Gorillas in the mist: Rwanda makes ape-viewing experience more exclusive

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‍By CGTN's Jerry Owilli

The mountain gorilla, the world’s most endangered ape, is found only in protected forests in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Now the Rwanda Development Board is seeking to make that tourism experience a lot more exclusive while ensuring the gorillas survival.

Authorities have doubled the charges for the viewing of the apes, meaning each tourist will now have to fork over 1,500 US dollars to see the gorillas.

The new exclusive package for tourists who wish to book an entire family of gorillas was also introduced at 15,000 US dollars, and will include personal tour guide services.

One of the mountain gorilla at the Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda's main tourism attraction. /AFP Photo

Officials said the new prices are meant to boost conservation efforts, while positioning the land of 1,000 hills as a luxury tourist destination.

This high-value, low impact strategy has worked well for other countries, and Rwanda seeks to follow in the same path.

The remote, mountainous border area straddling Rwanda, the DRC and Uganda is the only place in the world where you can see gorillas in their natural habitat.

Thanks to conservation efforts, the population has slowly increased – but there are still fewer than 1,000 of the giant apes in the wild.

Permits to see gorillas in the DRC and Uganda are far cheaper, but Rwandan officials aren’t concerned, saying theirs is a unique experience.

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