Bwindi Park Entrance Fees 2025/2026: Gorilla Permits, Entry & Activity Costs
Are you planning a gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park? It’s essential to understand the current Bwindi Park entrance fees and permit prices to budget your trip effectively. The park fees differ depending on your residency status, with foreign tourists facing higher rates compared to East African citizens. Besides basic park entry, the unique opportunity to experience this incredible wildlife makes gorilla trekking and habituation permits expensive. This guide outlines all the costs for 2025/2026, including park entry fees, gorilla permits, nature walks, and cultural activities to assist you in confidently organizing your adventure.
For the year 2025/2026, Bwindi Park entrance fees range from $40 for foreign tourists to UGX 20,000 for East African citizens. Gorilla trekking permits cost $800, and habituation permits cost $1,500. These fees, established by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, are applicable per person, per day.
UWA sets the Bwindi park entrance fees depending on visitor categories. There are 4 major categories recognized by UWA, and each has a specific amount to pay to have access to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. They include foreign non-residents, the rest of Africa, foreign residents, and East African citizens (including Ugandans).
As per UWA updated conservation tariffs, Bwindi falls under category A and park entrance fees charged per adult & child range as follows;
- Foreign nonresidents USD 40
- Foreign residents USD 30
- Rest of Africa USD 25
- East African Citizens UGX 20,000
Foreign non-resident children pay USD 20, foreign residents USD10, the Rest of African children USD 5, and last, children under the East African citizens UGX 5,000. Note that we charge these rates per person. The costs apply to visitors who visit Bwindi for activities other than gorilla trekking.
Breakdown of Bwindi Park Entrance Fees per Activity
Gorilla trekking requires a visitor to get a valid gorilla permit. For this case, expect to pay USD 800 to secure a permit as a foreign nonresident, USD 700 per person as a foreign resident, and East African citizens UGX 300,000 per visitor. Authorities charge visitors from the rest of Africa USD 500 to book a valid gorilla tracking permit for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Gorilla habituation experience permits a cost of USD 1500 per person under the category of foreign nonresidents, USD 1000 per guest for foreign residents, and UGX 750,000 for all citizens under the East African Community.
Bird-watching and nature walks fees range: foreign nonresidents USD 40 per person, foreign residents USD 30 per visitor, and Ugandans/East African citizens UGX 30,000 per visitor.
Guided long walk along the Rushaga to Nyabaremura fees range: foreign non-residents USD 60 per tourist, foreign residents USD 50 per visitor, while the East African citizens UGX 50,000 per visitor.
Long walk from Buhoma to Nkuringo fees for foreign non-residents USD 60 per visitor, USD 50 per person for foreign residents, and East African citizens UGX 50,000 per tourist.
Long walk Rushura hill (Muzabajiro Loop) fees range as follows; foreign nonresidents USD 40 per person, USD 20 per visitor for all the foreign residents, and UGX 10,000.
Bamboo walk in Ruhija costs USD 40 per person for foreign nonresidents, USD 20 per visitor for the foreign residents, and UGX 10,000 for Ugandans or East African citizens.
Last, the Batwa Forest Experience–this excludes the park entrance fees. The park charges foreign non-residents USD 40 per person, foreign residents USD 40 per visitor, and East African citizens UGX 40,000 per visitor.
How to Book a Gorilla Permit
Visitors with plans to explore Bwindi Impenetrable National Park can book/pay for the permits and other fees through a reliable tour company. Native Africa Tours has been and still is assisting many nature enthusiasts in realizing their travel dreams in the Pearl of Africa and beyond. Contact our team and let us begin every step necessary to ensure that you secure a slot to explore your dream destination–Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and others.
When you think about traveling to explore the wonders of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, it is advisable to secure park entrance fees or gorilla permits at least 2 to 6 months before the actual exploration of the park. While it is possible to have a last-minute booking, the chances are very minimal for you to secure a permit.
When should you visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?
The ideal time to explore Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and its wonders is during the dry months of the year. The dry months stretch from June to September, then from December to February. These are the months when the demand for certain adventures in Bwindi can be high, especially mountain gorilla trekking and habituation.
You can visit Bwindi around the wet or low season. On your travel calendar, the low season occurs twice, with the longest occurring from March to May while the shortest off-months begin from October to November.
What to see in Bwindi
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, prides itself on a pristine natural rainforest. The park extends up to 331 sq. km and holds over 120 mammal species, 350 species of birds, 400 tree species, 1000 flowering plants, and over 220 butterfly species, etc.
Wildlife to encounter on Uganda tours in Bwindi National Park includes mountain gorillas, l’hoest monkeys, forest elephants, black & white colobus monkeys, chimpanzees, olive baboons, and others.
Birds to spot in Bwindi include the handsome spur fowl, black bee-eaters, Doherty’s bush shrike, bar-tailed trogon, mountain oriole, regal sunbird, black-crowned waxbill, gray-headed Nigrita, pale-fronted Nigrita, brown twin spot, bar-breasted fire finch, red-billed fire finch, white-breasted Nigrita, Neumann’s warblers, and quail finch. Additional bird checklist in Bwindi National Park include dusky crimson wing, black and white manikin, green-backed twin spot, strip-breasted tit, purple-breasted sunbird, Archer’s robin-chat, yellow-eyed black flycatchers, Kivu ground-thrush, lagden’s bush shrike, tit hylia, Rwenzori batis, and others.
What to do in and around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park offers a range of unique wilderness experiences suitable for all kinds of visitors. The top exciting things to consider enjoying on a tour in Bwindi include mountain gorilla trekking, bird-watching, gorilla habituation experience, nature walks or forest hikes, and Batwa community walks.
How to prepare for a tour to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Consider planning a tour to Bwindi and you can do so at least 2-6 months in before the intended date for exploring this lush protected area. You must also consider parking appropriately for your Bwindi tour, starting with the essentials such as waterproof and strong hiking boots, a raincoat or jacket, gardening gloves, high-energy giving snacks, a camera for photography, and extra batteries/memory cards.
Other items to include when packing for the Bwindi tour are: a pair of binoculars, long-sleeved shirts, trousers, a sweater, bottled drinking water, a daypack, insect repellents, first aid kits, sunscreen, a safari hat & sunglasses, etc.
Where to stay?
The best places to book for overnight stays in and around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park include Bwindi Orugano Lodge, Buhoma Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla Valley Lodge, Bwindi Lodge, Bweza Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Ride 4 a Woman, Mahogany Springs Lodge, and Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge.
How to reach Bwindi from Kampala or Kigali
Access to Bwindi involves departing from the heart of Entebbe or Kampala city through the Masaka-Mbarara-Kabale route. This marks the longest access route to Bwindi, taking between 8 and 9 hours’ drive. The shortest route involves setting off from the heart of the Kigali Capital through Chanika or Katuna border crossing to any of the Bwindi National Park regions (Rushaga, Nkuringo, Ruhija, and Buhoma).
Flights are also an available alternative to reaching Bwindi and visitors can set off from the Entebbe International Airport and land at the Kihihi or Kisoro Airstrip. From any of these airstrips, you can meet a professional driver guide to transfer you to the park.
It’s crucial to understand the entrance fees and gorilla permit costs for Bwindi Park when planning a budget-friendly gorilla trekking safari in Uganda. Regardless of whether you are an international tourist or an East African resident, being aware of the updated fees for 2025/2026 will help you prepare financially and prevent any unexpected costs. At Native Africa Tours, we take care of all permit bookings and park arrangements, ensuring your Bwindi experience is smooth and memorable. Reach out to us today to secure your gorilla permits and embark on your adventure in one of Africa’s premier wildlife destinations.
