You need gorilla permits to enter the forest and see mountain gorillas, and there is no way around it. Each habituated gorilla family can receive only eight visitors a day. As a result, permits often run out in the busy months long before the lodges fill up. This guide explains who sets permit rates, how booking works in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo, and how to choose the right sector. Best of all, Roots confirms the current rate and books your permits for you.
Our 12 day Uganda safari gives you the bragging rights of having done it all. First, you enjoy game drives on the savannah of Murchison Falls and a dramatic boat ride to the falls. Next, you walk with chimps in Kibale Forest. Then, you search for lions and leopards in
Our 7 day Uganda tour packs chimpanzees, big game and mountain gorillas into one week. First, you track chimps in Kibale Forest National Park, a primate haven with 13 primate species. Next, you enjoy a game drive and a boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Finally, you trek mountain
Our 7 day Uganda gorilla safari combines mountain gorillas with classic savannah wildlife in one week. You look for chimpanzees in a hidden gorge, cruise the Kazinga Channel and search for tree-climbing lions in Ishasha. Then you trek gorillas in Bwindi, unwind at beautiful Lake Bunyonyi and finish with zebras
A gorilla permit gives you a place in one trekking group, on one date, in one park sector. On the morning of your trek, you join a ranger briefing at the sector headquarters. After that, you hike into the forest with your guide, trackers and armed rangers. Once the trackers find your family, you spend up to one hour with the gorillas.
In addition, the permit fee pays for the rangers who protect the gorillas every day of the year. Part of it also goes to communities living beside the parks. As a result, local people gain from the gorillas, which has helped mountain gorilla numbers grow. So your permit is not just a ticket; it is part of how the forest stays protected.
Permit prices are set by each country’s wildlife authority, not by tour operators. In Uganda, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) sets rates for Bwindi and Mgahinga. Meanwhile, the Rwanda Development Board sets rates for Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the park authorities set rates for Virunga and Kahuzi-Biega.
These rates change from time to time. For example, authorities may raise the standard price, add a promotional rate for some months, or charge different rates for foreign visitors, residents and citizens. For this reason, we don’t print prices on this page. Instead, when you enquire, we confirm the current rate for your dates and nationality. Then we book the permits for you.
In general, each country has separate categories for foreign non-residents, foreign residents and citizens. Uganda also has a category for other African passport holders. Rwanda has offered reduced promotional rates for African citizens and residents, as well as for East African Community citizens. Because these categories and discounts change, tell us your nationality and residency when you contact us. That way, we quote the right rate from the start.
At times, UWA has offered discounted permits for some low-season months. However, discounted permits usually can’t be rescheduled. So ask us which dates qualify before you fix your travel plans. If you need flexibility, a standard permit may suit you better.
Uganda also offers a special permit for the four-hour gorilla habituation experience in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi. You spend around four hours with a family that is still getting used to people. This permit costs more than a standard trekking permit, and very few are available each day. Therefore, book it as early as you can.
The gorillas are the same subspecies in Uganda and Rwanda, and the hour with them is the same in both countries. The main differences are cost, access and availability.
Uganda’s permits have generally cost much less than Rwanda’s. In addition, Uganda has more habituated families, spread across four Bwindi sectors and Mgahinga. As a result, dates are often easier to find. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is also the only place that offers the habituation experience.
Rwanda is the quicker option. Volcanoes National Park is about two to three hours by road from Kigali, which suits travellers with only a day or two. On the other hand, Rwanda’s permit is the most expensive of the three countries.
Congo has historically been the cheapest place to trek gorillas. However, security in eastern Congo changes quickly, and parks sometimes close to visitors. We only book Congo treks when the park is open and conditions are safe. So contact us for the current position before you plan around it.
There’s a middle route as well. You fly into Kigali, cross into Uganda and trek in southern Bwindi. In this way, you get Uganda’s permit with Rwanda’s convenient airport. Our two-day Bwindi trek from Kigali is built around exactly this.
Booking through us is simple. We handle the paperwork, so you can focus on planning the rest of your trip.
Give us a preferred date and, if you can, a back-up date. Even one or two days of flexibility often makes the difference in peak season.
Next, we look across all Bwindi sectors and Mgahinga, or Volcanoes in Rwanda. Then we recommend the family that suits your route, fitness and lodge. That way, you aren’t driving three hours on the morning of your trek.
Before you pay, we confirm the current permit rate for your nationality and dates. As a result, there are no surprises later.
Permits must be paid in full before the authority issues them. We also need a clear copy of each traveller’s passport. You can pay us securely by card online.
Finally, we send you the confirmation and keep the original permits. Your guide hands them over at the park briefing on trekking day.
For June to September and December to February, book six months or more ahead. Groups of four or more who want to trek the same family should book even earlier. For March to May and October to November, three months is usually enough. Still, last-minute permits do come up, especially in the wet months, so it’s always worth asking. Our guide to the best months to trek with gorillas explains each season in detail.
Each permit is valid for one person, one date and one sector. You must carry the passport you booked with, because rangers check names at the gate. Also, the minimum age for gorilla trekking is 15.
If you are ill on the day, you may not be allowed to trek, since gorillas catch human illnesses easily. Refund and rescheduling rules are set by the wildlife authority, and they are strict. For that reason, we recommend travel insurance that covers cancellations. Before you go, read our page on trekking etiquette and fitness.
Permits are limited, and the best dates go first. Send us your travel dates, group size and nationality. We’ll confirm the current rate, check availability across every sector and book your permits for you. Then we’ll build a free tailor-made itinerary around your trek.
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