Ways to help you save on a gorilla safari to Virunga national park
What are some of the ways to help you save money while on a gorilla safari to Virunga national park in DR Congo? The biggest problem stopping people from traveling to DR Congo for gorilla trekking in Virunga national park is money. A gorilla safari to Virunga national park requires one to have enough money so that they are able to park all the costs involved in the safari. Travelers that have shown interest in visiting Virunga national park for gorilla trekking can find some of the important things to help them save money in this article.
Below is a list of things you can do to help you save money while on a gorilla safari in Virunga national park. We believe by the time you end up reading this article, you will be able to save money during your gorilla safari.
Travel as a group: One of the ways to save on a gorilla safari to Virunga national park is by traveling with friends. In case you don’t have friends to travel with then you can ask your tour operator to join you with a group. Having all your friends go for a safari in Virunga national park saves a lot because it helps with getting discounts on things such as transport and accommodation. For the case of accommodation, if you can go ahead to hotel rooms, more money can be saved.
Reuse packing list: Reusing some of the essentials on the list of travel from your home will save you money during a gorilla safari to Virunga national park. There are some items you use daily at home so there is no need of buying new ones when coming for a gorilla safari. Some of the items that you are not likely to buy for your gorilla safari in Virunga national park include long-sleeved pants, long-sleeved shirts, cotton stocks, sunscreen, rain jacket, scarf, toiletries, and much more. By reusing what is on the list and you have it at home then you will be saving a lot of money.
Choose affordable accommodation: If you want to save money on a gorilla safari in Virunga national park then you need to look at choosing a budget or mid-range accommodation facility for your stay during the safari. Budget lodges and mud range lodges range from $10 to $100 and these rates do include breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bed. These lodges offer good services because they employ well-trained staff and in this case, you should feel free to talk to your tour operator and see which accommodation facility to use.
Travel in the low season: The low season is a period when travelers are few and in Virunga national park it happens from March to May and October to November. The advantage of doing your gorilla safari in Virunga national park in the low season is that you enjoy discounts on accommodation facilities and then the gorilla trekking permits are as low as $200 per person per trek.
Bargain: Bargaining is another way that will help you save on a gorilla safari in Virunga national park. When buying local items or souvenirs while in DR Congo, you must bargain and this can be done by starting with the lowest price compared to what they saying so that you keep bargaining slowly till they reduce the price. You can also ask your safari driver to buy things for you because they know most of the local languages and can bargain easily.
Using a local tour operator: Choose the right local tour operator with a good reputation, affordable, and member of local tour associations. We do encourage this because by doing so you would have dodged the middlemen that do eat some of your money for nothing. You have to make sure you used a trusted local tour operator maybe you can check them on the websites so as to avoid paying money to conmen
Health and diet: When booking a gorilla safari to Virunga national park, it’s better you inform your local tour operator about your health and the foods you eat. This will be used in booking accommodation for you to stay in and by doing so during your stay at the lodge the workers will be knowing about your situation and will prepare for you the foods you want. This will save your money because you won’t have to go around the areas looking for what to eat. If you are on medication, you should carry our dosage even on your safari because you might right DR Congo and look for medicine and it’s not there.
Opt for camping: Virunga national park offers opportunities for camping at reduced costs than lodges and hotels. A gorilla safari in Virunga national park becomes cheaper when you carry your tent because you will pay only a campsite fee which can be less than $10.
Book self-drive gorilla safari: Booking a self-drive gorilla safari to Virunga national park can help you on saving money. You will only pay for fuel and hire a car and you won’t have an expense of a driver-guide. If you are good at using google maps, you can get to Virunga national park from Rwanda and Uganda. Travelers opting for self-drive can still use a local tour operator to book the permits and accommodation for them.
