What gorilla trekking in Uganda costs, permit and all
The five Uganda gorilla trips on this site run from ~$400 for a day out of Kigali to ~$3,429 for an eight-day safari. The cheapest one leaves out the $800 gorilla permit, so its sticker price misleads. Below, all five sit in one table, followed by the extras you still pay on the ground.
Five Uganda gorilla trips, priced side by side
Each figure below is the regular "from" price per person on the tour's main listing. Several Viator listings say the price shifts with group size, so a couple traveling together may see a different number from a solo trekker.
| Tour | From | Days | Starts from | Gorilla permit | Also included | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dav Safaris, Bwindi trek (our pick) | ~$2,600 | 3 | Hotels in or around Kampala and Entebbe | Included | Private guide and 4x4, 2 nights' lodging with meals | 5.0 from 200+ (Viator) |
| Eco Adventure Safaris, gorillas and the Batwa | ~$1,860 | 3 | Check the listing | Included | Private air-conditioned vehicle, all fees and taxes | 5.0 from 74 (Viator) |
| Kawira Safaris, day trip to Mgahinga | ~$400 | 1 | Your Kigali hotel | Not included ($800 extra, plus the visa) | Private 4x4, driver-guide, park entry, hot lunch | 4.9 from 26 (GetYourGuide) |
| Adventure In The Wild Safari, gorillas and chimps | ~$2,350 | 5 | Your hotel or the airport | Included, chimp permit too | Accommodation | 5.0 from 26 (Viator) |
| Home To Africa Tours and Travel, 8-day safari | ~$3,429 | 8 | Kampala, hotel or airport pickup | Included, chimp permit too | All meals and lodging, private 4x4, driver-guide | 5.0 from 84 (Viator) |
On paper the range runs from ~$400 to ~$3,429, but the low end misleads, because the day trip leaves out the $800 permit. All four multi-day trips fold the permit into the price, which makes them easier to compare with each other.
The true floor for one gorilla hour
Kawira Safaris' day trip at ~$400 is the cheapest way onto a gorilla trail in this lineup. Add the $800 gorilla permit and a $50 Uganda visa, and the permit becomes the biggest line on the bill.
That total still buys a lot for one day. A private 4x4 collects you at your Kigali hotel, and a driver-guide helps you through the border between Rwanda and Uganda both ways. Park entry and a hot lunch are covered, while tips and a porter are not.
Time is what this fare costs you. You leave Kigali before dawn, cross a border, trek, then cross back and drive again, so the day runs very long. Our guide to the Kigali day trip walks through the whole day.
What three days buy you
Our pick, Dav Safaris' three-day Bwindi trip at ~$2,600, starts from hotels in or around Kampala and Entebbe. The gorilla permit is in the price, and so are two nights in lodges with meals. A private guide drives you in a 4x4 the whole way.
The road is the trade-off. Day one is about seven hours' drive to a lodge near Rushaga, with the Batwa trail at the end, and day three is the drive back via the equator. The trek fills the middle day, followed by a canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi.
It holds 5.0 from 200+ reviews on Viator, the deepest record among our five, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Our comparison of Bwindi and Mgahinga explains how its Bwindi forest differs from the volcano slopes of the day trip.
Three days, permit already paid
Dav Safaris collects you in Kampala or Entebbe, books your permit, drives you to Bwindi and brings you back by way of Lake Bunyonyi. Compare both sites for your dates.
One trip, two price tags
The same Dav Safaris trip shows ~$2,600 on Viator and a noticeably lower figure on GetYourGuide. The GetYourGuide listing is new and has no reviews yet, while Viator carries the long record of past trekkers.
Open both for your dates before you pay. Each site describes the trip in its own words, so compare the inclusions line by line rather than trusting the lower number on its own.
Three more ways to pay for a gorilla trek
Eco Adventure Safaris at ~$1,860 has the same three-day shape as our pick for less money, with the $800 permit plus all fees and taxes listed as included. It holds 5.0 from 74 reviews on Viator and is not sold on GetYourGuide, so less evidence stands behind it.
Adventure In The Wild Safari at ~$2,350 stretches to five days and adds chimpanzee tracking, with both permits in the price. The trade is more hours in the car and a 5.0 score from only 26 reviews. Our gorillas and chimps guide weighs that pairing.
Home To Africa at ~$3,429 is the full safari, with rhino tracking at Ziwa, a boat trip at Murchison Falls, chimps in Kibale and gorillas in Bwindi. Meals, lodging and both the gorilla and chimpanzee permits come with it.
Costs that sit outside every price
None of the five figures covers the whole trip. These extras turn up on the listings or at the park gate, and a modest cash budget in small notes handles most of them.
- International flights, left out by every listing that mentions them
- A Uganda visa, $50 for a single entry, or the $100 East Africa Tourist Visa if you also cross into Rwanda
- Tips for your driver-guide and the trekking team
- A porter at the park gate, paid locally at a set fee
- Drinks and personal spending at the lodges
- The gorilla permit on the Kigali day trip
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) sets the permit and park fees, and they can change, so check the current figure before you pay. Our guide to the $800 permit covers how it is booked and what happens if you cancel.
Budget for a porter even if you feel fit. The page on how hard the trek is explains why, and our packing list covers the gear to bring from home.
Where the money goes furthest
If you start in Kigali and can cope with a long day, the day trip plus the permit gives the lowest total. If you fly into Entebbe, a three-day trip costs more but takes the planning off your hands, permit included.
Whatever you choose, book early for the drier months, when the permits for each family run out first. Our guide to when to trek sets the drier periods against the rains.