You Can No Longer Apply For Extra Gorilla Permits In Uganda

It’s now confirmed that you can no longer apply for extra gorilla permits in Uganda to see gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. According to a letter dated 14^th April 2026, Ref TDO 101/01 from Uganda Wildlife Authority addressed to all tourism and conservation stakeholders and signed by the Executive Director, UWA stated that it has stopped issuing extra gorilla permits to individuals and licensed tour operators.

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Extra gorilla permits have long been applied for by licensed tour operators in Uganda, especially during the high and peak season of June, July, August and September where gorilla permits tend to be scarce.

In a situation where a tour operator would have more clients willing to trek gorillas on a certain date but gorilla permits are not enough at UWA, there has been an opportunity for the said tour operator to apply for extra gorilla permits for the extra individuals. They would do this in writing to the Executive Director and then wait for approval. In most cases, the answer would be positive.

Following the addition of two new habituated gorilla families to the UWA gorilla permit system. That is the Happy gorilla group in Buhoma and the Nshanjare group in Rushaga Sector, it opened up more 16 spaces and gorilla permits to be booked by tour operators with extra clients instead of applying for extra gorilla permits.

Book Gorilla Permits Early To Avoid Shortage

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is one of the most sought-after activities and a tour package for Uganda cannot be complete without a visit to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga to see these magnificent creatures.

Gorilla permits have never been enough since demand tends to exceed supply especially during peak and high seasons. The introduction of two new gorilla families, equating to 16 gorilla permits per day cannot meet the demand for gorilla trekking in Uganda.

We therefore advise all travelers intending to do gorilla trekking in Uganda more especially in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February to book their gorilla permits in advance of at least 6 months in advance. Many people do book their gorilla permits a year or two in order to secure their spot.

Why You Should Visit Uganda For Gorilla Trekking

Uganda, commonly referred to as the “Pearl of Africa,” is one of the three countries where one can visit mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. As a matter of fact, more than half the number of mountain gorillas in the whole world are found in Uganda’s two National Parks of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park.

• There are several reasons why one should visit Uganda for gorilla trekking. The first reason is that Uganda just like Rwanda is very safe for tourism and you will feel at home while in Uganda. The safety and security of all our clients is a priority when choosing a destination for our clients.
• The price of gorilla permits in Uganda is almost half that of Rwanda. Currently, a gorilla permit costs $800 per person per trek compared to our counterparts in Rwanda, where a gorilla permit costs  $1500 per person per trek for one hour. This makes Uganda an affordable gorilla trekking destination giving you a reason to visit.
• Uganda offers discounted gorilla permits during the months of April, May and November at $600 per person per trek. This cannot be found anywhere. We encourage you to take advantage of such offers to cut on the would be extra costs on any given gorilla tour.
• It's on record that Uganda has the highest number of habituated mountain gorilla families in Africa. Uganda has a total of 28 habituated gorilla families with 26 families for the normal one hour gorilla trek and 2 families reserved for the gorilla habituation experience.
• Gorilla habituation experience is another reason you should choose Uganda for gorilla visits. It's only in Uganda where one can spend up to four hours with mountain gorillas. This requires you to book a gorilla habituation permit at $1500 as of 2026 to enable you enjoy four hours with mountain gorillas.
• It's only in Uganda that you have two national parks with mountain gorillas. That is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga. This gives you a wider choice to choose from. Other countries like Rwanda and DRC have one national park each.
• Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park provides an opportunity for four sectors where you can choose to do your gorilla trek. There is Buhoma region in the north, Ruhija in the East, Rushaga and Nkuringo in the south. Each of these sectors have selected gorilla families, lodges and are located in different parts of the forest.
• Why not combine your gorilla trek with a visit to the Batwa? The Batwa are the small people (Pygmies) who used to stay in Bwindi and Mgahinga before they were gazetted as national parks. Today, they live outside these national parks but will be glad to share their story through a journey called “Batwa experience”.
• Apart from mountain gorillas, Uganda is also known as the Primate capital of Africa where you can combine your gorilla trek with chimpanzee or golden monkey trekking in Kibale or Mgahinga National Park.

What We Do For You.

Encounter Africa Safaris is one of the most trusted DMS in Africa. With our head offices located in Entebbe Town, we are able to handle all issues related to gorilla trekking in Uganda from designing your itinerary to suit your time, interest and budget to book all services related to your gorilla trek.

We handle your gorilla permit booking, accommodation, transport to and from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga and almost all our gorilla tour packages are all inclusive with no hidden costs.

We combine most of our gorilla trekking experience with other adventures and community interactions to make sure that you get to enjoy an authentic Uganda experience.

Encounter Africa safaris has been in operation for more than 15 years, and as such, you can trust us to handle all your travel arrangements with confidence. We are fully licensed by Uganda Tourism Board, a Member of AUTO, which is the Umbrella association of all trusted tour operators in Uganda and highly reviewed on Platforms such as TripAdvisor and Safari bookings.

Get in touch with one of our safari designers and they will advise you accordingly. We can be reached by email as well as WhatsApp.