How to Book a Gorilla Permit in Uganda

A gorilla permit is the document that allows one person to join one guided trek to one habituated gorilla family on one specific day. Uganda Wildlife Authority issues them, and the number available each day is strictly limited to protect the gorillas. That is why permits sell out months ahead for the high season — the limit is real, not a marketing line.

You can buy permits directly from Uganda Wildlife Authority, but most travellers book through a licensed tour operator like us. We check availability against your dates, secure the permit, and confirm the current price in your quotation — permit rates and availability are always reconfirmed at the time of booking rather than assumed.

The moment your dates are roughly fixed, tell us. Permits are tied to a specific day and trekking sector, so flexible dates give us the best chance of securing the family and trailhead that suit you.

The permit covers your trek, the rangers who lead it, park entry for the day and your restricted hour with the gorillas. It does not cover accommodation, transport, meals or other park activities — those are quoted separately in your itinerary.

For the full picture of what a Uganda safari costs, see our guide to Uganda safari costs and permit prices.

For travel in the high seasons, plan several months ahead. For the low seasons, permits are easier to find, but families and sectors still sell out. Last-minute requests sometimes work — we check availability before promising anything, and we will tell you honestly if your dates are no longer possible.

Beyond the standard one-hour trek, Uganda offers the Gorilla Habituation Experience in Bwindi's Rushaga sector: up to four hours with semi-habituated gorillas, the process by which wild families gradually get used to human presence. Current rates as of 13 October 2026 are USD 1,800 per person for Foreign Non-Residents and USD 1,600 for Foreign Residents, reconfirmed at booking.

It costs more and asks more of you, and it is limited to very small groups — that is exactly why some travellers prefer it to the standard trek.

One common confusion: the permit is not the price of the trip. A quotation from us lists the permit, your guide, vehicle, accommodation and park fees separately as they apply to your itinerary, so you can see exactly what you are paying for.

Ask us for an itemised quotation any time — by WhatsApp or through the enquiry form on any trip page.