Entrance Fees to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Entrance Fees to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Entrance Fees to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are the charges that are levied on each traveler depending on how they approach the park and what activity they want to do.Bwindi impenetrable national park lies in the southwestern part of Uganda with a size of 321 square kilometers and a height of 1,160m-2607m above sea level. The park borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Virunga Mountains in the west. Kabale town is the nearest town to the park from the south with a distance of only 29kms.Bwindi impenetrable national park can be reached by both land and air. By land, it takes about 8-9 hours of driving while by air only an hour and you are resident in the park. Bwindi Impenetrable forest is home to the world’sendangered mountain gorillas, and it harbors almost half of the world’s total mountain gorilla population. It is also home to other animals like the forest elephants, white-and-black colobus monkeys, bush pigs among others. Birds, butterflies, different plant species among others are all inhabited by the impenetrable forest.

The park is regulated by the Uganda Wildlife Authority(UWA), a government body mandated to conserve all the protected areas in the country. It is this same body that levies the prices to all these protected areas. Gorilla Tracking permits, for example, are purchased from this body at their headquarters in Kampala; one can, however, have a trusted tour operator company do this for you.

Individual Park Entrance Fees

NOTE:

• All visitors will be required to present valid identification documents to confirm the resident status
• Fees Quoted in US$ = United States Dollar, and UGX = Uganda Shillings
• A day’s entrance ticket is valid for twenty-four hours from time of entrance.
• Extra time spent in the park after 24 hours will be charged as an extra day.
• Children are persons aged between 5-15 years.
• Persons below 5 years are exempt
• Entrance fees are independent of package activities such as gorilla tracking, Mountain climbing,Bird watching and so on.
• Tariff fees are subject to change without prior notice.

The park entry fees and all other fees are levied based on the status of a visitor; Foreign Non-Resident, Foreign Resident and the East African Citizens as seen below;

Adults are charged $40 for Foreign Non-Residents, $30 for Foreign Residents and UGX 20,000 for East African Citizens, as individual park entrance to Bwindi impenetrable national park

Children are charged $20 for Foreign Non-Residents, $10 for Foreign Residents and UGX 5,000 for East African Citizens.

Pupils/Students in groups (from East Africa) are charged UGX 3,000 while student groups in Tertiary institutions/ universities pay UGX 5,000 as park entrance.

One can choose to pay an annual park entrance fee to be allowed in the park on any day. This option is however only open to Foreign Residents and East African Citizens. Foreign Non-Residents do not qualify for this option. Foreign Residents need to have a work permit valid for a year to qualify for this annual pass.

An individual pays $350 for Foreign Residents and UGX 150,000 for East African Citizens to acquire an annual entrance pass to Bwindi impenetrable national park

A Foreign Resident couple pays $500 and an East African Citizen couple pays UGX 200,000 for an annual pass.

A family with a maximum of four children pays $700 for Foreign Residents and UGX300,000 for families of East African citizens for an annual park pass to Bwindi impenetrable national park

Annual corporate park entrance pass to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park goes for $1,500 for foreign residents and UGX2,500,000 for East African Citizens.

Both a safari guide and taxi driver are charged UGX 100,000 as annual park entrance fees to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

A tour company driver has a free pass to Bwindi impenetrable national park

Important to note;

• The fees above Apply to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for foreign residents in Uganda  and East African citizens only, vehicle entrance paid separately
• Not valid for package activities (Gorilla and Chimp tracking, Mountaineering, Hiking among others)
• Foreign residents require a work permit valid for one year to qualify for an annual pass.
• A Safari Guide is a professionally trained and licensed individual who guides guests through nature, whether by vehicle, canoe, boat, and horseback.
• Tour Company Driver: is an individual from a recognized Ugandan tour company that drives tourists to the park.

Vehicles, boats, and aircraft also have landing and entrance fees to be paid to the UgandaWildlife Authority, and they are charged per entry.

Motor-cycles with foreign registration plates pay $30 while those with Ugandan registration plates pay $5

Saloon Cars with foreign registration pay $40 while those with Ugandan registration pay $10 only

Tour Company vehicles and 4-wheel drive vehicles pay $150 for those with Foreign registration while those that are Ugandan registered to pay $15 only

Over Landers that have Foreign registration pay $150 while those with Ugandan registration pay $50 to Uganda Wildlife Authority per entry.

Aircrafts’ landing fees are all the same for all categories, visa vies foreign and East African. Aircrafts with;

• Up to 3 seaters pay $20 per landing.
• 4-6 Seater pay $30 per landing
• 7-14 Seater pay $40
• 15-20 Seater are at $50 per landing.
• 21 Seats and above pay $60

Helicopters (Per landing) pay $100 for those that are foreign and $125 for those that are Uganda registered.

Parking fees is at UGX10,000 per day.

Important to note;

• Vehicle and boat entry fees are charged per entry
• Landing fees excludes entry fees payable by passengers.
• Pilots en-route do not pay entry fees, if they spend less than 2hours in the park

For one to take part in gorilla tracking, a fee of $700 is paid by Foreign Non-Residents, $600 for Foreign Residents and UGX250,000 for East African Citizens. It is advised to book gorilla tracking permits at least three months in advance, one can book up to two years in advance as well. This is done through the Uganda Wildlife Authority at their headquarters or through a trusted tour operator of your choice. It is also important to note that persons under the age of fifteen cannot track.

A nature walking experience would cost $30 for Foreign Non-Residents, $15 for Foreign Residents while East African citizens pay only UGX10,000.

The Batwa forest experience costs $40 for both Foreign Residents and Foreign Non-Residents while the East African citizen pays UGX40,000 to experience this while in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park can be accessed by both road and air and can be visited all throughout the year. The fees listed above are levied by the Uganda Wildlife Authority for conservation facilitation. The fees are applicable from June 2022 to June 2024. Uganda Wildlife Authority reserves the right to change the tariff fees without prior notice. Contact your trusted tour operator to best advise you in case of any query.