Uganda Gorilla Trekking Permits | Prices & Booking Guide

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) is responsible for selling Uganda gorilla trekking permits. These permits can be bought from UWA offices in Kampala or online through their official website.

A gorilla permit is a card that allows visitors to see mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. In Uganda, gorilla trekking is done only in two national parks—Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which has several habituated gorilla families, and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which has one habituated family.

Uganda gorilla permits must always be booked 3 to 6 months in advance because of high demand, especially during the peak tourism season. Even during the low season, permits may still sell out quickly.

Previously, gorilla permits in Uganda cost $700, but starting from 1st July 2020, the price increased to $800 per person for both Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks. According to UWA, foreign residents working in Uganda and East Africa pay $700, while East African citizens (from Uganda, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, and Burundi) pay $70 per person.

Gorilla Habituation Permit

Gorilla habituation is the process of helping mountain gorillas get used to human presence. This process usually takes about 2 to 3 years. When the gorilla family successfully passes the mock exercise, it is then opened for regular trekking.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the only place in the world where visitors can join rangers and researchers to take part in the habituation process. Only four people per day are allowed to participate. This experience is even more special than normal gorilla trekking because visitors spend four hours with the gorillas instead of just one.

A gorilla habituation permit in Uganda costs $1,500 per person. Like the trekking permits, it must also be booked in advance to avoid last-minute disappointment.

Uganda is one of the countries blessed with endangered mountain gorillas, apart from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. In Uganda, these gorillas live in Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Mountain gorillas are the largest living primates in the world. They live in the tropical rainforests of East and Central Africa. These gorillas stay in groups of 5 to 30 members, led by a dominant silverback who controls all group activities, including feeding and resting times.