The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Cashless Card System was introduced after criminals ambushed staff members to take park fees. Authority collectors mismanaged many monies. Wildlife conservation demands funding, hence cashless cards were introduced to eliminate this tendency.

Tourists turned to cashless cards to reduce their cash and increase safety. Many Uganda safari clients with cash were threatened by criminals who stole it on the route to the parks.

Uganda Wildlife Authority wants to eliminate permission and receipt paper to ensure a carbon-free environment. Reusable cards are slowly saving paper trees. As a sample survey, the Uganda Wildlife Authority introduced cashless gorilla trekking cards in 2013.

Uganda Wildlife Authority Cashless Card History
Several Uganda Wildlife

Uganda Wildlife Authority replaced cash and receipt methods with cashless/smart card systems to collect National Park admission fees. The card system began at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with all gorilla permits. This was working well, and people and tour operators seemed to have accepted it.

Following the success of gorilla permits on cards, Uganda Wildlife implemented a card and cashless system in Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabeth, Kibale, and Murchison Falls National Parks, requiring visitors to present receipts and pay at the gate.

This was excellent since it would limit tour guides’ cash, which thieves sometimes steal. No one can take the money on these cards since they require a code or password.

Machines to identify money on these cards were installed at Uganda Wildlife Authority headquarters in Kampala, Katunguru Queen Elizabeth Park Headquarters, and Queens Pavilion in Kikorongo for Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Nshara gate for Lake Mburo National Park, Buhoma for Bwindi, Ishasha side of Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Fortportal for Kibale.

Challenges of Cashless System

Most local travel businesses opposed this cashless approach from the start, stating it failed in Kenya. A cashless system and online gorilla permits were proposed. Local tour operators did not like this because it would expose them to foreign competition.

This exacerbated the Uganda Wildlife Authority-Local Tour Operator animosity. UWA launched this cashless system without testing it or engaging local tour operators, who bring people to Uganda National Parks.

How to Pay Uganda Wildlife Authority

As the globe becomes digital, even cashless transactions are growing in Africa. Uganda Wildlife Authority accepts credit cards, wire transfers, mobile money, and more for gorilla, chimpanzee, and park fees. Financial service providers want details. Avoiding cash transactions was the goal.

Payments to the Uganda Wildlife Authority

The Kampala Headquarters funds all Uganda Wildlife Authority park activities. The credit card reader swipes your card here. Your gorilla trekking card contains a magnetic strip on the back that is swiped through another machine to read your personal information. The card has a number in case it is misplaced. Take note of this number for safety.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Cashless Card System allows visits to which national parks?
Uganda has 10 national parks, mostly in the west. Ugandan national parks include.

Bwindi Impenetrable Park
The most mountain gorillas in Uganda live here. The park is thought to have survived for 30000 years and hosted over 10 primate species, including mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, and others, 300 tree species, 51 reptiles, 88 months, 310 butterflies, 350 bird species, and more. A refugee forest survived the ice age.

The main activity in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is gorilla trekking, but birding, nature walks, and Batwa pygmies visits are also popular.

Kibale National Park
The most habituated chimpanzees in Africa live in this tropical rainforest. About 1500 wild and habituated chimpanzees live in this park. The park is home to L’Hoests’, black and white colobus, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, pottos monkeys, and others.

Kibale National Park has several birds, including 6 Albertine endemics. This park’s principal activity is chimpanzee trekking, but birding, nature walks, mountain hikes, and more are available.

The Queen Elizabeth National Park
A stunning view of the rift valley floor and biodiversity make this park famous. The Rwenzori ranges are 60 miles long and 40 miles wide, creating a stunning background.

Queen Elizabeth National Park includes many plant zones that support animals. The parks have swamp vegetation, bushy grassland, forest grassland, acacia woodland, and others.

Game drives in this park’s tracks may reveal lions, leopards, water bucks, warthogs, bushbacks, topis, buffaloes, gigantic forest hogs, hyenas, and mongooses.

The park’s birdlife makes it a top Uganda birding destination. Papyrus gonolek, Chapin’s flycatcher, lesser and larger flamingos, African skimmer, martial eagles, black-rumped buttonquail, and others may be seen.

Kyambura Gorge chimpanzee trekking is rewarding and tests your fitness. Olive baboons, black-and-white colobus, vervet monkeys, grey checkered mangabeys, and others are present.

The Kazinga Channel launch is a highlight of the park. Look over the banks to see animals that come down to drink, birds that prefer feeding from the marshy banks, and Rwenzori rangers.

Lake Mburo National Park
This national park is closest to Kampala. It has impalas, zebras, giraffes, elands, water bucks, bushbucks, warthogs, and Uganda Kobs. Lake Mburo boat rides are the best pack experience. You may see fishermen casting nets to capture fish. Lake Mburo in the park provides fresh breezes and wonderful views.

Murchison Falls National Park
The Nile flows through Murchison Falls National Park, its lifeblood. The world’s strongest falls are Murchison Falls in the park. After 80 kilometers, the Nile hits an embedded rock and squeezes down a tiny gorge to burst out fiercely and create a hazy appearance.

You have a great view of the park during the River Nile launch. Watch out for hippos, gigantic Nile Crocodiles, riverine birds, and wild animals that drink from the shore during the cruise. Boat turbulence changes and a foamy look emerges as the falls appear. The powerful Nile grumbles as it squeezes through the 6-meter-wide gorge to burst abruptly.

The park is home to Oribi, lions, hyenas, water bucks, bush bucks, Uganda Kobs, giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, and over 450 bird species. Game drives through different paths may reveal these creatures.

Kaniyo Pabidi chimpanzee hiking is breathtaking. Watch for olive baboons, grey-cheeked mangabeys, vervet monkeys, and more. Many birds inhabit the forest, including Ituri Batis, yellow-footed flycatcher, and white-thighed hornbill.

Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo Valley National Park is located in Uganda’s far northeast. The Ugandan carnivores visit this park. Cheetahs, spotted hyenas, black-backed and side-striped jackals, bat-eared foxes, aardwolves, klipsinger, Burchell Zebras, bushbucks, oribi, Defessa water bucks, and more may be seen.

Rwenzori National Park
The park sits at the foot of the Rwenzori mountains. On mountain slopes, you walk through the forest. Elephants, cape buffaloes, huge forest hogs, bushbucks, chimpanzees, leopards, and 214 bird species—including 19 Albertine endemics—may be seen. Birds like varied plant foods.

Mountain Elgon National Park
This park is a rare eastern Ugandan wildlife reserve. The local water catchment is this. This park is infrequently visited because Kenya’s Kilimanjaro is more popular. Bamboo, montane heath, gigantic heather, and montane forest grow throughout the park. These help some animals survive. Like oribi, Defassa waterbucks, leopards, and spotted hyenas.

This park is home to Jackson’s Francolin, mustache green tinkerbird, black-collared Apalis, and others.

Semliki National Park 
Semliki National Park in Uganda is rarely mentioned. An isolated park in Bundibujo district. A biodiverse park with many birds. The underground Sempaya hot springs are magnificent. More than 336 tree species, 53 animals, and others live in this moist semi-deciduous forest.

Mgahinga National Park 
Mgahinga National Park is furthest southwest. A gorilla family named Nyakagezi treks throughout the park. This family roams the woodland and Rwanda. To book gorilla permits for this park, check mountain gorilla availability. This park also offers birding, Batwa Pygmy visits, volcano hikes, and more.

Uganda Packing List Safari

Protect your skin from sunburns with sunscreen.
Repellent for buzzing and stinging insects.
A camera to document your wilderness experience.
Foldable Water bottle for drinking.

Binoculars to see distant attractions better
Since you are in the automobile, wear flip-flops during game drives.
Pajamas for bedtime and energy snacks for hunger.
Rain gear for gorilla and chimpanzee trekking in the woods.
Safari clothes, but only the necessary ones because your luggage will weigh extra.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda requires tracking boots because of the wet and slippery ground.
In case your hotel does not have them, toiletries
Light backpack for trekking with valuables.
First Aid box for field injuries
Contact us and consult our trip advisor for Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Cashless Card System information.