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Permits & parks
How permits work, what they cost, when to book, and how to choose between Bwindi, Mgahinga, and Rwanda — written by guides who do this every week.
Gorilla trekking is regulated by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). Each habituated gorilla family can be visited by a maximum of 8 people per day, for one hour. Across Bwindi and Mgahinga combined, that comes out to roughly 152 permits per day — everything else is closed forest.
Tourists cannot book directly with UWA. Permits are sold only to registered Ugandan tour operators, who hold them on your behalf and confirm the family + sector once they’re assigned. We hold the permit for every confirmed trip we run, in your name, before we collect a deposit.
| Visitor | Bwindi / Mgahinga |
|---|---|
| Foreign non-resident | $800 |
| Foreign resident | $700 |
| African (non-East African) | $500 |
| East African citizen | UGX 300,000 |
Permit price is included in our tour packages and is not paid separately.
Peak season (Jun–Sep, Dec–Feb): book 4–6 months ahead. These months are drier, trails are firmer, and permits sell out quickly.
Green season (Mar–May, Oct–Nov): 6–10 weeks is usually enough. Trails are wet but the forest is at its lushest and prices on lodging are softer. Sightings are equally common — gorillas don’t mind the rain.
For honeymoons, milestone trips, or any group of 5+, build in extra buffer — securing 5+ permits for the same family on the same day takes coordination.
The flagship
The intimate option
The same species, two different experiences. Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is easier to reach (a 2-hour drive from Kigali airport vs 8–10 hours by road from Kampala) but a permit costs $1,500 — almost double Uganda’s $800. The Rwandan trek is also typically shorter and on more open terrain, which suits travellers with limited time or mobility.
Uganda wins on cost, sightings of secondary primates, and overall trip variety (Murchison, Queen Elizabeth, Kibale chimps). For most travellers we’d recommend Uganda. For tight schedules, fly into Kigali and we’ll drive you in from there.
6:00 — Breakfast at the lodge
Light meal, plenty of tea, packed lunch in your daypack.
7:30 — Park headquarters briefing
Ranger briefing, family assignment, and pairing with porters. You can hire a porter for ~$20 — recommended.
8:30 — Trek begins
Tracking takes anywhere from 1 to 7 hours depending on where the family slept. Trackers radio your guide once they’ve found them.
The hour
Once the family is found, you have exactly 60 minutes with them. Phones to silent, flash off, 7 metres of distance.
Return + certificate
Walk back to the trailhead, collect your trekking certificate, return to the lodge for a hot shower and a late lunch.
Tell us your travel month and we’ll check live UWA availability — no commitment, no deposit, just a yes/no within a few hours.