Permits
What a permit actually costs in 2026
The published rates for Mgahinga and Bwindi, the residency tiers most sites skip, and the one point where the sources genuinely disagree.
Permits are the largest single line in a Kisoro budget, and the internet is full of tour-operator pages quoting each other. Here is what the published tariffs say, with the disputed part marked as disputed rather than smoothed over.
Gorilla tracking
| Visitor category | Per person, per trek |
|---|---|
| Foreign non-resident | $800 |
| Foreign resident | $700 |
| African (non-East African) | $500 |
| East African citizen | UGX 300,000 |
The rate is the same in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It covers park entry, ranger guides, security, and one hour with a habituated family once found. It does not cover transport, accommodation, porters or tips.
The gorilla habituation experience
This is the longer version, roughly four hours with a family that is still being habituated, alongside researchers. It runs in Bwindi rather than Mgahinga. The rate has been reported at 1,500 dollars for foreign non-residents, with reporting through 2026 indicating an increase to 1,800 dollars from January 2027. If you are planning a 2027 trip, budget for the higher figure.
Golden monkeys
| Activity | Foreign non-resident | Foreign resident | East African |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden monkey trekking | $60 | $50 | UGX 40,000 |
| Golden monkey habituation | $100 | $80 | UGX 100,000 |
Mgahinga is the only Ugandan park offering this. Permits are allocated daily and rarely sell out, which makes golden monkeys the reliable fallback if gorilla permits are gone for your dates.
Where the sources disagree
Several operators report that the Uganda Wildlife Authority introduced a low-season discount from February 2026, bringing gorilla permits to 600 dollars for foreign non-residents and 500 for foreign residents during April, May and November, with those discounted permits non-reschedulable. Other operators state that seasonal discounting was discontinued and that permits sell at 800 dollars year-round.
We cannot reconcile those two claims from published sources, and we are not going to pretend otherwise. If you are travelling in April, May or November, ask UWA directly whether a low-season rate applies to your date before you accept an operator's quote. The difference is 200 dollars per person.
Two rules that changed
Payment is now immediate. The old practice of holding a permit for seven days without payment has been suspended. Permits are secured on full payment at the time of booking. Operators who tell you they are "holding" a permit for you without payment are describing something that no longer exists.
No cash at the gate. Cash is not accepted at park entry points. Arrive with everything already paid.
How far ahead to book
For June to September and December to February, three to six months. Mgahinga's allocation is small because it has one habituated family, so it goes earlier than Bwindi's larger sectors. For April, May and November you can often book much closer in.
What one permit-holder spends in the district
- Permit
- $800
- Two nights, mid-range
- $120–240
- Guide, porter, tips
- $40–80
- Stays in the district
- 2–3 nights
Only the permit money goes to the park. The rest of it lands in local businesses and, above all, in accommodation. Somebody owns that accommodation.
That last line is the whole reason this section exists. A gorilla permit is a transfer from a visitor to a conservation authority. Everything else a visitor spends in Kisoro is a transfer from a visitor to a property owner. The Ledger is where we do that arithmetic out loud.
Prices sourced from published Uganda Wildlife Authority tariff reporting, September 2026. UWA revises tariffs on a cycle and rates can change without much notice. Verify at ugandawildlife.org before payment.