UWA cuts park entry fees by 50% in festive season promotion

It is going to be a good season for visitors, both local and international to the country’s national parks after the Uganda Wildlife Authority announced they had slashed the entry fees by 50%.

The three-month-long offer will start on December 1, 2020 up to March 31, 2021.

“Our visitors are at the heart of our conservation efforts and as we enter into the festive season, we are glad to be able to reward them for their continued support throughout the years and more especially through this period of Covid-19 pandemic,” UWA said in a communication to all tourism stakeholders.

Consequently, for one to visit Murchison, Queen, Lake Mburo, Bwindi, Mgahinga, Kibale, Kidepo, Semuliki, Toro Semuliki wildlife reserve, Katonga wildlife reserve, Pian Upe wild reserve and Rwenzori national parks, visitors will be required to pay only 50% of the previous entry fees.

The 50% discount also counts on birding activities whereas gorilla tracking fees have been reduced from shs250,000 to shs150,000 for East African citizens while foreign residents will be required to pay $300 from $600 for the same activity.

For foreign non-residents, they will be required to pay $400 from the usual $700.

According to the communication by UWA, Eat African Community members will pay shs100,000 only to track chimpanzees from shs150,000 whereas foreigner residents will part with only $100 from $150 and foreign non -residents will be required to pay $150 from the usual $200.

“The reduction on gorilla and chimp fees will only apply to new purchases between December 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021 and not on reschedules of already deposited on permits or purchases using credit letter,” UWA says.

Despite being left bleeding by the Coronavirus pandemic, Uganda’s tourism sector has slowly by slowly been picking up.

For example, domestic tourism has taken shape in the new normal where visitors are required to adhere to standard operating procedures to prevent the spread of the virus.

With such incentives like the slashing of entry fees to the country’s parks by UWA, more visitors are expected to throng the tourism sites.