How to Book a Gorilla Trekking Permit in Uganda or Rwanda
A gorilla trekking permit authorises your participation in a guided trek on a booked date. You need one for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. To begin booking with BLS Safaris, send your preferred dates, destination and number of trekking guests. Check availability before finalising accommodation and transfers. In Bwindi, your lodge and route should match the sector where your permit is booked. Confirm the applicable rate, required traveller details and payment conditions, then obtain written confirmation of your secured trekking date and location. An availability enquiry alone does not confirm a permit.
Gorilla Trekking Permits at a Glance
Before checking availability, decide where you want to trek, your preferred dates, and how many guests will participate. Keep alternative dates available if your itinerary allows.
| Booking detail | What you need to know |
|---|---|
| Uganda destinations | Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park |
| Rwanda destination | Volcanoes National Park |
| Permit requirement | Each trekking guest needs a permit for their booked activity and date |
| Activity choice | Specify standard gorilla trekking or Uganda’s gorilla habituation experience |
| Bwindi location | Confirm the trekking sector before finalising nearby accommodation |
| Traveller details | Prepare names matching passports and the documents needed for the applicable visitor category |
| Availability | Check the requested date and location before committing to the wider itinerary |
| Confirmation | Obtain written confirmation of the secured date, location and activity |
| Separate arrangements | Check whether accommodation, transfers and porter assistance are included in your safari quotation |
How to Book Your Gorilla Permit with BLS Safaris
Start with your preferred trekking dates and guest numbers, then work through the following steps.
- Send your travel preferences
Tell us whether you want Uganda or Rwanda, your preferred date and the number of trekking guests. Include alternative dates and specify standard trekking or gorilla habituation. - Check availability and location
Ask for availability at the suitable park and, for Bwindi, the trekking sector. If your first choice is unavailable, review alternatives before finalising accommodation. - Provide the required traveller details
Supply names matching passports and the documents needed to confirm each guest’s visitor category. Mention any guest approaching the minimum trekking age. - Review the quotation and payment terms
Check the permit charge, any separate service fees, payment deadline and cancellation or date-change conditions. Follow the payment instructions supplied with your booking. - Receive booking confirmation
Obtain written confirmation of the secured trekking date, park, sector where applicable and activity. Then finalise accommodation and transfers around that location.
An availability check or payment receipt alone should not be treated as confirmation that your requested permit has been secured.
Gorilla Trekking Permit Prices
Your permit price depends on the destination, activity and visitor category. Confirm your category with BLS Safaris before payment, including any nationality or residency documents needed to support the booking.
Uganda Gorilla Permit Rates
The following table covers Uganda’s rates for planning travel from 1 January 2027, including the revised habituation charges.
| Permit type | Foreign non-resident | Foreign resident | Rest of Africa | East African citizen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard gorilla trekking | USD 800 | USD 700 | USD 500 | UGX 300,000 |
| Low-season gorilla trekking April, May and November |
USD 600 | USD 500 | N/A | N/A |
| Gorilla habituation | USD 1,800 | USD 1,600 | USD 1,000 | UGX 750,000 |
Rates are per person. Revised habituation rates take effect on 1 January 2027. The low-season offer was introduced separately with immediate effect. Discounted low-season permits cannot be rescheduled.
Rwanda Gorilla Permit Prices
Rwanda’s standard gorilla trekking permit costs USD 1,500 per person per day for Volcanoes National Park. Special category offers have separate eligibility conditions, so confirm the applicable rate before booking rather than assuming every traveller pays the same amount. These are permit charges. Check your BLS Safaris quotation for accommodation, transfers, meals, porter assistance and any separate service fees.
What Your Gorilla Trekking Permit Covers
Your permit covers participation in the booked gorilla activity, including the park briefing and ranger-guided trek. Standard gorilla trekking allows up to one hour with the gorilla family. Uganda’s gorilla habituation experience allows up to four hours. These viewing allowances are separate from the time needed to walk to the gorillas and return. Accommodation, meals, airport transfers, your safari vehicle and driver-guide are separate arrangements. Porter assistance and additional activities also need to be checked in your quotation. When booking with BLS Safaris, confirm whether the quotation is for the permit alone or a complete safari package. Read the inclusions so you know which services are covered and which require an additional payment.
Choosing Your Park and Bwindi Sector
In Uganda, book for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. In Rwanda, gorilla trekking takes place in Volcanoes National Park. Consider permit availability alongside your arrival point, accommodation and onward safari route. Bwindi has four trekking sectors, Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. Confirm the sector before finalising your lodge. Accommodation near one sector is not automatically convenient for another, and travelling between them can add a substantial drive before the morning briefing. Tell BLS Safaris whether you are arriving through Entebbe or Kigali and where you plan to travel next. Coordinate the permit, lodge and transfers together. If availability requires a different sector or park, review the transport arrangements before accepting the change. A sector booking does not guarantee a particular gorilla family, short walking time or easy trail.
When to Book Your Gorilla Permit
Check permit availability as soon as you know your preferred travel dates, before committing to accommodation or flights that are difficult to change. Early enquiries give you more time to coordinate the trekking location with your wider safari. If several guests want to trek together, request availability for the whole group at once. Finding one place does not mean enough permits remain for everyone on the same date and at the same location. Last-minute bookings depend on the places available when you enquire. Send BLS Safaris your preferred date and alternatives, and explain whether you can change parks or Bwindi sectors. There is no fixed booking lead time that guarantees availability. Treat the permit as secured only after receiving confirmation.
Details Needed to Arrange Your Permit
For an initial availability check, send us your preferred trekking date, alternative dates, number of guests and destination. Specify standard gorilla trekking or Uganda’s gorilla habituation experience. To complete the booking, prepare the following for each trekking guest.
- Full name, exactly as it appears in the passport.
- Date of birth, to check age eligibility on the trekking date.
- Nationality and country of residence, to establish the applicable visitor category.
- Supporting identification, including passport or residency documents requested for that category.
Confirm which documents are required and how to submit them through your booking correspondence. Inform us about spelling errors or a planned passport replacement before the permit is arranged.
Permit Payment and Booking Confirmation
Before paying, check that your BLS Safaris quotation identifies the trekking date, destination, activity, guest numbers and applicable permit rate. Confirm any separate service charges, the payment deadline and the cancellation or date-change conditions. Follow the payment instructions provided with your booking and keep the receipt. Then obtain written confirmation that the permits have been secured. Check the following details.
- Trekking date and number of guests
- Park and Bwindi sector, where applicable
- Standard trekking or gorilla habituation
- Traveller details and booking reference
Report any mismatch immediately. Keep the confirmation accessible and ask which documents to bring to the park briefing. A payment receipt records the transaction, but does not by itself confirm that the requested permits have been secured.
Changing or Cancelling a Gorilla Permit
Contact BLS Safaris as soon as your plans change, giving your booking reference, original trekking date and preferred alternative. A change request does not secure a new date. Wait for written approval before rearranging the rest of your safari.
Changing Your Trekking Date
For Uganda permits eligible for rescheduling, a new date depends on availability and the applicable booking conditions. Uganda allow a first reschedule without a rescheduling charge and apply a 25% surcharge to a second reschedule. Moving to a higher-priced period also requires a rate adjustment. Discounted low-season permits cannot be rescheduled. For Rwanda, ask BLS Safaris to confirm the conditions attached to your booking. Uganda’s rules do not apply to Rwanda permits.
Cancelling Your Booking
Ask which refund conditions apply before cancelling. Uganda’s guidelines exclude refunds for permits that have already been rescheduled. Accommodation, transport and BLS Safaris service charges have separate cancellation terms, so request a breakdown of any refundable amounts.
