Gorilla Habituation In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Gorilla Habituation In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Gorilla habituation in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is an activity where visitors alongside park rangers, researchers, and habituators, spend more time in the presence of the semi-habituated gorilla families and those that have never been habituated, training them how to get used to the humans.

Gorilla habituation experience was effected by the Uganda Wildlife Authority in 2014 in order to attract visitors who wish to spend more than one hour, given to trekkers since habituation guarantees a full day’s toil through the thick brush with the endangered mountain gorillas in the wilderness as they move and wander in search of shoots in the forest.

Uganda is still the best destination for gorilla safaris, harboring almost half of the 1004 mountain gorillas that still exist in the world today, with about 12 habituated families available for trekking on a daily basis in four sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, including Buhoma sector, Ruhija sector, Rushaga sector and Nkuringo sector plus one family in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, thus making Uganda the best country for visitors who wish to spend some time with the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.

Keeping in mind that gorillas share about 99% of their DNA with humans, training them is like training a fellow human, only gorillas are wild and stay in the forests and mountains ranging between 2,227 meters and 4,127 meters high above sea level. Habituation is a very tiring experience since the gorilla families involved are half habituated and so they tend to shy away and even hide, thus requiring more time to follow them up and convincing them that you aren’t a poacher. In the process of habituation, visitors get to learn about their feeding habits, nesting, breastfeeding, copulation and many more as you have the entire day with them. The habituation process takes between two and three years for the gorillas to fully get used to the humans.

Where can I go for a gorilla habituation experience in Uganda?

In Uganda, the Gorilla Habituation Experience is best carried out in the Rushaga sector, located in the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, with two gorilla families for habituation: the Bukingi gorilla family and the Bushaho gorilla family.

This experience is done at a cost of $1500, but next year, 2027, it will cost $1800, and the permit can be obtained directly from the Uganda Wildlife Authority or through a trusted and registered tour operator such as Achieve Global Safaris to organize the entire safari. The gorilla habituation permits should be booked six months in advance since there are currently 2 families set aside for habituation.

What do I need to park for a gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi?

• First and foremost, book your Gorilla habituation permit in advance
• Ensure that your hiking shoes are ready since you will need to move along a distance.
• Light clothes are preferred, but make sure that a raincoat isn’t missing in your backpack since in the rainforest it can rain at any time.
• For birders, pack your binoculars.
• And finally, a camera to capture your entire memory while in the forest with the endangered primates.

What makes gorilla habituation different from gorilla trekking?

• Gorilla habituation only involves 4 people and 4 hours are allowed in presence of the gorillas, while gorilla trekking involves 8 people and only one hour is allowed in presence of gorillas
• Gorilla habituation permit costs $1500 per person, while the gorilla trekking permit costs $800 per person
• Only 2 gorilla families are available for habituation, while 17 gorilla families are available for trekking, all in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

What are other activities carried out in Bwindi other than gorilla habituation?

Well, Uganda, being the pearl of Africa, has got several attractions and activities for visitors who land on the ground to hunt for the inner beauty of Uganda. The major activity done by the visitors on a Ugandan safari is gorilla trekking and habituation experiences, which are done in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

However, there other several activities that visitors can engage while in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which include

• Mountain biking that is mainly done in the Buhoma sector, where several trails in the forest provide best sites for birders and village nature walks while riding the bicycle
• There is also a Batwa experience where visitors meet and interact with the Batwa people, known for living in the forest for the past several years as hunters and gatherers. These interesting people enjoy sharing their past lifestyle with any visitor that needs some entertainment through cultural songs and dances.
• Birders who visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are in position to watch several bird species since the park harbors around 350 bird species.
• There is also hiking in the forest that leads to several trails to the lakes, caves and many more
• Community encounters where visitors meet and interact with the local Bakiga and Bafumbira who make handicrafts, and visitors are allowed to purchase as many as they can and the money collected is used to develop the communities through road construction, hospitals and schools.

  

Where can I stay during the gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest?

There are several lodges around the Rushaga sector, which include Rushaga Gorilla Camp, Gorilla Solution Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Haven Lodge, Nshongi Gorilla Camp, and many more according to the visitors’ choice.

In conclusion, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the best park where visitors are 100% sure of trekking and habituating mountain gorillas in their natural habitat alongside other activities. However, visitors that need to trek more easily as a family should visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.