Why is Gorilla Trekking So Expensive? Gorilla trekking is a mind-blowing adventure where tourists search for gorillas in their natural habitat. This activity is done in strict groups of 8 people after acquiring a gorilla permit.
A gorilla trek takes roughly 2 to 6 hours, depending on the family allocated. However, the 8 trekkers are only allowed to spend one hour with the gorillas once found, to avoid stressing them.
However, gorilla trekking comes with high costs for several reasons. Over 75% of the gorilla permit fees are used for conservation efforts to protect the endangered mountain gorillas.
Devastating human activities such as poaching, deforestation, and forest encroachment, as well as natural disasters like wildfires and diseases, make gorilla permits expensive. Money is needed to address these challenges and protect the gorillas.
Different operations are put in place to tackle these issues, including:
- Carrying out frequent patrols in gorilla parks to stop poachers, confiscate their equipment, and ensure they face justice.
- Conducting gorilla population censuses in breeding zones and planning for the existing gorilla population.
Do you know the difference between Gorilla Tracking and Gorilla Trekking?
Authorities also need funds to conserve gorilla habitats, which adds to the cost of gorilla tourism.
Gorilla trekking is expensive because gorilla conservation affects the livelihoods of local communities. A portion of the revenue generated from tourism is shared with these communities. This money is used to develop infrastructure, provide clean water for people and livestock, and empower locals. These efforts help communities appreciate wildlife and discourage them from encroaching on gorilla habitats, which could threaten the gorillas’ survival.
For example, 20% of the revenue is given back to communities in Uganda, and 10% in Rwanda.
High accommodation costs also contribute to the expense of gorilla trekking. Mountain gorilla parks are located in hilly areas that are difficult to build in. Building better infrastructure requires advanced technology, making accommodation and infrastructure management expensive. This increases the overall cost of gorilla trekking.
Transportation costs from airports or tourist starting points to the gorilla parks also add to the expense. For example, it takes about 8 to 9 hours to travel from Entebbe International Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which comes with significant transportation costs.
The high cost of gorilla trekking is due to the reasons discussed above.
