UPDATE ON UWA’S STREAMLINED PAYMENT SYSTEMS & NEW WILD ENCOUNTERS 

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) is glad to announce a series of strategic updates to improve service efficiency and expand our exclusive wildlife portfolio. We would like to inform all tourism partners of these significant operational changes.

1. In-House Banking Service—A Smarter Way of Paying 

To avoid delays in payments and to ensure a smoother process of permit issuance, we have installed a dedicated in-house banking unit at the UWA Headquarters Reservations Office. This facility is your direct path to faster confirmations.

• Operating hours are 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM from Monday to Friday and 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM on Saturday.
• The 24-hour reflection period: All payments will reflect within a period of 24 hours for all payments. Once confirmation for your payment is received, your permits and all other paid-for services will be processed immediately.

2. Addition of Happy and Nshanjare Gorilla Groups on the Tracking List 

Bwindi’s gorilla trekking capacity has officially grown. We are thrilled to integrate two new habituated families into our booking system:

• The Happy Group– Buhoma Sector
• The Nshanjare Group– Rushaga Sector

Important Policy Update: With these new groups in the system, UWA will no longer issue extra gorilla trekking permits. Partners are encouraged to monitor the system in real-time and book early to secure these high-demand slots.

3. Exclusive Golden Cat Tracking 

The new trekking experience, “golden cat tracking,” will be done in Kanyanchu in Kibale Forest National Park along the Ngogo Road. We invite adventurous travelers on a rare 5-days immersive safari experience to track the exclusive African golden cats.

• Rate:$350 per person for a period of five days. This cost includes UWA ranger support. Tourists are also required to come along with their primary guide provided by the tour operators.
• Booking Protocol:Since this experience is not yet available on the digital portal, all bookings have to be made on-ground at least 24 to 48 hours in advance. UWA’s official revenue accounts centralize revenue payment.

We look forward to working with all our stakeholders to provide world-class Uganda safari experiences.