Official UWA rates
Murchison Falls National Park entry fees
Murchison Falls is the only park in UWA's Category A+, the top entrance band, so it costs more to enter than Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi, Kidepo, Kibale or Lake Mburo. Foreign non-residents pay US$45 per person for 24 hours, foreign residents $35, other African nationals $30 and East African citizens UGX 25,000. Entry is charged separately from every activity.
Updated 2026-08-17
Park entrance (per person, per 24 hours)
| Foreign non-resident, adult | $45 | child 5 to 15: $25, under 5 free |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign resident, adult | $35 | child 5 to 15: $15 |
| Rest of Africa, adult | $30 | child 5 to 15: $10 |
| East African citizen, adult | UGX 25,000 | child 5 to 15: UGX 10,000 |
| Ugandan pupils and students in groups | UGX 3,000 | tertiary and university groups: UGX 5,000 |
| Annual pass, foreign resident | $350 | couple $600, family $800; EAC individual UGX 350,000 |
The tariff is explicit that a day ticket is valid for twenty four hours from the time you enter, not until closing time, and that extra time beyond 24 hours is charged as another full day. Bring photo identification: UWA requires proof of residency status to give you anything below the foreign non-resident rate. One oddity worth knowing is that the Category A+ table drops the Uganda Wildlife Clubs rate of UGX 2,000 that Category A parks list, so club groups should confirm at the gate.
Updated 2026-08-17
Vehicle and boat entry (per 24 hours, or once per trip)
| Saloon car, foreign registered | $50 | $40 base plus the $10 Murchison surcharge; Ugandan registered UGX 30,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Minibus, omnibus or pick-up, foreign registered | $60 | Ugandan registered UGX 40,000 |
| Tour company vehicle or 4WD, foreign registered | $160 | Ugandan registered UGX 40,000 |
| Overlander, foreign registered | $160 | Ugandan registered UGX 110,000 |
| Bus or lorry, foreign registered | $210 | Ugandan registered UGX 210,000 |
| Private boat, up to 15 seats | $100 | Ugandan registered UGX 250,000; over 15 seats $200 or UGX 350,000 |
The surcharge is easy to miss. The tariff adds a line saying that vehicle entrance to Murchison carries an extra US$10 for foreign-registered vehicles and an extra UGX 10,000 for Ugandan-registered ones, so every figure above already includes it. The consequence is stark: a foreign-registered 4x4 pays $160 a day here while an identical Ugandan-registered one pays UGX 40,000, roughly $11. Renting a vehicle inside Uganda rather than driving your own across a border saves you around fifteen times the cost. Motorcycles are not allowed in the park at all unless they are delivering a service or the Executive Director has approved them. One line in the tariff changes the arithmetic for anyone sleeping inside the park: vehicle and boat entry is charged per 24 hours, except for concessionaire visitor vehicles, who pay once per trip. A lodge inside the boundary holds a UWA concession, so its guests pay the vehicle fee once rather than for every day they are in. Drive in daily from outside and you pay it each time.
Updated 2026-08-17
Camping and UWA accommodation
| Category A wilderness camping, per person per night | $40 | maximum 16 people, advance booking required |
|---|---|---|
| Category B private campsite, per person per night | $30 | maximum 20 people including non-paying staff |
| Category C public campsite, per person per night | UGX 40,000 | pit latrine, water, firewood, fireplace, shelter and security |
| Students at a public campsite | UGX 3,000 | school groups |
| UWA dormitory bed, adult | UGX 25,000 | children UGX 10,000; students in a group UGX 5,000 |
Two things to be aware of. The tariff prices Category C public campsites only in Uganda shillings, so what a foreign non-resident actually pays there is genuinely undefined in the document and worth settling by email before you arrive. And UWA does run beds at Murchison, including a dormitory-style students' centre with 60 beds at North Paraa, despite a line on UWA's own FAQ page claiming the authority runs no accommodation. The tariff and the park brochure both contradict that page. Book on 0706 780 008. Camping is also possible up at the Top of the Falls.
Updated 2026-08-17
Activity fees at Murchison Falls
| Launch trip to the foot of the falls, per person | $30 | foreign resident $25, rest of Africa $20, EAC UGX 30,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Day game drive, per UWA guide and not per person | $25 | foreign resident $20, EAC UGX 25,000 |
| Night game drive, per person | $40 | see the note below; in-park guests only, UWA guide mandatory |
| Self game drive, per vehicle with no guide | $10 | all categories $10 or UGX 10,000 |
| Hike to the Top of the Falls, per person | $15 | foreign resident $10, EAC UGX 10,000; ranger escort required |
| Viewing the Top of the Falls by vehicle, per person | $10 | EAC UGX 10,000; free for Ugandan pupils and wildlife clubs |
| Birding or nature walk, per person | $25 | foreign resident $20, EAC UGX 20,000; night walk $50 |
| Cycling, per person | $30 | foreign resident $25, EAC UGX 30,000 |
| Sport fishing permit, per day | $50 | four days $150, annual permit $300, EAC UGX 20,000 per day |
| White water rafting | $50 | restricted to professional rafters, prior booking required |
The day game drive fee is charged per UWA guide rather than per head, which makes a guided drive for a full vehicle one of the best-value things you can buy in Uganda. Two figures in the tariff contradict themselves and you may be quoted either. The Murchison summary page prices a night drive at $40 for foreign non-residents, while the general guided game drive table in the same document prices it at $30, and $40 is the rate listed for a UWA-supplied vehicle. The same summary page prints 50 in the East African column for sport fishing where a shilling figure belongs; the dedicated fishing table gives UGX 20,000 a day. Chimpanzee tracking at Kaniyo Pabidi in Budongo does not appear in the UWA tariff at all, so treat any UWA price you see quoted for it with suspicion and confirm with whoever runs the trek.