Why Rwanda increases the price of gorilla permits?

It requires gorilla permits for anyone to track gorillas anywhere in the world. In Rwanda the mountain gorillas can be observed in Volcanoes National Park; the access is via the city of Musanze, a one and half hour drive from Rwanda’s capital Kigali.

Mountain Gorillas are the most rewarding experience for tourist travelling to Rwanda for unforgettable encounter with 60% of the worlds’ left mountain Gorillas in the wild. On the 6^th of May 2017, Rwanda Development Board announced the increase of prices for Gorilla tracking permits by the Chief Executive Officer Clare Akemenzi effectively and immediately to all visitors.

The Rwanda Development Board double increased the price of gorilla tracking permits from $750 to $1500 to all tourists in order to boost the development of the people living around the national park, which is the volcanoes national park, to ensure sustainability of conservation and improving tourists’ experience.

According to Clare Akemenzi CEO, Rwanda Development Board, “the increase in consumption is expected to benefit species conservation as well as the inhabitants of the national park and to enhance the tourists’ experience.”

A new exclusive package to view an entire family of gorillas has been introduced at $15,000 with the added value of exclusive personalised tour guide services.

Rwanda accounts for 62% of the gorilla population of the only 880 remaining mountain gorilla endangered species in the world. Stringent conservation measures have significantly contributed to the rise in gorilla numbers in Rwanda. There are currently 20 gorilla families habituated for tourism and research in the country, up from only 9 families in 2010.

The increased prices will also increase the rates of revenue collected in order to fund community projects for the inhabitants of the park areas hence fostering their standards of living economically.

This increment will only affect those visitors who had not purchased or booked their gorilla permits as due the announced changes and they are entitled to paying $1500 for each gorilla tracking permit. This therefore leaves those who had already purchased their gorilla tracking permits on safe side to track on the old price of $750.

However, tourists visiting Nyungwe forest national park and Akagera national park for a minimum 3 days in addition to gorilla tracking will receive a discount of 30% while conference tourists who stay pre or post conference dates to see gorillas will get a discount of 15%.