Gorilla Festival puts communities at the heart of conservation
"Let us explore and appreciate the extraordinary beauty of Uganda, particularly the Bwindi-Mgahinga conservation area, while embracing responsible tourism and supporting the local communities," Musinguzi rallied.
Speaking at the media launch at Sheraton Hotel on October 27, 2026, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) executive director Dr James Musinguzi said conservation efforts would achieve lasting success only when communities living alongside wildlife became active participants and beneficiaries. (Credit: Julius Luwemba)
Uganda is seeking to strengthen the role of mountain gorillas in tourism, wildlife conservation and community prosperity as preparations gather momentum for the maiden mountain gorilla festival, scheduled for November 19 to 22 in Kisoro district.
Organised under the theme, "Protecting Gorillas, Empowering Communities," the festival aims to demonstrate how safeguarding endangered wildlife and improving livelihoods can reinforce each other.
Speaking at the media launch at Sheraton Hotel on October 27, 2026, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) executive director Dr James Musinguzi said conservation efforts would achieve lasting success only when communities living alongside wildlife became active participants and beneficiaries.
He said communities around protected areas should benefit from tourism through employment, entrepreneurship, cultural tourism, guiding, hospitality and other business opportunities.
Dorcas Rukundo, UWA commissioner for tourism and business development, said the festival would celebrate mountain gorillas and the benefits they have brought to communities around protected areas. She said organisers expected more than 2,000 people to attend the event in the Kigezi region.
"We plan to have this festival every year, rotating in the districts of Kigezi, including Kisoro, Kanungu, Rubanda, Kabale, Rukiga and Rukungiri," Rukundo stated.
The festival will also feature a conference where community members will discuss and showcase their talents, art and crafts.
He noted that the festival was intended to be more than a one-off event.
"It is a movement that brings together conservation, sports and community development under a shared purpose of protecting the mountain gorillas while empowering the communities that live alongside them," Musinguzi emphasised.
Local influencers undertook a gorilla tracking expedition early this month for the activation of the Gorilla Festival. (Credit: Julius Luwemba)
Musinguzi also announced discounted gorilla-tracking permits for foreign tourists during the festival weekend, reducing the fee from $800 to $600. East African visitors will pay sh300,000 for the same experience.
"Let us explore and appreciate the extraordinary beauty of Uganda, particularly the Bwindi-Mgahinga conservation area, while embracing responsible tourism and supporting the local communities," Musinguzi rallied.
UWA has also secured road maintenance equipment for each conservation area, including the Bwindi-Mgahinga landscape, to improve the road network and ease travel. The move comes as the Government pursues plans to construct tourism roads across the country.
Fedelis Kanyamunyu, a resident of Kisoro district, welcomed the initiative, saying local communities across the Kigezi region looked forward to the annual festival.
The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) also described the festival as an opportunity to strengthen Uganda's international tourism appeal while ensuring that the industry's benefits reach ordinary Ugandans.
In remarks delivered on behalf of the UTB chief executive officer, senior brand officer Daniel Irunga said tourism should extend beyond attracting visitors to creating jobs, preserving cultural heritage and supporting sustainable community development.
According to UTB, initiatives of this kind can strengthen Uganda's destination brand, encourage visitors to stay longer and inspire them to explore attractions beyond traditional gorilla trekking.
The board also called on tourism operators, cultural institutions, conservation organisations and local communities to work together to create memorable experiences for domestic and international visitors.
Beyond tourism promotion, the festival aims to mobilise collective action against threats facing mountain gorillas, including habitat encroachment, human-wildlife conflict and disease. Under the tagline "Run. Explore. Conserve," the event will use sport, tourism and conservation awareness to encourage public participation in protecting Uganda's natural heritage.
The festival follows World Gorilla Day celebrations on September 24, which included events in the Ruhija sector of Bwindi in Kanungu district
Gorilla tourism generated more than sh109.8b in the 2022/23 financial year, sh86b in 2023/24, sh93b in 2024/25 and sh110b in 2025/26, according to figures cited in the original story. The Government has also commenced work on roads serving tourism areas in the Bwindi-Mgahinga Conservation Area.
Mountain gorillas remain one of Uganda's leading tourism attractions, contributing to the wider tourism sector, which generated sh5.83 trillion in the previous financial year.