Gorilla Permits in Uganda: Everything You Need to Know Before Trekking

Planning to spot mountain gorillas in Uganda starts with understanding and acquiring Gorilla permits in Uganda. These permits are mandatory for anyone, including citizens of Uganda, visiting the gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and they give travellers a rare chance to spend time with one of the world’s most endangered primates. From permit prices, booking procedures to the best time to reserve, and legal age for acquiring a gorilla permit, this guide explains everything you need to know before planning your Uganda Gorilla Trekking safari.

What is a gorilla permit?

A gorilla permit (Gorilla Pass) is a legal document issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority a government body in charge of conserving the habitats of the endangered primates, allowing the holder to trek for apes. The minimum age requirement should be at least 15 years, below this age, one can be allowed to trek Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Uganda is only place in East Africa that provides three forms of gorilla permits (Standard, low season and Habituation permits). The two permits differ in terms of pricing and the nature of the Gorilla experience; time allowed around the primates, and much more.

 

What is the Standard permit? – Permit for the Normal (Regular) Gorilla Trekking Safari

Normal Pass or Regular Gorilla Trekking Permit is a legal document that allows the bearer to take part in the ordinary trek that most people do in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi National Park. This standard permit is the most affordable for all kinds of travelers from various parts of the world. In Uganda, to get this pass, one has to pay $800 to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) if they are foreign non-residents, $700 is paid by foreign residents, and 300,000 Uganda Shillings for East African nationals.

It is important to know that the permit allows trekkers to spend only one hour with the creatures
doing Gorilla Photography, watching the huge silverbacks breaking trees, exhausted mothers,
confused babies and other infants going about their daily lives.

What is the Gorilla Habituation Permit? – Pass for the Habituation in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Habituation permit is a special type of pass which allows the bearer to visit a family of wild gorillas that hasn’t got used to human environments. Gorilla habituation is the process of gradually introducing a family of the endangered gorillas to get accustomed to human surroundings. This pass permits travelers to go to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the only place in East Africa where this kind of safari is offered.

This is the most expensive Gorilla Permit to purchase as it costs $1500 per person of the legal age for Gorilla Tracking to embark on the unforgettable tour. Whereas the normal trek allows 8 people to visit the assigned groups of the apes, the Habituation entails 4 members who move with the professional team of staff, ranger guides, conservationists and trackers. Upon finding the groups, the members can spend 4 hours with the majestic gorillas of East Africa.

What is Gorilla Habituation?

As earlier mentioned, Gorilla Habituation is the process of making gorillas get used to the human presence without getting agitated. This process is a gradual step by step that takes a long period to convince the primates to feel safe around humans before people can start visiting them. It involves a well-trained group of wildlife experts like researchers, conservationists and ranger guides who are assigned the task of meeting the giants of Africa. Currently, a family is being habituated in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in the Rushaga
Sector. Four members every day are permitted to visit the Bikyingi gorilla group in Rushaga to observe the dominant silverback, 9 infants, and about 9 adult gorillas for photographs. Bwindi has started habituating another family called Bushasho Gorilla-Family living in the nearby Rushaga Area.

The “Low Season” Permits

As of 2026, the country has introduced the low season permits that provide a discounted rate of about 25% of the initial $800. The Low season Gorilla Permit is $600 for all foreigners to the Pearl of Africa for the primate tracking experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This permit is valid in two wet seasons from March-May and October-November.

Who is responsible for selling the Ugandan Gorilla Permit?

Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) is the body responsible for selling the permits for gorilla trekking. UWA also protects the wildlife of Bwindi Forest including chimpanzees, monkeys, gorillas, elephants, and buffalo. Its activities spread to all 10 national parks and 12 game reserves in Uganda.

What is the cost of Uganda’s Gorilla Trekking Permit?

Acquiring the Ugandan Permits for Gorilla trekking depends on the category that the bearer falls into. There are three main categories of trekkers namely: Foreign Non-residents, Foreign Residents and citizens from East African countries like Kenya, Rwanda, D.R Congo, Burundi, Tanzania and Tanzania. In respect to the US dollars, the foreign non-residents pay $800, the foreign residents $700 and then about $100 for East Africans.

However, the above prices only work for the Regular Gorilla Safari that allows visitors to spend 60 minutes (1 hour) around the apes. The other available permit is the “Habituation Permit,” where each person pays $1500 to spend 4 hours with the animals in their natural habitat.

How to book for the Uganda Gorilla Tracking permit

Booking the permit should be the first step for every traveller planning to visit either Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. The big reason behind this suggestion is to avoid delays and cancellations of the permit on the day of the gorilla trek. The only legal seller of the permits in the country is the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), which receives payments and issues the document. To avoid the lengthy process of booking the Gorilla Permit, consider using a reputable travel agent like Nirvana Safaris Ltd.
Nirvana Safaris Ltd is the number one agent to let you feel the awe-moments of gorilla safari tours in East Africa. Book with us today, and have an awesome time in the Pearl of Africa.

What is the best time to book for the Gorilla Trekking Permit?

The best time that most travelers recommend to book for the Gorilla Trekking Permit is usually 6 months before embarking on the thrilling African Safari. During the high season for gorilla tours, many guests are received at the lodges, passes are sold-out which makes it very difficult to secure a permit. One can book earlier on in order to enjoy a safari like no other in Africa. To avoid delays, book 6 months before with Nirvana Safaris Ltd. We will help book for a gorilla permit, vehicles, lodges and other essential things for the Uganda Holiday adventures.

Can I recover my money once the Permit for Gorillas in Uganda is cancelled?

No, in most cases, there is no money refund to the trekkers after the for Gorilla Tracking permit
has been cancelled by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Depending on the reason for the cancellation of
the permit on the day of the trek, there may be a chance to reschedule the activity or receive part
of the money.

Uganda Vs Rwanda Gorilla Permits-Comparing the Gorilla Trekking Permits

The two leading champions of Gorilla Safaris in East Africa (Uganda & Rwanda) have differing experiences and charge different prices to people going for the experience. For the Rwandan permits, they go for $1500 for foreigners to the country. However, this amount is double for Uganda’ Permit which reaches a maximum of $800 for foreign non-residents and for foreign residents is $700.

NOTE:

Due to the high demand for the gorilla trekking safari in Uganda, there is a tendency to restrict the number of people entering the home of the endangered mountain gorillas in Africa. The Gorilla trekking adventure is a unique Uganda Wildlife Safari/Uganda Holiday Tour leading people to the remaining endangered groups of gorillas in the jungle of East Africa. Protection of the elusive creatures is entirely in the hands of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), the body that issues the Gorilla Permits in Uganda. Some of the common practices undertaken to conserve the 1000 mountain gorillas in the Virunga Volcanoes (Gahinga in Uganda) and the iconic Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are through using rules and guidelines for gorilla trekking and issuing Gorilla Permits to regulate visitors.

Trekkers to the home of gorillas in Uganda (Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga
Gorilla National Park) can subscribe to two types of permits before reaching the Pearl of Africa.
One of the available gorilla permits in Uganda is the “Standard Permit”, catering for the normal
gorilla trek. With this permit, trekkers get to spend one hour watching the animals living their
daily life in the wild. Permits for the Regular Gorilla tracking go for $800 for foreign non-
residents and $700 is paid by foreign residents living on the Ugandan borders.

Other people looking forward to spending more time around the majestic creatures (4 hours) can
Purchase the “Permit for Gorilla Habituation” to watch unhabituated primates in Bwindi
Impenetrable Forest.