How To Plan A Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari In Uganda

How To Plan A Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari In Uganda

To plan a gorilla habituation experience safari in Uganda, you need to book the gorilla permit as the first confirmation to be part of this adventure. Gorilla habituation experience is a safari where tourists accompany a team of researchers to follow a semi-habituated gorilla family and have four hours with them. Contact Us

In Uganda, gorilla habituation experience is happening in the southern western part of the country with so far 4 gorilla families open to the public. During gorilla habituation experience, tourists may be requested to assist with observing and recording some characters of the mountain gorillas, collecting samples and others.

Where to stay during the gorilla habituation experience safari in Uganda is very important as this adventure starts very early morning so you need to be close to where it is to be done. In the southern sector of Bwindi forest are categories of accommodations you may choose from that is luxury, mid-range and basic. They all offer different stay over safari package including full Board, Half Board, Bed only or bed and breakfast.

What You Need To Plan For The Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari In Uganda

Book The gorilla habituation Permit

The number one ticket to go for the gorilla habituation experience safari is the permit. The gorilla permits are available at the Uganda Wildlife Authority but through a professional tour operator as your ground handler, you can reserve one. Note that maximum 4 gorilla habituation experience permits are open to the public per day.

Find availability of the gorilla habituation experience permits first and upon confirmation, it is best to book the gorilla permit as soon as possible. The status of the gorilla permits in Uganda changes any time without warning and no gorilla permit is reserved without payment. First come first served basis is used. Later, you avail some personal details to be added to your gorilla permit card including your full names, date of birth, Nationality and others.

Category Of Accommodation To Use During Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari

Choose the accommodation category you most feel comfortable with according to your budget that is luxury, mid-range and basic. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is divided into four areas that us Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo and each of these area has accommodations but it is best to spend the night before your gorilla habituation experience within or close to currently the southern sector of the park.

Reserve Transport To Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

You need to reserve the necessary transport to use when getting to Bwindi forest for gorilla habituation experience. Road transport is the main means used to get to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park but you need a 4×4 wheel drive vehicle which is terrain resistant.

Daily domestic scheduled flights are available at Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi airstrip but these require prior booking. They fly to Kihihi or Kisoro airstrips them tourists are transferred by vehicles to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

• What Is The Distance To Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

The distance to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park from Kampala is about 530 Kilometers at drive time of about 8 to 9 hours excluding stopovers. From Queen Elizabeth National Park, the distance to cover to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is about 64 Kilometers via Ishasha sector and 160 Kilometers from Mweya area.

What To Expect On Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari In Uganda

What to expect during the gorilla habituation experience safari in Uganda depends on the fact that they are semi-habituated mountain gorillas who are not yet familiar with human presence. Expect the mountain gorillas to go into hiding while in there presence because they are extremely sensitive with intruders.

Other than fellow tourists, expect to be in company of researchers and trackers who have advance knowledge of some of the traits of the gorilla family at hand or every member of the gorilla family. Ensure to show maximum respect to the rules of gorilla habituation experience because violating them may end in the gorilla family retreating into hiding.

Expect to hike as sometimes the mountain gorillas spend time on the slopes of these highlands the nature of the topography of Bwindi forested area is quite rugged with several highlands that result from the volcanic actions in this area that led to the formation of ridges and plateaus.

The ground of Bwindi Forest is never completely dry whether in the dry season or wet so expect to pass on a soft soggy ground. The forest receives untimely rains that may last an entire day sometimes yet less sunlight is let in through the dense canopy to the ground. There is a dense network of rivers and streams that are distributed throughout the entire forest and sometimes they flood covering the forest surface.

Expect some creepers to obstruct your way as they drape down the ridges ad plateaus that are part of the forest topography. Bwindi forest has untamed nature that has not been tampered with by human interference and this it has accumulated this over 25000 years ago.

What Program to follow During the Gorilla Habituation experience in Uganda

5 Day Gorilla and Chimpanzee Habituation experience safari in Uganda

Highlights     

Day 1 Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 2 Gorilla Habituation Experience in Bwindi

Day 3 Drive to Kibale National Park

Day 4 Chimpanzee Habituation experience

Day 5 Departure Day

Details of 5 Day Gorilla and chimpanzee Habituation Experience Safari

Day 1 Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 

After breakfast, drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park one of the untamed wildernesses in Uganda. on the way, you may make an optional a stop at the Equator to take photos standing on both sides of the earth at the same time.

On the way, enjoy the incredible topography of Kigezi sub-area which is composed of jagged rocks. By pass a number of valleys and hills where farmers use terrace method to grow crops on the highlands you may make some stopes to stretch and enjoy the landscape of the area.

Arrive Bwindi area in the late afternoon to check into your accommodation.

Accommodations of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Clouds lodge, Nshongi Camp, Nkuringo Gorilla lodge,

Day 2 Gorilla Habituation Experience in Bwindi

Wake up early morning and head to the ranger station to do gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Donot forget to carry with your gorilla habituation gears as this adventure requires wearing specific attires.

After briefing, the ranger guide and researchers lead the way to locate the mountain gorillas. On the way, you may get the chance to spot other primates including wild chimpanzees, black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, olive baboons and others. Ornithologists may get the chance to identify more than 100 bird species on the way.

Upon finding the mountain gorillas, you may be requested to assist with collecting some samples, observing and noting down some characters of the mountain gorillas and much more. Take as many photos as you can which you can get back to later. These mountain gorillas are semi-habituated so they may show some odd behaviors like may try to run into hiding.

After four hours, return to your lodge to relax.

Day 3 Drive to Kibale National Park

Wake up early morning for breakfast and head to the ranger station for briefing. Chimpanzee habituation experience starts early morning and time of finding the chimpanzees is not quite clear to detect. Kibale National Park is a tropical rain forest which is home to the largest chimpanzee population in Uganda as over 1500 chimpanzees have been recorded as residents of the park.

The Kibale National Park is home to about 13 primates species including chimpanzees, pottos, grey cheeked mangabey, bush babies, L’hoest, blue monkeys and others. More than 325 bird species have been recorded as residents of this forested park

Arrive at the park and check into your loge

Accommodations in Kibale National Park Ndali lodge, Primates lodge, Chimpanzee Guest House, Kyaninga Lodge and others.

Day 4 Chimpanzee Habituation Experience In Uganda

Get up early for chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale National Park but you will be in company of a researchers who have prior knowledge about the characteristics of this community. The chimpanzee habituation experience in Uganda starts with briefing at the ranger station which is at Kanyanchu or the secondary center at Sebitoli.

These chimpanzees are semi-habituated so expect some uncommon behavior including moving into hiding, thumping the chest and much more. Donot panic upon noticing such odd behavior because you may escalate the situation. Wait for the ranger guide and researchers to estimate the route cause of the matter.

On the way, you may be requested to assist with collecting some samples, noting down some of the characters showed by the mountain gorillas. When you finally locate the mountain gorillas, pay attention to the rules of gorilla habituation experience given by the ranger guides during briefing.

Enjoy the presence of the mountain gorillas and after four hours, return to your lodge

Day 5 Departure Day

In this day, depart for your flight back home after the gorilla and chimpanzee habituation experience safari.

When Is The Best Time To Booking A Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari In Uganda

The best time to book a gorilla habituation experience safari is the dry season even though this experience is open all year. The mountain gorillas in this season explore the forest and may be quick to spot. The trails in Bwindi and Kibale forest are drier in this season even though rain is expected to fall anytime.

Even other primates may be quicker to spot and a wide range of birds also traverse the forest in this season.  Expect to find more tourists on ground during this season because demand for gorilla habituation experience gets to its peak so competition for some safari logistics is overwhelming.

The wet season is also great time to do gorilla habituation experience safaris and this is April to May and November. Note that more rain is expected to fall in the wet season and the ground is quite slippery because less sunlight penetrates through the dense canopy to the ground.

Those with a limited budget may take advantage of the situation in the wet season to do a gorilla habituation experience safari because the demand for this adventure is less in this season.

How Much Is The Cost Of Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari In Uganda

The cost of the gorilla habituation experience safari in Uganda is categorized into upmarket, luxury and basic. The cost of the gorilla habituation experience safari packages in start with the permit cost that is $1500 for foreign nonresidents, $1000 for international residents, 750,000shs for East Africans.

The cost of the gorilla habituation safari permit includes park entrance fees, ranger guide fees, security, four hours with the mountain gorillas.

Are Mountain Gorillas Dangerous During Gorilla Habituation Experience

During the gorilla habituation experience these mountain gorillas are not dangerous because they are habituated first before being opened to the public. The wild mountain gorillas are first habituated before opening them to the public even though they are semi habituated.

At a glance, the sight of the mountain gorillas is quite scaring but when you spend time with them, you realize how serene and vulnerable they are. The mountain gorillas may seem intimidating but when you realize how cowardly they are despite there huge bodies them you feel pity for them. Meeting the mountain gorillas in the forest is truly a life changing adventure.

Even with this serene characteristics, mountain gorillas can still charge when provoked. You need to be careful not to do anything that can cause these primates to change there mood. Upon noticing some odd behavior, donot panic but wait for the ranger guide to establish the route cause of the matter then follow the new instructions he or she may offer to try to control the situation. Sometimes, it can be trying to pretend chewing foliage, showing submission to the dominant silverback and others.

It is best to follow the gorillas habituation experience rules as explained by the ranger guides at briefing. Mountain gorillas are very sensitive to unfamiliar occurrences in there presence. Book Now