Gorilla Habituation Experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda

Gorilla Habituation Experience is a tourism activity in which visitors with help of consultants get involved in the process of acquainting or training wild mountain gorillas to get used to human presence. This activity is intended to establish a positive gorilla-human relationship to facilitate the duo have free interaction in the wild once they come face to face. In Uganda, gorilla habituation experience is one offered in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National, the home to endangered mountain gorillas. The habituation experience offers visitors a lengthy duration or stay of 4 hours as they interact with mountain gorillas. This adventurous habituation experience differs from the ordinary gorilla trekking activity with which guests spend just 1 hour with the gorillas.

During the habituation process, park authorities give a unique opportunity to ordinary people to spend quality time seeing and interacting closely with Mountain Gorillas in their natural habitation before their group is opened to tourism for trekking. This is why it is called Gorilla Habituation Experience, it’s an experience felt by the non-conservation or park staffs as they witness the taming of gorillas to get used to people.

Bwindi Gorilla Habituation Tours

In order to participate in the gorilla habituation process, prospective visitors should book for permits which allow them entry into the park. A Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) permit for gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi at $1500 per person for a single day. To book a gorilla permit for this kind of wild experience, contact Animal Safaris for a full tour package. Our safari packages always include a gorilla habituation permit, transport and accommodation as well as other activities that may be included in the itinerary.

3 Days Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari

Enjoy 3 days gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi Impenetrable forest in Uganda. Have a close interaction with the endangered mountain gorillas as you learn their traits, characteristics and ways of life

4 Day Gorilla Habituation Experience in Uganda

Book a gorilla habituation permit for $1500 and enjoy the experience in the thick jungles of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the habitat for gorillas in Uganda. Learn more about the gorillas and their biological traits.

5 Days Gorilla Habituation and Wildlife Safaris

Visit Uganda for 5 days and enjoy gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi Impenetrable forest as well as wildlife safaris and boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park plus any optional activities as time may allow.

What is gorilla habituation experience?

Gorilla Habituation Experience is wildlife activity in which tourists get involved in the process by which conservationists and researchers train or adapt the wild mountain gorillas get used to human presence.

Gorilla habituation is the process of gradually introducing the wild Mountain Gorillas to the presence and sight of human beings for research, conservation and trekking purposes. During the process, tourists are allowed to participate in the process which is termed as gorilla habituation experience.

This habituation experience is a remarkable chance by which visitors spend time with a family of wild gorillas in their jungle habitat as they gradually get used to humans.

A gorilla habituation experience is a four-hour tour session where guests take time with a group of specialists as they train a family unit of gorillas to become familiar with human presence.

Expectations during the experience

During the exercise, visitors can learn about the gorillas’ behaviors, characters, conduct and get very near them.

What is the behavior of a mountain gorilla?

Mountain gorillas live in groups or herds of around 10 to 30, headed by a dominant male gorilla or a silverback who grips to his position for several years. Whereas the silverback may at times embark on chest pounding and charging, the behavior is habitually wished-for intimidating rivals or caution against any seeming dangers to the group.

What is the gorilla habituation process?

The process of habituating a particular gorilla group may last up to two to three years. Whereas it can take up to close to seven years for chimpanzees to be fully habituated. In the course of acclimatizing gorillas to humans, researchers and their assistants spend time with the gorilla group on a daily basis, mimicking and imitating their behavior and slowly winning their trust.

Where to go for Habituation Experience?

The experience occurs in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. This vast park has got four gorilla trekking sectors including Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo Sector with several gorilla families. However, there are only two groups assigned for the exercise in the whole of Bwindi forest that has over 20 habituated gorilla families.

Getting Access to Bwindi Forest

To access Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for the gorilla experience, there are three major ways. The cheapest way is to fly into Kigali in Rwanda or Entebbe in Uganda and drive by road to the park. The road transfer Kampala/Entebbe to Bwindi takes approximately 10 hours whereas that from Kigali to the park is roughly 4 hours. A reliable and most suitable way to reach Bwindi is by taking a scheduled or charter flights from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Airfield. The flight lands at Kisoro airstrip from where one takes one hour and a few minutes. From Kisoro town, it takes about 45 minutes to transfer to Rushaga sector in the south of Bwindi forest.

Booking, Permit Price, Age Limit and Best Time to Visit 

Visitors can buy habituation permits through a local tour operator or Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). It is advised secure a permit at least three months in advance if one is to visit during the low season and at least six months in for those hoping to come during peak season.

A habituation permit costs $1,500 per person and takes care of all park entry fees.

The age limit for gorilla habituation tour is 15 years of age and above and one must be fit adequately and mentally sound to do the activity. The same age limit applies on gorilla trekking as well.

The ideal and best time to go for the habituation adventure is during the dry season months of June to October and December to February every year.

Gorilla Habituation Experience vs Gorilla Trekking

Gorilla habituation experience is exceptional since it permits 4 tourists a four-hour opportunity to be with the gorillas. The habituation experience is coordinated by Researchers, consultants as well as knowledgeable and proficient trackers. Unlike gorilla trekking where 8 people are allotted to each gorilla group and can only spend an hour with the primates, gorilla habituation is different with four hours’ enjoyment. At present, it is only in Uganda and particularly in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest that gorilla habituation experience is possible. Rwanda with its vast Volcanoes National Park and Democratic Republic of Congo and its massive Virunga National Park don’t offer the activity despite having mountain gorillas and their habituated families in good numbers.

In the course of gorilla habituation process, travelers are allowed more time to learn about the primates’ ways of life, take more photos, observe them closely as they interact, feed, mentor themselves or build nests for their overnights. Visitors correspondingly learn the roles each individual gorilla plays in the family setting. A Permit for Gorilla habituation experience participation costs $1500 as opposed to $800 paid for gorilla trekking to see the creatures for one hour.

Also note that the cost of permit for gorilla trekking in Rwanda at Volcanoes National Park is at $1500. This means that visiting and seeing gorillas in Rwanda for one hour is equivalent to being with the gorillas in Bwindi for 4 hours under the habituation experience.  However, the gorilla trekking cost in Uganda is thus less expensive than a similar adventure in Rwanda and the habituation experience in Bwindi forest.

Presently, the Uganda Wildlife Authority has only one gorilla group in Rushaga open for the gorilla habituation experience. The Bikyingi gorilla family has 22 individual members. This family is headed by dominant silverback called Bahati, whose name is derived from the place in which the group was first spotted. Bahati controls three female adults, one infant, a juvenile, one sub-adult plus a black back. To understand well, you can compare gorilla trekking with the Habituation experience.

What happens during a gorilla habituation experience?

• Visitors stroll into the jungle with consultants and park rangers to find a gorilla group
• Tourists comprehensively learn about the ways of life of the gorillas
• Guests observe the gorillas interact, feed, build nests as well as training themselves
• The trekkers study about the role every gorilla plays in the group
• Visitors are allowed to take photos

How does the habituation process work?

• The habituation process is a gradual process that exposes a gorilla group to humans until they are comfortable with their presence
• The gorillas are trained to live closer to people and continue their normal activities

How to book for a gorilla habituation experience?

1. Select a trustworthy tour operator
2. Confirm for habituation permit availability
3. Provide your personal details
4. Pay for the permit
5. Receive your permit
6. You will declare your permit and a valid passport to the park staffs on the experience day

What to pack for Gorilla Habituation Experience? Things to Bring!

• Robust hiking boots
• Light and air-admitting clothing
• Warm covers
• Long socks
• Wide-brimmed hat
• Sunglasses
• Toiletries
• Garden kind of gloves
• Small backpack
• Camera with extra lenses and batteries
• Binoculars

Rules and Regulations for Gorilla Habituation Experience

The amazing experience in Uganda is guided by set rules and regulations aimed at protecting gorillas and tourists. These guidelines are almost same like those of gorilla trekking. These rules set by Uganda Wildlife Authority include the following:-

• Age: The age limit for involvement is at least 15 years old
• Health: a visitor is not allowed to track gorillas if he is suffering from any of the communicable diseases
• Distance: One should keep at least a 7-meter distance from the gorillas
• Behavior: Keeping a low voice is a must to avoid scaring the gorillas and a visitor is not allowed to touch the gorillas
• Food and drink: It is now allowed to eat or drink within a distance of 200 meters from the gorillas
• Photography: Photographing gorillas is allowed but not with flash
• Waste: While easing, bury human waste in a hole of at least 30 cm deep and leaving rubbish in the park is prohibited
• Guides’ Instructions: Strictly follow the instructions of your guide
• Permits: One must have a permit issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to participate in the gorilla habituation experience in the park
• Tour operators: You should use a tour operator that is licensed by the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), a government licensing body for tourism operations in Uganda.