Rwanda has doubled the price of a gorilla permits. According to a Press Release from the Rwanda Development Board, the price of a gorilla permit has been increased from US$750 to US$1500 per person per trek.
“The Rwanda Development Board today announced an increase in the price of Gorilla Permits from US$ 750 to US $1,500 for all visitors effective immediately” A statement from the Rwanda Development Board reads.
These news have not been welcome from both the tourism fraternity in Rwanda and travel agents in the neighboring Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Many tour operators have reacted against this change “With regret, we hereby inform you that gorilla permit prices has been doubled from $750 to $1500 with immediate effect” a statement from the Rwanda Tourism & Travel Association (RTTA) reads.
According to RDB, prebooked tours will not be affected but the fate of pending bookings has not yet been established. “The price increase will not affect tourists who had already purchased their tickets at the time of this announcement” RDB establishes.
New Rates & Promotions
- A new exclusive package for tourists who wish to book an entire family of gorillas has been introduced to tourists looking to doing exclusive treks in the Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. This package costs US$ 15,000, and participants on this tour will receive exclusive personalized tour guide services.
- Tourists who visit other national parks (Nyungwe and Akagera) for a minimum of three days, in addition to gorilla trekking will receive a discount of 30%. Similarly, conference tourists, who stay pre or post conference dates to see gorillas will be eligible for a 15% discount.
It should be noted that Rwanda is a favorite destination for travelers looking to gorilla watching in the world. The country offers the easiest access to the mountain gorillas and a journey to see these great apes takes just three hours from Kigali.
According to planners, Rwanda is trying to position itself as a luxury destination for safari in East Africa. A few luxury lodges are being built in near the Volcanoes National Park. These include Bisate Lodge, One and Only Gorilla’s Nest and more.
Other destinations where gorilla trekking is done include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in south western Uganda as well as the Virunga National Park of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
