Uganda Increases Gorilla Permit Fees to US$800

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has revised the prices of gorilla permits and the price has been increased to US$800. This follows consultative meetings with different stakeholders in tourism and conservation.

According to a press release from UWA, there has been changes in the UWA conservation tariffs for the period 01^st July 2024 to 30^th June 2026. In the new tariff, gorilla permits have been increased from US$700 to US$800 while chimpanzee permits have been increased from US$200 to US$250.

New Gorilla Permit Prices

For all International travelers, the gorilla permit fees have been increased from US$700 to US$800 per trek. Foreign East African residents will pay from US$600 to US$700 per person. A new category has been introduced in the UWA tariff that will see African passport holders booking their gorilla permits at a discount of US$500.

East Africans still get the best discounted rate of about US$80 to book their gorilla permits. This is due to the fact that they are the immediate neighbors to the protected areas that protect the mountain gorillas.

Gorilla Habituation Permits

A few years back, Uganda introduced a gorilla habituation experience, an activity that permits travelers to watch the great apes for up to 4 hours as opposed to the one hour for regular gorilla treks in Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga National Park.

This activity is done in the Rushaga Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in south western Uganda.

According to the new tarrif, the gorilla Habituation permit will cost US$1500 for all international travelers and US$100 for Foreign Residents of East Africa. Travelers from the Rest of Africa will pay US$1000 while East Africa community Citizens will pay US$200 to obtain their gorilla permits.

This lifetime experience where trackers get to spend four hours with a gorilla family is highly regulated and only four travelers are permitted to visit a semi habituated gorilla family.

It is important to know that this increased price of gorilla permit is effective for all bookings from 01^st July 2024 to 2026.

While Uganda Wildlife Authority has increased the price of gorilla permits, other stake holders have continuously questioned value added as all roads leading to protected areas. The sudden increase in the gorilla permit price has been contested by tour operators who claim that the move was brought in a rush and put into effect immediately.

According to UWA Executive Director Sam Mwandha, the decision to increase the gorilla permits is justifiable. It was after an extensive consultative process, rigorous market research, and constructive discussions with various stakeholders.

Several conservationists have welcomed the move to increase the gorilla permits since the funds raised from gorilla tourism are used in enforcing the conservation of the mountain gorillas, great apes that are endemic to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and the Virunga Mountains of Central Africa.

The increase in the gorilla permit price means increase in funds needed for the conservation of the mountain gorillas and their habitats. Part of the revenue realized from great ape tourism is given back to the local communities near the protected areas and several saucerful projects have taken off.

Uganda has two gorilla parks that is; Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park which lies in the large Virunga Conservation Area. Of the two parks, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park hosts a large population of mountain gorillas. According to the 2018 Gorilla Census, the impenetrable forests harbors more than 480 mountain gorillas, almost half of the world’s remaining population of these endangered apes.

With over 23 habituated gorilla families, Bwindi is a hotspot for travelers who go for gorilla trekking in Africa. The park has several trailheads; Rushaga and Nkuringo in southern part and Buhoma and Ruhija sector in the north.