Updated
“All-inclusive” gorilla safaris in Uganda usually cover your gorilla permit, a 4×4 vehicle with a driver-guide, accommodation, meals and the activities in the itinerary. They rarely cover international flights, visas, travel insurance, tips or drinks. Because operators use the term differently, two quotes that both say all-inclusive can differ by hundreds of dollars for the same trip. Here is what to expect, what to check, and how to compare quotes fairly.
What is normally included
The gorilla permit is the biggest single item. The gorilla permit costs US$800, or US$600 in April, May and November. A good package lists the permit separately and names the trek date and sector. After that come transport in a 4×4 safari vehicle with a driver-guide, including fuel and the driver’s own meals and lodging, and accommodation for each night on a full-board basis (breakfast, lunch and dinner) once you leave Entebbe or Kampala.
Packages also normally include park entry fees and the activities in the itinerary, such as a boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth or a forest walk, plus bottled water in the vehicle and airport transfers. See what the gorilla permit itself includes for what UWA’s fee covers.
What is usually not included
International flights are almost always extra unless you book one of the packages that include international flights. So are visas (US$50 for a single-entry Ugandan visa, US$100 for the East Africa Tourist Visa), travel insurance, tips for guides, porters, drivers and lodge staff, alcoholic and soft drinks at lodges, laundry, and optional activities not in the itinerary. Porters on the trek are hired on the day and paid separately; our tipping guide suggests sensible amounts. Domestic flights to Kihihi or Kisoro are extra unless the quote says otherwise.
The fine print that changes the price
Check whether the price is per person sharing a room. Solo travellers usually pay a single supplement, and prices drop as the group grows because the vehicle and driver cost is shared. Check the lodge names and room types: “comfortable lodge in Bwindi” can mean anything from a simple guesthouse to a US$1,000-a-night property. Check whether meals are full board everywhere or only on some nights, and whether the itinerary includes the Gorilla Habituation Experience or a standard trek, since the habituation permit costs US$1,500 (US$1,800 from 2027).
Finally, ask what happens to the price if the government changes permit fees before your trip, and read the operator’s terms on deposits and payment and cancellation and refund rules. UWA gorilla permits are non-refundable once issued, so a fair operator explains clearly how its own terms work around that, for example whether a date change is possible.
How to compare quotes
Lay quotes side by side using the same checklist: number of nights and where, lodge names, permit date and sector, vehicle type, meal plan, activities, and exactly what is excluded. A cheaper quote that excludes the permit, uses a minibus instead of a 4×4, or puts you three hours from your trekking sector is not cheaper in the end.
Our guide on how to choose a safari company lists the questions to ask, and booking through an operator or direct with UWA explains the permit side. For realistic totals by trip length, read what a Uganda gorilla safari costs, and if price is the priority, see gorilla trekking on a budget.
Frequently asked questions
Usually yes, and it should be listed separately with the trek date and sector. Always confirm in writing.
Typically international flights, visas, travel insurance, tips, drinks, laundry, optional activities and porters.
Lodge standard, group size, vehicle type, meal plan and what is excluded all change the price for the same route.
The permit price is the same either way; packages add transport, lodging and logistics around it.
