Gorilla habituation in Uganda provides a unique opportunity to observe mountain gorillas in their natural environment. During this experience, visitors can get close to these incredible animals and learn about their behaviors and daily lives. Specifically, the gorilla habituation experience involves a four-hour session where only four visitors per day accompany specialists in the process of habituating a gorilla troop. This allows guests to witness the various actions required to help a troop become accustomed to human presence wondering if this activity is the same as Gorilla trekking! Well in contrast, gorilla trekking involves a group of up to eight tourists hiking through the forest in search of already habituated gorilla families. Once found, visitors spend one hour with the gorillas in their natural habitat.
Gorilla Habituation is one of the latest addition to the different adventure activities carried out in Uganda. This thrilling adventure is only done in Uganda. You can engage in one of its kind famously known as gorilla habituation experience that will reward you with a great gorilla watching adventure. This gorilla habituation is only done in Rushaga sector of the park in two gorilla families of Bikyingi and Bushaho and these are undergoing habituation. This process of training and also familiarization of wild mountain gorillas to the presence of human beings. The whole group of participants in the habituation process also engages the travellers, rangers, researchers and the conservationists. The process also takes 2-3 years after which the gorilla family is also introduced to the travellers for trekking.
Where Habituation Is Done
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is in the southwest of Uganda near the northern border of Rwanda this park is the larger and more popular of the two habitats, and it’s also the home of the Gorilla Habituation Experience. The park is divided into four sectors for gorilla trekking, spread across 331 square kilometers of dense forest. The sectors are Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo, and Rushaga, with each sector housing multiple gorilla families despite Buhoma being the most popular sector as the treks are less strenuous and the gorilla families are easier to find here but the Gorilla Habituation Experience only takes place in the Rushaga sector, located in the south of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and visitors can trek through the thickets, following expert guides and scouts to find the gorilla families.
What To Expect During Habituation
The first part of the experience involves a trek into the forest with guides and scouts, which can take up to 6 hours or more, depending on the location of the gorillas? The most obvious sign you’re getting close to a gorilla family is finding their nest from the previous night. Once the gorillas are located, you will have up to 4 hours to observe them closely. This is a rare opportunity to witness how gorillas interact in their family groups. It’s important to note that spending 4 hours with the gorillas can feel long, especially for those with short attention spans, so it’s important to be prepared for the full day of trekking and observation. As you watch the gorillas interact, you’ll notice many similarities to humans, which can be both striking and humbling.
Despite that fact that gorilla trekking takes one hour, the habituation adventure is an all-day interaction in which the travellers spend 4 hours with the gorilla family as they observe and also learn more about these gentle giants. The maximum of 4 tourists are allowed to trek the mountain gorillas along with the conservationists, park management and the researchers for only 4 hours and after they hike back to the starting point. It’s also advisable to have a permit in order to carry out the habituation.
Due to the wild characters of the unhabituated gorillas, the trainers in the first days of the habituation keep a big distance away. But as time goes, they keep climbing closer as they to the gorillas until they confirm that the wild species are now used to the people and then opened to the trekkers. As regards to the costs, the gorilla habituation permit is more expensive and it costs $1500 from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), a government body that is responsible for Uganda’s tourism and wildlife conservation in Uganda. The tourists also need to take part in the habituation process and are required to book and pay for these permits in advance for the purposes of timely allocation of the permits.
For the good health and safety of the endangered species, the participants in gorilla habituation adventure are also reminded in keeping a distance of 7m away from the gorillas. More so, the tourists are informed to turn back their backs in case of coughing and sneezing to avoid in spreading of the human diseases like the cough and flue that is spread through air. The mountain gorillas are the closest relatives to human beings sharing 99.8% of human beings hence vulnerable to the human beings.
Gorilla habituation adventure also provides the travellers and the researchers with in-depth understanding of the endangered species. This also makes it easy in devising the conservation hence ensuring gorilla tourism. This means that the mountain gorilla habituation is a once life time adventure every tourist should take part in only done in Uganda. This process in carried out from Uganda in Bwindi impenetrable National park.
Plan your Safari
Are you planning to explore Uganda? Therefore on your next Uganda safari you should not miss going for gorilla habituation within Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Western Uganda. Just get started with planning your next holiday by checking out one of the tour operators in Uganda.
Accessibility
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is accessible by both road and air. You can fly from Entebbe International Airport to either Kisoro or Kihihi airstrips, which are close to the park. The flight takes about 1.5 hours. Alternatively, if you prefer a road trip, the park can be reached from Entebbe by car in around 9 hours. Although the drive is long, it offers the opportunity to see other beautiful parts of Uganda, such as Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park.
Conclusion
The gorilla habituation experience in Uganda is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that combines adventure, education, and conservation. It’s an incredible way to connect with these majestic animals and witness their daily lives in the wild. With careful planning, a good sense of adventure, and respect for nature, you will have a truly unforgettable experience in the heart of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.