Gorilla trekking is a popular Congo safari activity and one of the most expensive. A Congo gorilla trekking safari permit costs USD 400 per person per trek allowing a tourist a maximum of 1 hour with the gentle giants.

Every tourist intending to trek gorillas must posses a valid gorilla trekking permit prior booked through a local tour operator.

Upon arrival to the park headquarters in the morning of the trek, a trekker is requested to present their Congo gorilla trekking permit before a gorilla family is allocated to the trekker.

With the cost of a gorilla trekking permit, a tourist could wonder what Congo gorilla permit cost inclusions and exclusions are, here is a guide for you;

Inclusions on a Congo Gorilla Permit Cost

• A Gorilla trekking experience in Congo

The surest way of seeing a gorilla in Congo is by undertaking a Congo gorilla trekking tour and for this to be possible, you need a permit.

On the cost of your Congo gorilla permit you will have about 4-6 hours in the jungle with the company of armed park rangers, a mask is provided and gorilla trekking stick to ease movement within the forest.

On getting the gorillas, you spend a maximum of 1 hour in the presence of the gorillas and you are allowed to take as many photos as possible with your flash free camera, capture all possible videos and ask all kinds of questions.

• Park entrance fee

Your Congo gorilla trekking permit cost is as well a park entrance fee. To many national parks for wildlife experiences, tourists are required to pay a park entrance fee but for a gorilla trekking safari your permit is enough for entry to Virunga National Park and Kahuzi Biega National Park in Congo.

This is the same to the other country parks of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Volcanoes National Park in Uganda and Rwanda respectively.

• Gorilla Rangers and trackers

On the morning of each trek, a total of 8 tourists are accompanied by an armed ranger who leads them to the gorillas and to protect them within the jungle. The rangers are fully hired and paid by the park authorities.

Before a group heads for a trek, gorilla trackers go to the jungle as early as 5:00am in search of the gorillas and find out where they spent their previous night.

The trackers are also paid by the park authorities. The only money a tourist can offer to either park rangers or trackers can be a tip for the great conservation efforts.

• Security within the park

Each gorilla trekking park has tourism police who help keep security within the park. For Congo where the country has been politically unstable, the tourism police does work and part of the gorilla trekking cost is used to pay the security personnel.

Exclusions on the Congo gorilla permit cost

• Tips

Any kind of tips offered to either guides, rangers, trackers and porters are not part of the gorilla permit cost. Tipping isn’t mandatory but travelers can tip where necessary.

• Personal expenses

Whenever you travel, you may need to purchase something within the country no matter the full payment of all costs with your tour operator.

Personal expenses include Visas and air tickets to Congo, extra drinks especially alcoholic drinks, extra activities not within the itinerary, extra eats especially snacks, crafts and any other thing not within the itinerary.

For a Congo tour plan right and ensure to not be off track or need to purchase something extra without some cash. When you get into the country ensure to get the local currency to ease purchase of all items not included within the itinerary.