Is a mountain gorilla trekking permit the same as a chimpanzee trekking permit? No! They are two different permits. The mountain gorilla trekking permit allows you to trek the mountainous forest for mountain gorillas and the chimpanzee trekking permit allows you to trek the rain forest for the chimpanzees. Though they are all permits issued for trekking the trekking activities for each primate species are different and happen in two separate locations. Mountain gorilla trekking happens in mountainous forests, and you usually trek to high altitudes to find the mountain gorillas. Well as chimpanzee trekking happens is fairly mid altitudes and you usually just trek deep into the forest to find them. The time you spend on each trek is also different; because mountain gorilla stay in high altitudes deep in the time you take to get to them is longer than the time you take to get to the chimpanzees in the rain forests. As stated the chimpanzees stay in fairly moderate altitudes. Also on trekking experiences its quite easy to find chimpanzees because they stay in larger groups compared to the mountain gorillas. A group of chimpanzees has about 60 or more individuals, so they occupy a larger area and you can easily see the individuals. A mountain gorilla group on the other has about 15 to 30 members, so you have to really be close to the family to observe them and enjoy their company. The mountain gorillas like to move deeper and higher into the forest so on a mountain gorilla trek, you will have to go on for a while before you reach the gorilla family; yet for chimpanzees they stay longer in places, for as long as the ranger knows where they are, you can almost always find them there, its in rare cases that you find the chimpanzees have moved. Because the mountain gorillas as the name state stay in mountainous forests, trekking their trails is harder than the trails of the chimpanzees in the rain forests. In fact in some cases persons who wish to do mountain gorilla trekking, are required to physically fit because of the strenuous climb. Especially the Uganda gorilla trails are rough compared to the other gorilla trekking trails. That said the rules that govern both the chimpanzee and mountain gorilla trekking experiences are the same and they include but not limited to:- - A person should not trek the primates when they have any communicable disease of any kind. This because you can easily spread the disease to the primate - One trekking permit is valid for one individual and for one trekking experience only. - Trekking is done in a group so always stay in your group, when you are trekking don’t wonder off - Do not litter the primate’s habitat; make sure you leave it as clean as you found it. - Do not engage in any activity or behaviour that can cause harm to the primates - Do not use flash photography with the primates - Do not feed the primates - Do not touch the primates - Do not stare in the eyes of the primates - Keep a 2 meter distance or more from the primates Primates that are the mountain gorillas and the chimpanzees in East Africa are found in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic republic of Congo. Mountain gorillas are found in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda and Virunga National Park in the Democratic republic of Congo. Chimpanzees are found in Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in the DRC and mainly in Kibale National Park in Uganda.

How Long Does A Gorilla Permit Take to Expire

How Long Does A Gorilla Permit Take to Expire : Are you thinking of booking a gorilla trekking permit to participate in gorilla trekking in Africa to understand more about the activity?  Here’s all you need to know about the gorilla trekking permit in Africa from where to obtain the gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda, the price of the gorilla trekking and most importantly how long the gorilla permit takes to expire which will help you to properly plan for your gorilla trekking safari in the country. Gorilla trekking in Africa is among the most popular tourism activity that has attracted a number of tourists from all over the world to watch a number of gorilla species that can be seen in the different countries in Africa. Some of the most famous gorilla trekking destinations in Africa include;

Gorilla trekking in Uganda where you will get to watch the mountain gorillas in Mgahinga national park and Bwindi impenetrable national park. you can also get to see the mountain gorillas in Africa by taking part in gorilla trekking in Rwanda, volcanoes national park and gorilla trekking in Virunga national park and for the eastern lowland gorillas can be seen when you participate in gorilla trekking in kahuzi biega national park for gorilla trekking in Congo.

How Long Does A Gorilla Permit Take to Expire
Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park

Once you obtain a gorilla trekking permit in Africa, you’ll be given access to a knowledgeable guide who will take you along the trails in the park to the habituated gorilla families and the ranger who will protect you against any vicious animal attacks as you make your way to the habituated gorilla families and when you get to them because although they are accustomed to human presence, they are still wild animals that can be triggered off by anything so to ensure that tourists have a safe gorilla trekking experience in Africa.

Where to obtain a gorilla trekking permit in Africa

For you to obtain a gorilla trekking permit in order to enjoy watching and spending one hour with the gorillas in the wild, you should obtain a gorilla trekking permit and because gorilla trekking in Africa is quite competitive, you should consider booking in advance to avoid missing out on the amazing adventure. In Uganda, a gorilla trekking permit can be obtained at a price of 700USDbut with covid-19 in the country and a way to promote tourism, there has been a number of discounts that have been put to increase the engagement of tourists in the activity for instance 400USD for foreign non-residents, 300USD for foreign residents, and for the East African community citizen from 250,000 UGX to   150,000UGX and this can be obtained online from a trusted tour operator or from the Uganda wildlife authority where you can obtain permits for a number of tourism activities in Uganda.

For gorilla trekking in Rwanda, initially the price of a gorilla trekking permit was 1500USD but there are a number of promotional discounts that you should not miss out on valid from 1st January to 31st December 2022 where you can pay 200USD for East African Community citizens, 500USD for foreign residents and a gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda can be obtained from  the Rwanda development board or from a trusted tour operator and for gorilla trekking in kahuzi biega national park and Virunga national park, you can access the gorilla trekking permit in Congo at 400USD.

How Long Does A Gorilla Permit Take to Expire
Gorilla tours

Validity of a gorilla trekking permit

One of the most asked questions about tourists interested in gorilla trekking in Africa is how long does a gorilla trekking permit take to expire. It should be noted that once you obtain gorilla trekking permit when you participate in the activity, when you get to the habituated gorilla families in the wild, when your one hour with the gorillas elapses the gorilla permit will expire that is to say you will not spend more time with the gorillas in the wild.

It should also be noted that with covid-19 in the world, there have been a number of restrictions that have been put on the booking of permits in the country have been reviewed because a number of tourists have been missing out on the activity because of delayed, contracting the virus which has made the different destinations to allow rescheduling of the permits in case of such inconveniences because failure to reschedule, will make you incur other costs to book for another gorilla trekking permit in Africa.

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