The Rwanda Development Board yesterday announced an increase in the price of gorilla permits from US$750 to US$1,500 for all visitors, effective immediately. A new exclusive package for tourists who wish to book an entire family of gorillas was also introduced at US$15,000 and will receive exclusive personalized tour guide services.

The price increase will not affect tourists who have already purchased their tickets at the time of this announcement.

Tourists who visit other national parks (Nyungwe and Akagera) for a minimum of three days, in addition to gorilla trekking, will receive a 30% discount. Similarly, conference tourists who stay pre or post conference dates to see gorillas will be eligible for a 15% discount.

In line with Rwanda’s high-end tourism strategy, the price increase aims to strengthen conservation efforts and contribute more to the development of communities living around the Volcanoes National Park.

Along with the new tariff, the tourism revenue sharing rate for communities adjacent to the park will also increase from 5% to 10%, which will quadruple the absolute revenues received by communities. Over the last 12 years, more than 400 community projects have been completed, including hospitals, schools, business development centers, and water supply systems to facilitate access to clean water. These projects directly benefit the people living around the parks.