The inclusions and exclusions of a gorilla safari in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo is a major concern for most if not travelers booking to trek mountain gorillas in Africa. During gorilla tour booking, travelers often ask the cost of a gorilla safari depending on the number of days for the trip and the people traveling. At times, the total sum of a gorilla safari looks and sounds huge especially for first-time travelers. Gorilla trekking is undeniably the most expensive which most people take to be a luxury adventure. African Apes Tours & Travel brings you the gorilla tour cost breakdown to answer all your questions. The gorilla safari inclusions and exclusions are:
Gorilla Safari Inclusions
• Mountain gorilla permits
Uganda gorila permit
You must buy a gorilla permit as a pass to see these endangered species. Gorilla permit prices vary from country to country with Rwanda offering the most expensive gorilla permits at $1500 each. In Uganda, a single gorilla permit costs $700 for foreign non-residents, $600 for foreign residents and UGX 250,000 for East African residents. Congo offers the cheapest gorilla permits costing $400 for all travelers. The permit costs include park entrance fees, park rangers fee, government taxes, and conservation fees all included.
• En route Meals
In case you are driving for long distances for example from Kampala to Bwindi Forest National Park, your gorilla tour cost will include enroute meals. Your driver-guide will stop you somewhere to have lunch and you will not be asked to pay any penny. You will have paid for all that. Any enroute meal to be paid for by a client must be indicated in the itinerary to ensure the smooth flow of the trip.
• Full-time English Speaking guide
Unless it’s a private tour, you must pay for your driver guide who leads you throughout the trip from the start to the end. The driver guide is the representative of the travel company you booked with and is assigned to a certain amount of money as an allowance for each day. Driver guides play a big role in providing you all the required answers to your questions about wildlife, plants, people, cultures, politics and everything you need to know on your trip. Your tour cost will, therefore, include the services of a driver-guide.
• Accommodation and meals
Luxury Room in Bwindi Forest
Your gorilla safari cost also includes accommodation services and meals. In other words, travelers do not pay extra fees for accommodation services and meals separate. The amount paid depends on the category of accommodation (budget, mid-range, and luxury) booked by a client. More so, accommodation fees include all room services, foods, and drinks except alcoholic beverages.
• Bottled drinking water
You cannot miss sipping on a cold drink on the sunny long day of driving. Most safari vehicles have fridges, which will be filled with bottled drinking water. Travelers are advised to ask for a bottle of water whenever they feel like cause they will have paid for that water. If the driver has no water in the car, travelers have a right to stop him/her and send him to buy water for them minus paying.
• Company Service fee
You must pay the travel agent/company for the services offered. From the time of inquiring to booking lodges, gorilla permits, and tailor-making for you a suitable safari package, a travel agent does this at a fee. Unlike gorilla permits, which have standard rates, travel company markups are different. Therefore once the safari quiet you were given is paid, the company should not ask any extra money from a client unless otherwise.
• All other activities indicated in the itinerary
Unless it’s a one-day gorilla trek, gorilla trekking is normally complemented with other safari activities such as cultural tours, bird watching and nature/forest walks among others. The cost for these activities included in the travel itinerary is inclusive of the gorilla safari cost. Travelers are therefore reminded not to pay any extra money for these activities in case they are asked to do by a driver-guide.
• Miscellaneous
You will be charged for any miscellaneous/emergencies on a trip. However, the cost of miscellaneous is always less
Gorilla Tour cost exclusions
Not everything expense you make on a gorilla safari is included in the tour cost. Some expenses are bot included in the safari costa and these include:
• International Flights
Your international flight fares will not be included in the gorilla safari cost. No company will pay for your return flights. Bear that in mind and reserve money for that incase your flight was no a return flight.
• Visa fees
• Alcoholic beverages
• Personal shopping
• Tipping
• Porters fee
• Extra activities not indicated in the itinerary
Generally, travelers are ought to know the inclusions and exclusions of gorilla tour costs in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Contact African Apes Tours today, book your gorilla safari and enjoy this memorable experience.
