How Much Does A Uganda Gorilla Tour Cost?

The Uganda gorilla tour costs start with the Uganda gorilla permit cost. In Uganda, you can do either gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience. Gorilla trekking is an adventure where tourists follow a fully habituated gorilla family to spend an hour with them. Gorilla habituation is a safari where tourists follow a semi-habituated gorilla family in the company of researchers and have 4 hours with the mountain gorillas.

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The current cost of the gorilla trekking permit in Uganda is $800 for foreign nonresidents, $700 for foreign residents, and 300000shs for East Africans. 

The Uganda gorilla habituation experience permit costs $1500 for international nonresidents, $1000 for foreign residents, and 750,000 for East Africans.

Two safari destinations in Uganda host the mountain gorillas: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. Uganda has about 21 gorilla trekking families and two gorilla habituation experience families in the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

When booking the Bwindi gorilla permits in Uganda, they are secured according to the four trailheads of this park: Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo, and Rushaga. Consider these gorilla trekking areas when booking accommodations for this park.

When costing the Uganda gorilla tour, also consider the cost of logistics that support you while on safari, which is necessary. Securing accommodation is vital when booking the Uganda gorilla tour, as you need to reserve accommodation in the area close to where your gorilla permit is booked.

At Encounter Africa Safaris, we package and Cost our gorilla tours for Uganda according to upscale, mid-range, and budget. Other items that may be included in the gorilla tour include vehicle hire, gas, driver guide fee, and so much more.

What to cost in the Uganda gorilla tour?

The Uganda gorilla permit

The cost of either gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation permit is very important as this is the only guarantee to confirming this Uganda tour. The gorilla permit is only booked with payment. A first come, first served basis is used to reserve Uganda gorilla permits, so finding the availability of the permits now doesn't guarantee their presence the next minute.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority is mandated to sell and regulate Uganda gorilla permits. 

How much is the cost of the Uganda gorilla permit?

The Uganda gorilla trekking permit currently costs $800 for foreign nonresidents, $700 for Foreign residents, and 300,000 for East Africans. 

The inclusions in the gorilla trekking permit cost are one hour with the mountain gorillas, security, park entrance fees, mountain gorilla conservation support, community support, government support, and a certificate.

Exclusions in the cost of a Uganda gorilla trekking permit include porter hire, accommodation, tips, and other personal expenses.

Currently, the cost of a Uganda gorilla habituation experience permit is $1500 for international nonresidents, $1000 for foreign residents, and 750000shs for East Africans.

The cost of a Uganda gorilla habituation experience permit covers research fees, park entrance fees, security, mountain gorilla conservation, four hours with a gorilla family, a ranger guide fee, local community support, and others.

Exclusions in the cost of a gorilla habituation experience permit are snacks, tips, transport costs, and expenses of a personal nature.

Accommodation cost on Uganda gorilla tour

The cost of accommodations to use during the Uganda gorilla tour varies with the category of facility you choose. Accommodations for gorilla tours in Uganda are categorized into Luxury, mid-range, and basic. 

When booking accommodations for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you must consider the area where your permit is secured. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is divided into four regions: Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo, and Rushaga. 

Challenging-to-navigate features like highlands, rivers, poor roads, etc, separate these Bwindi areas. Crossing from one Bwindi area to another, attending an early morning briefing before gorilla trekking is challenging.

Mgahinga National Park accommodation choices to use during gorilla tours in Uganda are limited. This causes the options to run out during the peak tourism season.

• Bwindi accommodations: Gorilla Forest camp. Rushaga Gorilla Safari Lodge, Ichumbi Lodge, Ruhija Gorilla Lodge, Broadbill Camp, Lake Kitandara Tented Camp, Gorilla Resort, Silverback Lodge, Nshongi Lodge, Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge, Bwindi Backpacker's Camp
• Mgahinga accommodations Volcanoes Gahinga Lodge, Traveller’s Inn, Kisoro Tourist Hotel, Mgahinga gorilla Triangle, Majambere Iwachu, Community Camp

Transport cost on gorilla tour in Uganda

When costing transport to use during the Uganda gorilla tour, you need to consider the type of vehicle to use, gas cost, driver guide, and other expenses. Transport costs vary; most vehicle hire service providers charge per-day costs in Uganda.

For the Fly-in gorilla tour in Uganda, you must secure a seat on the daily domestic flights as these sell out, especially during the peak season. From Kihihi or Kisoro airstrip, you need to hire a transfer vehicle to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park, a drive that takes about 2 hours.

Charter flight costs also vary with the equipment you wish to hire, so you must consider this cost, too. Include the vehicle transfer cost since these flights do not land in the parks.

Cost of additional Activities to combine with gorilla tour in Uganda

Uganda is a country gifted by nature, so if you wish to include other Uganda safari activities, you must consider costs like park entrance fees, ranger guide hire, and additional costs.

Some of the other Uganda safari activities you can combine with the gorilla tour include:

Chimpanzee safaris in Uganda, Game drives, birding in Uganda, Launch trips, visits to the source of the river Nile, white water rafting, sunset cruises, sports fishing, Uganda cultural tours, scenic viewing, mountaineering, and much more.

How to book Gorilla Tours in Uganda?

Choose a time when you wish to start and end the gorilla tour in Uganda. If you wish to do the gorilla tour on a particular date, select the date you wish to do so. Choose whether to do gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience.

Upon receiving your inquiry, our tour consultant checks availability from the Uganda Wildlife Authority list. 

As soon as we confirm the presence of the gorilla permits per your preferred date, our consultant will contact you as quickly as possible. We advise our client to secure their gorilla permits as soon as possible because the status of the gorilla permits changes at any time without warning.

Note that gorilla permits are only booked with payment, and first come, first served criteria are used to book the gorilla permits.

You must secure accommodation and other safari logistics in advance, especially if you hope to gorilla trekking in the peak season. The peak Uganda tourism season is June, July, August, September, December, and January.

At Encounter Africa Safaris, we can assist you in booking the gorilla permit and securing all the related logistics so that you do not have to run around or get disappointed at the last minute. Trust us to plan your perfect gorilla tour in Uganda to make your dream come true. We offer value for money because we understand how challenging it is to reserve your hard-earned money.

Can I purchase the Uganda gorilla permits in Installments?

Uganda Wildlife Authority accepts installment gorilla permit purchases of 30% and 70%, respectively. To qualify for this arrangement, you must purchase your gorilla permit at least 90 days before the gorilla trekking date and remember to top up 90 days before the gorilla trekking day. 

Failure to top up the gorilla permit may end in losing this permit, and it is re-opened to the public without notifying you.

It is best to buy the gorilla permit fully to avoid forgetting to top it up.

How Long is the gorilla tour in Uganda?

Whether doing gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience in Uganda, you may take about 2 hours or more depending on the factors prevailing in the wilderness. From the trail's starting point, where the mountain gorillas were last seen the previous day, you may take some time to find them.

To keep busy, look for other forest dwellers like the blue monkeys, black and white colobus, and vervet monkeys. Keen birders have much to look out for during the gorilla safari as their pristine forests are home to many birds, including Albertine rift endemics.

You need to bear some patience before tracing the mountain gorillas, as locating them depends on factors like the weather conditions prevailing in the wilderness, the loss of a family member, the adventurous nature of the gorilla family, and much more.

When you locate the mountain gorillas, you are allowed with them for one hour during gorilla trekking and four hours during gorilla habituation experience.

Is the gorilla Tour in Uganda safe?

The gorilla tours in Uganda are safe, but you must also participate in dealing with your security.

Each Uganda gorilla tour park is under the watch of a well-trained range guide team from the Uganda Wildlife Authority. These range guides are trained to protect the mountain gorillas, other forest inhabitants, the inhabitants, and visitors. 

After the briefing, every group of tourists on a gorilla safari in Uganda is escorted by at least two ranger guides, one carrying a machete while another has a rifle. They use these security weapons in case an emergency emerges. These rangers are always on radio calls with security teams on the ground in case backup is needed.

On the ground are other Uganda security agencies who work closely with the ranger guides to keep law and order in and out of the gorilla habitats in Uganda.

You must not walk in Bwindi or Mgahinga forest without an escorting ranger guide because the forest has other inhabitants that may hurt you.

What to expect during the Uganda gorilla tour?

Expect to share the same space with at least seven other tourists during the gorilla trekking tour or three other tourists during the gorilla habituation experience in Uganda.

The trek to find the mountain gorillas is quite tiresome because of the nature of the terrain of the area where mountain gorillas live, which is volcanic. You may be required to hike if these primates spend the day on the slopes.

Only people aged 15 and over are allowed to do gorilla tours in Uganda.

The weather conditions of Bwindi and Mgahinga National Park are unpredictable, so expect to experience showers anytime without warning. 

The trails in Bwindi and Mgahinga forests are often soggy and slippery from the regular rains that fall, yet less sunlight is allowed through the dense canopy.

Before you meet the mountain gorillas, they may notice your presence before you trace them.

Mountain gorillas munch on foliage even when you trace them, as though not minding your presence, but do not do anything forbidden when with the mountain gorillas.

Only one hour is allowed with the mountain gorillas when you tress them during gorilla trekking and four hours during gorilla habituation experience. 

What are the rules for gorilla tours in Uganda?

• Spitting on vegetation is forbidden as you may pass germs to the mountain gorillas. Mountain gorillas are highly susceptible to human communicable infections like COVID-19, cough, flu, and several others. 
• Keep a distance of about 8 meters from the mountain gorillas to avoid passing germs to them. 
• Littering the forest is forbidden as it alters the nature of the forest where mountain gorillas thrive.
•  Only 1 hour of gorilla trekking and four hours of gorilla habituation experience are allowed with the mountain gorillas when you locate them during a gorilla trekking adventure.
• The age limit for gorilla habituation is 15 years and above in Uganda and 15 years and over in Rwanda, as the wilderness may be rough for a child below this age. Sometimes, mountain gorillas feed deep in the forest, which may not be easy to withstand.
• Stand in a tight group when you locate the mountain gorillas. They are highly sensitive to visitors around them as they may look suspicious. In case they come closer, stealthily retreat.
• Talk at a low tone or keep quiet during gorilla trekking so that you do not cause a stampede in the forest.
• Use a flash-less camera to take photos, and it should be soundproof.
• Wear a clean mask during gorilla trekking and when locating mountain gorillas.
• Do not surround the mountain gorillas when you locate them, as you may cause them to get agitated. 
• In case you catch a contagious infection, volunteer to stay behind because when mountain gorillas catch these infections, they may massively die, yet conserving them has taken a long time.

Our team plans the best safaris to Uganda. Contact us to have your safari planned in advance.