Uganda Wildlife Authority increases gorilla permit price for foreign residents from $600 to $700

The Uganda Wildlife Authority recently increased the gorilla permit cost for foreign residents in Uganda from $600 to $700, and the significant changes are effective from 1st July 2024 to 30th June 2026. The increase in the gorilla permit cost for foreign residents was made after UWA's other stakeholders, and one of the main reasons why there was an increase is to improve the tourism sector within the country by providing funds to conserve and protect the endangered Mountain gorillas.

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To qualify for the foreign resident status, you need to show proof of residency, like a work permit or certificate of residence and have stayed in the country for more than six months to qualify as a foreign resident. The cost of the gorilla permit for foreign residents in Uganda is as follows:

Current cost.                          Cost  after 1st July 2024 to 30th June 2026

     Foreign residents $600          $700

The increased cost does not affect tourists who have already purchased their permits but will affect anyone who purchases the permits after 1st July 2024, and those who are planning on rescheduling will also be affected.

All other tourist categories have also been affected, and a new category of African citizens has been introduced. Below are the old and increased costs of other categories.

           Current cost.                                      Cost after 1st July 2024 to 30th June 2026

           Foreign non-residents $700            $800

           EAC citizens UGX 250 000                UGX 300 000

           African citizens $500                         $500

On the other hand, the gorilla habituation gorilla trekking permit is more expensive than normal gorilla trekking. Below is the cost of the gorilla habituation process permit in Uganda.

Foreign residents $1000

Foreign non-residents $1500

EAC citizens UGX 750 000

African citizens $1000.

A gorilla permit: As you plan for a gorilla safari to Uganda, a gorilla trek permit should be the first thing to get information about because you will not be allowed to track gorillas in the country if you do not have a gorilla permit. And because few gorilla permits are printed per day, they sell out fast and need to be booked early enough to get the desired dates. The recommended time is to book 6 to 9 months before the trek date.

A gorilla permit gives you an hour with the gorillas; however, the actual trekking exercise can take 30 minutes to 6 hours, depending on the current location of the gorilla families you have been assigned. All our information about gorilla permit booking and purchase is to help prepare you for your gorilla safari.

There are currently 152 gorilla permits printed in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and eight gorilla permits in Mgahinga National Park. The total number of gorilla permits published by the UWA per day is 160 for both national parks, which is why booking early is advised.

All gorilla trek permits purchased in Uganda are valid for one day and cannot be used on any other day. They can also not be exchanged and used by any other person. Note that the demand for gorilla trek permits is high, so you should book the permit early enough.

How to acquire a gorilla permit in Uganda

Please contact us at Encounter Africa Safaris with the dates, months, and years when you wish to take on the gorilla trekking exercise in Uganda. We will then check for the availability of the gorilla permits on the desired dates, and we will inform you. After checking for availability, we ask for names, the number of permits that need to be bought, and a copy of the passport. 

After all this, we will send an invoice, and after you send or transfer the funds to our bank account, we will purchase the permits on your behalf and send you scanned copies. For more information about buying the gorilla trek permits, contact us at Encounter Africa Safaris.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda

Gorilla trekking is a top tourist exercise in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park, which are located in the country's southwestern part. Uganda has the highest gorilla population in the world, and these are found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has half of the population of the remaining gorillas in the world, and these are found in the different sectors of the national park, which include the Ruhija sector, Buhoma sector, Rushaga sector, and Nkuringo sector. Bwindi is also the only national park in the country where the gorilla habituation process is carried out in the Rushaga sector. Unlike gorilla trekking, gorilla habituation takes 4 hours, and there are only 4 people who are allowed to participate in the habituation process. Note that the gorillas are not fully habituated during habituation and are still not familiar with the presence of humans.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has 24 gorilla families that can be trekked throughout the year. A few more gorilla families are still undergoing habituation in Rushaga; once they are ready, they will be opened to the public for tracking.

Apart from gorilla trekking, there are other activities that you can engage in while on a gorilla trek safari in Bwindi, including guided nature walks, bird watching, enjoying the Batwa trail, cultural visits to the local villages, and primate walks. Bwindi is the ideal place to go for gorilla trekking because of the many gorilla families available for tracking, and you will be guaranteed to spot the Mountain gorillas regardless of the time you have visited the national park.

The minimum trek age for gorilla trekking in Uganda

The age limit previously has always been 15 years. Some of the reasons as to why the age limit was put in place include:

• The age limit was set because although habituated gorillas are calm primates, they can easily be provoked, and once they are provoked, they become aggressive and attack all those they see as threats. Children's emotions are more challenging to control, and they can easily agitate the gorillas.
• The mountain gorillas are already an endangered species and are easily prone to diseases, which is one reason why the age limit was set. Adults can easily keep a distance from the primates, which is not the case with children who move up and down.
• Lastly, unlike children, adults can easily follow all the rules and regulations set for gorilla trekking.

Although children below the age of 12 are not allowed to trek gorillas, you can still travel with them because there are so many other activities that they can engage in at Bwindi and Mgahinga National Park.

Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park:

Mgahinga National Park has only the Nyakagezi gorilla family, which is tracked all year round. Since there is only one gorilla family in Mgahinga, only eight gorilla permits are printed daily. Mgahinga National Park is also an excellent place to go and spot the Mountain gorillas if you prefer to avoid large crowds and choose some alone time with the gorillas.

Other activities can be carried out in Mgahinga National Park, including golden monkey trekking, bird watching, guided nature walks, and taking on the Batwa trail, among others.

Spotting gorillas in both Bwindi and Mgahinga is guaranteed all year round, and there has never been any case where tourists failed to spot gorillas. And it does not matter whether you choose Bwindi or Mgahinga because they offer some of the best gorilla trekking experiences in the world.

Gorilla trekking rules in Uganda

The rules and regulations that were put in place to protect the Mountain gorillas in Uganda by the Uganda Wildlife Authority include the following:

• The age limit for trekking gorillas in Uganda is 15 years, and anyone above 15 will be allowed to track gorillas in both Mgahinga and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Age verification will be carried out using the information provided on your passport.
• After tracking them, the maximum time you spend with the Mountain gorillas is an hour. And you will have to leave after spending an hour with the primates.
• A maximum of 8 people will be allowed to trek a gorilla family per day, and this is to minimize the spread of diseases and to avoid overwhelming the Mountain gorillas. 
• No one will be allowed to trek the Mountain gorillas when sick. You need to inform the guides about your sickness early enough because this protects the gorillas from falling sick, which can be catastrophic for the gorilla families if one member falls sick.
• Flash photography has been prohibited, and all tourists are expected to turn off the flash before taking photos.
• Cover your mouth and nose and turn away from the gorillas when you feel like sneezing and coughing.
• Avoid making unnecessary movements and wandering off from the trek group because other wild animals are in the national park.
• Ensure that you follow all the guidelines given to you by the guides because they know the forest more than you do.
• Eating, drinking, smoking, and feeding the gorillas have been prohibited.
• Avoid touching the gorillas to minimize the spread of diseases.

Packing for your gorilla safari in Uganda

The main aim of this list we have come up with is to help you pack right and avoid bringing any excess luggage that might slow you down when trekking gorillas. The list of things that we believe you will need to bring for your gorilla safari includes the following:

• Gardening gloves to protect your hands.
• Long-sleeved shirts
• Lightweight pants, and these should be in neutral colors
• strong knee-length hike boots
• Flip-flops and sandals to use after trekking
• Toiletries include biodegradable toilet paper, sanitary towels, soap, shampoo, and lotion, among others.
• A waterproof day backpack to help carry the essentials that you need for the trek day
• Warm sweater and poncho
• waterproof raincoat/jacket
• First aid kit
• Thick socks to keep you warm and to tuck in trousers during the trek to prevent insects from crawling up your pants.
• Adjustable gaiters

Best time/When to go for gorilla trekking in Uganda

The best time for gorilla trekking in Uganda is during the dry seasons of December to February and June to October. During this period, the gorillas can easily be spotted, and the trekking routes are also easier to maneuver. The wet seasons from October to November and March to May are not the wrong time to go for gorilla trekking if you are okay with the rain, but note that the slippery and muddy routes are more challenging to use during the wet season. It is, however, an excellent time to go for gorilla trekking if you are on a budget and prefer to trek with less crowds.

Getting to Bwindi and Mgahinga National Park

You can use road or air transport to Bwindi and Mgahinga for a gorilla safari in Uganda. Charter flights can be arranged from Entebbe to Kihihi airstrip and Kisoro airstrip, which are closer to the national parks, and a safari vehicle will be available to take you the rest of the way if you booked through a tour operator. If not, you have to hire one. This is the fastest way to get to southwestern Uganda, which will take about one and a half hours.

Road is the primary mode of transport used, and it takes 9 to 10 hours to drive from Kampala to the national parks for gorilla trekking. You can also decide to drive from Kigali in Rwanda through the Cyanika or Gatuna land borders, and this is a much-preferred way of traveling since it takes 4 to 5 hours.

For more information about the increase in the cost of gorilla permits for foreign residents in the country, contact us to provide you with the best and most up-to-date knowledge and information. Let us also help you plan your gorilla safari in Uganda and help book and purchase the gorilla safaris for you.