Uganda Increases Gorilla Permit Prices in 2024 – 2026: Mountain Gorilla Permits to Trek/see gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, and /or Mgahinga will effective 1st/July/2024 increase to $800 per person for Foreign Non-residents, $700 per person for Foreign Residents, and UGX 300,000 per person for East Africans.
Uganda previously known to be the cheapest Gorilla trekking Destination in Africa has also decided to increase its Mountain Gorilla Permit Prices from $700 to $800 per person for Foreign Non-Residents, $600 to $700 per person for Foreign Residents, and Ugx 250,000 to Ugx300,000 per person for Africans originating from the 7 recognized East African Community – EAC members states; Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, and Congo.
“The revised fee structure will provide essential funds for park operations, law enforcement activities, community projects, and health monitoring of gorilla groups habituated for tourism.”
Reasons Why Uganda Has Increased Gorilla Permit Prices in 2024 – 2026
- Research, monitoring, and safety
Because Gorillas are considered critically endangered, they require constant research studies and monitoring to ensure they continue to exist. Both Gorilla research and monitoring require a lot of money which is financed through the sale of Gorilla Permits thus making it expensive for one to go gorilla trekking.
Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in Uganda hires personnel to monitor the whereabouts of the gorillas like; their movements, feeding, and ongoing health status. Every morning, an advanced group of trackers hikes into the forest to check on the gorillas. Similarly, tourism police and other armed rangers are hired to accompany tourists during their trek to see the gorillas. This is to ensure the client’s safety from any possible external attacks by either poachers or rebel groups from DR. Congo who in the past used the gorilla habitat as their hiding place.
- Limit human interference
One of the other reasons Uganda has decided to increase Mountain gorilla Permit Prices in 2024 – 2026 is to control or limit human interference. Mountain Gorillas are considered an endangered species with hardly 1,000 still surviving on earth. Learn more about the Current Mountain Gorilla Population
On a typical gorilla trekking day, only 08 persons are allowed to trek and visit a particular gorilla family. It is at this point that the high price charged on gorilla permits (now $700pp but will increase to $800pp effective 1st July 2024 – 2026) helps limit crowds. Not Many can afford it, meaning that there will be fewer people visiting. This, in turn, helps to minimize human interference and possible disease transmission from us, humans, onto the gorillas – remember they are endangered species and if we are not careful we could lose them completely.
- The livelihood of the communities living beside the gorillas.
Gorilla tourism has become an indirect source of livelihood for the communities living beside the gorilla parks. UWA has a standing revenue-sharing policy with the local communities in a bid to promote sustainable gorilla conservation. For example, In Uganda, the locals are entitled to 20% of the total revenue earned from the sale of gorilla permits. Revenue sharing with local people has created a positive attitude of local people towards gorilla tourism and conservation hence creating a conflict-free harmonious living between the locals and the management of respective national parks.
In a bid to continue conserving these endangered species, all governments have put up clear Gorilla Trekking rules and regulations for tourists to follow. We kindly request that you adhere to these regulations as they protect both you and the gorillas.
