Rwanda has extended promotional pricing for gorilla trekking permits through the entirety of 2026, a move designed to broaden access to one of the country’s most iconic wildlife experiences while continuing to support conservation financing and community development. On January 5, 2026, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) publicly announced that discounted permit rates will remain effective until 31 December 2026, with the exception of the peak tourism season between June and October when standard pricing applies.
Under the promotional structure, Rwandan citizens and residents of the East African Community (EAC) qualify for permits priced at USD 200. Other African visitors and foreign residents of the continent are eligible for the reduced rate of USD 500, while international tourists outside Africa continue to pay the standard USD 1,500 for a permit.
This pricing approach aligns with Rwanda’s established high-value, low-impact tourism model, which has for years positioned the country as a leading destination for sustainable safari and primate experiences. While the standard USD 1,500 fee was reaffirmed by multiple tourism resources as the baseline for most international visitors in 2025 and 2026, the promotional rates are now more clearly structured and broadly communicated by the RDB.
In its announcement, the RDB emphasized that the goal of extending promotional pricing is to encourage more Africans and regional travelers to experience Rwanda’s unique wildlife offerings. “RDB reaffirms its commitment to driving tourism growth and positioning Rwanda as a premier regional and global destination,” the board stated in its January 2026 notice.
Promotions and Seasonal Pricing
Observers of the sector note that Rwanda has experimented with differentiated pricing and promotional mechanisms in recent years—not only through regional discounts but also through low-season incentives and combined-parks offers. For example, some tour operators and park services continue to promote up to 30 percent off standard permit fees when gorilla treks are combined with stays or activities in Akagera or Nyungwe National Parks during low season months such as November through May, though these are separate from the RDB’s official promotional rates.
The extension of the promotional fees follows a trend that began as countries across East Africa sought to revive tourism in the wake of disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier reporting from 2023 highlighted Rwanda’s initial reduction of permit fees—from USD 1,500 toward a USD 500 tier for foreign residents and USD 200 for EAC nationals—as a strategic effort to make gorilla trekking more accessible and to support economic recovery in communities adjacent to Volcanoes National Park.
Conservationists, while supportive of increased accessibility, continue to stress the importance of maintaining sufficient revenue to fund anti-poaching patrols, habitat protection, and community benefit programs. Gorilla tourism funds have historically played a critical role in the resurgence of mountain gorillas from the brink of extinction, with tourism revenue reinvested in ranger patrols, veterinary care, and local livelihoods since the early 2000s.
With tourism revenues reported at approximately USD 647 million in 2024 and projected to exceed USD 700 million in 2025, RDB stakeholders see promotional pricing as part of a broader strategy to diversify appeal across market segments while still working toward an ambitious USD 1 billion tourism revenue goal by 2029.
