Cost of Gorilla permits in Uganda. Furthermore National Park entry fees and cost for Wildlife activities 2022-2024. Get the full information.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority has launched new prices effective from July 2022 – June 2024. This is for national park entrance fees, gorilla trekking and other wildlife activities. So, to make it possible for you to plan a trip to Uganda while also ensuring that you pay a fair price. You can find and download the rate card at the end of this post. In particular, we have highlighted some wildlife conservation projects which you might support.
Cost of gorilla permits in Uganda
Now the cost of a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda per person is $700 for foreign non-residents (FNR), $600 for foreign residents (FR) and 250000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens. Permits are available for booking through the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) or tour operator. You can purchase Bwindi or Mgahinga gorilla permits directly before you leave your home country. Besides, when not successful with online process, better get a friend or a safari company to help you. For trekking in Bwindi, don’t book accommodation before acquiring the permits. Because there are 22 gorilla families and 4 different gorilla sectors. Visitors can select the sector of choice at the time of booking and the lodge must close to the briefing center. The allocation of gorilla families occurs on D-day of gorilla trekking therefore requests to visit a desirable gorilla group are acceptable but not guaranteed.
What the cost of a gorilla permits includes
The cost of gorilla permits in Uganda cover 1 hour to spend with gorillas, park entrance, ranger and guide fees only for time being in Bwindi or Mgahinga. Expect to incur extra cost to hire a porter or tip your ranger and guide. Also, accommodation, transportation and meals are not included. In addition, there’s also gorilla habituation experience for those intending to track semi-habituated gorilla groups. This research activity is available in Rushaga for Bikingi family and Nkuringo for Posho group. The habituation permit cost is $1500 giving you 4 hours to spend with gorillas. So, make a choice between the cost of gorilla permit in Uganda or habituation.
Uganda National Park Entry Fees
(Payment only by cashless form)
The 10 parks of Uganda and 13 wildlife reserves fall into several categories. Class A plus contains Murchison Falls National Park – the world’s powerful waterfall. Adult foreign non-residents pay $45 and $35 for foreign residents. East African citizens 25000UGX and Children pay $25 and $15. Viewing the park’s most spectacular sight the Murchison falls is free. But to hike further to the top of the falls and look at the devil’s cauldron down below the gorge cost is $15 and $10 per person (cash is acceptable). The Lake Victoria water levels recently have increased and the hike that used to begin from the boat cruise downstream is no longer possible. Now access to scene is only possible through the top of the falls hike.
National park categories
First, category A national parks is $40 adult FNR and $30 FR; $20 and $10 for children. These are Kidepo Valley, Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Mgahinga and Kibale Forest National Parks. Entry fee for East Africans is 20000UGX for adults and 5000 children.
Then category B we have Rwenzori Mountains, Mount Elgon and Semuliki national parks; Toro-Semuliki, Pian Upe and Katonga Wildlife Reserves. The entry fee is $35 and $25 for adult foreign non-residents and foreign residents respectively. East Africa residents pay 15000UGX for adults and 2500UGX children. Children pay $25 and $15 respectively.
The park’s most spectacular is at Murchison falls. Viewing is free but to hike further to the top of the falls and look at the devil’s cauldron down below the gorge cost is $15 per person (cash is acceptable here). The Lake Victoria water levels recently have increased and the hike that used to begin from the boat cruise downstream is no longer possible. Access to scene is through the top of the falls hike.
Entry fees for Category A national parks is $40 adult FNR and $30 FR; $20 and $10 for children. These are Kidepo Valley, Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Mgahinga and Kibale Forest National Parks. Entry fee for East Africans is 20000UGX for adults and 5000 children.
In category B, we have Rwenzori Mountains, Mount Elgon and Semuliki national parks; Toro-Semuliki, Pian Upe and Katonga Wildlife Reserves. The entry fee is $35 and $25 for adult foreign non-residents and foreign residents respectively. East Africa residents pay 15000UGX for adults and 2500UGX children.
Cost of guided Nature walks, birding and wildlife activities (rates for foreign non-residents and foreign residents respectively)
- Kibale Night forest walk $40 and $20
- Gorge walk in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park $30 and $15
- Buhoma – Nkuringo long walk $50 and $40
- chimpanzee tracking in Kibale forest $200 and $150
- Chimp tracking in Kyambura gorge $50 and $40
- Chimpanzee habituationn at Kibale Forest $250, $200 and 200000UGX for East Africans
- Golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga is $60 and $40
- Golden monkey habituation $100 and 80
Local community and wildlife Conservation projects to visit in Uganda
Now in 2022 the total population of Uganda is 48,432,863 million people growing up from just 5,158,000 before independence in 1950. (Uganda Bureau of statistic – UBOS 2022). As a result, pressure on natural resources is increasing. People want land for cultivation and have a drink problem in the country further polluting the environment. Therefore, increasing awareness amongst locals and travelers alike is important. There are several examples of conservation projects doing to safeguard protected areas while empowering local people. If you would like to visit a few, here are some examples throughout the country.
The Echuya forest conservation and livelihood program.
The montane Echuya Forest Reserve in Kisoro district south-west of Uganda covers 34 sq.km at the end of the Alberene rift valley. It contains bamboo which is a favorite construction material among the locals thus leading to the threat of its deforestation. Conserving Echuya forest is important given the rich biodiversity. There 152 birds recorded of which 18 are Albertine Rift Endemics such as Grauer’s swamp warbler. The Batwa pygmies inhabited the forest but were relocated and hiking in Echuya rainforest was opened in 2018. Visitors can hike in the swamp at high altitude and explore off-the-beaten path in Uganda while supporting conservation of this forest reserve.
Experiential lion tracking
With about 493 lions, the conservation of lions in Uganda is vital. The experiential lion tracking offers guarantee to see the big cats in Kasenyi plains north of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Lion tracking cost is $100 (FNR) and $80 (FR) and 100,000UGX for East African citizens. There are over 128 lions in the park including Tree Climbing Lions in Ishasha wilderness. Local communities living near Kasenyi share the park area posing a serious challenge of lion-human conflicts than in Murchison Falls and Kidepo Valley where the big cats are also found. Indeed, in 2017 six lions were killed therefore, the lion tracking is important in monitoring and carrying out research to mitigate arising conflicts now and again.
Tracking chimpanzees in the grasslands
Chimp tracking in Uganda is mainly conducted in tropical forests such as Kibale, Kalinzu, Kyambura gorge and Budongo. However, the Uganda Wildlife Authority has opened up a new experience of tracking chimps in the savanna grasslands in Toro-Semuliki Wildlife Reserve and Sebitoli Kibale Forest National Park’s new visitor center.
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
The last eastern black rhino in Uganda was killed in 1983 in Kidepo Valley National Park on the border with South Sudan and Kenya. The plan to bring them back to Uganda begun in 2005 under the partnership project between Rhino Fund Uganda and Uganda Wildlife Authority. In that regard, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary was established and four southern white rhinos were put there. Now the 70 hectares wilderness area is home to 35 rhinos. UWA might perhaps try to return these animals to Kidepo and Murchison falls national parks once the numbers increase. But keeping them safe in such a remote protected area on the border with the unstable South Sudan will prove a serious challenge. Support rhino conservation whilst enjoying on-foot-rhino trekking experience on the way to Murchison Falls.
Here you may download the pdf (2.5MB) with the overview of Cost of Gorilla Permits in Uganda along with the park entry fees and other worthful information by the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
