Rwanda Safari Cost
Rwanda is among the few African nations that implement a small size yet with a high-cost tourism approach. It has dramatically invested in marketing its tourism, travel, and leisure industry, with mountain gorilla trekking being the primary activity on Safari to Rwanda. Nonetheless, there are many other exciting attractions in the nation, like the Nyungwe National Park, where primate watching is enjoyed, and Akagera National Park, famous for its fantastic game viewing safaris. Then your adventurous City tours, as well as cultural tours, you will have an up-close experience of the Rwandan people and get a detailed insight into the brutal 1994 deadly genocide that claimed thousands of lives when you go to the Genocide Funeral sites found across the country.
In this article post, we will mainly deal with the price of a gorilla trekking Safari and the price of a safari in Akagera National Park, the main attraction in Rwanda.
Cost of a Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari
For holidaymakers visiting Rwanda, ask how much it costs to see the gorillas in Rwanda? Well, in simple words, there isn’t a set of prices for such safaris now. Still, every Rwanda gorilla tour itinerary has special pricing that can be decided by various factors, as we see below. These include things like: the cost of a gorilla trekking permit, transportation expenses, and accommodation costs, in addition to other factors.
Factors that Affect the Cost of Gorilla Trekking Rwanda Safari
Rwanda Hotels & Lodges Cost
It is important to note that the cost of your choice of accommodation will significantly determine how much the Safari will cost. Rwanda safari offers different types of accommodations from luxury facilities, mid-range facilities, and budget accommodation. In the National Park of volcanoes which is considered a home of Mountain gorilla families, holidaymakers find something that suits their price range. With the aid of a reliable tour operator, you will have a place to stay. For that reason, you are highly advised to take the time and choose the variety of suitable accommodation that matches your budget.
You can even opt to remain in Kigali Town (which is about 3 to 4 hours’ drive) regarding budget accommodation which often may be as little as $100 U.S. Dollars per night; on the other hand, as the trekking action starts at 7 am, you advised to arrange to make transport arrangements that will get you there on time for the trek.
Cost of a Permit for Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
By May 2017, the Rwanda Development Board that manages gorilla trekking exercises in Rwanda doubled the gorilla permit price from 750 US dollars to 1500 US Dollars per person for each trek. Anyone considering engaging in this activity must possess a license regardless of whether you are trekking in Uganda, Rwanda, or DR Congo. Compared with other mountain gorilla sanctuaries in some other countries, Rwanda offers the most costly permits as neighboring Uganda costs $700 per permit per trek. At the same time, the D. L Congo charges $450 per person for each excursion.
Gorilla hiking permits in Rwanda can be bought by directly contacting the Rwanda development board via their email: reservation@rwandatourism.com or even through our safari company Sight View Safaris.
Rwanda Safari Transport
Many gorilla trekking safaris commence in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. From the international airport of Kigali to the National Park of Volcanoes, the base of the Mountain Gorillas, it is around 3 hrs. Drive. The National Parks are accessed through various ways such as private transport arrangements that cost about $50 U.S. dollars; additionally, you may decide to use public transport, for example, a cab, however, these come with various inconveniences such as numerous stops along the way. The Park entrance gate is about 14 km from Kinigi to the park’s headquarters, where the activity begins. The best convenient way to gain access to this park is through pre-arranged transportation services through your local travel agency, and this may cost about $100 or less concerning the kind of vehicle you might use.
Cost of Portage Service
From your park headquarters, you will find porters available for hire to provide services like lifting your luggage because you head to the forest to track the mountain gorillas. The porter services may be obtained at $10 U.S. Dollars per porter. By using their service, you will certainly be creating more employment opportunities and preserving the welfare of the local people simply by earning a living from doing this kind of job.
Cost of Driver Guides
Your overall price quotation is the cost of an English-speaking guide who will be available at your service full time (Day 1) on arrival to the point where you would be dropped off for the exit flight as per your itinerary. This guide will be beneficial for answering any questions you might have to ask him about wildlife, history, culture, and the lifestyle of the natives.
Number of people on a Safari
The cost of a Rwanda safari might also vary depending on the number of passengers who take a Rwanda safari vacation safari. The entire cost of the Safari in Rwanda rises as the number of clients grows. This is due to the increased demand for tour services such as lodging, tourism activities, and transportation for a more significant number of tourists. As a result, the cost of an Uganda safari fluctuates with the number of guests. The greater the number of visitors on the Tour, the lower the price of a Rwanda safari per person if the guests will split the costs of the trip. Discounted accommodation services in Rwanda safari lodges or Rwanda hotels are also feasible with group trips, which are not always available with individual tours in Rwanda.
Choice of Meals during a Safari
Most of Rwanda’s tourist locations are far from the capital Kigali, which serves as the starting point for most safaris in Rwanda. When travelers visit these locations, they must always stop for a bite or a meal of the day. Mealtime may arrive while on the road, necessitating a stop and a visit to a local restaurant or hotel to grab food. These meal costs are always included in the price of a Rwanda safari. Therefore, it is critical to know that all other meals served at Rwanda Safari Parks are always quoted in conjunction with the lodging costs. Most Rwanda lodges and hotels always provide their client’s beds and breakfasts at the same fee.
Rwanda Souvenirs and Tipping
Safari in Rwanda with a long history Tipping paid by tourists to service professionals such as tour guides, waiters, and housekeepers who serve them during their Rwanda safari is always included in the price of the package. In addition, most tourists want to acquire cultural/traditional items to take home with them. Some tour providers have the cost of souvenirs at the overall price of the Rwanda safari. As a result, when a visitor chooses to purchase a particular item, the tour guide representing the company pays for it.
A tour operator’s markup
Most vacations are all-inclusive, meaning a tour operator mixes the various tour goods and sells them as a package. The tour operator books the hotel, tourism activities, and transportation; in exchange, most clients pay a commission for a job well done. In this scenario, the tour operator adds a % markup to specific criteria they create for the client.
Safari Rwanda Final Thoughts
There is no specific cost for a safari. One can never expect an accurate quotation unless they are a specialist in Rwanda tours and travel, such as Sight View Safaris, the most successful tour company that has been in operation for more than ten years. However, one can learn about the standard variable or major travel things that contribute to the expense of a Rwanda safari. Other tour providers post quotations for Rwanda safaris on the internet, but they are untrustworthy due to economic regulations that allow for uncontrollable price variations of various travel items.
Best Time for Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
Commonly trekking of mountain gorillas is considered a continuous activity. Still, the suitable period to enjoy the gorillas is throughout the dry seasons that commence in the second week of December to Feb or in the extended dry time that begins from June to Sept. During these times; the hiking conditions are relatively acceptable compared to the wet or rainy season, and low threat of catching Malaria. In the more extended rainy/damp season that commences from March to May, the rain is persistent and heavy, resulting in rough conditions for trekking mountain gorillas. Forest trails happen to be muddy and incredibly slippery.
Cost of a Game Viewing Safari in National Park Akagera
The beautifully endowed National Park Akagera houses the big five and other safari animals and birds. It is also suitable for holidaymakers interested in seeing the abundant fauna found in Rwanda. However, many fees, government taxes, and related payments are used to pay personnel and maintain the National parks. People who visit Akagera Park can be categorized into three main categories, and these are: Rwandans, Citizens of the East African community, foreign international visitors; and each of these categories is billed differently concerning the activities they’re going to engage in among that happen to be game drives, boat cruises, and bird watching as well as camping.
Akagera National Park Safari Cost
Park entrance fee:
East Africans pay 7.5 US dollars while children aged between 6 to 12 years pay 4 U.S. dollars. Foreign East African community residents pay 35 U.S. dollars and the children 20 U.S. dollars. International visitors pay 50 U.S. dollars and the children $30
Vehicle entrance fee:
Every vehicle into the National Park must charge a specific amount based on its dimension and registration number. Rwanda and the East African community registered small safari cars and minibuses pay $12 U.S., whereas the omnibus buses or over landers pay between $20 s and $24 U.S. Dollars. International small vehicles and minibuses pay $40 while busses, over landers, and omnibuses pay $100 US dollars.
Guiding fee in Akagera
For all those thinking about hiring a guide, these are available at $25 U.S. dollars for a half-day or $40 U.S. Dollars for a full day.
Game drive fees
The Sight View Safaris operate day game drives for $200 U.S. Dollars for a maximum of 5 hours which comes with a driver and safari car that accommodates a maximum of 7 people, and for the entire day game drive, it costs $350 US Dollars. Sight View Safaris operate night game drives are $60 U.S. dollars per adult and $25 for children.
Fishing Trips
With your gear, it costs $25 U.S. dollars s for adults and 15 U.S. dollars for children.
Boat Trips
This costs $35 U.S. dollars for adults and $20 for children an hour. Sunset boat excursions are $45 U.S. dollars for adults and $35 for children.
Camping fee
This costs 25 dollars per night in a secure camping ground but has your tent together and other camping items.
Community and cultural experiences
These come in various varieties and include different activities; however, they cost $30 U.S. dollars for adults and $20 U.S. dollars for children.
Better Time to Visit National Park Akagera
The excellent and ideal time to enjoy the visit is from June to September, the dry seasons when vegetation is generally thin and dry, offering you rewarding views of wildlife. At this moment of the year, it is much easier to see the animals as many as possible since they gather around water sources in the dry season.