East Africa Tourist Visa for Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda and Uganda

The three countries

The visa is a joint tourist visa for Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda. You can cross between them as many times as you like while it is valid. For a gorilla trip this is exactly what you want, because the most popular loop runs from Kigali in Rwanda across the border into Uganda for Bwindi, or the reverse.

The border points trekkers actually use are Gatuna (Katuna), which connects Kabale in Uganda to Rwanda, and Cyanika (Chanika), which connects Uganda's Kisoro District to Rwanda's Burera District. Both sit on the main Kigali to Bwindi routing.

What is not covered

Tanzania is not covered. If you leave the Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya bloc, for example on a Serengeti add-on after your trek, the visa is invalidated even if you are still inside the 90 days. Burundi and South Sudan are also outside the scheme.

Plan the whole route before you apply, and if Tanzania is on the list, buy separate visas instead.

The link to your gorilla day

The visa itself does not get you near a gorilla. You also need a trekking permit, and the two are bought separately. Rwanda permits cost $1,500 (US$1,500) per person per day according to Visit Rwanda, while Uganda charges foreign non-residents $800 (US$800) for Bwindi and Mgahinga under the Uganda Wildlife Authority tariff.

That permit price gap is the real reason many trekkers use the EATV to enter Uganda via Rwanda. Our rwanda vs uganda gorilla trekking comparison breaks the numbers down.

The fee and what it buys

Rwanda's Irembo portal lists the East Africa Tourist Visa (V11) at $100 (US$100), valid three months for Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya. The same visa bought through Uganda's portal or on arrival is the same document at the same joint price. For comparison, Irembo lists a single-entry holiday visa at $50 (US$50), a three-month multiple-entry visa at $70 (US$70), a group tourism visa at $150 (US$150) and a transit visa at $30 (US$30) for a maximum of three days.

Buy direct, not through an agent

Rwanda's Directorate General of Immigration states that no affiliated agent is authorised to apply for a visa on your behalf, and that such agents may mislead you and charge more than the official fees. Apply on the official portals yourself. Consular fees can change without notice, so confirm the current amount on the portal before you pay.

The rule in practice

Apply through the immigration portal of the country you enter first and physically enter that country first. If you apply with Uganda but land in Kigali, border officers can turn you away. If acquiring the visa before travel, Rwanda's immigration authority states the first entry point must be the country through which you applied.

The classic Kigali to Bwindi sequence

Most trekkers on this site fly into Kigali because it is the closest international airport to Bwindi. If you plan to start in Uganda for gorilla trekking after arriving via Rwanda, apply through Rwanda's Irembo portal and stamp into Rwanda first, then cross at Gatuna or Cyanika. Flip the route and the portal flips too.

If you fly into Entebbe for a Uganda first trek and then continue to Kenya, you apply through Uganda's portal and enter Uganda first, which is exactly how the 3 day gorilla trekking Uganda tour runs.

Why this matters for trekkers

A common plan is gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda, then a Serengeti or Zanzibar leg in Tanzania. That leg kills the EATV. If there is any chance you will fly out of the region and return, or add Tanzania, buy individual visas instead.

Tanzania always requires its own eVisa, and Zanzibar additionally requires mandatory travel insurance.

The Rwanda grace period

Rwanda allows a five-day grace period after visa expiry to depart or renew without penalty. If your trek runs long and you overstay while still in Rwanda, you have a short window to fix it without a fine. Do not rely on it for planning.

Official websites

For Rwanda, apply at irembo.gov.rw, on arrival, or at a Rwanda diplomatic mission abroad. Uganda handles applications through its own immigration portal, Kenya through its eTA system for its entry step. Use only these official sites.

Rwanda's immigration authority warns that no affiliated agent is authorised to apply for you and that agents may charge more than the visa fees.

Documents and money evidence

Bring a passport valid for at least six months. The EATV is for tourism only and cannot be used for employment. Rwanda's authority also states an applicant must have sufficient funds to cover the stay, and that evidence may be requested online, at a Rwandan foreign mission or at the entry point, so keep a bank statement or card accessible.

On the ground, trekkers are expected to carry a valid passport, an East African visa or country-specific visa, and a yellow fever vaccination certificate.

Rwanda on arrival

Rwanda's immigration authority states that nationals of all countries receive a visa on arrival at Kigali International Airport and at all land borders, and the EATV is specifically listed as available upon arrival as well as online and at missions. If you land in Kigali for a 1 day gorilla trekking Rwanda trip and then decide to cross to Bwindi, you can sort the EATV at the airport counter or the Gatuna border rather than in advance.

Rwanda alone costs less

If you only ever enter Rwanda, you do not need the EATV. A single-entry Rwanda visa at $50 (US$50) from the Irembo fee list is cheaper than the $100 (US$100) joint visa, and Rwanda gives all nationalities visa on arrival anyway. The joint visa only wins when you actually cross a second border.

Per country, per route

Kenya needs an eTA, Uganda needs an eVisa, Rwanda offers a visa or visa on arrival, and the three together are served by the EATV. So a Rwanda-only trek on the gorilla trekking day trip from Kigali is cheaper on the $50 (US$50) single-entry visa. A trek in both Rwanda and Uganda, like the Kigali to Bwindi loop, is cheaper on the EATV than buying a Rwanda visa plus a Uganda eVisa.

A three-country trip is where the EATV saves the most, since you pay one fee instead of three.

Tie it to the permit prices

The visa is a small part of the budget next to permits. Rwanda's permit is $1,500 (US$1,500) per person per day per Visit Rwanda, while Uganda charges foreign non-residents $800 (US$800) per the Uganda Wildlife Authority tariff. Many trekkers use the EATV to fly into Kigali, cross to Bwindi, and capture the Ugandan permit price while keeping the short Kigali transfer.

The 2 day gorilla trekking Bwindi from Kigali trip is built on exactly that sequence.

Rules by country

Uganda requires the certificate for all travellers over one year old, which applies to anyone entering from Rwanda for Bwindi. Visitors to the region are generally expected to hold a valid passport, a visa or the EATV, and a yellow fever vaccination certificate. Get the vaccination well before your trip so the card is valid at the border.

Timing your application

Apply for the visa once your trek dates and first entry country are fixed, because the first-entry rule locks you in. Build in time for the yellow fever vaccination too, since both documents are checked at Gatuna and Cyanika before you reach the park gates. If a document question comes up before a Rwanda trek, the RDB portal directs supporting document queries to reservation@rwandatourism.com.