Uganda Gorilla Permit: A Card for Gorilla Trekking in the Park
A Uganda gorilla permit is a card issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to allow its holder entry to any of the only two gorilla parks in Uganda. With a secured gorilla permit, you are able to enter Bwindi Impenetrable forest or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to see gorillas in the wild. Uganda, with about 20 gorilla families has over 160 gorilla permits available for tourists who want to see the endangered primates in Bwindi and Mgahinga forests. Bwindi forest has the biggest number of gorilla groups and therefore boasts of over 150 gorilla permits at its 4 gorilla trekking regions. These 4 Bwindi gorilla regions include Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors. A gorilla permit can be booked through a local tour operator or directly with UWA. To book a tour for either Bwindi or Mgahinga, gorilla permit availability has to be confirmed forest for the preferred tracking dates. One can use the online gorilla permit booking or
Uganda Gorilla Permit Cost
In Uganda, a permit costs USD 700 for ordinary gorilla trekking and USD 1,500 for the gorilla habituation experience. Read more about gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation experience to clearly understand the two tourism concepts. It is always recommended to book permits about 4 or 6 months in advance since they are very competitive. A booked permit confirms a gorilla tour in Uganda. When you successfully gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience in Uganda, you will be issued a trekking certificate in that regard. This gorilla trekking certificate confirms that you trekked mountain gorillas in Uganda and accomplished the adventure very well.
Visit Gorillas in Uganda
To trek gorillas in Uganda, you can use any of the two route options which include going through Kigali in Rwanda or Entebbe. When you go through Entebbe, you can access Bwindi and Mgahinga by road, which is a 9-10 hours’ drive or fly directly to the parks which takes around 1 hour. Gorilla trekking in Uganda from Kigali is now the most preferred option since it is less costly due to shorter distance.
Questions on Uganda Gorilla Permits
To understand Uganda permits very well, you need to read some of the answers to questions that most people search for. These queries regard costs, prices, bookings and locations among others.
How many gorilla permits are available in Uganda?
Uganda has about 170 gorilla permits available for trekking the endangered primates. Bwindi Impenetrable forest nineteen gorilla families and Mgahinga one, making a total of 20 gorilla groups in Uganda. Each family is allocated 8 permits, bringing the total number 160 permits. There are two gorilla families assigned for gorilla habituation experience, where each is allotted 4 gorilla permits. The Gorilla permits are issued out by the Uganda wildlife authority (UWA), a government body responsible for tourism activities and wildlife conservation in Uganda.
How much is a gorilla permit in Uganda?
A Uganda gorilla permit costs USD 700, a price that began from July 2020. Prior, each permit was at USD 600. A permit for gorilla habituation experience is priced at USD 1500 per each.
How many gorillas are in Uganda?
There are more than one thousand mountain gorillas in the whole world and Uganda has half that population. And the majority of these endangered species live in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and a few in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which has only one gorilla family, the Nyakagezi group.
How do I book a gorilla trek in Uganda?
You can book a Uganda gorilla permit through a professional tour operator whom you choose for your safari. Or else, you can book directly with the Uganda Wildlife Authority via online or visiting their office in Kampala. Permit booking should be done prior to the trekking dates. Doing the booking months before is the best thing to do to avoid disappointments.