The Uganda Wildlife Authority has announced promotional sale of gorilla permits covering May, October and November.

The promotional price is $ 350 for Foreign Non residents, $250 for foreign residents and sh. 100,000 for East Africans. The promotional price is applicable to unsold permits that are offered to be sold at this discounted rate but not all available permits in the month.
The permits may not be extended and cancelled, outside the guideless given above.

UWA plans to implement the promotional sales jointly with private sector operators especially hotel owners, tour operators and airlines. The private sector will provide complimentary rates for accommodation, meals and transport to complement the price reduction offered by UWA. Due to the huge demand for gorilla permits during the high season months, many tourists miss out on this activity due to the shortages of permits. It is expected that tourists who are unable to track the gorilla during the high seasons will consider doing so during this period at a discounted price. It is also an opportunity for Ugandans and long term visitors to Uganda to enjoy this unique opportunity of viewing the mountain gorillas and thereby create a better understanding of their conservation status and create more ambassadors for the species.

Bwindi National Park has a total of 28 gorilla families of which 6 are habituated for tourism, one is habituated for research and two more are in the process of habituation for tourism. Bwindi is home to over half of the worlds remaining mountain gorilla population.

Guidelines for sale of promotional gorilla permits

1. Background
Management of UWA has studied the pattern of Gorilla Permits sales overtime,and have noted with concern that ever many permits remain unsold during the months of March, April, May, October and November, every year, yet customers scramble for permits during the other months. To address this anomaly management plans to launch promotional sale of permits during the low season. Read more…

2. Promotional sales
Management will periodically announce and offer specific number of Gorilla permits for sale under this promotion during the months of March April, May, October and December of every year. The number of gorilla permits to be offered for sale will be determined by UWA management based on unsold balance from the two year advance booking policy and this will be announced to the public

3. Promotional rates
Gorilla permits sold at promotion rates, during the months mentioned will be charged as follows:

FNR $ 350
FR $ 250
EAC Shs. 100,000

4. Payment procedures
Payment for all gorilla permits sold under the promotional rates shall be done at the Reservations Office at UWA Headquarters in Kampala ONLY.
No promotional permits will be sold at the park
Permits offered for sale under this promotional arrangement will be paid for in full (100% of value) at the time of booking.
Payment Methods:
The acceptable payment methods are:

• Cash (Uganda shillings, US dollars, UK pound sterling and Euros)
• Bank Transfers (net of bank charges)
• Bankers Cheques (net of bank charges)
  5. Commission to AUTO
  AUTO members will not earn commissions on permits offered for sale and purchased under this promotional arrangement.

6. Refunds I Cancellation
Cancellations of the permits under this arrangement will attract no refunds.

7. Primary, sale of permits by individuals or tour companies anywhere is illegal.
All permits MUST be sold by Uganda Wildlife Authority only.

8. All permits sold under this arrangement will contain the inscription
“PROMOTIONAL PERMIT” to avoid unscrupulous people from selling it out at
normal rates

9. UWA management reserves the right to announce or recall the promotional
sale of the Gorilla permits to the public without notice.

10. Payment for gorilla permits must be made directly to Uganda Wildlife
Authority.

11. RESCHEDULES OF PERMIT RESERVATIONS:

There will be no reschedules of permits offered under this promotion.