Guide To Gorilla Habituation Experience In Uganda
Guide to gorilla habituation experience in Uganda : Gorilla habituation experience is a process where the wild mountain gorillas are trained to get used to human presence for trekking. Gorilla habituation is only done in rushaga sector in the southern part of Bwindi impenetrable national park. the habituation experience takes a period of 2 to 3 years to be complete and it involves a team of researchers, trackers, conservationists, park rangers, gorilla doctors among others. Continue reading this article to know more about our guide to gorilla habituation experience in Uganda.
Gorilla habituation experience
Gorilla habituation allows a maximum of 4 people per day to visit the mountain gorillas and the experience starts early in the morning with a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations at the park headquarters. After the briefing, you will start gorilla trekking in the jungle and during trekking you will be able to view other primate species, mammals, different bird species, plant and tree species among others. Gorilla habituation experience takes a whole day and once the mountain gorillas are found, you will be allowed to spend four hours with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn and monitor their behaviours, engage in the naming process, take photos and record videos.
Best time to go for gorilla habituation experience
Gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi impenetrable national park can be done all year round though the best time is during the dry season which is also known as the peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February because during this period there is less rainfall in the park therefore access roads and trekking trails will be dry and passable which makes gorilla habituation easy compared to the rainy season when the trekking trails are muddy and slippery which make gorilla habituation difficult.
Cost of a gorilla habituation permit in Uganda
Gorilla habituation permits in Bwindi impenetrable national park cost 1,500 USD per person for foreign non residents, 1,000 USD per person for foreign residents and 750,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.
How to book a gorilla habituation permits?
Gorilla habituation permits in Bwindi impenetrable national park can be booked through a trusted tour company Achieve Global Safaris where you will contact us with the date, month and year when you wish to visit the mountain gorillas. After contacting us, we will check for permit availability on your preferred dates through Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and if there are permits available, you will be asked to make a deposit. When we receive the money, we will be able to acquire the gorilla habituation permit on your behalf and send you a scanned copy of the receipt as confirmation.
Gorilla habituation permits in Bwindi impenetrable national park should be booked 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date because they are few and get fully booked quickly especially during the peak season in the months of June to September and December to February therefore in order to avoid last minute disappointment, you are advised to book the permit in advance.
Booking your gorilla habituation permit through Achieve Global Safaris saves you all the hustle in that we will not only purchase the permit on your behalf but also organize your entire safari which involves arranging transportation to Bwindi impenetrable national park, booking accommodation where you will stay during the safari, recommend other interesting activities to engage in after gorilla habituation and other destinations to visit during the safari.
What to pack for your gorilla habituation safari?
There are a number of essential items that you should pack when going on a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda including long sleeved shirt and trouser, insect repellent, waterproof rain jacket, garden gloves, hiking shoes, energy snacks and drinking water, camera and extra batteries, a pair of binoculars, face masks, a hat and sunglasses, walking stick, back pack among others.
Where to stay during your gorilla habituation safari
There are a number of accommodation facilities ranging from budget, midrange and luxury where you can stay during your gorilla habituation safari including Rushaga Forest Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Haven Lodge, Four Gorillas Lodge, Ichumbi Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge, Nshongi Camp, Gorilla Valley Lodge, Wagtail Eco Safari Lodge, Bweza Lodge, Gorilla Leisure Lodge, Gorilla CloseUp Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Bwindi Backpackers Lodge among others.
How to get to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Bwindi impenetrable national park is located in south western part of Uganda and can be accessed by air transport means where tourists will book scheduled or charter domestic flights with Aerolink from Entebbe international airport to Kisoro airstrip and then connect to Rushaga sector by road which takes about 2 hours’ drive.
Bwindi impenetrable national park can also be accessed by road transport means where tourists will drive from Kampala/Entebbe via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale and then to the park headquarters which takes about 9 to 10 hours’ drive in a 4 WD safari vehicle.
Bwindi impenetrable national park can as well be accessed from Kigali Rwanda where tourists will fly to Kigali international airport and then connect to rushaga sector via cyanika border in Kisoro or Katuna border in Kabale which takes about 4 to 5 hours’ drive.
Gorilla habituation is an adventurous activity that can be combined with wildlife viewing in Kidepo valley national park. for more information about gorilla habituation experience in Uganda, you can reach out to us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website to book a gorilla habituation safari package.
