Gorilla Safari | African Safari | Apes Conservation . Gorilla tracking safari in Uganda ,

Gorilla tracking permits for foreign tourist permits will be selling at $500 up from $375 with effect from1^st, July, 2007.

This was revealed by Lillian Nsubuga, the public relations manager of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). She added that the fees for resident foreigners in Uganda and East Africa have been increased from $355 to $475 while Ugandans rates have been increased from Shs100, 000 to Shs150, 000.

The tracking fees have been hiked as a result of agreement formed by the East African countries where the existing endangered Mountain Gorillas live in Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a habitat to over a half of the existing world Gorillas approximately 760 individuals. The remaining Gorilla population inhabits the famous Virungas that envelop Rwanda, DRC and Uganda’s Mghahinga Gorilla National park.

Nsubuga said UWA plans to habituate the Ruhija and Rushaga Gorilla groups to open them up for tourism purposes. “Habituation is a process to prepare them to accept human presence and we are beginning this within the next six months,” she said. There are four sites in Bwindi, used for gorilla tourism at the present including; Nkuringo, Mubare, Rushengura and Habinyanja at Buhoma.

In Uganda, Gorilla tourism started in 1990’s and earns Uganda wildlife Authority up to 7% of its revenue, part of which is used to fund national parks whose level of tourism activity is still less. UWA is also considerate of the health of Gorillas and greatly advises tourists to observe Gorilla tracking rules.