How To Plan Flying Gorilla Habituation In Uganda And Rwanda Gorilla Trekking

To plan the flying gorilla habituation experience in Uganda and Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is an opportunity to find the difference between gorilla safaris in Uganda and Rwanda. You get extra time with the mountain gorillas which are on the top list of the vulnerable and endangered primates recognized world over. Request For A Qoutation

 Ensure to purchase the gorilla permits in advance for both Uganda and Rwanda to avoid panic at the last minute. Note that only 8 gorilla trekking permits are open per day in Rwanda and 4 gorilla habituation Experience permits are open in Uganda per day.

Where to Do Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda

Volcanoes National Park

 The only destination for gorilla trekking in Rwanda is Volcanoes National park a pristine rain forest in North western part of the country. Currently Volcanoes National Park hosts about 12 gorilla families open to the public some include Karisimbi, Amahoro, Umubano and more.

Other than the mountain gorillas, during gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park you may come across other inhabitants including golden monkeys, black and white colobus, vervet monkeys and more. Over 200 bird species are recorded as residents of Volcanoes forest including Albertine rift endemics.

Each day gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park starts early morning with compulsory briefing at about 0700hours and may last 2 hours to more depending on the location of the gorilla family.

Where to Do gorilla habituation experience in Uganda

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park specifically the southern sector of the park is so far the gorilla habituation experience destination in Uganda. At the moment four gorilla habituation experience families are open to the public but maximum 4 tourists are allowed to visit either families per day.

During gorilla habituation experience, these gorillas are semi habituated so may run into hiding any time, they are still timid and more. Tourists on gorilla habituation experience are in company of a team of researchers with more knowledge about the behavior of the gorilla family and have mood swings too.

Four hours are allowed with the mountain gorillas during habituation allowing you more time to observe the characters of these gentle giants.

Spending time with the mountain gorillas is like watching human history come into life because of the way they conduct their daily life, interact with each other, grooms, show respect to protocol and more.

How to Book Transport for Fly in Uganda Gorilla habituation Experience And Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda

From Kigali

Charter from Kigali international Airport Rwanda to Volcanoes National park but do not forget to hire a transfer vehicle to get you to the park from the airfield.

After gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, you may choose to transfer by road to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via the Cyanika or Gatuna border.

From Entebbe

You can choose to charter or get on scheduled flights from Entebbe airport or Kajjansi Airfield to Kisoro Airstrip. Get on a transfer vehicle to your lodge in our closer to Bwindi Impenetrable National park for the overnight.

Flight time to Kisoro Airstrip from Entebbe or Kajjansi airfield is about 2 hours. At times flights may be rescheduled due to changing weather conditions of the areas in the southwestern part of Uganda. Later transfer to your lodge by road to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After gorilla habituation experience, cross into Rwanda by road via Gatuna or Cyanika border. You may also choose to fly to Kigali from Entebbe.

Highlights of Uganda Gorilla habituation Experience and Rwanda Gorilla Trekking

Day 1 Fly to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 2 Gorilla Habituation Experience in Bwindi

Day 3 Transfer to Volcanoes National Park Rwanda

Day 4 Gorilla Trekking Rwanda

Day 5 Golden monkey trekking in Rwanda

Day 6 Departure

Details of Uganda Gorilla habituation Experience and Rwanda Gorilla Trekking

Day 1 Fly to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Report to the airfield or airstrip to catch up with your flight to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. Later transfer to your lodge to check in and prepare for gorilla trekking adventure.

The drive from Kisoro airstrip is breathtaking as you bypass several trees, rolling hills, meandering rivers, amazing scenery and more.

Check into your accommodation: Gorilla Safari Camp, Nshongi Camp, Clouds Lodge, Nkuringo Safari Lodge

Meal Plan Full Board

Day 2 Gorilla Habituation Experience in Bwindi

Get up for breakfast and head to the ranger station for briefing. Your ranger guide with a team of researchers and other tourists follow the trail head leading where the mountain gorillas were last seen.

The mountain gorillas under habituation are still timid so you need to follow the guidelines of gorilla habituation Experience and may run into hiding when agitated. Along the way, look out for other forest dwellers including monkeys, different kinds of birds, species of trees and more.

When you finally find the mountain gorillas, enjoy them while taking photos but keep your eyes away from your lens too to have a moment directly with these primates.

The first sight of the mountain gorillas brings chills down your spine but when you realize how vulnerable and gentle these primates are you may not want to leave their presence. Finally, when your time is over, take with your photos and memories of your gorilla habituation Experience only.

Finally return to your lodge

Day 3 Transfer to Volcanoes National Park Rwanda

Early morning, have breakfast and start on your journey to Rwanda. The drive goes through meandering roads until you arrive at Cyanika or Gatuna Border.

Go through immigration to Volcanoes National Park home to the Rwanda mountain gorillas. The landscape of Volcanoes National Park has several highlands with an amazing forest canopy of endless forest. Birds regularly roam the Volcanoes forest so keen birders get a double opportunity to identify a number of species.

Check into your lodge

Volcanoes Accommodation: Bisante Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Gorilla Nest Lodge, Kinigi Guest house

Day 4 Gorilla Trekking Rwanda

Take breakfast, head to the ranger station for briefing at the ORTPN in Rwanda. Each tourist is allocated a gorilla family to trek with no outlined procedure to follow.

Later together in company of a ranger guide you follow the trail head leading where these primates were last seen. The gorillas at times more into the deeper ends of the dense forest but patience keeps the zeal of gorillas alive all time.

Finally, when you find the gorillas, they may not pretend not to care about your presence but adhere to the rules of gorilla trekking and keep calm. The gorillas at times break rules and bridge the gap of 8 meters away from them that is recommended but you can move back without causing any suspicions.   

Watch uncensored or unedited life of the mountain gorillas as the express themselves with no rules to bar them from doing what they do best in the forest. Family is key in the survival of the mountain gorillas and obedience to the dominant male keeps members a way from trouble.

You may witness some fights during gorillas trekking but this is rare and it doesn’t extend to humans. Watch every moment with the mountain gorillas and make memories of gorilla trekking for yourself to get back to.

Return to your lodge

Day 5 Golden monkey trekking in Rwanda

Take breakfast and head to the ranger station for document verification and later go for golden monkey trekking. Golden monkeys are a rare monkey specie with a larger physical body compared to her counter parts, golden hairs especially in the lower back.

Even though golden monkeys are habituated, they do not loss their characters so get ready to stay on your toes as they hope from one branch to another. It is exciting to watch the golden monkeys express themselves in an uncontrolled environment.

Get back to your lodge

Day 6 Departure

Plan your departure after attending gorilla habituation experience in Rwanda and gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda.

When is the best time to Do Fly-In Uganda Gorilla habituation Experience And Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda

The dry season is most preferred time to do either gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience because of environmental convenience. The atmosphere is generally drier even though rain in Volcanoes or Bwindi forest falls without warning no matter the season. The dry season is normally June to September and December to January.

The Virunga area is known to receive untimely rain but no matter the prevailing weather conditions of the day, gorilla safaris have to commence. At times the mountain gorillas retract into the deeper ends of the forest but do not give up on the search because you must locate them.

More tourists are expected to visit Rwanda or Uganda for safaris in the dry season which makes demand for gorilla permits in both countries very competitive. To save yourself from last minute panic advance gorilla permit booking is required.

However, the wet season which is March to May and November should not be ignored when planning this gorilla safari holiday in Uganda and Rwanda. Mountain gorillas are a sure see any season even though they live in a dense forest. Note that during the rainy seasons, the mountain gorillas tend to stay in sheltered locations so you do not get to see more of their interactions.

What are the requirements for Planning Gorilla safari in Uganda and Rwanda

• Purchase gorilla permits for gorilla habituation experience in Uganda and Gorilla trekking in Rwanda in advance.
• Have some level of fitness before this gorilla safari because of the nature of the topography of the destinations where these safari activities take place.
• Pack the right gorilla safari gears including safari boots, safari hat, warmers, rain proof gears and more.
• Book accommodation to use during gorilla safari in Uganda and Rwanda. It is best to use accommodation within or closer to the gorilla tour destination.
• Purchase the necessary visa before starting the gorilla safari to reduce on time that you may spend at immigration.
• Organize transport to use during this fly in gorilla safari and hire vehicle to do transfers.
• Before gorilla safari, do a health check up to avoid getting disqualified in case you contract a communicable infection or become too weak to complete the gorilla safari.

How long is gorilla habituation Experience in Uganda and gorilla trekking in Rwanda

Time to take on gorilla habituation experience in Uganda or Gorilla trekking in Rwanda varies with factors prevailing in the forest.

Sometimes the mountain gorillas move deep in the forest so you have to walk longer distances to trace them or move closer so you may take shorter time to find them.

Some tourists have reported seeing the gorillas in 30 minutes from the starting point while others spend more time. In order not to get exhausted, tourists are requested to shift their focus to other amazing features in the forest, other forest inhabitants because these forests are biosphere reserves.

Four hours of gorilla habituation Experience are allowed but with semi-habituated gorillas with mood swings so expect the family to retreat anytime you are around them.

One hour of gorilla trekking is allowed as these are fully habituated mountain gorillas that can stay with humans atleast for an hour without getting running away. Note that human presence disturbs the daily running of activities amongst the mountain gorillas.

Why Do Uganda Gorilla Habituation Experience And Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda

Gorilla habituation Experience in Uganda and gorilla trekking in Rwanda get you closer to the few leftover primates in the world. When with the mountain gorillas, you cannot fail to relate with the lifestyle that humans live.

Many tourists have return to the mainland wanting to go back and have extra time with the mountain gorillas because of their innocent and genuine behavior. Adopting a mountain gorilla is allowed although you do not have to take it out of the forest but you can sponsor it.

When you purchase a gorilla permit, you support the sustainable existence of these vulnerable primates whose life was at the rim of getting extinctic by the 1980s. Part of the annual proceeds collected from the sell of gorilla permits is shared by the local community to support their projects.  It is one way of sensitize the local communities around the gorilla sanctuaries about the relevancy of having these primates and their habitats in their area.