Current gorilla permit prices in Uganda and Rwanda

The respective bodies that sell and regulate gorilla safari activities in each Uganda or Rwanda set the price of the gorilla permit for each country. In Uganda, the Uganda Wildlife Authority has the responsibility of managing the affairs of the mountain gorillas. Rwanda has Rwanda Development Board as the body that sells its gorilla permits.

Most Popular Safaris

4 Days Gorillas and Golden Monkey Safari

2 Day Bwindi Gorilla Safari through Kigali

3 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari

5 Day Gorilla Trekking Rwanda

5 Day off season Gorilla and Chimp Safari

5 Day Gorilla and Chimp Tracking Safari

16 Days Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari

3 Days Rwanda Gorilla Tracking Safari

5 Day Gorilla & Chimp Tracking Safari

5 Day Low season Uganda Gorilla & Chimp Safari

5 Day Uganda Gorillas & Game Safari via Kigali

5 Day Gorilla Habituation & Chimps

Uganda has two gorilla safari activities that is gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation experience.  Currently the cost of the Uganda gorilla trekking permit is $800 for international nonresidents, $700 for international residents, $500 for other Africans and 300,000shs for East Africans.

In Rwanda the current cost the gorilla trekking permit is $1500 for international nonresidents, $500 for international residents, $500 for other Africans and $200 for East Africans.

What is a gorilla permit

A gorilla permit is a document that allows you to participate in either gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience. It is like the entry ticket to a gorilla safari adventure in Uganda or Rwanda. The gorilla permit is valid until the date for which it was booked, when you do not show up without prior communication to the conservation authorities, you may receive no refund. Contact us for more information.

What is included and excluded in the price of the gorilla permit for Uganda and Rwanda

The Uganda gorilla trekking permit price is $800 for international nonresidents, $700 for international residents, $500 for other Africans and 300,000shs for East Africans.

For Gorilla habituation experience, the current price for the gorilla permit habituation experience is $1500 for foreign nonresidents, $1000 for international residents, $1000 for other Africans and $750000shs for East Africans.

Currently the price of Rwanda gorilla trekking permit is $1500 for international nonresidents, $500 for foreign residents, $500 for other Africans and $200 for East Africans.

The price of the gorilla permit in Uganda and Rwanda includes park entrance fees, one hour of gorilla trekking or four hours of gorilla habituation experience, security, mountain gorilla conservation, ranger guide fee and others.

Exclusions in the price of gorilla permits for Uganda and Rwanda included tips, accommodation costs, transport and others.

Can I Purchase the Rwanda or Uganda gorillas Permit in Instalments

There is a chance to purchase the Rwanda or Uganda Gorilla permit in instalments of 30% and 70 % but this should be before 90 days to the gorilla safari date and must be topped up before 90 days to this date. According to the terms and conditions set by Rwanda Development Board or Uganda Wildlife Authority, failure to abide by this the permit may be re-opened to public access without notifying you.

Is Gorilla permit Reschedule possible in Uganda and Rwanda

Gorilla permit reschedule is possible in Uganda and Rwanda but it must be within the year under which the permit was booked. Uganda, there are two free chances a single gorilla permit can be moved but the third time may attract a surcharge. In Rwanda, rescheduling the gorilla trekking permit may attract a surcharge

To reschedule a gorilla permit to a new date, tourists must write to the Uganda Wildlife Authority or Rwanda Development Board, with a genuine reason why they wish to change the date for this adventure. You can suggest the new date to which you wish to move the gorilla permit.

Upon getting the reply, the gorilla permit is moved to a new date based on the status of availability at that time.

Note that to reschedule the gorilla permit for Rwanda and Uganda that are purchased in instalments, you must top them up first.

Is the Gorilla permit for Uganda or Rwanda worth the money

The price of the gorilla permit for Uganda and Rwanda is worth the money because it is an entry ticket to spending time with the only surviving mountain gorillas in there natural setting. Mountain gorillas cannot survive in any other area other than their natural homes in Uganda, Rwanda and D.R. Congo only.

The number of gorilla permits in Uganda and Rwanda are restricted to maximum 8 permits per gorilla family per day so acquiring one is like winning a lottery so you need to preserve your gorilla permit and treasure it. During the high tourism season of both Rwanda and Uganda, the gorilla permits sell out and late comers normally end up being disappointed

Other than the mountain gorillas, moving in the forest on a search for mountain gorillas may give you a free opportunity to find other amazing primates including golden monkeys, wild chimpanzees in Bwindi, black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, pottos, L’hoest and others. Birders on gorillas safari in Uganda and Rwanda have the double opportunity of identifying more than 100 bird species including Albertine rift endemics.

If you hope to give back to the community during the gorilla safari in Uganda or Rwanda, by hiring a porter, it is one of the direct ways to give back to the community.

Conservation of the mountain gorillas still needs support and by purchasing the gorilla permit, part of the money collected is used to fund the survival of the mountain gorillas, other forest inhabitants and the forest through programs like creating awareness.

Can One Do Gorilla Safaris In Uganda Or Rwanda Without A Gorilla Permit

Every tourists to do a gorilla safari in Uganda and Rwanda is expected to bear a gorilla permit as this document carries your personal details that are used for verification. No one without a gorilla permit is accepted to join the adventure because these gorilla permits have a limit and any excess may put pressure on the vegetation in the park. 

Sometimes, the gorilla permit may be available at the last minute when there is a no show on the day of the gorilla safari or a last minute gorilla permit resell but it is a risky attempt that we do not advise our clients to follow.

What Is The Age Limit For Booking Gorilla Permits In Uganda and Rwanda

The age limit for booking gorilla safaris in Uganda and Rwanda is 12 years and 15 years respectively. In case you have a party travelling with for gorilla safari in Uganda or Rwanda, take note of the ages. The age limit was set to enable even the younger generation to have time and appreciate the presence of the mountain gorillas and the ecosystem at an earlier age.

The nature of the terrain of Bwindi forest or Mgahinga Forest or Volcanoes forest is that it is rugged with several highlands formed from the volcanic action in this area. The mountain gorillas may move to the slopes or valleys so you have to follow them which may be quite challenging for a child under these areas. The Rwanda gorilla trekking experience is quite steeper compared to her counterparts because of the different land forms in this area and so a child below this age may not be in a position to withstand this.

Time for returning after the gorilla safari adventure may be too long for a child under this age to be able to complete the experience.

Where to do Gorilla safaris in Uganda and Rwanda

In Uganda

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Mountain gorillas in Uganda are residents of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which is in the southwestern part of the country. The forest has an impressive list of fauna and flora that has accumulated over 25000 years of existence including over 88 moths, 310 butterflies, 120 mammals and others.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park being vast was divided into four areas for better administration, that is Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija and Nkuringo. It is under these areas that gorilla trekking permits for Bwindi are booked. It is better to book accommodation within or closer to the area where your gorilla permit is booked.

Other than the mountain gorillas Bwindi forests is home to other primates including black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, olive baboons, red tailed monkeys, chimpanzees and others.

Mgahinga National Park

The gorilla trekking experience in Mgahinga National Park is the most authentic since there are generally less people visiting this park. At the moment one gorilla trekking families is home to the public that is Nyakagezi gorilla family.

Other than the mountain gorillas, Mgahinga National Park is home to other primates including golden monkeys, black and white colobus, grey cheeked mangabey, red-tailed monkeys and others. More than 115 bird species have been recorded as residents of the forest.

In Rwanda

Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is home to the only mountain gorillas destination in the country. At the moment, about 12 gorilla trekking families in Rwanda are open to the public some include Umubano, Amahoro, Hirwa, Susa and others.

The forest is home to a wide range of other primates including golden monkeys, black and white colobus, red tailed monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey and others.

In terms of topography, Mgahinga National Park has a number of highlands resulting from the volcanic actions in this area forming mountain Gahinga, Sabyinyo, Muhavura, Bisoke and Karisimbi.

During the gorilla safari in Volcanoes National Park, the mountain gorillas may spend time at the slopes of these highlands so you have to hike to find them.

Uganda or Rwanda which is the best Gorilla safari destination

For gorilla safaris, finding which is the best destination may be quite challenging because the experience is different in both countries and it varies with what you hope to get after the adventure.

In Rwanda, the time to drive from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park is about 3 hours whereas the drive time from Entebbe or Kampala to Bwindi or Mgahinga National Park is about 8 to 9 hours.

The cost of the Rwanda gorilla trekking permit is currently $1500 per person yet the gorilla trekking permit cost for Uganda is $800 per person

Rwanda has the shortest minimum time to be with the mountain gorillas that is 2 days gorilla trekking in Rwanda but in Uganda, the minimum time for a gorilla safari is 3 days gorilla safari in Uganda.

Uganda has two gorilla safari destinations that is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park and both have about 20 gorilla trekking families open to the public. Rwanda has one gorilla safari destination called Volcanoes National Park with so far 12 gorilla trekking families.

After gorilla safaris in Uganda, the country has a number of other safari activities you can be part of including game drives, visit source of river Nile, birding and others whereas Rwanda has limited options of activities to combine with gorilla trekking that is game safaris, birding and others.

What To Do And Not To Do On Gorilla Safari In Uganda And Rwanda

• No one with a communicable infection is allowed to visit the mountain gorillas. Some of the communicable infections include cholera, ebola, COVID-19, flu, diarrhea and others. This may lead to a massive death. Mountain gorilla conservation has consumed a lot of time and money so they have to be highly protected.
• Do not surround the mountain gorillas but remain in a tight group. This makes the mountain gorillas feel ambushed.
• Keep a space of about 8 meters from the mountain gorillas when you locate them. This is to passing any contiguous infection to the mountain gorillas or them spreading it to humans.in case the mountain gorillas approach you, try to stealthily move backwards.
•  Wear a musk during gorilla trekking because of the Covid-19 pandemic. This became one of the rules to be followed when you locate the mountain gorillas.
• No using flash photography when with the mountain gorillas because it scares them. Mountain gorillas are frightened by new occurrences in their presence.
• Never drink or smoke within 200 meters from the mountain gorillas because you may not know the effect of the smoke till further notice in the life of the mountain gorillas.
• In case you wish to sneeze or cough do it away from the mountain gorillas or in your elbow to prevent spreading of germs. Cover your mouth or nose with a handkerchief for hygiene purposes in this case.
• Ask the ranger guide to dig a hole for you in case you need to ease yourself. Cover everything well in a hole of over 30 cm, beyond recognition so that the primates cannot exhume it later.
• Never dump garbage in the forest and volunteer to pick it in case it you find it. The forest is the sole food provider for mountain gorillas and other primates so must be kept in its natural setting.
• Do not spit on vegetation or soil in the park during gorilla trekking because its unhygienic and vegetation is food for the mountain gorillas.
• Do not attempt or provoke the mountain gorillas because they will move into hiding yet every tourist in the group has individually paid for a gorilla permit to be in the presence of the mountain gorillas for the time allocated.
• When with the mountain gorillas, try to keep your voices low and avoid sudden movements. The mountain gorillas are sensitive to unfamiliar noise in there vicinity.
• Just one hour is allowed with the mountain gorillas when you locate them to allow them go about their day’s activities.

For more information about gorilla permit prices in Uganda and Rwanda, please contact us for more information.