How Booking Works

Booking a gorilla journey should feel clear before it feels exciting. We do not believe in vague quotes, hidden permit confusion, or wrong-sector lodging dressed up as luxury. The first thing we owe you is the truth about what is available for your dates and what the trip will actually cost. The second thing is to compose a journey that fits you, not a template.

1. 01

   Tell us your travel brief

   Dates or a flexible window, number of guests, comfort level, fitness, interests, and rough budget. The more honest the brief, the cleaner the proposal. There is no obligation at this stage and the conversation can be voice, email or WhatsApp.
2. 02

   We check permits and route logic

   A journey curator checks UWA gorilla permit availability for your sector and dates, validates lodge availability in that sector, and confirms whether road, fly-in or mixed transfers fit the calendar. If something does not align, we tell you before quoting.
3. 03

   We compose your journey

   You receive a written proposal: route, day-by-day plan, named lodges, room basis, inclusions, exclusions, permit status, conservation contribution, and the price basis (per person sharing, full board, currency). It is a real proposal, not a brochure.
4. 04

   You review with a curator

   A voice or WhatsApp review to refine the plan. We adjust the route, lodge choice, pacing or budget until the trip fits. Most journeys go through two rounds of refinement before they are right.
5. 05

   Deposit secures permits and rooms

   Once the proposal is agreed, a deposit confirms UWA permit issuance and lodge bookings in your name. The exact deposit percentage, balance due date and cancellation terms are set out in your proposal so the terms are clear before you transfer any funds.
6. 06

   You receive your Field Dossier

   A complete travel pack: packing list by sector and season, permit status, briefing summary, guide introduction, lodge contacts, vehicle details, emergency numbers, and the WhatsApp line for in-country support.
7. 07

   Travel with support

   Airport meet and assist at Entebbe, dedicated guide and vehicle throughout, lodge handovers managed for you, daily check-ins where appropriate, and twenty four hour curator support on WhatsApp. You are not alone in the field.
8. 08

   After travel

   A personal Memory Record from your trip, a brief feedback request, a House Letter from the founder, and an annual update on the House conservation ledger so you can see where the contribution lands.

• UWA gorilla permit availability for your dates
• Sector match for your physical preference and lodge
• Lodge availability in the correct sector
• Room type and bedding configuration
• Road transfer times for the route
• Flight feasibility for fly-in legs
• Guest fitness against trek demand
• Age eligibility for any children
• Season-specific kit and pacing notes
• Any dietary, medical or access requirements

This list is the difference between a proposal and a guess. Skipping it is how travellers end up with a beautiful lodge in the wrong sector, a permit on a day they cannot make, or a road transfer that is impossible in one daylight.

A Bwindi House Gorilla Safaris proposal is the document you should expect from any operator you trust with a private gorilla journey. Ours always includes:

• A day-by-day itinerary with realistic timings.
• A simple route map.
• Named lodges and rooms, with sector tagged.
• Full inclusions, written out.
• Full exclusions, written out, not buried.
• Permit status (held, requested, or confirmed).
• Pricing basis: per person sharing, full board, season, currency.
• Solo, triple and child supplements where relevant.
• Payment terms and cancellation notes.
• Optional upgrades (room class, fly-in, second activity).

A deposit is the point at which UWA permits and lodge rooms are issued in your name. Before that point, both are held informally for a short window during the proposal stage. The exact deposit percentage, balance due date and cancellation terms depend on how close your dates are and the lodge calendars involved, and they are written into your proposal.

UWA gorilla permits are date-specific and restricted once issued. Refunds and date changes are subject to the official UWA rules in force at the time of cancellation. Lodge cancellations are subject to the lodge's own terms, which tighten as the travel date approaches. Travel insurance is essential. Your proposal sets out the specific cancellation tiers that apply to your booking so there is no ambiguity.

Per person sharing is the standard pricing convention in private safari travel. It assumes two guests sharing one double or twin room, and one shared private vehicle and guide. A solo traveller carries the full single-room cost and the full vehicle cost, which is why solo journeys typically run 30 to 60 percent above the per-person-sharing rate.

Three guests sharing two rooms reduces the per-person rate further. Families travelling with eligible teenagers in a triple or family room often see meaningful per-person savings.

A useful gorilla quote needs at minimum: travel window, number of guests, comfort level, sector preference (or willingness to be advised), fitness honestly self-rated, and rough budget. Without those, a price is a guess that almost always becomes either an over-promise or an awkward upward revision later.

Operators who quote instantly are usually quoting from a template. We quote slowly because we are checking permits, not assembling marketing copy. The first quote you receive from us is the price we expect you to actually pay.