Booking Procedure:

Reservations Office

Bookings for all gorilla permits in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) and Mgahinga GorillaNational Park (MGNP) shall be done at Reservation Office at UWA Headquarters in Kampala. The Mgahinga gorilla permit fee will be increased to the same rate as Bwindi permits when the new tariff will come into effect.

Long Term (Two Years in Advance) Booking Allocations  

Advance bookings will be allowed up to two years as long as a deposit of 30% is made and the balance paid 91 days prior to the tracking date.80% of all the gorilla permits in each month can be booked for two years in advance by AUTO members  only. Foreign tour operators will book through local tour operators.

Each tour company (AUTO) can book up to 20 permits for a particular month on the day the booking opens, which is the first working day (Monday to Friday) of the month in question.

Short time booking (Three months in advance)  

Uganda Wildlife Authority reserves the right to sell the remaining 20% of the permits per month to whom it wishes. However, individual trackers can buy a maximum of 2 permits for the month (There is no guarantee, which dates or how many per day will be  available).

Permit Limits

Permits not sold on the day the booking opens will be open for sale the following day with no limits on the number each tour operators can buy.

An individual tracker will be allowed a maximum of two permits for a consecutive two days tracking

Visitor Category

Rates for a permit differ based on the residence status of the visitor. The three categories are:

non residents

foreign resident of Uganda (with proof of a two years residence permit in Uganda as determined for tax purposes in Uganda)

Uganda citizen.

Reference can be made to the price list posted at the point of sale to verify the correct Fee. Visitor  category will be verified at the point of sale and at check-in prior to the Departure for tracking. 

Refunds/Cancellation Guidelines

UWA shall refund the full tracking fee, if the visitor fails to track due to illness. A visitor shall be declared unfit to track due to illness by the Warden in Charge and this clause only applies to visitors who have made their way to BINP or MGNP.

Visitors who fail to track the gorillas (especially in MGNP) as a result of their movement to the neighbouring country shall receive a full refund on their permits. However, should visitors track the whole day and fail to view the gorillas for one reason or another, 75% of the tracking fee will be refunded.

All refunds shall be effected at UWA Headquarters in Kampala through the Reservations Office.

UWA will retain the following percentages upon cancellations;

Any refund to be made on the 30% deposit shall be at the value of the permit.

Permits must be sold at face value, whoever sells at higher value will be penalized.

Primary sale of permits by individuals or tour companies anywhere is illegal. All permits MUST be sold by Uganda Wildlife Authority only.

Payment for gorilla permits must be made directly to Uganda Wildlife Authority.

The tracking time from 08:30 a.m to 7:00 p.m. All visitors are expected back at the Entrance gates of both Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park by 7:00 p.m.

Please, check with the UWA Headquarter Offices in Kampala before you travel to the two parks for gorilla tracking.