Govt cuts chimpanzee, gorilla tracking fees

Dec 03, 2020

The changes are intended to encourage consumption of wild services ahead of the festive season, UWA said.

TOURISM | SITES & SOUNDS

The Uganda Wild Life Authority (UWA) has announced a raft of changes in its pricing for visits to wildlife centres across the country.

The changes are intended to encourage consumption of wild services ahead of the festive season, UWA said.

They are also expected to boost the tourism industry that was heavily hit by the COVID-19 pandemic when national parks, wildlife gazetted places and Entebbe Airport were closed.

The discount came into effect on December 1 and will be running to March 31 2021, according to a statement released by Sam Mwandha, the UWA executive director.

"As Uganda continues to manage the impacts of COVID-19 and welcome visitors to various destinations around the country, UWA is pleased to inform the general public that it will be running a festive season price discount," he said.

He said discounts will apply for visitors to Lake Mburo National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Fall National Park, Semiliki National Park, Toro Semiliki Wild Life Reserve, Katonga Wildlife Reserve and Plan Upe Wildlife Reserve.



He noted that visitors to the above facilities would enjoy a 50% discount on park entrance.

The authority also announced a slash on gorilla and chimpanzee tracking fee by 60% (from sh250,000 to 150,000) for East African citizens, while foreign residents in Uganda will enjoy a 50% discount from $600 to $300.

Nonresident foreigners on the other hand will pay $400 down from $700. East Africans who resident in Uganda will pay sh100,000 down from sh150,000. 

Foreign resident chimpanzee tracking permits reduced from $150 to $100 while foreign nonresidents permits now cost $150 down from $200.

Also discounted are birding permits which have attracted a 50% discount.

However, Mwandha said reduction on gorilla and chimpanzee fees will apply only to new purchases between December 2020 and March 31 and not on reschedules of already deposited permits or purchases using credit letters.

He added that visitors would continue to adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines throughout the period.


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