What are the cancellation policies and penalties for gorilla permits in Uganda? Trekking mountain gorillas in their wilderness is the most exciting wildlife experience, which has presently become the most done activity by most travelers on Ugandan safaris. Booking a gorilla permit is the first thing to do if you are planning to trek mountain gorillas you must do this in advance most especially if you have your own choice of a particular gorilla group because of high demand.

A gorilla permit is a card issued out by Uganda wildlife authority to allow any tourists above 15 years of age to trek mountain gorillas and without it you will not be allowed to trek mountain gorillas. Its only government authority’s fir tourism responsible for issuing out of gorilla permits and in Uganda we have Uganda wildlife authority while in Rwanda it is Rwanda development board. It’s always advised to first check and confirm the availability of gorilla permits before approving any gorilla trekking safari

Gorilla permit cancellation policies

Just like any other safari, chances and cancellations are unavoidable in mountain gorilla tour bookings depending on the conditions at hand. Below we are going to show you mountain gorilla cancellation policies which all those intending to trek mountain gorilla must read and understand very well in order to avoid any regrets at the last hours. The cancellation policy and the refunding on gorilla permits in Uganda specifically is as follows

91 day and above = 75% refund

46 – 90 days = 50% refund

5-2 refund = 25% refund

5-24 days = 0% refund

It is important to note that refunding applies to those who cancel the gorilla trekking after paying the full cost of a gorilla permit.

Travel agent’s cancellation policies

Gorilla permits are issued out by the government bodies in charge of tourism and that is Uganda wildlife board for the case of Uganda. But every tour company or operator you deal with while booking a gorilla permit has their own policies. You are prompted to read and realize the companies booking terms and conditions for assurance of the smooth flow of all operations. A tour operator helps you to book hotels, lodges and transportation throughout the whole trip.

The tour operator has authority to alter safari prices when there are changes in the exchange rates and the rise in other services. When you confirm a gorilla tour, it means that you have agreed with the company booking terms and conditions and you have agreed to travel with the tour company.

If you are planning to book a gorilla safari and other wildlife experiences in Uganda, you are advised to be keen when you are booking. You should read and understand and where you have not understood very well you are allowed to ask to understand the gorilla booking terms and conditions, cancellation policies in order to have a memorable gorilla safari experience in Uganda and any other gorilla trekking destination in Africa

Gorilla trekking rules and regulations in Uganda

Uganda wildlife authority is the body responsible for setting rules and regulations to guide gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park and Bwindi impenetrable national park. These rules are given to you during the pre- gorilla trekking briefing at the park headquarters in the morning before starting the gorilla trek.  The following are the does and don’ts of gorilla trekking

Before meeting the mountain gorillas

Only 8 people are permitted to trek a gorilla family

When you want to ease yourself, you have to ask a range to dig you a pit of about 30 meters deep and after you will have to cover

You are not allowed to trek mountain gorillas when sick

When with the mountain gorillas

You are not allowed to smoke near gorillas

You should always keep a distance of 7 meters away from gorillas

You should speak in low voices while near mountain gorillas

You are allowed one hour with gorilla when trekking and for gorilla habituation its 4 hours

You are not allowed to use flashlight cameras when photographing mountain gorillas

You are advised to keep in your group

You are not allowed to eat or drink in front of mountain gorillas

When coughing you should cover your mouth and while sneezing you should turn your faces

General rules and regulations In Uganda national parks

The following are some of the rules and regulations to be observed in most Uganda national park. These rules are formulated by Uganda Wildlife Authority.

You are not allowed to drive in the park beyond 7:30 pm unless if it’s a night game drive and before 6:30 am

You are not allowed to allow pets to move around the park

You are not allowed to pick flowers are any plant from the park

You are not allowed to litter unnecessary in the park

You are not allowed to over speed while driving in the park

Firearms are strictly not allowed in the park

You are not allowed to camp or make any campfire anywhere in the national park

You are not allowed to drive off the track. You must follow the tracks drawn in the national parks

You are advised to keep all entrance and payment receipts for inspection

You are not allowed to make sounding motor horns in the park because it unsettles wildlife

Penalties in Uganda’s national parks

Uganda wildlife authority sets penalties for travelers who misbehave in national parks and any other protected area in the country. These penalties are put in place to ensure the safety of wildlife and the tourists while in the park. You are advised to follow all the rules and regulations guiding tourism in national parks of Uganda. Every offense attracts a different penalty and these include:

Animal accident – 500$

Off tracking driving – 150$ per person in the vehicle

Over speeding – 100,000 UGX per incident

Setting on top of vehicles – 100$ per person per incident

Setting on top of vehicles – 100$ per person per incident

Default on tariffs – 150$

Smart card loss – 20$

Useful Information about Gorilla Trekking Experiences In Uganda

Apart from cancellation and refunding policy, Africa adventure vacations offers you other useful gorilla permit information to ensure you a memorable gorilla experience in Uganda. These include;

Gorilla permits availability

Availability of gorilla permits varies from the number of gorilla habituated gorilla families where Uganda has 20 habituated gorilla families open for gorilla trekking. Every day, 160 gorilla permits are available for gorilla trekking inn Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga Gorilla Park. Each gorilla park is trekked by a group of 8 people with a valid gorilla permit from Uganda wildlife authority. Rushaga sector has more than 8 gorilla habituated groups in the southern part of the park where gorilla training takes place. For gorilla habituation experience, 4 people are allowed to interact with each semi-habituated gorilla family undergoing the habituation process.

What happens if you fail to see mountain gorillas?

In case you fail to see mountain gorillas when you are already in the forest, Uganda tourism board and Uganda wildlife authority will make up where possible. If you still have time the following day, they will you a chance the next day to trek these endangered species. However; this case is very rare. Those who hike and get tired or fail before reaching the place where mountain gorillas are because of diseases or physical problems they are taken back to the starting points and allowed to trek a nearby gorilla family in case there is any. For this case, it’s always advisable to disclose your diseases and physical abilities to the park authorities before being given a particular gorilla family to trek