Gorilla habituation experience is an emotional and remarkable experience where tourists can be able to gain in long hours provided to them with great viewing of these great apes in their natural environment. In this experience, you spend all day long with mountain gorillas in the mist with researchers and rangers helping you in the habituation process. However, there has been a number of visitors who have engaged in this wonderful and rewardable experience who can witness to you about the gorilla habituation activity and whereby the number of tourists is increasing each year due to this perfectly done activity in Uganda which cannot be done elsewhere in African countries like Rwanda and the Uganda where mountain gorillas exist or even in the all world.
In Uganda Gorilla habituation experience can only be done in Bwindi impenetrable national park a home to the half of the population of the endangered mountain gorillas that are still surviving in the world. However, Bwindi impenetrable national park is a home of mountain gorillas which are stipulated in four sectors that is Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo, Rushanga sector. Above all, there is only one sector where our visitors carry out gorilla habituation activity from famously known as Rushanga sector which is positioned in the southern side of the park stipulated in different gorilla habituation families based on location, head of the family known as the silverback, offsprings, female gorillas and many. The gorilla group found in Rushanga sector include Nshongi, Mishaya, Kahungye all available for gorilla trekking activity and the two remaining families are trained by ‘’UWA’’ for gorilla habituation experience famously known as Bushaho gorilla family and Bikingi gorilla family.
This exciting gorilla habituation adventure in Bwindi was introduced by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The gorilla habituation experience is a full day activity that involves in a group of people who joins the visitor in such rewardable encounter including trackers, researchers, rangers, a conservationist who are being trained on how to get to know about gorilla habituation experience for a period of over 2 to 3 years. Uganda is blessed with over 400 mountain gorillas which are inhabits of Bwindi national park that live in four major sectors ready for gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation activity, though gorilla trekking is the most done activity in here not knowing that there is also another fantastic experience of gorilla habituation where you get to know all the facts about wild gorillas due to time spent with them in their natural inhabits which is totally different to those of gorilla trekking.
Gorilla Habituation Experience
This is one of the best-privileged experiences unlike gorilla trekking which starts early enough in the morning hours after visitors’ breakfast and travelers are expected to be at the park’s headquarters by 7:30 am for a short briefing about the general facts of wild gorillas. You’re being told other major safety procedures to follow while you’re in the natural environment of gorillas to ensure what you expected to see as well as a successful jungle expedition and to get the best experience in a lifetime. The ranger will lead you to the forest trails heads of Bwindi on the southern side of the park in the Bushaho gorilla family or Bikingi gorilla group in the Rushanga sector to learn more about them.
Mountain gorilla habituation is the act of training wild mountain gorillas to get used to the presence of humans and this is the process that was introduced in the Rushanga sector that involves experienced trackers and rangers who accompany tourists as they observe the great nice looks of mountain gorillas in their gorilla families. This is a full-day experience where tourists are given 4hours to spend with gorillas as you learn how they behave , play, groom themselves, display their nest nigh during evening hours at around 6:30 pm and this is a very enjoyable and amazing activity way more than just mountain gorilla trekking activity where tourists are given only one hour to watch them in the forest. However, being all day done activity, 4 hours will be spent on sightseeing with a maximum of 4 people only. The rest of the time you will continue to move through their natural inhabits with rangers as you will learn about their lifestyle by collecting their droppings to learn more about their physical facts on mountain gorillas.
Which gorilla group is provided for gorilla habituation in Bwindi?
There are two gorilla families where gorilla habituation activity can be carried out in Bushaho and Bikingi gorilla group in Rushanga sector one of the four sectors in Bwindi impenetrable national park where gorilla trekking is carried out, wild gorillas of these families are presently trained by Uganda wildlife Authority on how to get closer to human presence. There is a maximum of 4 visitors who are allowed to visit each family every day, accompanied by a team of gorilla trackers, doctors and conservationists and this is a group of people who visit gorilla families each day without visitors to know in whatever conditions they are.
How much does gorilla habituation experience permit cost?
Uganda Gorilla habituation experience permits cost USD1500 per person per day and unlike for mountain gorilla trekking permits which costs USD600 per person but to those who wish to engage in this gorgeous experience after 1 July 2020, the permit will be at fee USD 700 per trek.
When and where to book Gorilla habituation experience permits in Uganda?
The mountain gorilla habituation permits are advised to visitors to be booked in advance like 5 to 6 months ahead of your time of arrival to Uganda gorilla habituation tours because there is a limited number of permits that are on sale on daily. This is because the habituation process is a highly preferred activity here and in Africa Uganda is the only country where you can enjoy this awesome gorilla habituation experience, it is believed that in Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park and Congo’s Virunga national park gorilla habituation experience hardly exist in here. Tourists can book gorilla habituation permits through tour companies, tour operators or even directly to ‘’UWA’’ Uganda wildlife Authority offices by calling them on office online or else a traveler can decide to book with us Achieve global safaris for both habituation permits and accommodation facilities and you booking with us just know you’re in right hands ready to take care on what you need. All you need to do is to email or call us and in case of starting your reservation tourist must send in their scanned personal documents like passports and Visas for arrangements.
Rules and regulations for mountain gorilla habituation
- The mountain gorilla habituation rules and regulations are the same to gorilla trekking rules and these include;
- Travellers must obey the limited number allowed to participate in gorilla habituation experience.
- The limited number must be four people per group per gorilla habituation experience.
- You should stay in group and avoid getting lost.
- When you meet gorillas maintain your voices at low lever.
- Flash photography are not allowed while taking the mountain gorilla pictures.
- You should follow the guides or ranger’s instructions.
- Do not touch gorillas.
- You should keep for at least a distance of 5 to 7 meters away from mountain gorillas.
- Sick people are allowed in gorilla habituation experience.
- Children under 15 years are not allowed in Gorilla habituation experience.
Since the activity involves hiking you’re free to hire a porter who can help you to carry your luggage at a fee of USD15.
Tourists are advised to book accommodations around the Rushanga sector for easy location of the gorilla group where you’re to carry out gorilla habituation experience from.
Accommodations in the Rushanga region
Travelers shouldn’t weary were to sleep on Gorilla habituation tour in Uganda, Rushanga offers a variety of luxury, mid-range and budget accommodation facilities with quality food, trained waitress and chefs ready to serve you and affordable room rates. The recommended lodges include; Bwindi Jungle lodge, Gorilla valley lodge, Chameleon Hill lodge, Mutanda lake Resort, Gorilla safari lodge and Ichumbi lodge many more other beautiful lodges around.
What to carry on the Gorilla habituation tour in Uganda?
Where gorilla habituation is carried out from the place seems to be cooler in some periods of the year since it is montane rain forest so travellers are advised to prepare for their gorilla habituation activities through carrying the essentials that fits with the weather in that place to be visited such as long comfortable trousers and shirts ,hiking boots ,study gardening gloves ,rain jackets, waterproof backpack ,clear cameras to take remembrance picture in future, snacks ,lunch and enough drinking water among many you may wish to carry.
When is the best time to do a gorilla habituation tour in Uganda?
The best time to do a gorilla habituation tour in Uganda is all year round most especially during Christmas season and dry seasons starting from June to September and December to February within this period of the year it’s when a number of tourists engage in this unforgettable experience.
What other activities can be done in the Rushanga sector in Bwindi apart from gorilla habituation?
There are several other greatly done activities in the Rushanga sector such as the best done and sounding mountain gorilla trekking in all world, cultural encounter in Batwa trails, nature walk, and bird watching.
Without a doubt, book your Uganda gorilla habituation tour to Bwindi impenetrable national park and spend a full day in the natural habits of gorillas where your given 4 hours to observe them as you take clear photos with your cameras and for at least enjoy this gorgeous experience once in a lifetime.
How to get there?
There are high possibilities of getting to Bwindi impenetrable national park whether by Air or by car, from Kampala the capital city by road it takes 8 to 9 hours to reach to Rushanga sector in Bwindi national park, alternatively a traveler may decide to fly to and from Entebbe Airport using Uganda Airline which takes 1:40 hours by Air. One might choose to travel from Rwanda passing via the Chanika border to Kisoro town then Bwindi in less than 1hour by road.
