Permits: Gorilla permits in Rwanda are $1500 per person and in Uganda $800 per person.
Chimpanzee permits in Rwanda are $150 per person and in Uganda $200 per person, Chimpanzee habituation permits in Uganda is $250.
while Golden Monkey permits in Rwanda are $100 and in Uganda $100
Contact your local tour operator for discounted permit rates during low season.
Age limit for trekking: 15 years and above
What to wear: Proper hiking shoes, Weatherproof attire and jacket, Warm fleece jacket, long trousers and long sleeved tops, Hat, gaiters, gardening or leather gloves, backpack, water bottle, face mask, sunscreen, bug spray.
Tips: A porter is recommended for hire and their wedges are $10 per porter. Tipping further is at your discretion. A ranger guide with trackers will also be on the hike each can be tipped from $10-$20.
For guidance, a recommended amount of about $80-$100 can be carried for tipping services after the hike.
Fitness level required: You don’t have to be super-fit for a gorilla tracking safari but it does help if you have a general level of fitness, if only to enhance your overall enjoyment of the experience. Walking will be at a slow pace with time for breaks if needed. Depending on which group you track, and the time of year you go (gorillas tend to move down the mountains in the rains), you might find yourself walking on some pretty steep slopes for several hours. On the other hand, you could reach your group after a 30-minute stroll. It’s best to prepare for the most active option however, and if nothing else, a few hill walks before you leave would be beneficial.
Maximum number required to trek Gorillas: In order to minimize behavioral disturbances to the gorillas, only 8 people are allowed to visit each of the families. Once you find them, you only spend1 hour before you make your way back from the forest,