How to book Uganda gorilla trekking permits in 2024
How to get a pass to go hiking with gorillas in Uganda in 2024: Visitors over the age of 15 can get gorilla climbing passes from the Uganda Wildlife Authority. These are legal cards or papers that let people meet familiar gorilla families and spend an hour with them in their natural environment. In Uganda, there are two national parks where you can go gorilla climbing. These are Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Both are in the southwest of the country.
As well as Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park, and Kahuzi Biega National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are also places where people can go gorilla climbing.
In Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, there is one habituated gorilla family. In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, there are over 22 habituated gorilla families living in four sectors: the rushaga sector is in the south, the buhoma sector is in the north, the ruhija sector is in the east, and the nkuringo sector is in the south. You can go trekking with any of the gorilla families every day.
How much gorilla hiking passes cost in Uganda in 2024
In 2024, passes to go hiking with gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park will cost 700 USD for foreigners who do not live in Uganda and 600 USD for foreigners who do live in Uganda. East African citizens will pay 250,000 UGX per person.
In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, gorilla habituation passes cost 1,500 USD per person who is not from Uganda and 1,000 USD per person who is from Uganda and 750,000 UGX per person who is from East Africa.
How to get a pass to go walking in Uganda in 2024
You can book gorilla trekking permits in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park through a reputable tour company like Maseke Adventure Co.Ltd. Just email or WhatsApp our tour consultants with the date, month, and year you want to visit the gorillas. Once you call us, we’ll check with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to see if there are any permits available on the dates you want. If there are, you will be asked to make a deposit. We will be able to buy the pass for you and send you a scanned copy of the ticket as proof once the payment has been made.
When to book permits to go trekking in Uganda in 2024
To avoid disappointment at the last minute, you should book your gorilla trekking permits in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park at least three to six months before your planned trek. This is because the permits are in high demand and usually sell out quickly, especially during the busy season in June, July, August, September, December, January, and February.
What does the Uganda gorilla hiking pass cover?
In 2024, Uganda gorilla trekking permits cost UGX600. This includes park entrance fees to either Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, the services of a park guide, an hour with the mountain gorillas, and a certificate that every visitor will receive after their gorilla trekking experience.5 days of gorilla and monkey tour in Uganda from Kigali
Experience hiking with gorillas
Going on a gorilla walk in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park starts early in the morning at the park offices with a talk about the rules. Once the training is over, you will be split into eight groups, and each group will be given a familiar gorilla family to walk with along with an experienced park guide. It takes between 2 and 7 hours to trek with mountain gorillas in Uganda, based on where the gorillas are. This is because the gorillas keep moving around in search of food. You can see other animals while trekking, and once you find the mountain gorillas, you can spend an hour with them in their natural habitat. This gives you a chance to learn more about their habits and behaviors, as well as to watch them feed, breastfeed, play, groom their young, and take pictures and videos to show your family back home.
When in Uganda is the best time to go on a gorilla hiking safari?
You can go gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park at any time of the year, but the best time is during the dry season, which is also known as the peak season, from June to September and December to February. This is because there is less rain in the national parks during these months, so the access roads and trekking trails will be dry and easy to use. This is in contrast to the rainy season, when the trails are muddy and slippery, making gorilla trekking more difficult.
