Besides the popular gorilla trekking adventure in Bwindi, the Uganda Wildlife Authority introduced gorilla habituation since January 2014. This activity can only be done in Bwindi Forest! Gorilla habituation experience is not available in the other sections of Virunga Conservation Area including Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park- Rwanda and Virunga National Park in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Tourists interested to participate in the experience should book a gorilla habituation permit with a registered tour operator who can also arrange for you other gorilla safaris. You can also contact Uganda Wildlife Authority’s reservations office by mail.
Gorilla habituation is done all year round in Bwindi forest as well as booking for its permits, however, we recommend early bookings. A single habituation permit goes for 1,500 US dollars per person inclusive of park entry fees. Once you’ve booked your permit, you are guaranteed to spend four hours with gorillas contrary to one hour gorilla trekking encounter.
Apparently, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has two gorilla families under habituation process which include Bikingi and Bushaho located in Ruhija gorilla tourism sector south of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Ruhija is accessible by car taking 8-10 hours from Kampala city, 4 hours for those in Queen Elizabeth national park. Time bound travelers should use the available fly in scheduled charter flights. Even when you travel by air, you must at least have an overnight near Ruhija area. There are several accommodation ranges, have enough relaxation at your lodge to prepare for strenuous treks, the experience commences very early in the morning.
The number of tourists is limited to 4 only who can spend four hours observing gorillas excluding time spent when searching for them. Gorillas are still wild or semi-habituated and unstable. Viewing them depends on the mood they are found in that very day; however, researchers, guides and trackers are experienced with ethics of gorilla behavior to give you a memorable gorilla habituation experience.
Normally you begin with briefing from the guides at Ruhija gorilla center, and then you’re led by rangers hike through forests. Once gorillas are located, tourists are helped and involved in the habituation process by researchers, guides and trackers. You’ll spend four hours observing, photographing and learning how gorilla behavior adopts to human presence. Upon return from the forest you’re awarded a gorilla habituation experience certificate for your lifetime memories.
Gorilla habituation involves researchers, few tourists and trackers who repeatedly train wild gorillas without any threatening or reinforcement but neutral actions directed not at altering their natural wild status including imitating their behaviors by chewing on vegetation, mimicking their vocals, walking on knuckles leading to their reduction in fear of human presence. It’s done on a daily basis and can take up to 3 years or less depending on how naturally gorillas adjust to ignoring tourists as threats and ultimately become fully habituated for normal gorilla trekking.
As a way of conserving gorillas and their habitat which are highly threatened by poaching, habitat loss and spread of human borne diseases, by gorilla habituation, gorillas are able to pay for their conservation given the limited fund for conservation and also foster economic development of local communities living around Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
In addition, it gives tourists and researchers a deep understanding of gorilla social and ecological behavior on top of being a once in a life time wildlife experience in the whole world.
How to Book Gorilla Habituation Experience?
Since this experience is reserved for only 4 tourists per day, it is important to book your permits early. Gorilla habituation permits cost only US$1500 per person and you can obtain the gorilla permits through a local tour operator.
We advise that bookings for gorilla habituation permits should be atleast 3 months from the actual date of the activity for the low season and atleast 6 months before the actual activity date for the peak season.
Best Time to go for Gorilla Habituation
The best times to visit Bwindi are during the two dry seasons: from June to August and December to February, during these months, the weather is typically pleasant with temperatures ranging between 20-25°C. However, showers can happen at any time of year, so visitors should always be prepared for rain. The wet season (March to May) sees the heaviest rainfall, which can make trekking more challenging but also offers clearer air for photography, with mist and rain creating a moody atmosphere around the park.
The Age Limit for Gorilla Habituation in Uganda
The minimum age for participating in the gorilla habituation experience is 15 years old. This age limit ensures that visitors are physically capable of trekking through the forest and are able to respect the safety and rules around interacting with the gorillas.
Cost of Habituation Permits in Uganda
To take part in the gorilla habituation experience, visitors need to purchase a permit at 1500USD due to the extended time spent with the gorillas.
Where to Stay During Habituation
There are several accommodation options near Bwindi, ranging from luxurious to more affordable choices. Some top-rated lodges include, Rushaga Gorilla Haven Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge, and which offer high-end amenities and stunning views of the mountains, Rushaga Gorilla Camp, another popular luxury option, for a more budget-friendly options, consider staying at Four Gorillas Lodge, which is still provide great service and beautiful surroundings.
What To Pack for the Gorilla Habituation Experience
As you go for gorilla habituation in Bwindi Rushaga sector, you must prepare for the damp weather in the national parks. This packing list is effective for not only travelers to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park but also other gorilla parks in east Africa. Here’s a list of essentials for your gorilla habituation experience?
- Have some insect repellents because there are mosquitoes, wasps and other insects in the jungles. You’ll need to carry it on the gorilla trek so that you keep smearing on your skin or hands to keep insects away.
- Have a first aid kit. You never know what might happen to you while trekking to see gorillas. A small cut, bruise or injury in the middle of the forest can easily be infected, so it’s advisable to have bandages, cotton or wax which can be wrapped around any cut or injury.
- Pack a sun screen in case you’re not comfortable with too much sunlight during the dry season. Likewise, a hut will also protect you from direct sun rays.
- You need a camera to photography gorillas, so take extra batteries, lenses and their water proof cover.
- Warm jackets or sweaters can be put on during cold morning.
- Pack enough drinking water, energy drinks and food. Once you’ve set off from the gorilla trekking centres, you have no place to get eats and drinks. Usually your lodge prepares lunch boxes. Gorillas also move frequently in the forest and it can take 30 minutes or more than 8 hours to locate them. We recommend tourists to speak to their guides at the start of the gorilla trek about their trekking capacity and fitness levels. Once you do that, you’ll be allocated to gorilla families that easy to reach and avoid disappointment.
- Hiking boots are very essential over steep mountainous terrain between 2400 to 4500 meters above sea level in Volcanoes National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla Park. In Bwindi mountains have thick vegetation. Boots should cover up your ankle borne; add on long wool stockings and guitars for protection since you go through deep muddy trenches, river and sharp thorny bushes can be harmful without protection.
- Pack garden gloves to protect your hands. Caterpillars or insects can harm your hands when hiking in the forest. Grab a walking stick, muddy trails will inevitably make you hold against tree branches or grass for support.
- Breathable rain jackets or ponchos are very important to have on a gorilla trek to prevent you from getting wet and also protect your camera equipment. Rain is highly unpredictable in the gorilla parks whether it’s a dry season or not.
- Wear long pants that dry quickly to protect your legs from thick plants, nettles, and thorns. Tuck the pants into your boots to stop ants and leeches from getting inside.
- Pack long-sleeved shirts or sweaters in nature-friendly colours. When searching for gorillas, you’ll go through thick plants, bugs, and thorny branches that can scratch your arms. T-shirts are good too because it can get hot while hiking. Bring an extra fleece for warmth, as it can be cold when you reach the gorillas, and you might encounter spider webs along the way.