Uganda Wildlife Authority Sets New Uganda Safari Activity Fees For 2020-2022 & New Gorilla Permit Fees/Prices For 2020

As we drew close to the end of last week, Uganda Wildlife Authority– a government agency that is mandated with the mammoth task of protecting all wildlife conservation areas in Uganda announced the new rates of various Uganda wildlife safari activities in various Uganda safari attraction sites around the country. These new Uganda wildlife tour rates will run from July 2020- July 2022. Allow me to take you through some of the tour Uganda activities that have realized a change in their tariffs.

Gorilla Trekking Safaris in Uganda

Uganda is a destination of choice to many travellers seeking to have an ultimate Africa gorilla safari experience and this so because Uganda is home to a minimum of 400 elusive gorillas which are found in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and also Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. A Uganda gorilla trekking safari to any of these parks gives you an opportunity to meet any of the 19 gorilla families that are found in these parks. Uganda wildlife authority has decided to increase the price of a gorilla trekking permit for foreign nonresidents by only 100USD to 700USD, for foreign residents the permit has increased also by the same amount and it will cost only 600USD beginning July 2020. In a bid to increase on the level of domestic tourism, UWA has decided not to increase the cost of these permits for local residents hence remaining at 250000ugx. For those who wish to have a gorilla habituation experience, while doing their Uganda gorilla tour, the price has remained the same at only 1500USD for foreign nonresidents 1000USD for foreign residents and 750000ugx for local residents. The increase in the price of gorilla safari Uganda permits comes as result of enabling the country to earn more of this lucrative adventure and also enable the local communities around these parks benefit more as they are the ones that are at the forefront of the conservation and protection of these mountain giants. Gorilla trek safari Uganda is still cheaper than a Rwanda gorilla tour given the fact that Rwanda decided to increase the cost of its gorilla permits from 600USD to 1500USD in 2018. This therefore implies that even with the increase a Uganda gorilla tour permits costs 800USD less than that of Rwanda. However, it’s also important to note that Congo has the cheapest gorilla trekking permit which costs only 500USD for an epic Congo gorilla safari.

Chimpanzee Trekking Safaris in Uganda

Uganda is a country of great wildlife biodiversity and its one of the few countries where you get a chance to have an encounter with man’s closest wild relatives the chimpanzees who we share 99% of our DNA with. A short Uganda wildlife safari/ short Uganda wildlife tour or even a long Uganda wildlife safari gives you an opportunity to meet these great apes in Kibale National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park. UWA controls the Uganda chimpanzee trekking safari in Kibale and in Queen Elizabeth national Park hence it has revised the cost of its activity in mentioned destinations. Chimpanzee trekking permits in Kibale Forest National Park have been increased from 150USD to 200USD for foreign nonresidents, 100USD to 150USD for foreign residents and from 100000ugx to 150000ugx for local residents. Chimpanzee habituation in Kibale has increased from 200USD to 250 USD for foreign nonresidents as well as for foreign residents. For the locals, the price has increased from 150000ugx to 200000ugx. Chimpanzee trekking safaris Uganda in Queen Elizabeth has remained the same for the next 2 years.

Bwindi, Mgahinga and Kibale for kids

Many travel enthusiasts have been thinking twice on bringing their whole families including kids on their Short Uganda gorilla safari or long Uganda gorilla tour or Uganda chimpanzee safari because these two activities are only open to people who are aged 15 years and above mainly because they involve long trekking hours and also because the mammals encountered during these safari Uganda activities are wild and unpredictable hence in a bid to ensure their safety, kids below 15 years of age are not allowed to track chimpanzees or gorillas. However, parents together with their kids can now happily visit Bwindi and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park Uganda and Kibale Forest Park on their Uganda wildlife tour because UWA has introduced new activities for kids in these parks which will keep them engaged as mum and dad undertake a Uganda gorilla trekking tour or chimpanzee tracking safari experience. The new activities for kids include guided short walks for kids which cost only 5 USD for both foreign nonresidents and foreign resident kids and 10000ugx for local kids, painting and art work which goes for 10USD for both foreign nonresidents and foreign residents kids and 20000ugx for local kids. Children scouts adventurous activities cost 10 USD for both foreign nonresidents and foreign residents.

Golden monkey trekking safaris .

Yes, with great biodiversity in Uganda, a Uganda safari tour gives you an opportunity to engage in an epic golden monkey trekking experience given the fact that Uganda is home to the beautiful but shy golden monkeys which are found in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. The price of golden monkey trekking has increased from 50USD to 60USD for foreign nonresidents and for foreign residents as well. For local travellers, they now have to pay 40000ugx for this thrilling activity.

Other activities that have realized a change in their cost include:-

Lion predator tracking increased from 50USD to 100usd for both foreign nonresidents and foreign residents and from 50000ugx to 100000ugx for local residents.
Night game drives costs have changed from 100usd per vehicle to 30 per person in a vehicle for both foreign residents and foreign nonresidents and to 50000ugx for local residents.
Uganda wildlife authority has introduced a series of new mountain activities in various mountain national parks which include Rwenzori mountain national park and Mount Elgon national park. the new activities that have been introduced include the following
Mgahinga platform view hike in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park Uganda which goes for 10 USD for both foreign nonresidents and foreign residents and 10000ugx for local residents
Kidepo lonyili summit hike in Kidepo valley national park which goes for 50 USD for both foreign residents and foreign nonresidents and 50000ugx for local residents
Mt Elgon rock climbing which goes for 65 USD for foreign nonresidents, 60 USD for foreign residents and 55000ugx for local residents
Mt Elgon Bushiyi trail excursion goes for 150USD for both foreign nonresidents and foreign residents and 150000ugx for locals.
Rwenzori mountain hike is charged for 50USD for foreign residents and non-foreign residents alike and 50000ugx for local residents. The same charges also go for both Bukungu and Kazingo trails
Sebwe / Bughalista falls and Kinyampanika chimp trails also goes for 50USD for both foreign nonresidents and foreign residents and 50000ugx for locals.

However, these charges are rated on the per-day basis except for Bushiyi trail excursion and they include park entrance fees except for Mgahinga platform view hike. These rates also exclude porter, cook and tent rent fees which are 4000ugx per porter per day and 30000ugx per cook per pay.

Given the unique and diverse wildlife that exists in Uganda, many researchers make a Uganda wildlife safari with an aim to carry out professional photography and filming of these spectacular wildlife attractions such as the mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, other mammals, cultural and birds. If you are to engage in filming and photography while on your safari Uganda, it’s prudent for you to know that you are required to pay an extra fee for filming which is 40% of the cost of the activity you are undertaking on your safari in Uganda. Filming using a drone incurs a cost of 50% of the cost of the activity. Photography costs 150USD for both foreign nonresidents and foreign residents and 150000ugx for locals for the whole day.

Accommodation

In a bid to increase tourist inflows especially budget tourists, UWA has granted many concessions and grants to various companies to construct budget accommodation facilities in the various national parks to cater for budget travellers. This has resulted in increase in these facilities that now offer relatively cheaper accommodation as compared to private lodging facilities that are found in these national parks. UWA has listed new accommodation facilities that are now open to tourists and also some of the altered prices of the already existing facilities in order to make them more competitive and affordable.

New modern bandas in Kidepo Valley National Park go for 91000ugx for single self-contained rooms and a non-self-contained double room in these new bandas goes for 102000ugx.
The Lake Mburo dormitory charges 25000ugx for the student center rooms, rooms for adults go for 25000ugx.
Moroto bandas have been reduced from 82000ugx to 52000ugx
Pian upe single rooms cost 40000ugx while double rooms cost 55000ugx
In murchison falls national park dormitory rooms cost 25000ugx for adults and 5000ugx for students
In Tooro Semuliki wildlife reserve, the bandas cost 82000ugx for a double room while a single room costs 52000ugx. The self-contained and non-self-contained rooms here have retained their prices.

Fines charges

While enjoying an epic gorilla trekking Uganda tour or Uganda wildlife tour in any of the conservation areas such Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale National Park, Lake Mburo National Park ,Murchison Falls National Park Bwindi Impenetrable National Park , Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Semuliki National Park,Kidepo Valley National Park,mount Elgon National Park and Mountain Rwenzori National Park ensure not to commit any offence that might lead you to incur penalty charges. Offences that can lead you to incur extra costs include

Late reschedule of gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits. This leads to a penalty fee of 25% of the cost of the permit.
Off tracking- this is the intentional divergence from a known game drive track or route into the wilderness while on a game drive in any of the tropical savanna game parks such as Lake Mburo Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park. Off tracking attracts a charge of 150$ per person in a van.
Over speeding while inside the park. As you drive through the park while on a game drive on a short Uganda wildlife safari or long wildlife safari Uganda experience, please ensure not to exceed 40km per hour. The fine for speeding is 100000ugx per incident
Animal accident. This involves knocking down of a wild species such as animals or reptiles. This attracts a penalty charge of 500$ per incident
Littering inside the park. This attracts a charge of 100000ugx per incident
Hooting inside the park. This leads to a charge of 100000ugx per incident
Sitting on top of the safari vehicle while in a game drive 100$ per incident
Defaulting tariffs. This attracts a penalty fee of 150$ per incident.

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