Gorilla Habituation Experience vs Gorilla Trekking

What is the difference between gorilla habituation experience and gorilla trekking?

In an attempt to understand Gorilla Habituation Experience vs Gorilla Trekking, one should look at main differences and similarities between the two gorilla activities. Gorilla habituation experience and gorilla trekking is that the former is done with gorillas in a family that is not yet fully accustomed to human presence.

Among the similarities of Gorilla habituation experience and gorilla trekking include:-

• Both are gorilla activities offered to tourists interested in seeing and learning more about the endangered primates.
• Both require a gorilla permit to participate in.
• Almost the Gorilla trekking rules and regulations are the same with both activities.
• Both are offered in Uganda in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Even though gorilla trekking is also done else where in Rwanda and Congo.
• Both activities are also about making gorillas get used to human beings. However gorilla habituation experience is a training of the gorillas where gorilla trekking is done with the trained gorillas.
• Age limit for visitors under both activities is 15 years and above and those below are not eligible.
• Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) is the sole source of the gorilla permits for both adventure activities.
• Permissible and recommended items to carry for gorilla trekking also apply to gorilla habituation experience.
• Both adventures involve pre-activity briefing to participants before undertaking.

The major differences between gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation rotate around the length of the experience, the cost of the permit, the group size, specialized gorilla families plus the level of immersion or adaption to humans. 

Definition

What is Gorilla Habituation Experience?

Gorilla habituation experience is an opportunity for learning when visitors spend more time with a team of experts and consultants in helping to train wild gorillas to get used to human being.

Length

Gorilla Habituation Experience lasts for 4 hours, the duration visitors spend with the gorillas starting from the time they bump into the endangered primates.

Permit Cost

A Permit for Gorilla Habituation Experience is at $ 1500 per person for a single day use and is issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).

Group Size

Gorilla habituation experience visitors are limited to four people only in number per a designated gorilla family for a particular day.

Limited Availability

Gorilla Habituation Experience is a very limited activity being offered only in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with two gorilla families out of the many there.

Immersion

Gorilla habituation experience entails visitors having a more detailed engagement with gorillas enabling them to learn comprehensively about gorillas, their behaviors as well as social aspects.

Trip Planning

Because of the high demand and limited availability of gorilla habituation experience permits, early booking of the gorilla permits is recommended for proper planning and arrangement involving permits, accommodation and transport plus all the logistics.

Physical Anxieties

Gorilla habituation experience is quite physically demanding and straining than gorilla trekking, as the gorillas are fearful, nervous and more distrustful of humans.

Definition

What Gorilla Trekking?

Gorilla trekking is a wildlife adventure activity involving hiking through the thick jungles to see gorillas in their natural environs. And this activity is assumed to be among the most astonishing wildlife experiences in Africa.

Length

With Gorilla Trekking, tourists spend 1 hour with the gorillas and the counting starts from the moment when visitors meet them in the wild.

Permit Cost

A Permit for gorilla trekking is at $800 per person for a single day use and is issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).

Group Size

Gorilla trekking visitors are limited to 8 persons in number for an allocated gorilla group on a single day.

Extensive Availability

Gorilla Trekking is extensive offered in parks including Bwindi forest and Mgahinga in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga Park in DR Congo.

Immersion

Gorilla trekking experience offers a limited chance to visitors to learn deeper about mountain gorillas since they spend little time with them in the wild

Trip Planning

Since gorilla trekking is extensively offered in four gorilla parks in Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo, the permits for the activity are more available with many alternative options in terms of destinations. Even though early permit bookings are recommended, permits may be available even at short notice

Physical Anxieties

Gorilla trekking is not physically challenging and draining than gorilla habituation experience as the gorillas are pretty trained to get used to the presence of human beings in the wild. So anxiety, fears and mistrust are very minimal with gorilla trekking.