The Uganda gorilla permit discount is a lower price for standard gorilla trekking permits on dates in April, May and November, set by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to fill the quieter, wetter months of the year. For a foreign non-resident the permit is USD 600 on those dates, against USD 800 in every other month, a saving of USD 200 per person. People search for it as Uganda gorilla permit discount, low season gorilla permit, cheap gorilla permit Uganda, USD 600 gorilla permit, gorilla permit April May November and discounted gorilla trekking permit. This guide answers all of those questions in one place: which months qualify, what the discounted permit costs and covers, what the catch is, how rain really affects a trek, how the discount fits with lodges and flights, how to book it, and the mistakes that cost guests the saving.
Quick answer
The discounted gorilla permit applies to gorilla tracking dates in April, May and November. For foreign non-residents it is USD 600 instead of USD 800. For foreign residents it is USD 500 instead of USD 700, and the East African citizen rate does not change. It applies to the standard one-hour trek in Bwindi and Mgahinga and does not apply to the gorilla habituation experience.
The catch is the weather. April and May are the heart of the long rains, and November is when the short rains begin, so the trails are muddy and the forest is wet. The gorillas are still there and the trek still takes place, and many guests find the quieter months worth the saving. Book the permit and the lodge early all the same, because the best lodges in these months still sell out and the permit is tied to a date.
The Uganda gorilla permit discount at a glance
| Item | What to know |
|---|---|
| Discounted months | April, May and November, by tracking date |
| Foreign non-resident price | USD 600 instead of USD 800 |
| Foreign resident price | USD 500 instead of USD 700 |
| East African citizens | The rate is unchanged |
| Saving | USD 200 per person on a standard permit |
| Applies to | The standard one-hour gorilla trek |
| Does not apply to | The gorilla habituation experience |
| The catch | The long and short rains, so mud, rain and slippery trails |
| Changes | Limited, with UWA fees, so be sure of your dates |
| How to book | Through a licensed operator, paid in full at booking |
| Tariff rules | UWA can change tariffs without notice |
Chapter 01: What is the Uganda gorilla permit discount?
It is a reduced permit price for the months when fewer visitors come. UWA announced the lower rate for April, May and November in February 2026, and it applies to the date you track the gorillas, not the date you book. A guest who books a permit in January for a trek in May pays the discounted rate, and a guest who books in May for a trek in July pays the full rate.
The standard permit is USD 800 for a foreign non-resident. The discounted permit is USD 600. For two people that is USD 400 saved, for a family of four USD 800, on the permits alone. The saving does not extend to lodges, flights or transfers, although many lodges also lower their rates in the quieter months.
UWA sets the tariff and can change it without notice. The figure on your written quotation is the one that applies to your date.
Chapter 02: Which months get the discounted gorilla permit?
April, May and November. The other nine months are priced at the full standard rate.
| Month | Permit rate | Weather | Demand |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Standard | Mostly dry | High |
| February | Standard | Mostly dry | High |
| March | Standard | Rains begin | Moderate |
| April | Discounted | Long rains | Low |
| May | Discounted | Long rains | Low |
| June | Standard | Dry | Very high |
| July | Standard | Dry | Very high |
| August | Standard | Dry | Very high |
| September | Standard | Showers begin | Moderate |
| October | Standard | Wet | Moderate |
| November | Discounted | Short rains | Low |
| December | Standard | Mostly dry | High |
The two peak windows are June to August and December to February, when the trails are driest and everyone wants to go. The shoulder months of March, September and October sit in between and carry the full price. If you want a discount, your trek date must fall in April, May or November. If you want a drier trek, you pay the full rate. For month-by-month weather and the gorillas, read our best time to see gorillas in Uganda and best time to visit Uganda.
Chapter 03: How much do you save with the discount?
USD 200 on each standard permit for foreign non-residents, and USD 200 for foreign residents too (USD 500 against USD 700). The discount is the same whichever sector you trek in, and whichever gorilla family you are given.
What the saving means over a whole trip depends on the group. A couple trekking once saves USD 400. A family of four, with everyone old enough to trek, saves USD 800. A guest who treks twice, which some do, saves USD 400 each. The saving can pay for an extra night, a better lodge or the internal flight.
It is only a saving if you would have gone anyway. A guest who dislikes rain and would not otherwise travel in April or May should not choose the date for the discount. The permit is the same permit, one hour with the gorillas, whatever the date.
Chapter 04: What does the discounted permit include?
The same as any standard permit: the guide fee, the park entrance for the day and a community contribution. You are allocated a gorilla family, a ranger-guide and trackers, and you spend one hour with the gorillas. The permit does not cover accommodation, transfers, meals, porters, tips or flights.
For the full day on the trail, from the briefing to the walk, read our guide to the gorilla trekking day.
Chapter 05: What is the catch?
Three things.
The weather. April and May are the main rains, and November brings the short rains. Expect rain on many days, wet and slippery trails, mud over your boots and a cooler, damper forest. Some guests treat it as part of the adventure. Others find it hard. If you are not fit, or if you worry about steep, wet ground, it is a real factor.
Limited changes. A permit is tied to your name, date and sector. UWA treats it as non-refundable once issued, a late reschedule carries a fine of 25 percent of the permit fee, and trekking in a different location carries a fine of 50 percent. Operators describe the rules for discounted dates in different ways, so we plan on the safe assumption that a discounted permit cannot be moved. Be sure of your dates before you pay.
The tariff can change. UWA can change tariffs without notice, and the discount is an offer that UWA can withdraw or adjust. Your quotation shows the price for your date.
Chapter 06: Does rain affect the gorilla trek?
The trek takes place in rain. Rangers do not cancel it for weather, and the gorillas are not affected by it as a rule. Rain changes the walk: the ground is slippery, the streams are fuller and the air is cooler. In the rains, food is plentiful at lower altitudes, and gorillas often stay lower on the slopes, which can shorten the walk, although no one can promise it.
Rain also changes the photography. Light is softer and the forest is darker, so you need a camera that copes with low light and a rain cover for it. Our packing list covers waterproof clothing, gaiters and gloves.
Chapter 07: Does the discount apply to the habituation experience?
No. The gorilla habituation experience is priced separately and has no low-season rate. For its price, rules and how it differs from a standard trek, read our gorilla habituation experience guide.
Chapter 08: Is it easier to get a permit in the discounted months?
Yes, as a rule. April, May and November are the quietest months, so more dates are open and you have more choice of sector. The best lodges can still be full, because many have about a dozen rooms or fewer and a few guests fill them. We recommend booking the permit and the lodge together, and booking at least three to six months ahead for the discounted months, and six to ten months ahead for the peak months.
Our guide to booking gorilla permits explains the process, and when to book a gorilla trekking permit covers lead times in detail.
Chapter 09: How do you book a discounted gorilla permit?
Permits for foreign visitors are sold only through licensed tour operators. Tell us your dates and how many are travelling. We check availability with UWA, hold the permit in the name on each passport and send a written quotation showing the permit price for your date. UWA asks for payment in full when a permit is booked, so the permit is paid first, and the rest of the trip follows the payment schedule in the quotation.
If your date falls in April, May or November, the quotation shows the discounted rate. If your date is just outside, the standard rate applies, so a trek on 30 March costs USD 800 and one on 1 April costs USD 600.
Chapter 10: Is Uganda still cheaper than Rwanda with the discount?
Yes. Uganda's standard permit is USD 800 and the discounted one USD 600, while Rwanda's permit is USD 1,500. For how the two countries compare, and what else you pay in each, read our Uganda vs Rwanda gorilla permit cost comparison and our Uganda vs Rwanda guide.
Chapter 11: Who should choose the discounted months?
The discount suits:
- Guests who can travel in April, May or November anyway.
- Guests who are fit and happy to walk in rain and mud.
- Guests who want a quieter forest and lower lodge rates.
- Guests who would otherwise not be able to afford more than one trek.
It does not suit guests who must have dry trails, who have limited mobility or who are travelling with young teenagers who struggle with wet ground. For them, the dry months at the full price are better value in comfort. Our age limit and seniors guide covers the options.
Chapter 12: How do the discounted months fit with the rest of a Uganda trip?
April and May are the main rains in the national parks too, with green landscapes, fewer visitors and lower lodge rates, and "green season" travel often offers good value, as our green season safari value guide explains. November is the shoulder between the dry season and the short rains. A route that combines a gorilla trek with Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls works in these months, with more mud on the roads. Our Uganda safari itinerary guide shows the routes.
Flights between Entebbe and Bwindi are not affected by the discount, although small aircraft can be delayed by cloud in the rains. Our Entebbe to Bwindi guide covers the roads and flights.
Chapter 13: What mistakes cost guests the discount?
- Choosing the wrong dates. The discount follows the trek date. A date on 31 October or 1 December is full price.
- Assuming it applies to habituation. It does not.
- Booking a tight itinerary. A trek on the last day leaves no margin for a flight delay.
- Expecting to move the permit. Changes are limited and carry fees.
- Forgetting rain gear. Waterproof boots, jacket, gaiters and a camera cover matter more in these months.
- Skipping the lodge booking. The quiet months are not empty.
Chapter 14: What has changed recently?
Three changes matter for anyone booking now.
- 26 February 2026: UWA announced the discounted permit rate for April, May and November.
- 1 March 2026: UWA began asking for payment in full when a permit is booked, instead of allowing a hold, so the permit is paid before travel.
- 1 January 2027: the gorilla habituation experience rises to USD 1,800 for foreign non-residents, from USD 1,500. The standard permit stays at USD 800.
UWA can change tariffs without notice, so treat any published figure, including these, as the price on the day we issue your permit. We show it on your written quotation, and we tell you if anything changes before you pay.
Chapter 15: How do the numbers work out for a real trip?
Take a couple who want one gorilla trek each and plan eight nights in Uganda. In a peak month the two permits cost USD 1,600. In May they cost USD 1,200. The USD 400 saved pays for an extra night at a good lodge, or for most of the flights between Entebbe and Bwindi. Lodge rates in the quiet months are often lower too, so the real saving is usually larger than the permit alone.
Now take a family of four with two teenagers. The four permits cost USD 3,200 at the standard rate and USD 2,400 in April, May or November. The saving of USD 800 is meaningful, and it must be weighed against four people on a wet, muddy trail. For a family that includes children who dislike rain or older relatives who find mud difficult, the dry months may be better value in everything except the permit.
These figures show the permit only. Your written quotation shows every line, so you can compare a discounted month and a peak month side by side before you decide.
Chapter 16: What questions should you ask before booking a discounted date?
- Is my trek date inside April, May or November? The discount follows the date, not the booking day.
- Does my quotation show the discounted rate on the permit line?
- What are the change and refund rules for this permit? Ask for them in writing.
- Is my lodge open and fully staffed in these months? A few small camps close in the heaviest rains.
- Do my flights and roads allow for slower, wetter travel?
- What do I need to pack for rain? Waterproof boots, a rain jacket, gaiters and a camera cover are essential.
Chapter 17: What is the verdict?
If you can travel in April, May or November and you are happy to trek in rain, the discounted permit is a clear saving of USD 200 per person on the same one-hour trek. If you need dry trails, travel in the peak months at the full price, and book early. Either way the permit should be issued first, and the lodge and transfers booked around it.
Tell us your dates and group size and we will send a written quotation with the correct permit price for your date, a lodge in the right sector and the transfers. See our gorilla permits page, our gorilla trekking in Uganda page and tours such as our classic gorilla trekking safari.
Tell us your dates and group size, and we will reply within 24 hours with the permit price that applies to your date, a lodge in the right sector and a written quotation.
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