Congo Gorilla Trekking Permits
Congo Gorilla Trekking Permits are not that expensive and have proven to be the cheapest amongst all other national parks that inhabit habituated gorillas. The Gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo can be visited in two parks. You can visit the lowland gorillas in the Kahuzi Biega National Park found in the southern part of Congo in Bukavu district or you can opt to visit the mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park that is in the heart of Congo in Goma district. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the only country that harbors the two gorilla species and you can arrange to visit both of these at an affordable price in the space of just five days. The Democratic Republic of Congo is a very large country that you may not drive between these two districts majorly because of the distance and the poor road network between the two tourist hot spots. The commonly used and most recommended mode of transport to connect is the two national parks is by water that is the use of a ferry from Goma to Bukavu landing site for about 6-7 hours or use of a speed boat for about 3 hours to reach your destination. The two districts are separated by the Lake Kivu which is shared by both Rwanda and Congo as well. Opting to trek in Congo is a decision most travelers live to not regret and always feel they could not have opted any different.
The gorilla trekking permits in Congo for both the lowland gorillas and mountain gorillas go for 400 USD for the foreigners and 200 USD for the Congolese citizens. This is the cheapest of all the gorilla permits on the market as the other two countries that offer the activity that is Uganda and Rwanda priced their permits at 600 USD until July 2020 where the price will rise to 700 USD and 1,500 USD respectively.
The pricing of the Congo gorilla trekking permits at a lower rate could be motivated by a number of factors such as the still young but growing tourism industry of the country, the political history of the region and also could be motivated by the level of living standards and economic status of the country.
As of February 2019, Virunga National park sells the mountain gorilla permit along with the accommodation and visa as a whole package at a great rate and even greater rate during the low season that starts from 15th October to 15th December. Get in touch with us to plan for you a trip to the Congo tropical forest according to your preferences and budget. The Virunga foundation along with the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) are the governing bodies that regulate the pricing of the permits and also in the Kahuzi Biega national park, the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) is the body that is behind the price of the gorilla permit for the lowland gorillas along with the park authorities and stakeholders.
Congo Gorilla Trekking Permits, in general, are highly quoted also to be able to fund the conservation projects that see the growth in the number of these endangered species. The proceeds gotten from selling these permits is injected back into the park to see that conservation acts are put in place and also is a way of ensuring that the maximum capacity of the parks is not exceeded as it limits the number of visits to the gorilla parks and this a great ecotourism practice.
This also contributes to the prolonged presence of the gorillas and eventual increase in the number of gorillas. With the limited number of permits sold also this a controlled way of not scaring the gorillas away as crowds would definitely scare them away. Also the high pricing of the permits has not stopped the big numbers but at least has managed the visitors to the parks and different gorilla groups per day and in a way has also ensured less destruction on the natural habitats of the gorillas with human evidence. This sustainable gorilla tourism practice is the reason the number of gorillas has been increasing over the years. It may be the most expensive permit sold but is the most life-changing activity being in the presence of the last remaining of these primates. The different governing bodies for conservation in the gorilla parks including the Uganda Wildlife Authority for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda and Rwanda Development Board for Volcanoes National park those also offer the gorilla trekking activity, ensure the parks are monitored and conservation measures are respected so as to see the success of the gorilla trekking activity.
