How to Book a Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Permit, Step by Step
The six steps from choosing a date to holding a confirmed permit, who can book it, and when.
The short answer
To book a Rwanda gorilla trekking permit, pick your date, check availability and pay US$1,500 per person (foreign non-resident) on the Rwanda Development Board booking site, or let a licensed operator do it for you. Your passport must match the permit. Book 3 to 6 months ahead, earlier for June to September and December to February.
The permit in one minute
A gorilla trekking permit is the official permission, issued by the Rwanda Development Board, to spend one hour with a gorilla family in Volcanoes National Park. Only 96 permits are issued a day, because 12 families are visited by tourists and each group has a maximum of 8 people.
A permit costs US$1,500 per person for foreign non-residents. It is the same price at every age, and the minimum age is 15. For the full permit table and what else a trek costs, see our Rwanda gorilla trekking cost guide and the Rwanda safari cost page.
Six steps to a confirmed permit
1. Choose your dates. Pick a window, not a single day, if you can. June to September is the main dry season and the busiest. Our best time for gorilla trekking guide shows how the months compare.
2. Check availability. Permits are held in the Rwanda Development Board booking system. Each day is different: some days are full and others have a few slots.
3. Prepare your passport details. The permit must match your passport, so use your name exactly as it is printed there. A different name is fraud and can lead to action by law enforcement.
4. Pay. A guest booking directly pays in full, by credit or debit card, on the Rwanda Development Board booking site.
5. Receive and keep your permit. After payment the permit confirmation arrives by email, and you can download the permit from the system. Keep it: it is what you show on the morning of the trek.
6. Then book your flights and lodging. Do it in this order, not the other way round, so that a full date does not leave you with flights you cannot use. Our guide to gorilla trekking in Rwanda shows what the rest of the trip looks like.
I never promise a last-minute permit.
When we find one, it is mostly from a cancellation, because we watch the cancellations closely with RDB. Some days are full and others have only a few slots.
June to September goes first.
You cannot tell in advance when a date will run out, because it depends on the demand that day.
Let the operator carry the paperwork.
It lets you focus on preparing for the trip, while we organize the permits, transport, accommodation and guides.
Read more about EricEric Sabi, Founder and RDB-licensed guide
Booking direct or with an operator
Both routes are real. A guest can book a permit directly on the Rwanda Development Board site and pay by card. Both routes end with the same permit from the Rwanda Development Board.
We suggest every guest books through an operator, because it lets you focus on preparing for the trip while the operator organizes everything the trip needs: transport, permits, accommodation and guides. At Hope Tours Africa we do not sell permits on their own. We sell the full safari, with the permit, lodging, transfers and guide included, and do everything on the guest’s behalf. See our gorilla trekking safaris for how that looks.
Direct or with us: the differences
The main differences, side by side.
| Booking direct | With Hope Tours Africa | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you book | The Rwanda Development Board booking site | With us; we book the permit for you |
| What you send | Your passport details | Your passport copies |
| How you pay | In full, by credit or debit card on the site | As a licensed operator with an account on the booking site, we can reserve a permit and pay an advance when the trek is 30 days or more away. A guest booking alone pays in full. Your payments to us follow your booking terms |
| When it is confirmed | After your payment, if the date is available | As soon as payment is done, if the date is available; very quick |
| What else you arrange | Transport, lodging, guide and everything else | Included in your safari |
| If a date is full | You check the system yourself | We monitor cancellations with RDB |
How early to book
Our guests normally book 3 to 6 months ahead, and some book 9 or 12 months ahead of their dates. We recommend 3 to 6 months, earlier for June to September and December to February.
June to September sells out quickly, and you cannot tell when a date will run out, because it depends on demand that day. Outside June to September, last-minute booking is possible. We book permits early and watch for cancellations, so we can sometimes find last-minute slots, but it is never guaranteed.
Not sure about your dates? Our Rwanda or Uganda gorilla trekking guide compares the two permits. If the price is giving you pause, read whether gorilla trekking in Rwanda is worth it before you book.
A reduced permit rate exists for some travelers on certain conditions. The rates and rules sit on our discounted gorilla permits page.
The morning of the trek
On trek morning you show the permit you downloaded, together with a copy of your passport, at the park office for verification. Your passport details must match the permit. If you book with us, we photocopy your passport and bring the copies for you. If you book on your own, you carry the copy.
Be at the park head office by 7:00 am for the briefing. The park, not you or your guide, decides which gorilla family you see, and nothing is guaranteed. Our guide to what happens during gorilla trekking covers the rest of the morning, and the gorilla trekking rules cover the dos and don’ts.
Changing or cancelling a permit
Permits are non-refundable. A date change is possible only if the request reaches us at least 7 days before the trek, and it costs 20% of the permit fee. A permit can be moved to another person free of charge, but ask early: the office needs time for the approvals, and it cannot be done on the day of the trek. The full wording is in our booking policy.
Travel insurance is strongly advised. If you are unwell and cannot trek on the day, you miss the trek, and the park advises you not to trek when ill. Our guide to gorilla trekking safety explains the health rules and why insurance matters.
Booking mistakes that cost guests their dates
- Booking flights before the permit. The permit decides the trek date. Flights come second.
- Waiting too long for June to September. Dates sell out quickly and unpredictably.
- A name that does not match the passport. The permit must match your passport, so send your name exactly as printed. Using a different name is fraud.
- Assuming a date can be moved for free. A change costs 20% of the permit fee and must be requested at least 7 days before.
- Leaving the rest of the trip to chance. Transport, lodging and a guide matter as much as the permit. See our Rwanda safari packages or luxury Rwanda safaris.
Once the permit is confirmed, our guides on how difficult gorilla trekking is, what to pack and how to prepare cover the rest. A 3-day gorilla trekking trip is the simplest way to fit the trek in, and the Volcanoes National Park page shows where it happens.
Booking questions, answered
More short answers are in our Rwanda gorilla trekking FAQs.
Yes. A guest can book directly on the Rwanda Development Board booking site and pay by credit or debit card. We suggest booking through an operator so you can focus on preparing while the operator organizes transport, permits, accommodation and guides.
Sometimes, outside June to September. We find last-minute slots mostly from cancellations, because we monitor them closely with RDB, but it is never guaranteed.
No. The park decides which family you see.
Yes. Our tours include the permits. We do not sell permits on their own.
Guests aged 15 and above can trek, and they pay the same permit price.
Yes, a permit can be moved to another person free of charge. Ask early, because the office needs time for the approvals, and it cannot be done on the day of the trek.
Permits are non-refundable. A date change is possible at least 7 days before the trek and costs 20% of the permit fee. Read our booking policy for the details.
Speak with a safari specialist about your dates and permits
Tell us your dates and how many are travelling, and we will build the trip around your permits. You can also reach us on WhatsApp, by email or on +250 788 602 524.
