Discounted gorilla trekking permits in Uganda

Discounted gorilla trekking permits in Uganda: Gorilla trekking permits are documents issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to allow a person to visit a habituated mountain gorilla group and be around the members for a period of one hour. Effective 1st March 2026, the Uganda Wildlife Authority introduced the discounted gorilla permits to increase the number of tourists visiting the mountain gorillas during the low season months of April, May, October, and November.

Mountain gorillas of Uganda are found in both Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga National Park. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park receives the highest number of tourists, as it hosts the highest population of mountain gorillas and gorilla families in the world, while Mgahinga National Park has only one mountain gorilla family, named the Nyakagezi gorilla group.

Mountain gorillas, being the close relatives of human beings, attract thousands of tourists who want to see them in their natural habitat. They are said to be the second closest relatives to human beings, with more than 98% human DNA. For tourists to successfully watch the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, they are required to have gorilla trekking permits from the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

On 1st March 2026, the Uganda Wildlife Authority announced the discounted gorilla trekking permits. This change will increase the number of travelers in the low season, as tour packages will also be affordable. When the gorilla trekking permits and the accommodation facilities reduce price, the cost of the safari does reduce, and this allows lots of travelers, especially the budget travelers, to travel.

What is the cost of discounted gorilla permits in Uganda?

To trek mountain gorillas in both Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga National Park, you need a gorilla trekking permit from the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Gorilla trekking discounted permits for April, May, October, and November cost $600 for foreign non-residents, $500 for foreign residents, $500 for the rest of Africa, and UGX300,000 for citizens of East African member states.

Tourists who intend to travel for gorilla trekking are required to use registered tour operators to help them purchase gorilla permits from Uganda Wildlife Authority. Early booking is advanced, like 2 to 3 months before travel, and this is done for proper planning and to avoid last-minute disappointments.

Low-season gorilla trekking in Uganda

Just like any other gorilla trekking, the activity starts with a briefing at the headquarters, where the park warden teaches the trekkers the rules and regulations of the activity. Grouping is done where each group is given armed ranger guides to lead them in the jungle. Trekkers who have excess luggage are allowed to hire porters at a fee to help them with their luggage while trekking.

Trekkers, together with armed ranger guides, head to the starting point of the trek, and driver guides leave them to head into the forest where they start to search for where the mountain gorillas could be. The search for mountain gorillas goes through several trails and comes with an opportunity of seeing forest attractions, which include the mammals, primates, birds, and unique vegetation cover.

Searching and locating mountain gorillas takes 2 to 4 hours, depending on the location of the mountain gorilla group as well as the speed of trekkers. As soon as these apes are spotted, trekkers get to have one hour around the gorillas, and this enables one to learn about the gorillas habits; take photos, record videos, and watch them carry out daily activities, among which may include nesting, hunting, mating, and breastfeeding, among others.

After trekkers have spent one hour with the mountain gorillas, they are asked to leave the mountain gorilla group and continue with its daily activities. The trekkers trek out of the forest, with opportunities to meet forest attractions. All trekkers of the day are awarded trekking certificates for a successful gorilla trek.

Tourists who travel for gorilla trekking will always see the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga National Park. They should, however, know that there is plenty of rainfall and little sunshine at the time, and this keeps the trekking trails muddy and slippery. The vegetation is tall and thick, which might lead to unclear views of the mountain gorillas within the jungle.

Looking for the best time to see the mountain gorillas? It’s the dry season, which happens from June to September and December to February. This is a period when the parks have good weather characterized by plenty of sunshine and little rainfall. The trails are dry and easier to walk through, which makes the gorilla search easy, and the vegetation is short with good views of the attractions.

The dry season is considered high season, and the gorilla permit prices are $800 for foreign non-residents, $700 for foreign residents, and $500 for the rest of Africa, while citizens of East African member states pay UGX300,000. Early booking of gorilla permits is advised during the high season, as permits tend to sell out in the favorite gorilla trekking areas.