There several causes of gorilla permit overbooking in gorilla countries of Uganda and Rwanda and one needs to understand the dynamics of the gorilla trekking in both Rwanda and Uganda. Gorilla safaris holidays only take place in three countries of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Gorilla trekking is the most preferred tourist activity in Uganda and Rwanda for both local and international visitors.

Because of the demand and the number of people interested in gorilla trekking safaris in these countries, there is the maximum number of people that are allowed to see each gorilla habituation family and therefore sometimes it becomes so hard when different mistakes are made. Now we look at the conditions and circumstances under which gorilla trekking permits can be overbooked or overbooking of gorilla permits for the gorilla national parks of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National park, and Volcanoes National Park.

Why gorilla permit overbooking?

The reasons or instances in which gorilla permits are overbooked are unpredictable in most times even you read the booking Authorities such as Uganda Wildlife Authority for them to amend the regulations such that they can accommodate more people than the actual stipulated number. In other words, there should not be any gorilla permit overbooking the fact that all the gorilla trekking safaris are booked via Uganda Wildlife Authority head offices in Kampala where gorilla permits are booked in advance. However, there some instances on the ground like in Bwindi impenetrable forest National Park where the authorities are wanted to have more than 8 people for the gorilla trekking.

Remember that 8 people is the maximum number recommended for a particular gorilla family. One of the reasons why there is a gorilla permit overbook is the unexpected movements of the gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Sometimes, the booked gorilla families for trekking move deeper into the forest where neither rangers, tourists nor guides can access such gorilla family and as such, the tourists are allocated another gorilla families that are available and can be accessible and once this one happens then it is referred to as permit overbook when it is not. The fact that gorilla permits are booked in advance, then it incumbent upon the Uganda Wildlife Authority to have all the means possible to ensure that all visitors that booked for gorilla trekking on a particular date are all accommodated and served on that booked date.

The other cause of the gorilla permit overbooking may be due to the mistakes that can be committed by the tourists and driver guides and in this instance, Uganda Wildlife authority comes in and intervene to streamline the system.  Mistakes can happen where a guide finally lands in the Nkuringo gorilla sector when in actual sense he has the gorilla trekking permits for Nkuringo and he realizes when it is too late to drive back to Nkuringo and this situation for the befit of the visitor, The Uganda Wildlife Authority many decide to accommodate the visitors within in Rushaga hence causing overbooking of gorilla permits in Rushaga sector.

Still, there are very many instances whereby many tourists have forgotten that Bwindi impenetrable forest national park has got four gorilla starting pints and ended up staring at the wrong starting point that is not assigned to him on the permit. For example, some tourists may book gorilla trekking permits for Buhoma and then book lodges for Nkuringo and when it comes to the day of gorilla trekking, they realize that they are in the wrong place.

In case you are planning to visit Uganda for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, feel free to contact Africa Adventure Vacations the tailor-made gorilla safaris of all packages based on your interest, time, and budget.

Gorilla Update:

Kutu gorilla family under habituation- Kutu gorilla family is found in Rushaga in the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. The gorilla family is now under habituation meaning that it is being trained to get used to human beings.  Visitors interested in seeing the Kutu gorilla family can book with Africa Adventure Vacations. The gorilla family has eight members with one dominant silverback. The gorilla habituation process lasts from 2 to 3 years and once it is habituated it will be opened for normal gorilla trekking.