Gorilla permits
Can you cancel a gorilla permit and get a refund?
In Uganda, yes, on a published scale and at the Uganda Wildlife Authority's discretion: 75% of what was paid if you cancel 61 days or more before the trek, 50% at 46 to 60 days, 25% at 15 to 45 days, and nothing within 14 days. If you track for a whole day and do not see the gorillas, the Authority may move you to the next day's trek, or refund 60% where that is not possible, and a visitor turned back for illness in the park can be refunded 50%. In Rwanda there is no refund for cancelling, but a visitor who tracks all day without finding the gorillas is refunded 75%. These are the authorities' rules for the permit alone; the rest of a trip follows your operator's terms.
Checked against official sources on . Sources
Uganda: cancelling before the trek
- Every refund is less bank charges and taxes the Authority has already incurred.
- The request goes in writing to the Authority's Executive Director, who may authorise or reject it. The date the request is received is the date that counts.
- A permit that has already been rescheduled cannot be refunded.
- The same rules cover chimpanzee permits and the gorilla habituation experience.
- Park entry and other activities paid for in advance cannot be rescheduled, cancelled or refunded.
| Notice before the tracking date | Refund of what was paid |
|---|---|
| 61 days or more | 75% |
| 46 to 60 days | 50% |
| 15 to 45 days | 25% |
| Within 14 days | None |
Uganda: illness, or no gorillas, on the day
- Illness. A visitor who shows signs of illness before tracking is not allowed to visit the gorillas and is referred to the nearest health facility. With a medical report, the Executive Director may authorise a refund of 50% of the permit. This applies only to visitors who are already in the park.
- An accident in the park before tracking is treated the same way: a refund of 50% may be authorised.
- No gorillas. If you track for a whole day and do not see them, the Executive Director may reschedule your permit to the following day.
- Where there is no space the next day, or your itinerary does not allow another day, the guidelines provide for a refund of 60% of the permit once the park's warden confirms the gorillas could not be reached.
Figures quoted elsewhere for Uganda often differ, including a scale that starts at 91 days and a 50% refund for not seeing gorillas. The Authority's current guidelines give the figures above.
Uganda: changing the date
- A permit can be rescheduled at most twice.
- The first reschedule is free, subject to space. The second carries a surcharge of 25% of the permit.
- Ask at least 14 days before the tracking date. A later request is taken only if there is space, with a 25% surcharge.
- After a second reschedule, the new date must fall within twelve months of the date first booked.
- A reschedule stays within the same conservation area and the same activity. Moving to a period with a higher price means paying the difference.
- Low-season permits, sold at the lower rate for April, May and November, cannot be rescheduled.
Rwanda
- Cancelling. The Rwanda Development Board makes no refund for late arrival, a delayed flight, absence, or cancelling the trip for any other reason.
- No gorillas. If the gorilla group's movement means you cannot track at all that day, you are given another chance or a full refund. If you track the whole day and make no contact, 75% of the tracking fee is refunded.
- Illness. You may be denied entry to the park if you have a cold, flu or another contagious illness. The Board states no refund for this.
- Changing the date costs 20% of the permit fee. More than seven days before the visit it is approved automatically; within seven days it needs the Board's approval.
- A permit not used on its date is treated as expired. Rescheduling an expired permit after an unforeseen event needs documentary evidence and is at the Board's discretion.
Side by side
All of this concerns the permit. Lodges, vehicles and flights follow the terms in your booking confirmation, and travel insurance that covers cancellation is the usual protection for whatever the authorities and suppliers keep.
| Uganda | Rwanda | |
|---|---|---|
| Cancelling well ahead | 75% at 61 days or more | No refund |
| Cancelling late | 25% at 15 to 45 days, none within 14 | No refund |
| Tracked all day, no gorillas | Next-day trek, or 60% | 75% |
| Turned back for illness | 50%, with a medical report | No refund stated |
| Changing the date | First change free, second 25% | 20% each time |
Common questions
- Are gorilla permits refundable in Uganda?
- Partly, at the Uganda Wildlife Authority's discretion: 75% of what was paid if you cancel 61 days or more before the trek, 50% at 46 to 60 days, 25% at 15 to 45 days, and nothing within 14 days, less bank charges and taxes.
- Are gorilla permits refundable in Rwanda?
- Not for cancelling. The Rwanda Development Board makes no refund for late arrival, flight delays, absence or cancelling the trip. It refunds 75% if you track all day and make no contact with a gorilla family.
- What happens if I do not see the gorillas?
- In Uganda the Authority may reschedule you to the following day, and where that is not possible its guidelines provide for a 60% refund. In Rwanda, 75% of the tracking fee is refunded after a full day's tracking without contact.
- What if I am ill on the day of the trek?
- In Uganda a visitor showing signs of illness is not allowed to track, and with a medical report a 50% refund may be authorised. In Rwanda you may be denied entry with a cold, flu or other contagious illness, and no refund is stated.
- Can I change the date of a gorilla permit?
- In Uganda up to twice: the first change is free and the second costs 25%, and a request made less than 14 days before the trek also costs 25%. Low-season permits cannot be changed. In Rwanda each change costs 20% of the permit fee.
- Can I get a refund after rescheduling a Uganda permit?
- No. The Authority's guidelines say no refund is permitted against a permit that has been rescheduled before.
Safaris to start from
6 Days Bwindi Gorilla Trekking
A six-day safari through southwestern Uganda and into Rwanda, combining mountain gorilla tracking in Bwindi with a game drive and Kazinga Channel boat safari in Queen Elizabeth. It ends with a visit to Kigali's Genocide Memorial.
6-Day Uganda Wildlife & Gorilla Safari
A six-day Uganda safari across Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi national parks, with game drives, the top of the falls, a Kazinga Channel boat cruise and mountain gorilla trekking.
8-Day Rwanda Gorillas and Chimps Safari
An eight-day Rwanda journey that pairs chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe with gorilla trekking in the Volcanoes, alongside Lake Kivu and cultural stops. It runs from Kigali across the south and northwest of the country.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked on against these sources. Refunds in Uganda are authorised case by case by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, so the scale is what its guidelines provide for, not a guarantee. Ask for the terms that apply to your booking in writing before you pay.
- Uganda Wildlife Authority — Guidelines for gorilla and chimpanzee tracking, July 2024 (PDF)
- Uganda Wildlife Authority — Conservation Tariff, July 2024 to June 2026 (PDF)
- Uganda Wildlife Authority — Tariff changes 2026–2027, letter of 26 February 2026 (PDF)
- Uganda Wildlife Authority — Client Charter 2025/26 to 2029/30, May 2026 (PDF)
- Rwanda Development Board — Mountain gorilla tracking (booking portal)
- Rwanda Development Board — Tourist permit
- Rwanda Development Board — Reschedule a permit
- Rwanda Development Board — Reschedule an expired permit
Planning questions
Worried about committing to a date?
Tell us what might change, and we will explain what the permit rules allow before you pay for anything.