How do gorilla permits work? And who sells them?
You need a permit for each day that you track mountain gorillas in Uganda. The Uganda wildlife authority is the one that issues these permits. But you need to secure one for yourself way ahead of your trip because they are in high demand. UWA has 96 gorilla permits available ach day. 8 of these are for Mgahinga gorilla national park, and the remaining 88 are for Bwindi impenetrable forest. So you see there is limited supply and high demand. The Peak seasons June, July, August, September, December, January, and February are especially a hard time to obtain gorilla permits. The permits are sold locally on cash basis at the UWA offices in Kampala. Sometimes the response from UWA is quite slow and can be frustrating, hence the need to buy one ahead of time.
How can I buy a permit early before I make my trip is they are only sold locally?
This is where experienced Ugandan safari companies like Insight safari holidays come into the picture. If you hire a safari company like us to manage and organise your Uganda safari and subsequently your gorilla trekking adventure, you can hire us to book and purchase a permit for you. For most safari companies it can be included in the wholesome quotation if they know you are interested in gorilla trekking or you can pay for it separately. It is possible to pay for a permit after you get here but the hustle and delays that you might encounter are not worth it. Safari companies in Uganda know the ins and outs of securing a gorilla permit and will do it quickly and efficiently. When you hire a safari company to book and organise your gorilla safari for you, there might be a few deviations from the plan every now and then, say you could get a permit that is valid for a day later than you wanted because the other were all booked out, but one thing is certain you will enjoy your gorilla experience hustle free. Securing a gorilla permit is only one step of organizing for your Uganda safari; there are other things like booking lodging, travel arrangements and so much more. But after you have secured your permit you can rest easy and organise your trip knowing you will get the experience you are hoping for