Packing light but relevantly for gorilla habituation safari in Uganda gives you the best experience. The time you book your gorilla habituation permit is the moment when you need to revise the list of items relevant for this Africa primate safari in Uganda.
In order to do gorilla habituation in Uganda, you need reserve a gorilla permit from Uganda wildlife Authority. For conservation reasons, only maximum of 4 people are allowed to do gorilla habituation in company of researcher and habituators.
Gorilla habituation safari includes following semi habituated mountain gorillas in the wilderness to get them used to the presence of humans.
In Uganda, gorilla habituation is done in the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable national Park. This is composed of two gorilla trekking areas that is Rushaga area and Nkuringo area. In order to have a successful gorilla trek, you need to book accommodation in the area close to where your gorilla habituation is going to take place that is the southern Bwindi accommodations. 3 day gorilla trekking, 5 day Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, 6 days gorilla trekking and wildlife safari
Foldable safari Hat
You need to protect your hair from buzzing insects in the jungle. They may creep into your hair and make you feel uncomfortable. Even the dew that drips off the trees may make you feel uncomfortable. By wearing a safari hat, you keep away such
Safari attires
Gorilla habituation is a wilderness activity so you need to wear long sleeved and trousers. Packing the ones in wilderness friendly colors like tan or Khaki also make it more suitable for the jungle. When you use colors like blue, white, black, they may attract some dangerous insects like tsetse flies.
Garden gloves
You may have to hike to the slopes to locate the mountain gorillas. In case you tripe and fall, your palms do not get hurt. You need to protect them with gloves even when you wish to hold a tighter grip on creepers to help you move on.
Warm wear
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which is temperatures sometimes drop as low as 7 degrees centigrade. You need to pack some warmers for early morning and late afternoon because it is extremely cold. Even during gorillas habituation, temperatures may drop because of the regular rains that fall without warning.
A camera
Much as flash photography is forbidden because the repeated flashing may scare mountain gorillas, you have to keep memories of this once in a lifetime experience. While in the forest, a number of interesting pauses may be shown by the mountain gorillas that are worth looking back at later. While in the forest, take nothing only photos and leave nothing.
Safari boots
The terrain of Bwindi Impenetrable National park is jagged with ridges and plateaus that resulted from Volcanic action in the Virunga area. When you use footwear that can withstand such conditions, you enjoy the entire trek and may not realize how much time you may spend in the forest.
The safari boots must be comfortable for you to hike and walk through soggy surfaces that result from regular rains that fall without warning.
Insect repellant
Sometimes the forest is infected by biting insects that roam it. In case you apply insect repellant, you keep those away from hurting you to cause blisters .
An extra fully charged part of Batteries
When you run short of battery, you can exchange with another so that you do not miss out on the best parts of the gorilla habituation adventure. Remember you have four hours following the mountain gorillas that are semi habituated.
Energy treats
Breakfast is taken too early to last the entire time doing gorilla habituation. You need to pack some energy treats that you can munch on your way to locate the mountain gorillas or when you locate the mountain gorillas.
Remember in case you wish to eat, do it at least in 200 meters away from the mountain gorillas so that they are not enticed to grab it from you.
Mountain gorillas are wild animals that must search for there own food and nit depend at any time on human provision.
A raincoat or poncho
Rain may fall anytime without warning but you need to prepare upfront. During gorilla habituation you need to follow the mountain gorillas and not loose sight of them at anyone time because they may move in a different direction which may keep you pacing
Sunscreen
Although Bwindi forest is often cold with limited sunlight penetration, as you drive to the park, you need to protect your skin from the strong sunrays that may cause you sunburns.
Duffel Bag
Packing in a duffel bag without rollers may be comfortable for you especially if you are joining a group safari for gorilla habituation. Sometimes the space in the vehicle is not big enough for everybody.
Even when loading your bags, you may get no help but you have to lift your bags.
Pajamas
Pack warm pajamas as this area is extremely cold in the night to the extent that some lodges have to set fireplaces to support with warmth of their lodges.
Toiletries
Some accommodation facilities do not provide toiletries so you need to carry your own. In case you have a skin problem, its best to use products that you comfortable with while on safari. this is to prevent chances of eczema
First Aid Kit
The forest has other wild animals and sharp surfaces that may cause you harm. An accident is unexpected injury so in case of emergency, the first aid kit can save the day.
A Travel Adapter and charger
In case you need to recharge your electric gadgets, it is best to have your own adopter and charger because you are not sure if these are available at the lodge. If there are many tourists, they may be under use yet you also wish to use them at the same time.
Foldable Water bottle
You need to carry drinking water to quench thirst. Although the forest is extremely cold sometimes, you need to take drinking water.
Light water Proof Backpack
In order to carry with your belongings and protect the gorilla habituation gears from getting wet, you need a backpack. Even when you hire a porter to carry your bags, its easier to hand over already packed items. In case you slide and fall in the forest while hiking or passing over slippery surfaces, your belongings do not scatter in the forest
Atleast two clean masks
For every person to see the mountain gorillas, they must wear a clean mask. This was a measure adopted to protect the primates that are highly susceptible to human infections like Covid-19
A pair of Binoculars
During gorilla habituation, you may spot other interesting features and wildlife that may interest you to see. In case they are far ranging, using a pair of binoculars can help.
A light shoe bag
By the time you return from gorilla habituation, your shoes are very dirty and time for washing them may not be on your side or you are too tired to wash. You can put them in a light shoe bag so that they do not stain your other belongings.
Some limited Cash
In Africa cash is a more easier form of exchange other than credit cards whose process of acquiring money from the cards is long. Even the number of people who know how to operate the credit card machines well are limited.
A torch
The lighting system of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park facilities is mainly solar and yet the sun sometimes is not bright enough. You must pack a torch for lighting at night when lights go off.
A pair of Stockings
A pair of stocking to tack in your clothes so that insects do not creep into them.
Sunglasses
Just to protect your eyes from insects that fly in the forest, you can wear sunglasses. Even the mountain gorillas at times have small insects flying around them so you need to protect your eyes. Even the water that drips from the tree trunks may fall into your eyes when you look up.
Packing cubes
For you to be more organized, you need to pack in cubes so that you can easily put together your belongings during check ups like at the airport.
A laptop
In case you need to down lodge some of your photos or videos so that you can take more. you may carry a laptop or another memory card.
Note book or journal and a pen
During gorilla habituation, you may have to note down something about your observation when you meet the mountain gorillas under habituation. This may be requested by the researchers as its one way for you to member some details about the mountain gorillas you follow.
Gorilla habituation safari costs is preceded by the Gorilla Permit cost which is currently $1500 per person per trek.
The cost of the gorilla habituation permit includes
Park entrance fees
Everybody who visits any Uganda National park must pay Park fees that is used to support the wildlife conservation fund.
The ranger guide fee
For all activities going into the park, you must have a ranger guide escorting you just in case you face a challenge while in the forest. This is one reason why you are not allowed to visit the forest without an escorting ranger guide. They provide all the details about the life of the mountain gorillas and others forest dwellers.
When you go on safari, you want to enjoy and know more about the wild animals and this is what they provide.
Gorilla Medical Support
The mountain gorillas require to get some treatment especially when they are badly injured to routine check-ups to establish there health status. Even though they are wild animals that must seek own treatment in the wild, when they are badly off they deserve to get help from the gorilla doctors.
Support Local Community
In order to conserve nature and wildlife, the community around must be involves because sometimes they are victims of these animals. In order to reduce on the animosity that the local may have over the mountain gorillas, annually about 20% of the profit accrued is given to the local community. They use it to support there projects like road maintenance, set up health facilities and others.
Security of the gorilla habitats
Everyone would like to travel to a secure destination more so if you have to walk in the wilderness. Bwindi impenetrable National park is safe for gorilla habituation. the ranger partner with the Uganda security agencies to keep law and order in this place. This is one reason which gorilla habituation and gorilla trekking safaris are some of the most sought after in Africa.
What Is Excluded In The Cost Of gorilla Habituation Permit
Treats, tips, items of personal nature, vehicle hire, flight costs, drinks and others.
What Else Makes the Cost Of Gorilla Habituation Safari Package
The number people travelling with For Gorilla habituation
The more people booked to do gorilla habituation, the less the per person cost because you share some safari costs like vehicle hire, gas and others. As a solo traveler on a gorilla trekking safari, you take up all the safari costs.
The Number of Days You Go For Gorilla Habituation Safari
The more days you spend in gorilla habituation safari, the higher the cost of safari. This is because service providers like accommodation, vehicle hire, driver guides charge per day costs.
Timing for booking gorilla habituation
When you book your gorilla habituation safari for the peak season that is June to September and December to January, the safari costs are higher because of the demand worldwide. Even service providers charge higher prices too for this season. The only unchanging cost is the cost of the gorilla habituation permit.
The number of other activities you combine with gorilla habituation
The more activities you add to gorilla habituation, the higher the gross safari cost. This is because every activity has its own price.
Gorilla habituation is an all year round activity but some people prefer to use the dry months for gorilla habituation that is June to September and December to January. This is because the mountain gorillas are more active and others forest dwellers too.
Even the humidity of Bwindi Impenetrable National park is lighter because there is less rain falling compared to the usual climate. The trails arte more passable and there is less undergrowth blocking them.
The low season however has its advantages as less tourists are visiting so you may have the gorilla family all to yourself.
Some service providers may discount their prices giving you the chance to use facilities of a another budget