Uganda Gorilla Tour Cost: What's Included

A Uganda gorilla trek is one of the great wildlife experiences, and the prices you’ll see for it vary enormously. Small group tours with permits included range from around £3,000 to over £6,500 per person, before flights.

So what are you actually paying for? This guide breaks down the real costs, lists what’s included in our small-group tours, and explains why ours start at £3,645.

What a Uganda gorilla trek really costs

Uganda sets most of the price of a gorilla tour, not the tour operator. The main costs are:

Gorilla permit: US$800 per person for non-residents. It’s the highest single cost and buys one hour with a habituated gorilla family.
Chimpanzee permit: roughly US$250 per person in Kibale Forest.
Park entry fees for each national park on the route.
Transport: a 4×4 safari vehicle and driver-guide for the whole trip. Distances are long, and roads in the west are slow.
Lodges and meals, from simple guesthouses to comfortable safari lodges.
Protection and operating costs: ATOL and ABTOT financial protection, insurance and the operator’s own margin.

Permits alone come to more than US$1,000 per person. A tour that quotes a low headline price and adds permits later can end up costing far more than it first appears. Always ask whether permits are in the price.

What’s included in our tours

We run two small group tours in Uganda, each with a maximum of 12 travellers.

	Western Uganda	The Best of Uganda
Length	10 days	14 days
From, per person (twin /double share)	£3,645	£4,195
Gorilla trek	Permit included	Permit included
Chimpanzee trek	Kibale, permit included	Kibale, permit included
Parks	Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Ishasha, Bwindi, Lake Mburo	Murchison Falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Ishasha, Bwindi, Lake Bunyonyi, Lake Mburo
Highlights (after gorilla trek)	Kazinga Channel boat trip, tree-climbing lions	Murchison Falls boat trip, Ziwa rhinos, Kazinga Channel boat trip

Both tours also include:

Airport transfers on arrival and departure
All accommodation in the itinerary, or similar quality
Meals as set out in the itinerary: half board on most nights and full board on your gorilla trekking day
Private 4×4 safari vehicles with roofs that open, with no more than six people per vehicle
All activities described in the itinerary
Bottled drinking water
ATOL and ABTOT financial protection

Why our tours cost less

We’re often asked how we can charge less than other operators with similar itineraries. There’s no catch, and we pay for the permits in full. The difference comes from how the tours are run:

Locally run. Your trip is operated by our partner in Kampala, who has been running tours in Uganda since 2010. Fewer layers between you and the people delivering your trip means less cost added along the way.
Local guides, not an escort flown out from the UK. You travel with experienced Ugandan driver-guides who know the parks and the wildlife.
Low overheads. We keep our costs down and put your money into permits, lodges and vehicles rather than brochures and large offices.
Comfortable, not ultra-luxury. We use good quality lodges and camps, so the price reflects a comfortable trip rather than a premium one.

The trade-offs are straightforward. Your guide is Ugandan rather than UK-based, our lodges are comfortable rather than five-star, and the Western Uganda tour needs a minimum of four travellers to run. For many travellers, local knowledge is exactly what they want from a trip.

How to compare Uganda gorilla tours

Prices only make sense side by side if you compare like with like. Before booking any Uganda gorilla tour, check:

Permits. Are the gorilla and chimp permits in the price, or added later?
Group size. What is the maximum, and how many vehicles does the group travel in?
Flights. Most prices exclude international flights, but some include them.
Meals. Is it breakfast only, half board or full board?
Transport. Is it a private 4×4 or a shared minibus, and what activities are included?
Season. Which month does the “from” price apply to?
Exclusions. Visas, tips, insurance and drinks are usually extra.
Protection. Is your money covered by ATOL or ABTOT?

As a result, many tours that look similar can include quite different things.

What’s not included

So there are no surprises, these are extra:

International flights to and from Entebbe (we can help with options)
Visa, about US$50 per person
Travel insurance
Airport taxes
Drinks and meals not listed in the itinerary
Tips for your guide and driver
Personal spending and optional extras
Early check-in or late check-out fees

Frequently asked questions

How much does a gorilla trek in Uganda cost?

The gorilla permit alone is US$800 per person for non-residents. Our 10-day Western Uganda tour, including gorilla and chimp permits, starts from £3,645 per person before flights.

Are permits included in your price?

Yes. Both tours include a gorilla tracking permit and a chimpanzee tracking permit, subject to availability. Permits are limited, so book early.

How many people are on your tours?

A maximum of 12, travelling in two vehicles with no more than six people in each. The Western Uganda tour needs at least four travellers to run.

How fit do I need to be?

Gorilla tracking can take a few hours over steep, muddy forest ground. You don’t need to be an athlete, but you should be comfortable walking uphill for several hours.