Gorilla Permits Updates

A gorilla permit is issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority in Uganda or Rwanda Development Board in Rwanda. The gorilla permit card grants access to Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Visitors who want to adventure in the primate’s world must purchase a gorilla permit card. Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and more so valid for one hour in the presence of gorillas. Government-mandated bodies aim to collect funds and conserve primates’ lives and natural habitat, including the surrounding neighborhood.

Current gorilla permit cost

The governments of the countries where gorilla trekking takes place periodically review their permit prices. Uganda has the most affordable gorilla permit costs.

• Foreign nonresidents pay $700 per person per trek.
• Foreign residents pay $600 per person per trek.
• East African citizens pay UGX 250,000 per person per trek.

This price increase took effect on July 1, 2020. A gorilla permit in Rwanda costs $1,500, equivalent to the cost of gorilla habituation in Uganda. Gorilla habituation takes place in the Nkuringo and Rushaga sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

How to acquire a gorilla permit online

Clients can book a gorilla permit directly with Uganda Wildlife Authority by making a phone call or sending an email. Their reservations staff will reply. They will confirm permit availability on the requested date and send an invoice for payment to the UWA bank account. After making payment, you must collect your gorilla permit card in person, presenting either a driving permit or passport for verification.

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. You can book on the first working day of the month when bookings open. Contact us for last-minute gorilla permit reservations, secured at no extra cost when you book a gorilla tour with us.

Uganda Wildlife Authority permits advanced booking up to two years with a 30% deposit. The remaining balance is due 91 days before the tracking date. A late 70% top-up is not allowed, but may be considered within 7 days, incurring a 20% surcharge. Beyond this, the 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.To ensure a specific gorilla sector for trekking, visitors must communicate in advance. This allows tour operators to arrange accordingly, considering each sector’s unique hiking experience, based on permit availability in that area.

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