How much is a gorilla permit in Uganda?

Gorilla permits are documents or cards issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, which allow tourists above 12 years of age to trek Mountain gorillas in any of the two natural habitats-Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The gorilla permit includes an armed ranger, an hour with the gorillas, knowledgeable guides and security throughout the trek.

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The cost of the gorilla permits in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park 2025 to 2026 cost $800 for foreign non-residents per person, UGX300,000 for EAC citizens, $500 for African citizens (those that don’t belong to the East African community) and $700 for East African foreign residents. Gorilla habituation, which is offered in Bwindi, is more expensive. A habituation permit goes for $1500 for foreign non-residents (international tourists), $1000 for African citizens from other countries, $1000 for foreign residents and UGX750,000 for East African citizens. The cost of the permit was recently increased and this was to help with the conservation of the gorillas and to improve on the national parks where gorilla trekking takes place.

Uganda does not offer any discounts when it comes to gorilla trekking permits like Rwanda. After the Covid era, the government offered discounts on the permits to increase the flow of tourists in the country and this went on for only one year. At the moment, there are permit discounts in both the dry and low seasons, so do not be deceived that there are permits that are lower than the above-stated costs.

The cost of the gorilla permit is a bit high and this is because it covers several things that ensure that the gorillas are safe. Part of the cost is used to treat the gorillas when they fall sick (UWA sends in vets to ensure that the gorillas receive proper treatment), it is also used to conserve the natural habitat of the gorillas, security to the trekkers and projects for the nearby villages.

Information about gorilla permit booking in Uganda

Many of the gorilla permits in Uganda have to be booked and purchased in advance because they are usually scarce in the peak season which is from June to September and December to February. The best way for foreign non-residents to book permits is through a trusted tour operator like Encounter Africa Safaris. Some steps have to be taken when booking a gorilla permit in Uganda and this is what we are going to discuss below.

To be able to book a gorilla permit, you will need to first find a reliable and trusted tour operator like Encounter Africa Safaris to help book the permit on your behalf. Tour operators charge different fees as a service fee for the booking and purchase of the permit and this can be between $50 to $100 per permit. Note that this cost is independent of the cost of the permit and it is to cover the tour operators’ services/logistics. The extra fees cover transport, telephone calls and any other expenses that might be incurred when purchasing a permit.

After getting the right tour operator, let them know about the dates you intend/wish to trek gorillas in Uganda to ease the planning process and you should also inform them about the destination (either Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park). By doing so, the tour operator is obligated to check for the availability of the permits on the dates that are provided and if indeed the permits are available, they will be booked temporarily on your behalf. You have to send a copy of the passport, passport number, full name the number of permits you are purchasing. If you booking for other people as well, you need to send in their details because the passport will be used to determine if you are 12 years and above, the legal age for trekking gorillas in Uganda.

You will then be sent bank details to make sure that you transfer the money as soon as possible since the permits are sold on a first come first serve basis. After the transfer of the money and the tour operator confirms receipt, the permit will be booked and purchased on your behalf. The names and passport numbers are key when it comes to booking permits as they will be used on the permits to easily identify the owner of the permits.

Note that depending on the availability of the permits, you can purchase the permits last minute but the best time is 3 to 4 months in advance.

How to check for the availability of the gorilla permits in Uganda

Checking for the availability of gorilla tracking permits is highly recommended because this helps you know the exact dates that are available for gorilla trekking in Uganda. After you have planned the dates of travel and trekking, you have to send these dates to your tour operator so that they can check for the availability of the permits on the dates provided. Checking for the availability of the permits is only done by the tour operators belonging to the Association of Uganda Tour Operators using an online booking system which is managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The booking system displays the available dates and those that have already been booked enabling tour operators to get the available dates.

Validity of the gorilla permit in Uganda

The gorilla tracking permit is valid from the time of purchase to the trekking date. After you gain access to the national parks for gorilla trekking, the permit becomes invalid and note that it only grants you an hour with the gorillas for gorilla trekking and 4 hours with the gorillas during the habituation process. This is one of the reasons why tourists are told to purchase the permits in advance because of the scarcity of permits, especially in the dry season, and the few permits printed per day in the national parks. There are, however, instances where you might not be able to make it for gorilla trekking, and this is where tourists are advised to reschedule the permit at least two weeks before the trekking date, and this is done by contacting UWA through your tour operator.

Is the gorilla permit mine after purchase?

No, the gorilla permit cannot be owned by an individual after purchasing it because it is the property of the government of Uganda. After the purchase of the permit, a copy is sent for record purposes and you will only be able to get the original gorilla permit when you get to the country. It will be handed over by the driver guide, and it becomes yours until it is collected on the day of the trekking by the park officials, who later send it back to URA.

Allocation of gorilla permits in Uganda

Mountain gorilla permits are issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority based on the different trailheads that are found in the national parks. There are five gorilla trailheads in Uganda, one in Mgahinga National Park and the four including Nkuringo (south), Buhoma (north), Ruhija (East) and Rushaga (southwest). Upon purchase of the permit, the sector for gorilla trekking is allocated based on a first come first serve basis or the available sector.

Tourists have no say when it comes to the allocation of the permits, however if you purchase your permit in advance (3 to 6 months), you can suggest a sector you wish to trek and in case it is available, your tour guide will book the permit but note that allocation is the responsibility of the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

When a permit has been issued for a specific sector, it cannot be transferred to another sector. For example, assuming that you purchased the permit for Nkuringo, this cannot be used in the Rushaga sector, and this is what is referred to as permit wastage.

How many gorilla tracking permits are issued/printed in a day in Uganda?

There are 194 gorilla permits available per day in Uganda and this covers both Mgahinga and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Eight of the gorilla permits printed belong to Mgahinga National Park and this means that 8 permits are printed per group per day. Tourists are always advised to purchase their permits in advance because there are more tourists in the country during the dry season as compared to the low season and avoid last-minute purchases.

The gorilla trekking experience

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi and Mgahinga starts early morning after breakfast with a briefing from the guides about the rules and regulations, what to expect during the trek and when you meet the gorillas, this is all done at the park headquarters at the trailhead. After the briefing is complete, you will be subdivided into groups of 8 and allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek for the day. Note that if you are tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you will be assigned gorilla families that are found in the sector you were assigned during the purchase of the gorilla permit (Nkuringo, Buhoma, Ruhija and Rushaga). The trek can take between 2 to 7 hours depending on several factors some of which include the location of the gorillas, physical fitness and weather. During the trekking exercise, you will also be able to see other wildlife species in the parks, including red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, baboons, forest elephants and antelopes, among others.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda comes with rules and regulations to help with the protection of the Mountain gorillas and these are: the age for gorilla trekking in Uganda is 12 years, each group has an hour with the gorillas, groups of 8 trek a gorilla family per day, eating, drinking and feeding the gorillas is prohibited, the camera flash has to be turned off at all times when taking photos of the gorillas, keep the national parks clean and avoid touching the gorillas among others.

All the rules have to be followed or else you face fines and being prohibited from gorilla trekking in Bwindi and Mgahinga.

Cancellation and rescheduling of the gorilla trekking permit in Uganda

Cancellation of gorilla permits in Uganda is only possible if you have paid the full price of the gorilla permit and no refund is made when you have only deposited the permit. Rescheduling of permits follows a certain procedure and you need to have evidence of why you are rescheduling for it to be approved. The first step is writing an official letter to the Uganda Wildlife Authority stating the reason for the reschedule and providing proof of why you need a reschedule. After a review from the authorities, new dates will be provided and you need to make sure that you don’t miss out on the dates. You need to follow up on the letter written to ensure that the rescheduled letter is received and reviewed. Once UWA is through with reviewing the cancellation policy will be used and refunds made.

Note that the gorilla permits in Uganda are non-refundable, but there are instances where a refund can be made, and these are done under the following circumstances. Note that all refunds are made at the Uganda Wildlife Authority Headquarters offices in Kampala using the Reservations Office.

• UWA will refund the full cost of the permit/tracking fee if the tourists fail to make it due to illness and this can only be done at the discretion of the warden. Note that this only works for tourists who have already made it for gorilla trekking in either Bwindi or Mgahinga.
• Tourists who have failed to see the gorillas after trekking because the gorillas have moved to the neighboring countries are given a full refund for the cost of the permit. However, tourists who track gorillas the whole day and fail to see the Mountain gorillas will be given a 75% refund of the tracking fee.
• When UWA is refunding for the gorilla permits, the percentages followed upon cancellation are:

0 to 8 days to trek date, no refund is made

9 to 45 days to trek date – 75% refund

46 to 90 days to trek date – 50%

91 & above to trek date – 25%

When to go for gorilla tracking in Uganda

Gorilla trekking in Uganda can be done all year round; however, the best time is during the dry season, which is also the peak season in June to September and December to February. During this period, there is little or no rainfall, the trekking rules in the national parks are easier to use, and gorillas are easier to spot. The rainy season, which is from March to May and October to November, is characterized by rains and slippery and muddy routes, which makes gorilla trekking hard.

Gorilla trekking is an exciting experience and Encounter Africa Safaris is available to help you with the purchase of the gorilla permits and planning of the gorilla trekking safari to Uganda.