What Is The Cost To See Gorillas In Uganda And Rwanda?

What Is The Cost To See Gorillas In Uganda And Rwanda? – The General Price Of A Gorilla Trekking Safari

The price of a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda and Rwanda is determined by several factors including the price for a gorilla tracking permit, gorilla permit in Uganda costs $ 800 and in Rwanda costs $ 1,500 per person.

Other factors influencing the average cost of gorilla trekking tour in Uganda and Rwanda include accommodation, meals and transportation to and from your gorilla destination.

Gorilla permit is a must have for gorilla trekking and its price is non-negotiable, other items on your gorilla quotation can be relative to your style of travel. For accommodation, you can choose either budget, midrange or luxury. Transportation, you can choose with public, private or self-drive. Also, you can choose to use a tour operator to handle all the logistics or you do it all by yourself- which can be a bit hard and frustrating.

Let’s take a dip dive at all these factors determining the average cost of a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda and Rwanda to give you a clear picture of what you should expect.

How much is a gorilla permit in Uganda and Rwanda?

The current (2025) price of a Uganda gorilla permit is $ 700 per person per trek for foreign non-residents, $ 700 for foreign residents and UGX 300,000 for locals per person.

A Rwanda gorilla permits costs $ 1500 per person per trek for all international visitors, locals pay RWF 30,000.

Note: a gorilla permit in Rwanda is discounted at 30% if you are to visit other Rwanda national parks that is Nyungwe Forest National Park and Akagera National Park.

The price of a gorilla permit makes the cost of the entire gorilla trekking trip higher than most would expect, the whole gorilla conservation program is so expensive and much of the funding comes from gorilla permit sales.

Many factors for a successfully continuous primate conservation program like monitoring their health and protecting them from poachers, need regular financing. It is a truly massive undertaking with researchers, team of rangers, trackers, guides and a whole conservation management system run by the government’s conservation management body.

Almost 75% of the permit fees in Uganda finance the conservation program, the government retains 15 percent sparing the last 10 percent for development program for local communities surrounding the gorilla parks.

With a secured gorilla permit, you get a guided gorilla trekking adventure in the misty woods, a ranger security and assured sighting of the gorillas and observing mountain gorillas and their peculiar behavior.

If you wish to spend more than one hour with the gorillas in Uganda, you must purchase a gorilla habituation permit of $ 1500 per person. Gorilla Habituation Experience is intense, emotionally and physically demanding moments which are worth.

Note: visitors above 15 years are allowed to participate in gorilla trekking.

In Uganda, gorilla permits are issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority and can be purchased via a trusted tour operator. In Rwanda, the permits are purchased with online or at the offices of Rwanda Development Board in Kigali City.  Booking your permit through a licensed tour operator will save you from a licensed tour operator, however note that some local operators usually charge a logical fee of about $ 30 per permit.

What is the cost of accommodation on a gorilla tour?

In Uganda, a decent accommodation to stay during gorilla trekking costs about $ 100 – $ 350 per night with all meals. Anything above that, you will be getting a luxurious treatment in a private forest cottage which is usually situated a walking distance from the trekking point.

Rwanda has set itself as a high-end gorilla tour destination with the average guest room price reaching $ 1500 per night and can go as high as $ 15,000 per night in One&Only Gorilla Nest. However, you can get a decent accommodation for gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda for about $ 320 per night with meals in safari lodges like Mountain Gorilla View Lodge.

While on a gorilla trekking adventure in Uganda and Rwanda, it is not a challenge to find a lodge or hotel to stay at as many companies and investors have built many lodges near the park entrances. Accommodation choices range from budget hotels and hostels, midrange – comfortable lodges and luxury lodges and resorts.

All lodges for gorilla trekking are located in remote places where access to civilization is non-existent. Most lodges provide a short daily menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner which are covered in your room price.

Most lodges will request you that you inform them of your special dietary requirements behand and will not charge you differently from the room price.

What is the cost of transport for a gorilla safari?

Accessing the gorilla trekking park requires a 4×4 safari vehicle built for enduring dirt roads, it can averagely cost $ 250 per day for a 6-seater – land cruise loaded with gas (fuel) and a professional English-speaking driver.

First of all, you must consider the location of the gorilla you wish to visit and the accommodation, in case of Uganda. The location of the gorilla permit is essential, Uganda has five gorilla sectors where all trekking excursions begin with each having a different driving distance a part.

All lodges are concentrated around the trekking sectors requiring you to get the distance apart before planning your transportation costs for the gorilla group.

Uganda’s gorilla parks that is Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are about 300 miles from the International Airport in Entebbe. Driving time is about 10-11 hours and about 19 miles from the highway is a dirt -road drive through steep hillside which require a tough 4×4 car.

Even if you take a local flight to any of the two small airstrips outside Bwindi that is Kisoro and Kihihi Airstrips, you will need a vehicle to transport for about 1.5 hours on the dirt roads to your safari lodge.

A domestic return flight ticket between Entebbe International Airport and the local airport near Bwindi – Kisoro or Kihihi Airstrips cost about US$ 540 per person. The flights take about an hour and can connect you to other national parks like Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kibale Forest National Park.

Most travelers take a flight option to avoid travel fatigue and spare their energy for the gorilla trekking experience. Usually, lodges organize private airport transfers and a vehicle for your gorilla trekking excursion at a price separate from the room of about $ 150 -$300 per day depending on the location of the lodges.

If you are an independent traveler intending to drive yourself on your gorilla trekking tour, you can hire a small 3×3 Toyota for about $ 60 per day or a powerful 4×4 Landcruiser at $ 130 per day.

The cost of a local porter on a gorilla trek

On gorilla trekking, you need a local porter who charges about 20 per person, porters are essential in helping visitors carry their backpacks to lighten up their weight and help them up or down steep inclines.

Even if you are physically fit to trek on your own, don’t underestimate the importance of the porter. Porters are strong local men and women who use their practiced strength of moving in the mountain forests with heavy loads to provide service to visiting tourists.

They are strong enough to even carry you up the hill on their backs, porters can also be great company during the excursion, keep on feeding you with many interesting native stories and experiences.

What other things would make up the average cost of a gorilla tour?

Other costs on your gorilla trekking tour may include entry visa fees, meals and drinks not covered by the lodge, souvenirs and gifts, tips, language interpreter fees and any sudden expenses.

Entry Visa: almost all foreign travelers entering Uganda or Rwanda require a 60-day single tourist entry visa which cost $ 50. A single-entry East Africa visa to cross Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya’s borders cost $ 100. For Uganda visa, find out more at immigration.go.ug and Rwanda at migration.gov.rw.

Souvenirs: price of souvenir, African crafts and art is relative to shop, artists and location. Many gorilla lodges have craft shops that provide a variety of choices at fixed prices. If you prefer to bargain your price, visit a craft shop in the city or roadside. However, we recommend buying your souvenirs from local craft shops around the gorilla parts to support communities primarily dependent on gorilla tourism.

Language Interpreter – A language interpreter for your gorilla tour costs $ 50 – $ 300 per day relative to French, German or Chinese. English is the common language locals use during gorilla trekking, so you might want to hire an interpreter to come along with you on this holiday trip. The interpreter will cover their own meals and accommodation, but accommodation but you must cover their transport costs.

Tipping – although tipping for services on a gorilla tour is not a must, it is an admirable gesture to tip someone when they provide outstanding service. In gorilla safari lodges, you will find a gratuity box for collecting tips for all staff members from chefs to room service attendants. However, you can offer tips for around $ 5-$ 20 per person daily or even more depending on your satisfaction with the quality of service.