Uganda Gorilla Permit Prices
Uganda Gorilla Permit Prices
The Uganda Gorilla Permit Prices. Uganda has introduced new Gorilla permit prices effective 1st of July 2024. If you plan to visit Africa for gorilla trekking in Uganda, you must read and note these changes.
Let’s take a look at the latest gorilla permit prices that UWA updated Uganda gorilla permit price as of the 22nd of January 2024.
Uganda gorilla trekking permit price has slightly increased to $800 from $700 per person for foreign nonresidents. It also now costs $700 for foreign residents and 300,000ugx for East African community citizens.
In addition to the latest changes made, UWA introduced a new special offer for all Africans who are not East African community citizens. They can partake in the Uganda gorilla trekking experience and they will buy the gorilla permits at $500 per person. These changes were effective from the 1st. July. 2024 up to June 2026.
Remember, this gorilla permit is crucial for the treks since it’s the gate pass to access the gorilla parks. Additionally, it offers a 1-hour close encounter with the gorillas in their natural environment. This time allows you to watch them feed, play, and move within their habitat.
The Uganda Gorilla Habituation Permit Prices
The Gorilla habituation permit prices have remained intact at $1500 per person for foreign nonresidents. The permit is also $1000 per person for foreign residents and 750,000Ugx for East African citizens. Additionally, the habituation experience will be available for the rest of Africans at $1000 per person. This is also a new offer onboard as the new Uganda gorilla permit prices took effect from the 1st of July 2024.
Remember gorilla habituation experience offers to spend more time with the semi-habituated gorillas for four hours. This is after following them in their natural habitat with the habituation team of guides, researchers, and rangers. Thus, you get to know more about these gentle giants and you may be asked to partake in the naming of family members.
The latest Uganda gorilla permit price changes that UWA updated apply to both Uganda’s only gorilla parks. These are Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in the southwestern part of the country.
About Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a typical rainforest in the southwestern region of the country. It borders with Congo on the western side.
The forest became so famous to the world because of gorilla trekking. It is thus one of the prime gorilla destinations in Africa. It harbors more than half of the world’s endangered mountain gorilla population existing in their natural habitats.
Bwindi impenetrable forest national park in Uganda is home to 22 habituated gorilla families. You find these gorilla families in four sectors/regions of the park – Rushaga – Nkuringo – Buhoma and Ruhija. They are the tracking gateways to the forest.
Gorilla trekking takes place from the park every day for the entire year. However, you must purchase a gorilla permit to book and confirm your trekking preferred dates.
You can book Uganda gorilla permits through a trusted tour operator or directly with the Uganda Wildlife Authority. This entirely depends on the visitors’ choice. However, er recommend that you use a tour operator, as booking through UWA for individuals tends to be bureaucratic. Thus, booking with a tour operator remains the most convenient way of doing it.
Note; Only 8 individuals visit a particular gorilla family group per day. Therefore gorilla permits are issued matching the number of gorilla families available for tracking on a first come first serve basis.
If you’re planning to visit Uganda for gorilla trekking in the high seasons of February, June, July, August, and December, then timely and advance booking is highly recommended as demand for gorilla permits can be so high and permits tend to sell out so fast.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is not only a place for mountain gorillas. It’s also home to various wildlife species including birds, plants, and other animals, insects, and butterflies.
Highlights of activities in Bwindi
Bird watching; the park has over 300 bird species including Red-throated Alethe. Chestnut Throated Apalis, Fine banded woodpecker, Montana Oriole, African Green Broadbill, Chapin’s flycatcher, Handsome Francolin among so many others.
About Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga National Park where Gold meets Silver is Uganda’s home of Mountain Gorillas. It’s in the southwestern region, in Kisoro district and it borders with DR-Congo and Rwanda.
Mgahinga National Park happens to be the smallest park in Uganda. It covers about 33.5 square kilometers and was gazetted in 1991 mainly to protect the endangered mountain gorillas and their natural habitat.
Among other things and attractions that you find in Mgahinga National Park are the rare golden monkeys. These are also endangered and you can also find them in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Volcanoes NP is part of the Virunga Mountains.
Highlight of activities in Mgahinga National Park
Mountain Gorilla trekking
Mgahinga harbors one habituated gorilla family group, Nyakagezi. These two groups are available for tracking daily with 8 trackers visiting each per day.
Golden monkey tracking
Mgahinga National Park is home to 6 habituated golden monkey troops available for tracking per day.
Mgahinga Golden Monkey Trekking
Hiking tours
Mgahinga National Park hosts three of the five Virunga volcanoes; Gahinga, Muhavura, and Sabinyo mountains. This offers a great opportunity for travelers looking for hiking adventures within the area.
Bird watching
The park is endowed with various bird species including endemics in the Virunga Mountains. These include the Rwenzori Batis, Olive thrush, and red-faced woodland among others.
Batwa community experience
The Batwa people are among the oldest indigenous groups of people existing in Uganda. They once lived in the forest before they were displaced in the time of gazetting the area as a national park.
Batwa people lived and survived in the forest for the basic human needs of food and medicine among others. Since their displacement from the forest, they have settled outside the forests. They’re still trying to adapt to other means of living and earning livelihood from their new community setups that happen in the immediate neighboring communities to the park.
Therefore, visiting the Batwa people communities is such a life-changing experience. This is so because you get a chance to know more about them, telling stories on how they lived back then and how they are surviving now as the major ambassadors of conservation and active players and direct beneficiaries of gorilla tourism within the region.
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