land of  Thousand Hills.

In the Northwestern part of Rwanda lies the astonishing Volcanoes National Park where the great primatologist Dian Fossey focused all her endeavors on protecting mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.

The Volcanoes National Park lies at an altitude of 2400m to 4500m above sea -level and is part of the Virunga ranges. The park is too scenic with bamboo forest vegetation and home to endangered mountain gorillas and golden monkeys together with other animals to give a complete Rwanda Safari package.

Rwanda is stable, organized, and independent of any problems so when a traveler books for any visit especially to any of the  National Parks, he/she will not encounter any obstacles but only success. So when planning for activities like gorilla or golden monkey tracking give a tracking permit the first priority.

What is a gorilla / golden monkey tracking permit?

This is a document that authorizes a person of 15 years and above to visit a gorilla or golden monkey family in their natural habitat and spend an hour in their company.

How do you obtain a gorilla / golden monkey tracking permit?

In Rwanda, tracking permits are obtained after checking availability by contacting the a trustable travel agency like Rwanda gorilla trek. This can be through visiting their offices in person,  by booking through trusted tour operators. Active African Vacations or by obtaining them from the

How can you book a gorilla /golden monkey tracking permit online?

Prior to booking and purchasing an experience permit, a traveler should first make proper inquiries from the trusted licensed travel agent about the right time of the year to visit a certain place for a particular tourism activity.

In Rwanda, the tourism sector is managed by the Rwanda Development Board. This board in making resolutions and ensuring transparent systems is done by filing an application form through IREMBO, an online service platform that deals with reservation and sales of experience permits in national parks.

The applicant should present valid personal identification documents like a valid passport that reflects the full applicant’s name, age, date of birth, nationality, country of residence, email address, telephone number, and other relevant biodata.

East African residents, can present a  valid National Identification Card Number (NIN) or Resident card or The East African Community Identity Card and Passport. Students above 15 should provide the student or school identity cards.

Children bellow 15 years who wish to visit the country with their parents should provide passport copies or student identification cards., if not available,  they should provide official government documents that show evidence of age.

Booking an experience permit in advance.

According to RDB, bookings are done on a first-come first-served basis because at times there is limited availability. Therefore, all advance permit bookings made by Rwandans should be paid for fully before the tracking date, except for the mountain gorillas which can be booked with anon refundable fee of  40% of the total amount to be paid for the gorilla tracking expedition. This booking deposit only applies to local tour operators and not independent permit purchases.

The remaining percentage of the cost of the permit should be paid 30 days before the tracking date.

Experience permits booked in advance can be moved and confirmed to another date at least 30 days before the tracking date. This is done depending on the availability of permits and the season.

 Is a gorilla/golden monkey permit transferable

Yes, it’s quite possible to transfer a gorilla/ golden monkey permit in Rwanda.  When one obtains a permit but he/she finds out that is not willing to take part in the activity due to noticeable and convincing reasons, it can be transferred to another person.

If the permit was purchased in advance, the applicant must first fully pay for it then it can be eligible for transfer to another person.

Transfer cannot be done from a foreigner to a Rwandan citizen and vice versa. Transfer of a gorilla tracking permit is done once for a particular permit and this should be done 30 days before the tracking date.

A Rwandan gorilla/golden monkey trekking permit is transferred at no cost. The applicant only requires a permit number or booking reference to start the process. The same process can be used for Golden Monkey tracking permits and it’s valid for only a day.

Cost of a gorilla/ golden monkey tracking permit.

Embark on the unforgettable journey filled with unique adventures as you delve into the details of how much it costs to be involved in the once-in-a-lifetime -experience.

Rwanda permits are documents issued to clients to access the gentle apes in their natural habitat. These documents are presented at the park headquarters to be allocated to a specific gorilla family for an adventure.

The Rwanda gorilla permit costs $1500 for foreigners, $500 for foreign residents, $200 for Rwandans and East African citizens, and $500 for  African residents.

The cost of the Golden Monkey permit in Rwanda is 100 USD for foreign residents, 65 USD per nonforeign resident, and 4000RWF for Rwandan citizens. The price includes the permit itself and is worth the investment of time and money.

Who is allowed to go tracking

Mountain gorillas have not lived for long that’s why they are listed as critically endangered creatures on the verge of extinction. However, with the Rwandan government’s effort to conserve wildlife, they have started increasing in number and all offers goes to any body above the age of 15 years is eligible to enjoy gorilla trekking

In a bid to conserve more of these endangered primates, the government restricts that only people of 15 years and above should be involved in gorilla tracking activity and it should be a group of 8 people to visit a specific gorilla family on a day.

Unlike the gorillas,  people starting from 12 years are allowed to enjoy the golden monkey tracking activity and a minimum of 16 people visit a specific family a day.

Before starting any tracking activity,  the participant should first present a tracking permit to the officials at the park headquarters for verification.

In case of a false application, you will be denied entry into the park even if the payment is already generated.

 Is the tracking permit refundable in Rwanda?

Unlike in Uganda, A  gorilla tracking permit in Rwanda is not refundable. The only condition when you may get a refund is when you are detected to have any serious sickness at the park and the medical doctors confirm your inability to trek, you will receive a refund of 50% of the cost of the Permit.

A traveler may also get a refund or another chance to trek if the rangers realize and confirm that the failure was due to the movements of the gorillas. Those who don’t appear, cancel, or arrive late for the start of the activity are not refunded.

Is rescheduling a gorilla permit possible in Rwanda?

Rescheduling a permit is a process that involves postponing the dates on a traveler’s permit.

In Rwanda,  the trekker should first present genuine reasons as to why rescheduling should be done. It may be a general problem like an outbreak of an epidemic in the country or a personal problem. In this scenario, it’s better to use a trusted tour operator to avoid any losses.

Once the reschedule is approved,  a new tracking date should be entered in the system, and has to notify about the new tracking details.

What is gorilla tracking?

Gorillas are critically endangered wild creatures that are not far away from being extinct. Different measures are being put up to conserve and restore them in their natural habitat.

Gorilla tracking is an activity that involves immersing yourself in the natural rainforest environment to visit the majestic and beautiful creatures.

The best place to go for gorilla trekking in Rwanda is the Virunga Massif which covers the border of Rwanda, Uganda, and DRC. In Rwanda, visit the Volcanoes National Park for the best tracking expedition.

A traveler should reach the park headquarters as early as 7:00 am to attend a briefing and verification of the tracking permit.  The briefing takes over an hour and you are told about the dos and don’ts when in the forest. After the briefing, the participants are allocated to groups of 8 people and set off with trained game guides and rangers into the jungle.

Once you find the gorillas,  you are allowed to interact carefully with them for one hour as you enjoy how the dominant silverback provides security to his family. The females caring for the young ones, the black backs that have not reached the maturity of silverbacks, showing off, playing, and fighting gently. It’s like comedy but a rewarding experience.

What guidelines should one follow when tracking?

Mountain gorillas are only found in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo. They are considered as endangered creatures. However, the governments of the three countries have come up with specific rules and regulations that help to protect these great apes from extinction. Some of the rules include:

Trekkers should maintain 7 meters from the gorillas to avoid direct eye contact as this can provoke their anger and they dangerously react to you.

Before the trekking activity, all permits should be verified and briefing be done thoroughly. The minimum age for trekkers is 15 years.

While on the search for the amazing primates, try to keep voices too low and always move in groups of 8 people with a trained game guide and ranger.

Travelers who have communicable diseases like flu, pneumonia, or TB should not go for tracking as the animals may catch the disease as they share 98% DNA with humans. Treating these animals is not easy.

Unlike golden monkeys that love flashlights, avoid using cameras with a flashlight when doing photography with mountain gorillas.

Trekkers should spend only one hour of encounter with gorillas or golden monkeys unless it is a habituation experience where 4 hours are allowed.

Never run away from the gorilla in case it comes closer to you.  Be submissive and crouch down. It will also become calm.

Mountain gorillas tend to live on the higher slopes of the volcano ranges, therefore before trekking, request to be put in a group that will trek to a family that is within a distance of your physical fitness or request for a a porter to help you carry your bag.

You are not allowed to touch the gorillas.

Avoid making any unnecessary movements at the real hour of tracking. make your observations silently.

Always turn away from the direction of the gorillas when sneezing or coughing to avoid disease transmission.

Travelers should avoid littering in the park. you should carry all the food remains and other trash back to the dustbins at the park head headquarters or lodge to avoid any transmissions or infections to the animals.

 How do you get to Volcanoes National Park?

Volcanoes National Park is a prominent tourism destination that lies in the northwestern part of Rwanda.  It lies in the Virunga Massif that is shared by Uganda, Rwanda, and The Democratic Republic of Congo.

Volcanoes National Park occupies the districts of  Burera, Musanze, Rubavu and Nyabihu. This park is only a two-hour drive from Kigali airport to Musanze. It is therefore easy to drive to the tracking point on the same day through private or public means.

Why is it advisable to book a permit through a tour operator company?

When planning a primate safari to Rwanda, the first thing you put into consideration is the tracking permit. This is the official document that allows you to meet the gentle apes in their habitat.

A gorilla or golden monkey permit allows you to spend one memorable hour with the great apes in case of tracking and 4 observation hours for habituation and 3 consecutive days if you choose to go for behind the scene experience

Gorilla and golden monkey tracking permits in Rwanda are obtained from the Rwanda Development Board by the help of a local tour operator like Rwanda gorilla trek  This can be done electronically by the person wishing to travel while others prefer using t our operator companies.

At times it’s not easy to make the booking by yourself as  a traveler and opt for a tour operator and for this case, look no further than Active African Vacations for the best service  because of  the following reasons

The tour operator will know the availability of permits at the RDB headquarters as it the company is fully registered and has quick access to process the permit without any hassles.

When you book with Active African Vacations, you will have eliminated confusion and stress in the process of obtaining the permit. This company will help you know the process, obtain the permit, and also guide you on how to plan your trip.

In case anything goes wrong on your trip, a tour agent can give a backup and help you to solve the problem. For example, missing a flight,  extension of the tracking date,  or rescheduling your permit in case of any inevitable circumstance, a tour agent like Active African Vacations has to be by your side.

It should be noted that once a permit is purchased it’s not refundable,  so any mistake made during the process is costly $300 for rescheduling fee. when you book with Active African Vacations you will have eliminated those mistakes, get a clear itinerary and by the end of the day you will have saved money and will have the best experience on your trip.