Cheapest Gorilla Trekking Permits

Are you envisioning a unique gorilla trekking experience in Uganda but are concerned about the cost? The good news is Uganda offers the cheapest gorilla trekking permits in Africa, making it an ideal option for budget-conscious travelers in 2025 and 2026. Whether you are a local East African or an international guest, you can witness the enchanting mountain gorillas without overspending. This guide will delve into current permit prices, ways to secure the best deals, and advice for enjoying an affordable yet memorable gorilla safari.

Turn your gorilla safari dreams into unforgettable experiences with our most popular cheap gorilla permits. Meeting face to face with the iconic mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, our gorilla tours deliver once-in-a-lifetime experiences in Africa. Before visiting the mountain gorillas, one assumption visitors have is that gorilla safaris are expensive, which isn’t entirely false. However, planning your gorilla tour will help you figure out how to enjoy the adventure without blowing too much money.

We provide high-quality, great-value tours, including access to one of the habituated gorilla families in bucket-list safari destinations, which are renowned mountain gorilla natural habitats. Native Africa Tours’ safari specialists handle every detail, so you can now focus on making memories that last a lifetime. Are you ready to browse through some of our cheap gorilla tour options? Contact us today!

The cost of a gorilla trekking safari varies depending on factors such as accommodation, transportation, and other additional activities. A cheaper gorilla tour might seem appealing at first glance, with costs as low as $1600 per person compared to premium options that go to as high as $5000 per person for a three-day gorilla safari.

What is included on A Gorilla Safari

However, cheap mountain gorilla trekking tours might come with hidden trade-offs. To understand where your money goes, below is the breakdown of the typical expenses;

Gorilla permits: Gorilla trekking permits, issued by Rwanda Development Board, costs $1500 per person while the ones issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority cost $800 per person for foreign non-residents, or $700 per person for foreign residents. Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature issues permit for $400 per person for Virunga National Park visitors. These fees are non-negotiable and a fixed part of any gorilla trekking cost. However, there’s an opportunity to get cheaper gorilla permits.
Transportation: You need to understand how you will get to your accommodation or the National Park for the gorilla trekking experience. Although some low-cost tour operators offer cheaper transportation, we highly recommend a 4×4 safari vehicle because of the rugged roads leading to the National Park.
Accommodation: Comfortable accommodation is required for an unforgettable gorilla trekking safari in whatever safari destination you visit. Lower-cost gorilla tours might book extremely cheap accommodation, putting your comfort at stake. These tours might not include meals, requiring visitors to invest more for a comfortable stay, hence spending more than planned.

Cheapest Gorilla Trekking Permits Options

The first step to take when planning a cheap gorilla safari is to browse/search for the cheaper gorilla permit options.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is often relatively cheaper than Uganda and Rwanda, with gorilla permits costing $400 per person for international visitors and $200 per person for Congolese citizens.
Uganda charges the second-most costly gorilla permit fee at $800 per person for foreign non-residents, $700 per person for foreign residents, or Shs. 300,000/or $85 per person for East African community citizens.
Rwanda charges the highest cost for gorilla trekking permits, but there are several on how you can get cheaper gorilla permits. For instance, if you’re an African or African resident, there’s a possibility of acquiring a gorilla permit at $500 per person. Rwandan and East African citizens also receive gorilla permits for $200 per person. However, these cheaper gorilla permit options aren’t available in the peak season, which ranges from June to October 2025.
International visitors planning to track mountain gorillas from Volcanoes National Park also have a discounted gorilla permit option, which includes a 30% discount for spending two nights in either Akagera National Park or Nyungwe Forest besides visiting gorillas. For this option to apply, a confirmation payment receipt from the Hotel and one activity has to be paid and provided.

However, visitors are only eligible for 1 discounted gorilla permit for the 2-night stay in either Nyungwe Forest or Akagera National Park. If you hope to get another discounted permit, add another 2 nights in Akagera or Nyungwe to your stay. This discounted permit option is only available in the low season.

Best Time to Book a Gorilla Tour

Many Tour Operators are open throughout the year; hence, consider going for your gorilla trekking adventure during the low season, which typically is the wet/rainy season when there are fewer visitors in the National Parks. In all gorilla trekking destinations, the long rains fall from March to May, while the short rains fall from October to November. While there are a few hours of rain, you will still have plenty of sunshine, hence it is worth it. There are fewer crowds, which means cheapest gorilla trekking permits and accommodation, hence you can enjoy 30-40% savings by trekking gorillas in the wet season.

Besides the option of taking advantage of the cheaper gorilla permits to enjoy an affordable gorilla tour, we suggest other options. Read on to know how you can still afford the same gorilla trekking experience without breaking the bank. Here are some tips;

Opting for budget accommodation

Opting for budget accommodation on your gorilla trekking safari can exceedingly cut down on your safari expenses. For adventurous visitors, there’s an option of pitching your tent for some camps with public facilities, hence making them an affordable alternative to the expensive Safari Lodges and Tented Camps. If you’re traveling with Native Africa Tours, always inform us about your preference for budget-friendly accommodation, which can be a private tent with a comfortable bed and an en-suite toilet.

Book your Gorilla safari in advance.

Booking Gorilla safaris in advance is both time and cost-saving. For instance, flight schedules are normally available at least 10 months in advance with direct flights or connecting flights to Gorilla Trekking countries (especially Uganda and Rwanda). Therefore, booking your gorilla tour six to eight months early helps you take advantage of discounted fares and reduced costs for accommodation and logistics. You can also capitalize on Native Africa Tours’ seasonal discounts and promos to enjoy a budget gorilla safari.

Undertake a one-day or two-day Gorilla Tour.

Short Gorilla Tours are just as good as three-day or four-day gorilla trips, as long as you get to meet the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Volcanoes National Park makes provision for a one-day gorilla tour to see the iconic Giant Apes by leaving Kigali City at 4:00 am for the three-hour drive to the Park to track gorillas, then return to the City the same day. For gorilla trekking in Uganda, you can go for a 2 Days gorilla tour from Kigali.

Uganda is the top choice for inexpensive gorilla trekking, with permits starting at just $80 for East African citizens, alongside competitive pricing for other tourists. Whether you’re arranging a dream safari or looking for an immersive wildlife experience on a budget, Uganda makes it achievable. With strategic planning and the support of a reputable local operator like Native Africa Tours, you can enjoy the wonder of mountain gorillas without breaking the bank.

Are you ready to plan your budget-friendly gorilla trek? Reach out to us today, and we’ll assist you in securing your permits and crafting the ideal affordable safari for 2025 or 2026.