How Many People Are Permitted to Engage in Gorilla Habituation Experience : Well, they are only four people permitted to engage in gorilla habituation experience, accompanied by researchers, doctors, park ranger guide who given you information and the history about the forest and primates. However, gorilla habituation experience is a process where the wild mountain gorillas first go under training to get used to human presence. The fact is that, gorilla habituation is an outstanding activity which can only be done in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and was introduced in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park on 1st January 2014 by’’UWA’’ Uganda Wildlife Authority.
Currently done in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park located in southwestern region in Kanungu district. Gorilla habituation process is done by expert team of researchers, trackers, conservationists, park rangers many other and the process can take a period of 2 to 3 years to be complete.
How Gorilla Habituation Is conducted
Gorilla habituation experience Uganda can be conducted in Rushaga sector of the four gorilla sectors found in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Rushaga gorilla sector is found in southern part of the park. More fact, the activity only permits a maximum of 4 individual to engage in the activity where they spend time with the mountain gorillas under habituation.
Fact About Gorilla Habituation Experience
Gorilla Habituation Experience starts in the morning with a briefing about the gorilla rules and regulations during trekking. After the briefing you will meet up with your guide at around 8:00am together with researchers, park rangers many more. Fact, Gorilla habituation experience is a full day activity and visitors get a great chance to spend 4 hours with the gorillas under habituation unlike Gorilla trekking /tracking where you spend one hour with the unique mountain gorillas.
During the experience, visitors get face to face contact with the mountain gorillas, learn about gorilla behaviors, habits, lifestyle, enjoy photography, capturing the video for future remembrance as well as taking part in naming of each gorilla. Just know, gorilla habituation has a team of researchers who keep monitoring and visiting the gorilla group under habituation on a daily basis and when the researchers notice that the gorilla family is ready to be trekked, they introduce a mock exercise which involves a team of journalists, scientists many more.
Note; Once the gorilla group passes the mock exercise it will be opened for tourism.
Costs of a gorilla habituation permits in Uganda
Uganda gorilla habituation permit is a legal ticket issued by ‘’UWA’’ Uganda Wildlife Authority to a visitor above the age of 15 years. The activity is permitted to people with a maximum of fifteen years of age and it can only be done in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
A gorilla habituation permit costs USD1,500 per person per day for a foreign nonresident, USD1,000 for a foreign resident and UGX750,000 for an East African Citizen.
Gorilla habituation permit is expensive compared to a gorilla trekking permit which costs USD 700 for foreign nonresident, USD600 for a foreign resident and UGX250,000 for an East African Citizen.
How to book a gorilla habituation permit
Booking a gorilla habituation permits it’s all about following the right procedures. A permit can either be booked directly through ‘’UWA’’ by contacting their offices directly via telephone calls or email. If you don’t mind you can book your gorilla habituation permit through Achieve Global Safaris, we are trusted tour company that organizes both gorilla safaris and wildlife tours to different destination. When you decide to book through Achieve Global Safaris, you have to confirm with the date, month and year in advance for your successful gorilla habituation experience. We will then check for availability of the permits and if the permit is available, you will be requested to make a deposit for the gorilla habituation permits.
Once the deposit has been made, you will be asked to send your scanned passport details in order to make reservation for your permit much each to purchase it. Then after reserving the permit for, you, we will send a scanned copy of the receipts as confirmation.
When to book for a gorilla habituation permit
Gorilla habituation experience is only conducted in Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. A gorilla habituation permit can be booked all year round though the best time is during dry season in the month of June to September and December to February.
Difference between gorilla habituation experience and gorilla trekking
Gorilla habituation experience is a process where mountain gorillas are trained before introducing the family to the public while gorilla trekking activity trek the habituated unique gorillas in their natural environment.
Gorilla habituation experience can be done in a maximum of four ‘’4’’ people to participate in the activity while gorilla trekking activity permits a maximum of eight individuals in each habituated gorilla family.
Accommodations in Bwindi -Rushaga Gorilla Sector
Gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which is done in Rushaga sector, therefore we advise visitors to always to book their lodges in the same region- gorilla sector you’re assigned to trek and each to access to the headquarters for the gorilla habituation experience. Rushaga sector boosts with perfect accommodation ranging from luxury, Mid-range and Budget; including Ichumbi Safari lodge, Four gorilla safari, Mutanda Lake Resort, Rushaga gorilla haven lodge, Rushaga gorilla camp, Gorilla valley lodge, Chameleon hill among others. All lodge stuns with quality services and facilities like double ,twin ,single rooms with en-suite bathrooms ,spacious restaurant ,mouth running meals both local and international dishes, free Wi-Fi in public areas ,beautiful gardens for relaxation many more.
Getting to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park can be accessed both road and air transport;
Road transport; You can use road transport, drive from Kampala Via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale then connect to Rushaga sector, takes about 8 to 9 hours’ drive.
Air transport; There are domestic airline companies in Uganda like Aero link Uganda which operates scheduled and charter flights daily from Entebbe International Airport to fly you to Kihihi or Kisoro airstrip – 1:30hours.
Some of visitors who trek gorillas in Rushaga sector Uganda, tend to fly to Kigali International Airport and then take a drive via Cyanika border in Kisoro or Katuna border in Kabale and the journey can take about 3 to 4 hours’ drive.
Get Started Planning A safari to Bwindi For Gorilla Habituation – Gorilla Trekking Now!
