December is one of Uganda’s two peak gorilla trekking months — the other being July-August. The combination of the Christmas and New Year holiday period, the school end-of-year break in the Southern Hemisphere, and Uganda’s short dry season creates high demand for permits and accommodation in the final weeks of the year. If you are planning a December 2027 gorilla trek, this guide covers what is typically available, when it sells out, and what you need to do to secure your preferred dates.
December Permit Availability
The Uganda Wildlife Authority issues gorilla permits year-round, but December availability — particularly for the weeks of 20-27 December and 28 December to 3 January — is among the most competed-for in the calendar. Permits for this period should be booked by June or July 2027 at the latest. Some of the more popular gorilla families — those closest to the better-known lodges and with shorter trekking distances — may be fully booked earlier than others. If you have a specific sector preference (Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, or Nkuringo), your operator needs to know early to match availability.
The gorilla permit costs $800 USD for international visitors in 2027. This price applies throughout the year, including December, without a holiday surcharge. Lodge accommodation during peak December dates typically does carry a premium above standard rates, and availability at quality properties is limited. Booking the full package — permit and accommodation — simultaneously and early is the only way to secure the December experience without compromise.
December Conditions
December sits in Uganda’s short dry season, which runs from December through February. Trail conditions in Bwindi are good — firmer than the rainy season months, with reliable morning weather. The forest is dry-season green rather than the lush wet-season green, but it is full of life and the gorilla families are typically very active. For families travelling with teenagers during the school holiday, December combines peak-season conditions with the holiday atmosphere of the surrounding culture — a combination that is hard to replicate in any other month.
If December Is Sold Out
If December is unavailable by the time you enquire, the closest alternatives are November (short rains, better availability) or the January period immediately after New Year, when demand drops quickly after the holiday peak. Contact us to check current availability for your preferred December 2027 dates and to discuss alternatives if your first-choice dates are no longer available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Uganda is home to the mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei), one of two subspecies of eastern gorilla. They live exclusively in the Virunga volcanic highlands (Uganda/Rwanda/DRC) and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Uganda only). Mountain gorillas are the only gorilla subspecies that cannot survive in captivity — every individual you can trek is a wild animal.
The standard gorilla trekking permit gives you exactly 1 hour with the gorilla family. This time begins when you make first contact with the family — the ranger signals the start. The Gorilla Habituation Experience gives 4 hours with a semi-wild family. The walk to find the gorillas can take 30 minutes to 5 hours depending on where the family has moved.
Stay calm, crouch down slowly, avoid direct eye contact, and remain quiet. Do not run — running triggers a chase response. Rangers accompanying your group manage close approaches. Habituated gorillas are accustomed to humans and almost never make contact, but a charging silverback is managed by staying still and following ranger instructions immediately.
A maximum of 8 visitors per habituated gorilla family per day for standard trekking. The Gorilla Habituation Experience has a maximum of 4 visitors per family per day. These limits are set by UWA to minimise stress on the gorilla families and maintain the quality of the experience.
Uganda is home to the mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei), one of two subspecies of eastern gorilla. They live exclusively in the Virunga volcanic highlands (Uganda/Rwanda/DRC) and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Uganda only). Mountain gorillas are the only gorilla subspecies that cannot survive in captivity — every individual you can trek is a wild animal.
