Gorilla Permits Updates

A gorilla permit is a card issued out by Uganda Wildlife Authority in Uganda or Rwanda Development board in Rwanda, the card therefore acts as a pass to any visitor who would love adventure to the primate’s world in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park/Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and more so valid for one hour in the presence of gorillas. These are mandated bodies by the government with the aim of collecting money and conserve the lives and nature of primates in their natural habitat and the surrounding neighborhood.

Current gorilla permit cost

The governments where the adventure takes place make reviews on the price of gorilla costs and apparently Uganda still hold favorable gorilla permit cost at $600 however there was a review and an increment was made equivalent to $100 starting with 1^st JULY 2020. Therefore the cost of a gorilla permit will cost $700 as of 2020-2021 per person per trek for foreign nonresidents, $500 per person for foreign residents and UGX 250,000 for East African Citizens. The cost of gorilla permit in Rwanda cost $1500 which is equivalent to the cost of Gorilla Habituation in Uganda where this activity takes place in Nkuringo and Rushaga Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

How to acquire a gorilla permit online

Booking a gorilla permit can be done directly by client which involve booking gorilla permits directly with Uganda Wildlife Authority requires you to make a phone call or send an email which will be replied to by one of their reservations staff. He/she will provide the availability of permits on the requested date and send you an invoice to make payment on UWA bank Account. Once payment is made, your gorilla permit card will be issued and you will have to collect it yourself after providing proof by show of driving permit or passport

Foreign tour operators will book through local tour operators. Each tour operator (AUTO) shall book up to only 20 permits for that particular month on the day the booking opens, which is the first working day (Monday to Friday) of the month.

Short time booking

Individual trackers can buy from Uganda Wildlife Authority not more than 2 permits for the month. There is no guarantee, which dates or how many per day will be available. Booking can be done on the day the booking opens, which is the first working day of the month, Please do contact us for last minute gorilla permit booking and we will secure it for you at no extra cost once you book a gorilla tour with us

Uganda Wildlife Authority allows advanced booking of up to two years as long as a deposit of 30% is made and the balance shall be paid 91 days to the tracking date. Late top up of 70% is not permitted but may be considered 7 days, and will attract a Surcharge of 20% beyond which deposit is forfeited without refund. 80% of all the gorilla permits in each month can be booked for two years in advance by the Association of Uganda Tour Operations (AUTO) members only.

To buy a permit now, you have to choose a region and then they will give you a permit for that region. Gorilla permits are allocated depending on availability in a given sector and thus if a visitor intends to trek a specific gorilla sector prior communication is required so that on the process of booking the tour operator can arrange accordingly since each adventure has its own experience in the hiking. There some visitors who prefer to trek gorillas twice. This can be arranged and you trek two different families and have different tastes among the gorilla families