Important Things To Note
About Uganda Wildlife Authority.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) is an agency of the government in charge of protecting the wildlife in Uganda. It oversees 12 wildlife reserves, 10 national parks, 13 sanctuaries, and 5 community wildlife management areas.
Important Things To Note
Before you start your Ugandan safari, there are some important things that you need to note, and these include the following:
- All persons who are 5 years and below are exempt from the fees.
- Children are persons from the age of 5 to 15 years.
- All tourists are required to present valid identification, residents need to show proof of their residency, foreign non-residents a valid passport, and East African citizens a valid national ID.
- Any extra time that is spent in the park after the 24 hours is an extra day.
- Fees are quoted in either United States dollars and Uganda shillings.
- The entrance fees are independent of activities like bird watching, gorilla tracking, mountain climbing, chimpanzee tracking, and many others.
- A tour company driver is an individual who works for a recognized tour company that drives tourists to their destination and around the national park.
- A safari guide is an individual who guides tourists through the parks as they carry out different activities.
Park rules and regulations
UWA set up the following park rules and regulations:
- Ensure that you keep all the receipts for inspection.
- Making campfires is not permitted unless when you are in designated areas.
- Avoid littering the national parks.
- Driving off the designated tracks is not permitted.
- No firearms and ammunition are allowed inside the national parks.
- Do not destroy any vegetation found within the national park.
- No dogs are allowed inside the national park.
- The speed limit for driving within the national parks is 40km per hour.
- Do not hoot at the animals or make unnecessary noise.
No drones are allowed in the national parks.
Chimpanzee tracking rules and regulations
For the safety of both the chimpanzees and tourists, you need to follow the rules and regulations set for chimpanzee tracking in Uganda.
- The minimum age for tracking chimpanzees is 12 years.
- You must not track chimpanzees if you are sick because chimpanzees can easily catch diseases that can affect the whole pack.
- You need to keep at least 8 meters from the chimpanzees when you locate them.
- Make sure that you do not leave any litter in the national park.
- Eating near the chimpanzees is not allowed.
- Do not at any one point try to vocalize like the chimpanzees because you might not know what you might be communicating.
- All human waste should be buried 30cm deep off the trek trail.
- Ensure that you keep quiet as much as possible because this is when you will see more.
Gorilla tracking rules and regulations
Below are some of the rules and regulations to follow when gorilla tracking in Uganda.
- The minimum age for tracking gorillas in Uganda is 15 years.
- The maximum number of people to trek gorilla families is 8.
- Never trek the gorillas when you have a cold or any other infections.
- Carry all the receipts for proof of payment and permits.
- Make sure that you maintain a distance of 7 meters from the gorillas when you locate them.
- All human waste should be buried 30cm deep off the trek trail.
- When sneezing or coughing, cover your mouth and nose and turn away from the gorillas.
- Never use flash photography when taking photos of the gorillas.
- You only get to spend an hour with the gorillas after locating the family that you have been assigned to.
Eating, drinking and smoking are not permitted when tracking gorillas.
The Revised Conservation Tariffs
The Uganda Wildlife Authority is set to implement the new set of tariffs starting 1st July 2024. Funds collected are meant to improve the infrastructure of the facilities and the tourist destinations in the country. Other conservation projects include habitat restoration and conservation, anti-encroaching, and anti-poaching projects.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
| Activity | Foreign non-residents | Foreign residents | EAC citizens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gorilla trekking | $800 | $700 | UGX 300,000 |
| Gorilla habituation | $1500 | $1000 | UGX 750,000 |
| Batwa trail experience | $40 | $40 | UGX 40,000 |
| Nature walks | $30 | $15 | UGX 10,000 |
| Guided walks | $50 | $40 | UGX 50,000 |
| Buhoma-Nkuringo walk | $50 | $40 | UGX 50,000 |
Queen Elizabeth National Park
| Activity | Foreign non-residents | Foreign residents | EAC citizens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park entrance fees | US$40 | US$30 | UGX 20,000 |
| Game drives (per day) | US$30 | US$25 | UGX 30,000 |
| Chimp tracking | US$100 | US$80 | UGX 50,000 |
| Nature walks | US$15 | US$10 | UGX 10,000 |
| Launch trip | US$30 | US$25 | UGX 30,000 |
| Mongoose tracking | US$30 | US$25 | UGX 30,000 |
| Hippo census | US$100 | US$80 | UGX 100,000 |
| Lion tracking | US$100 | US$80 | UGX 100,000 |
Mgahinga National Park
| Activity | Foreign non-residents | Foreign residents | EAC citizens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gorilla tracking | $800 | $700 | UGX 300,000 |
| Volcano climbing | US$80 | US$70 | UGX 50,000 |
| Golden monkey trekking | US$60 | US$50 | UGX 40,000 |
| Golden monkey habituation | US$100 | $80 | UGX 100,000 |
| Children’s activities | US$5 | US$5 | UGX 10,000 |
Murchison Falls National Park
| Activity | Foreign non-residents | Foreign residents | EAC citizens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park entrance fees | US$45 | US$35 | UGX 25,000 |
| Game drives | US$30 | US$25 | UGX 30,000 |
| Night game drives | US$40 | US$35 | UGX 40,000 |
| White water rafting | US$50 | US$50 | UGX 50,000 |
| Bird watching | US$30 | US$25 | UGX 20,000 |
| Sport fishing | US$50 | US$50 | — |
| Hiking for the falls | US$15 | US$10 | UGX 10,000 |
Kidepo Valley National Park
| Activity | Foreign non-residents | Foreign residents | EAC citizens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park entrance fees | $40 | $30 | UGX 20,000 |
| Game drives | $20 | $15 | UGX 20,000 |
| Night game drives | $30 | $20 | UGX 50,000 |
| Summit hike | $50 | $40 | UGX 50,000 |
| Bird watching | $30 | $25 | UGX 20,000 |
Kibale National Park
| Activity | Foreign non-residents | Foreign residents | EAC citizens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park entrance fees | US$40 | US$30 | UGX 20,000 |
| Chimpanzee tracking | US$250 | US$200 | UGX 180,000 |
| Chimp habituation | US$300 | US$250 | UGX 250,000 |
| Guided short walks | US$5 | US$5 | UGX 10,000 |
| Artwork and paint | US$10 | US$10 | UGX 20,000 |
| Scout adventures | US$10 | US$10 | UGX 20,000 |
Lake Mburo National Park
| Activity | Foreign non-residents | Foreign residents | EAC citizens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park entrance fees | US$40 | US$30 | UGX 20,000 |
| Game drives | US$20 | US$15 | UGX 20,000 |
| Night game drives | US$30 | US$15 | UGX 50,000 |
| Guided nature walks | US$15 | US$10 | UGX 10,000 |
| Cycling | US$30 | US$25 | UGX 30,000 |
| Boat rides | US$30 | US$25 | UGX 30,000 |
Semuliki National Park
| Activity | Foreign non-residents | Foreign residents | EAC citizens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park entrance fees | US$35 | US$25 | UGX 15,000 |
| Batwa experience | US$10 | US$10 | UGX 10,000 |
| Guided nature walk | US$30 | US$15 | UGX 10,000 |
| Shoebill view by boat | US$100 | US$80 | UGX 100,000 |
| Ntoroko boat hire | US$100 | US$80 | UGX 100,000 |
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
| Activity | Foreign non-residents | Foreign residents | EAC citizens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park entrance fees | US$20 | US$20 | UGX 10,000 |
| Rhino tracking | US$30 | US$20 | UGX 20,000 |
| Bird watching | US$20 | US$20 | UGX 20,000 |
| Nature walks | US$20 | US$20 | UGX 20,000 |
| Shoebill | US$25 | US$20 | UGX 20,000 |
Rwenzori Mountains National Park
| Activity | Foreign non-residents | Foreign residents | EAC citizens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park entrance fees | US$35 | US$25 | UGX 15,000 |
| Rwenzori Mount hike | US$50 | US$40 | UGX 50,000 |
| Kinyampanika chimp trail | US$50 | US$40 | UGX 50,000 |
| Bukurungu trail | US$50 | US$40 | UGX 50,000 |
| Sebwe falls | US$50 | US$40 | UGX 50,000 |
| Kazingo trail | US$50 | US$40 | UGX 50,000 |
Mountain Elgon National Park
| Activity | Foreign non-residents | Foreign residents | EAC citizens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park entrance fees | US$35 | US$25 | UGX 15,000 |
| Mt Elgon hike | US$50 | US$40 | UGX 50,000 |
| Mt Elgon rock climb | US$65 | US$60 | UGX 55,000 |
| Mt Elgon biking | US$100 | US$80 | UGX 50,000 |
| Bushiyi trail excursion | US$150 | US$120 | UGX 150,000 |