For three days this September, the gate fee that normally stands between you and Uganda’s national parks disappears entirely. The Ministry of Tourism, working with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), has announced that all of Uganda’s national parks will be open free of charge from September 25 to 27, 2026
What is special about this year from some past domestic tourism promotions, is that this one isn’t limited to Ugandan citizens. Foreign visitors are included too.
Whether you are planning a Uganda roadtrip around these dates or wondering whether to move your trip to fall within the mentioned dates, we have put together what’s actually covered, why the government is doing this now, and how you can get to these national parks.
What’s Actually Free During Open Park Days
According to UWA’s announcement, the free-entry offer isn’t limited to the gate fee alone. For the three days, the waiver covers:
- Park entrance fees at national parks across the country
- Vehicle entry charges, normally billed per entry for Uganda-registered vehicles
- Guided game drives, ordinarily an added cost on top of entrance
That’s a meaningfully broader waiver than a simple “free admission” gesture. It removes nearly every standard gate-side cost for the parks included in the initiative.
Why September 25–27, and Why Now
The dates line up with World Tourism Day, which UWA has used in past years to run shorter domestic-tourism promotions (a two-day free-entry event ran in October 2024, for comparison). This year’s version is bigger and more visible, and the timing isn’t accidental.
Uganda has spent recent months recovering from a small Ebola outbreak around 20 cases and two deaths that, despite being contained and the country now in the WHO’s 42-day monitoring window before an official Ebola free declaration, left travel advisories in place from roughly fifteen countries, including the United States.
Tourism officials have been open about the goal: showing the world Uganda’s parks are open, safe, and worth visiting, while giving the tourism sector’s revenue (and the conservation funding it supports) a lift after a rough stretch.
Which Parks Are Included
National parks that you can visit during this window include Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Pian Upe Conservation Area, and Ajai Wildlife Reserve
What This Means If You’re Planning a Visit
A free gate doesn’t mean a free trip — and this is where the planning actually matters:
Gorilla and chimp trekking permits are a separate system and are very unlikely to be included in a general park entry waiver. If gorilla trekking is on your list, expect to pay the standard permit fee regardless of these dates.
Accommodation books up fast around promotions like this. A free-entry weekend tied to World Tourism Day will pull in domestic visitors in large numbers. Lodges near popular parks should be booked well ahead, not left for the week of.
Vehicle fees are waived, but you still need a vehicle. With park entrance and guided game drives free, the cost of actually getting to and around the parks becomes the main line item in your budget which is exactly where a well-chosen rental makes the difference between a smooth trip and a stressful one.
Getting There: Why This Is a Good Time to Book a 4×4
With entrance and vehicle charges waived, the practical cost of an Open Park Days trip comes down almost entirely to transport. Whether you plan to start and end your trip from Entebbe, it’s important you reserve your best 4×4 car earlier. A couple of things worth knowing:
Uganda Self drive rentals get booked out fast around promotions like this, for the same reason lodges do. A wave of domestic travelers taking advantage of free entry means car rental Uganda fleets fill up. Booking your car few weeks ahead rather than the week of is worth the extra planning.
A proper 4×4 car still matters, even with fees waived. Park roads don’t change because entry is free — Murchison’s tracks and Queen Elizabeth’s game drive routes still call for real ground clearance, especially if there’s any September rain.
A guided game drive is included in the waiver, but car rental Uganda with driver/guide gives you more flexibility if you want to explore beyond the standard guided route, or combine park visits with other stops along the way.
Uganda’s free park entry days on September 25–27, 2026 strip out the entrance, vehicle, and game-drive fees that normally add up at the gate — a genuinely good opportunity for a low-cost trip into some of the country’s best-known parks.
The trick is that everyone else has the same idea at the same time, so the parts of the trip that aren’t free. A reliable vehicle and a place to stay are worth locking in early.