Gorilla habituation experience
Gorilla habituation is a gradual and patient process aimed at familiarizing mountain gorillas with human presence in their natural habitat. During this process, researchers study gorillas behavior, provide medical care when needed, protect them from threats such as poachers, and support conservation efforts through sustainable tourism. Each gorilla group undergoes an extensive habituation process, which typically lasts between 3 to 5 years, depending on the temperament of the Silverback leader. Gorilla habituation process is protected by a team of experienced researchers, conservationists, trackers, and rangers.
Park rangers start the habituation process by spending short periods of time with the gorillas each day, maintaining a safe distance at the edge of the gorillas’ comfort zone. Gradually, as the gorillas become used to the presence of humans, the time of these encounters is increased. This approach helps to build trust between the gorillas and humans, ensuring a positive and sustainable coexistence.
After some good time, the plan is implemented by gradually extending the time spent and decreasing the distance between humans and gorillas, ensuring that these primates are fully used and comfortable before welcoming visitors into their habitat. However, while the gorillas can get used to rangers, trackers, and researchers, they are not yet accustomed to strangers. Therefore, during gorilla habituation tourists are accompanied by this team to help these creatures become more comfortable around people.
The Gorilla Habituation Experience will eventually ensure that these primates are at ease in the company of humans. However, the mountain gorilla habituation experience is more challenging, as the currently designated group's movement is unpredictable. This may require tourists to hike long distances to find them, and yet this group is not yet comfortable with the presence of tourists.
During this time with the gorilla family, you can involve yourself in their world as they go about their daily activities; feeding, interacting with each other all under the protection of the silverback. Participating in the Gorilla Habituation Experience supports crucial efforts to habituate gorillas and ensure their survival.
Mountain Gorillas are the world’s most endangered species found in the montane forests of East Africa in countries like Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Uganda is home to almost half of the world’s total population of mountain gorillas.
Mountain gorillas can be found in Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga National Park located in the southwest of Uganda. Bwindi Forest is the larger and more popular of the two habitats and is the only place where the Gorilla Habituation Experience is conducted.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is divided into four sectors for both gorilla trekking and the Gorilla Habituation Experience. The park covers an area of 331 square kilometers of dense forest. These sectors include Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo, and Rushaga, each of which is home to multiple gorilla families.
In the Buhoma sector, located in the north of the park, gorilla treks are less strenuous, and gorilla families are relatively easier to locate. Meanwhile, the Gorilla Habituation Experience takes place in the Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors, located in the southern part of the park. Each sector hosts one gorilla family that participates in the gorilla habituation process.
Gorilla trekking offers visitors an opportunity to spend up to one hour with a family of wild mountain gorillas. However, for those that want to spend more time with these primates, Uganda also offers the rare opportunity to participate in a full-day Gorilla Habituation Experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. During this experience, visitors are accompanied by a ranger guide and trackers.
Difference between gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation
Gorilla trekking involves walking through dense forests to find habituated gorillas. It's a different experience from gorilla habituation, however, both offer opportunities to explore Bwindi Impenetrable Forest with experienced trackers in search of wild mountain gorillas.
Gorilla habituation differs from gorilla trekking, where each gorilla family is assigned to eight people who can only observe them for one hour. In contrast, gorilla habituation lasts for four hours and is exclusive to Uganda, not available in Rwanda or DR Congo.
During a gorilla trek, you may hike for 30 minutes to four hours, depending on the gorilla family's location. Once you find them, you'll have a special hour to quietly observe them in their natural habitat. In contrast, gorilla habituation allows four hours with the primates, giving visitors more time to observe, take photos, and videos.
Only four tourists can join gorilla habituation each day, whereas gorilla trekking limits groups to eight people per gorilla family. Both experiences offer unforgettable encounters with these majestic creatures in their natural environment.
While gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is organized across four sectors (Ruhija, Buhooma, Nkuringo, and Rushaga), the gorilla habituation experience is currently only available in the Rushaga and Nkuringo sector. This means that tourists opting for gorilla trekking have a range of gorilla families to choose from. They can select an easier trek, which involves gorilla groups closer to the starting point, or a more challenging trek to groups farther away.
The Mountain Gorilla habituation experience, on the other hand, is more demanding, particularly due to the group currently undergoing habituation. The movement of this group is unpredictable, often requiring long hikes to locate them. Furthermore, this group is not yet entirely comfortable with the presence of tourists.
The process of habituating gorillas takes between 2 to 3 years. This timeframe depends on the temperament of the silverback. Once a silverback is receptive to humans being close to his family, other members of his group will follow his lead. The habituation process involves frequent interaction with the primates to make them accustomed to regular exposure to humans.
The gorilla habituation experience was introduced as a special tourism activity in Uganda in 2014, compared to gorilla trekking. The Uganda Wildlife Authority initiated it to allow visitors to experience the process of making a gorilla family comfortable with human presence. This experience offers visitors the opportunity to take part in habituation activities, such as naming individual gorillas in the group, especially the newborns.
Visitors also learn how gorillas behave when happy or angry, which can also be observed during gorilla trekking, although the experience during gorilla habituation is more in-depth. Additionally, visitors participate in collecting and testing gorilla stool to check for signs of illness.
Before visiting mountain gorillas, tourists must purchase a gorilla habituation permit. These permits can be obtained from the Uganda Wildlife Authority or reputable tour operators in Uganda. The cost of a gorilla habituation permit is 1500 US dollars per person per day. It's strongly advised to book your permits at least 6 months in advance, as they are in high demand, especially during peak seasons. Even during low tourism seasons, there's no guarantee that permits will be available for a specific day.
What happens during gorilla habituation experience
On the day of the habituation, you need to arrive at the park headquarters by 7 am. The gorilla habituation experience begins with a briefing, where park officials explain the rules of gorilla trekking, which are the same for habituation and conservation efforts. After the briefing, tourists are grouped into teams of 4 people and guided into the forest by at least 2 park rangers, senior trackers, or researchers.
If you have heavy equipment, you can hire porters for a small fee. These porters are often students or parents in need of financial support. By hiring them, you contribute to their families' well-being. Communities living near wildlife are less likely to harm them when they benefit from tourism. It usually takes between 30 minutes to a few hours to locate gorillas if they are still in the area where they last built their sleeping nest.
The tracking teams stay in communication with the rangers, and once these primates are found, tourists can observe their daily activities. Taking photographs and videos is permitted only with the park ranger's permission. After the activity, tourists return to the park headquarters to receive a certificate of completion.
How to get to Bwindi Impenetrable National park
Tourists can reach Bwindi Impenetrable National Park either by air or by road. By air, it takes about 2 hours to reach Kisoro airstrip in Kisoro town from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi airstrip. From Kisoro take a 2 hr drive to Rushaga sector in Bwindi Impenetrable National park. However, many travelers prefer the road option, which takes approximately 8 to 9 hours. Along the way, travelers pass through villages, providing a glimpse into daily life in the region. There are also several tourist attractions to visit en route, including Lake Mburo National Park, the equator in Kayabwe, and Igongo Cultural Center, where visitors can enjoy lunch.
Best time to visit Bwindi Impenetrable National park
The best time to go for gorilla habituation is during the dry season (June to August and December to February) when the roads in the park are dry and not slippery. Tourists are advised to carry raincoats since the weather in the forest is unpredictable. Additionally, waterproof hiking boots, insect repellent, sunscreen, sunglasses, and cameras are recommended
Accommodation
There are a number of accommodation facilities near the park and close to communities on the park's edge. These accommodations cater to various budgets, offering options from budget to mid-range and luxury. Some of these include Four Gorillas Lodge, Gorilla Leisure Lodge, Mulehe Safari Lodge, and Ichumba Gorilla Lodge. It is also recommended that one should not consider sleeping far away from the park headquarters of the sector where the activity is going to take place.
