What Is The Difference Between Gorilla Trekking And Gorilla Habituation Experience

Both gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation are adventures with the mountain gorillas. The differences come with the maximum number of people allowed to do gorilla trekking, which is 8 people and 4 people for gorilla habituation experience. Number of hours with the mountain gorillas during gorilla trekking is only one hour while number of hours allowed with mountain gorillas during gorilla habituation is 4 hours

Whether you do gorilla trekking or habituation experience, that moment when you stand before the mountain gorillas is phenomenal. The gentle and cautious look in there sunken brown eyes speaks how vulnerable they are despite there giant body structure covered in fur from head to toe.

Mountain gorillas are some of the endangered primates in the world only living in the Virunga area of Africa composed of Uganda, Rwanda and D.R.Congo. Myths and folk tales of the local tribes that portrayed them as dangerous to humanity haunted the mountain gorillas. This led to poaching them for trophies and ritual practices.

An American primatologist Dian Fossey during her study about the mountain gorillas tried to go deeper into there lives and document somethings about them. She and her team carried out a census in the 1980s where the population of the mountain gorillas was found to be about 250 in the entire world.

This triggered the conservation bodies around the world to list the mountain gorillas amongst the highly endangered species of the world. Conserving these gentle giants started which required funds.

Gorilla trekking was one of the means to be used in order to collect these funds and also get the mountain gorilla accustomed to the presence of different humans. This was also one of the means used to reduce on the animosity between mountain gorillas and humans. gorilla trekking is limited to one hour of mountain gorilla viewing for conservation reasons

Later Uganda introduced gorilla habituation in 2014 which gives tourists extra 4 hours of following and viewing the mountain gorillas.

Before detailing the differences between gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation experience, lets note down what each means

What Is Gorilla Trekking?

Gorilla trekking is an adventure where tourists are allowed to follow a fully habituated mountain gorilla family in the wilderness and stay with it for one hour.

What Is Gorilla Habituation Experience?

Gorilla habituation experience is an adventure where tourists accompany a team of researchers and trackers to follow a semi habituated mountain gorilla family in the wilderness and have 4 hours with them. You can observe, note down and take as many photos as you possibly can within this ample time.

What Is The Difference Between Gorilla Trekking And Gorilla Habituation Experience?

• Gorilla trekking is following a fully habituated mountain gorilla family while gorilla habituation experience, the mountain gorilla area semi habituated so expect some unfamiliar behaviors like hooting at you, dashing into hiding and others.

• During gorilla habituation experience, only 4 hours are allowed with the mountain gorillas while gorilla trekking, only one hour of viewing the mountain gorillas is allowed.

• Maximum 8 tourists are allowed to do gorilla trekking while maximum 4 tourists are allowed to follow the mountain gorillas during gorilla trekking experience.

• During gorilla habituation, tourists accompany a team of researchers and trackers with some knowledge about the mountain gorillas as the mountain gorillas are still under habituation. Gorilla habituation is the process of getting a wild mountain gorilla family used to human presence without altering there nature. Gorilla trekking the family is fully habituated and so no need for researchers but ranger guides with information about the gorilla family and each family member’s name.

• The time of starting gorilla trekking is about 0830 hours per day while gorilla habituation experience starts earlier than any other activity. You may locate the mountain gorillas just de-nesting or still in there nests during gorilla habituation experience.

• The cost of gorilla habituation experience permit is about $1500 per person per trek while the cost of gorilla trekking permit for Uganda is currently $700, Rwanda is $ 1500 and $450 per person per trek in D.R.Congo.

• Gorilla habituation experience  is currently happening in only Uganda the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park while gorilla trekking is done in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in D.R.Congo

• Two gorilla habituation experience families are currently open in Uganda while for

• gorilla trekking at the moment Uganda has 19 gorilla families, Rwanda 12 gorilla families and D.R.Congo 6 gorilla families.

What is included in the cost of gorilla habituation experience permit?

The cost of gorilla habituation permits is currently $1500 for foreign nonresidents, $1000 for foreign residents and 750000shs for East African residents.

Inclusions in the cost of gorilla habituation permit include Researcher fee, park entrance fees, security, ranger guide fee, four hours with the mountain gorillas, gorilla conservation, local community support as annually 20% of the total annual cost from the sale of gorilla safaris is given to the community around the park. This helps supports their projects like road maintenance, build schools, health care facilities and several others.

What is excluded in the cost of gorilla habituation permit?

The cost of gorilla habituation permit excludes transport to gorilla habituation destinations, accommodation, tips, snacks, packed lunch and several others.

You can contact Arch Safaris And Tours to assist you organize your gorilla trekking safari amenities. We have a good working relationship with several safari service providers of all categories that is to say luxury, mid-range and budget plans.

What Is Included In The Cost Of Gorilla Trekking Permit?

In Uganda, the cost of gorilla permit is currently $700, Rwanda $1500 and D.R.Congo. This gorilla trekking permit cost includes: ranger guide service, security during gorilla trekking, park entrance fees, gorilla conservation, community support, one hour with the mountain gorillas.

What Is Excluded In The Cost Of Gorilla Trekking Permit?

The cost of gorilla trekking permit excludes tips, porter fee, transport, accommodation to the gorilla trekking destination and others items of personal nature.

How Difficult Or Easy Is Gorilla Trekking Or Gorilla Habituation Experience?

Whether going for gorilla trekking or habituation experience the nature of the topography where mountain gorillas live is generally volcanic with highlands and plateaus. The slopes are covered with draping vegetation tangled over the years. Sometimes these get in the way so the ranger guide with a machete trims them to create a path.

During the severe rain seasons, which is normally March, April, May and November, the trails get slippery from decomposing matter and soggy too.

Sometimes it rains without warning so you need to wear rainproof gears that keep you from getting wet and cold.

You need to wear the right gorilla safari gears like safari boots, insect repellant, long sleeved shirt and trousers in colors that are nature friendly

What Is The Age Limit For Doing Gorilla Trekking Or Gorilla Habituation Experience.

15 years and beyond is the age limit for doing gorilla trekking and habituation as mountain gorillas are provocative at times. The rules of gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation require you to stay silent or talk at a low tone while with the mountain gorillas. Even showing some signs of freight may cause the mountain gorillas to think you are suspicious.

A child below 15 years may not be in position to withstand the rules of gorilla trekking and habituation.

The way to the mountain gorillas is slippery and steep at times which requires some level of fitness that a child below this age may not withstand.

Some level of patience is necessary as you go gorilla trekking or on a gorilla habituation experience. Children below 15 years may not have this level of fitness so prolonging the time to locate the mountain gorillas or even opt to be returned to the lodge.

Can I Purchase The Gorilla Permit In Instalment?

You can purchase the gorilla permit in instalments of 30% and 70% respectively.  Instalment purchase is only applicable to those who purchase the gorilla permits before 90 days to gorilla trekking or habituation experience.

You must remember to top up before 90 days to the gorilla trekking or habituation day or receive a penalty.  

We recommend clients to purchase their gorilla permits in full just in case they forget the gorilla permit top up date.

How Much Is Gorilla Trekking And Gorilla Habituation Experience?

The cost of gorilla trekking or habituation starts with the gorilla permits which cut across all budgets. Whether travelling on luxury, mid-range or budget plan, you incur the same gorilla permit cost.

Other factors that contribute to the overall safari cost include:

The number of days on gorilla safari, the number of people travelling with on gorilla safari, safari plan you choose for your gorilla safari, other additional activities to combine with gorilla trekking and several others.

How Safe Is Gorilla Trekking Or Gorilla Habituation Experience?

Doing gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience is conducted by a trained team of rangers with experience of what happens in the wilderness. The rangers coordinate with other security agencies in Uganda and Rwanda to keep law and order around the gorilla safari destinations.

You also need to pay attention to personal safety by not walking into the forest without an escorting ranger guide. The wilderness has other forest dwellers that are not habituated so you need to be cautious with your life.

Try to keep your room safe from intruders you are not familiar with during gorilla trekking or habituation experience. You may invite a person with bad intensions into your space.

How Long Is Gorilla Trekking Or Habituation Experience?

The time taken with the mountain gorillas on safari during gorilla trekking is one hour  while gorilla habituation experience last 4 hours with the mountain gorillas.

When you start the gorilla trek, you do not know when to find the mountain gorillas because they are mobile primates. They are wild animals that must seek own food that can support them through day and night.

The pace of other trekkers speaks volumes on the time you may take doing gorilla trekking or habituation experience. When allocated a group with slow members, you take long to locate the mountain gorillas even when they may not be far from the starting point. The ranger guide follows the pace of the slowest trekker.

In case the mountain gorillas have a fight, they may move into the deeper forest prolonging the time to find them.

What Can I Pack For Gorilla Trekking Or Gorilla Habituation Safari?

Safari boots are used to walk through the forest as the wilderness has some rough surfaces that may hurt you while you move.

Insect repellant to protect your body from stinging insects in the wilderness.

A torch in case lights run low because most lodges in this area use solar energy for lighting.

Foldable water bottle to carry drinking water with in case you feel thirty while searching for the mountain gorillas.

Safari long trousers and shirt in colors that are wilderness friendly.

Garden gloves in case you need to hold a tighter grip.

Safari hat with a large brim to protect your head from buzzing insects.

First aid kit with emergency medication

A pair of stockings to tack in your trousers in case there creepers that want to get in.

Rainproof gears because it rains any time without warning.

Backpack to keep together your gorilla trekking gears.

A camera to keep memories of your experience with the mountain gorillas.

What Are The Rules Of Gorilla Trekking And Gorilla Habituation Experience?

In case you are sick, do not enter the forest as this puts the chimpanzees at risk of catching an any communicable infection.

When close to the mountain gorillas don’t eat or smoke as they may grab it from you.

Only persons aged 15 years and beyond are allowed to view the mountain gorillas.

Never try to mimic or provoke the mountain gorillas as you may agitate them.

In case you need to defecate, ask for help from the ranger guide and cover well beyond recognition

No using flash photography when with the mountain gorillas as this is forbidden.

Do not spit on the vegetation where mountain gorillas feed so as not to pass an infection to these primates.

Keep a distance of about 8 meters from the mountain gorillas when you locate them. This is to reduce on chances of passing an infection to the mountain gorillas.

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