What are the key considerations tourists should consider before booking a gorilla habituation permit In Bwindi Uganda? There are also concerns and questions surrounding the gorilla habituation process in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park as visitors seek questions on what is gorilla habituation, what do during gorilla habituation process, how much is the cost of gorilla habituation process, how to go for gorilla habituation process among several activities. Africa Adventure Vacations is the of the prime tour companies in Uganda that have taken visitors for gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. The gorilla habituation process was introduced as a tourism activity in Uganda Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park in 2014 as a way of diversifying tourism products by Uganda Wildlife Authority. The introduction of the gorilla habituation experience has resulted in several gorillas being habituated so that people can go and have fun with gorillas. The gorilla habituation process is an amazing activity that provides a stunning experience visitors bit there are things that you need to consider before crucial and important considerations before booking any gorilla habituation process in Rushaga.

About gorilla habituation experience

The gorilla habituation process is one of the greatest activities that you can do on an African safari. Gorilla habituation process whereby the wild mountains gorillas in the thick forests of a safari specifically in Uganda are trained by a team of researchers and trackers such that they can be used to people. The whole process of gorilla Habituation takes about 2-3 years and once the process is complete the habituated gorilla family is opened for tourism or gorilla trekking.

It is important to note that the gorilla habituation process is the activity that comes first before gorilla trekking. This means that gorilla trekking cannot happen without the gorilla habituation process. Once the gorilla habituation process is done and the gorilla is used to the people then gorilla trekking activity follows whereby groups of 8 people visit each habituated gorilla family per day.  In Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park gorilla habituation experience/process takes place in Rushaga situated in the southern part of the Park.  Currently, the two groups of Bushaho and Bikyingi are available for gorilla habituation activity and only 4 tourists are allowed to visits each gorilla group per day for gorilla habituation. As you have seen, there are limited slots for people doing gorilla habituation therefore you need to book the gorilla trekking permit early enough in order not to miss this great opportunity. Visitors who complete the gorilla habituation activity are issued with a certificate and the headquarter and this us gorilla habituation activity is one of the consideration before booking a gorilla habituation process in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park at a glance

Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park is a Ugandan park found in southwestern Uganda in the district of Kisoro and Kanungu district bordering the democratic republic of Congo. The national park lies on the edge of the Albertine rift and the park covers an area of 321 square kilometers and it is characterized by different vegetation including montane vegetation and lowland vast forests. Because of its great importance, Bwindi impenetrable forest National Park was declared as the UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site in the year 1994. The park spans the steep ridges characterized by valleys and this makes Bwindi the water catchment area with 5 rivers from the forest flowing into Lake Edward. Bwindi forest features over 400 species of plants and over 120 species of mammals including chimpanzees, endangered mountain gorillas, baboons, monkeys, forest elephants, and antelopes. Additionally, the park features over 348 species of birds meaning that the park is an abiders paradise thus as you go for gorilla trekking, you can also do the birding trips in Bwindi.

Bwindi Forest National Park shelters more than half of the world’s total population of mountain gorillas and the park has over 450 mountain gorillas with 19 habituated gorillas families that are available for visitors to see via activity known as Mountain Gorilla tracking. Mountain gorilla tracking can only be done in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo. The highest point of Bwindi park is at Rwamunyonyi Hill and the local community here are believed to be the Batwa who were once the occupants of the forest before it was gazetted. The Batwa are short people and they lived as fruit gathers and hunters and they used the forest herbs as their medication. These people were later relocated and now they live adjacent to the park and visitors can move and visit these people with rich in a cultural experience.

The number of gorilla habituation permits available per day in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

It is only in Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park where gorilla habituation proves takes. The activity is similar to normal gorilla trekking only that with gorilla habituation experience, you will be able to spend with the gorillas for 4 hours as compared to the 1 hour spend for gorilla trekking. There are only 4 gorilla habituation permits in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park. This implies that only 4 people/clients/tourists are allowed to visit the park for gorilla habituation activity per day where they go alongside trackers, researchers, and rangers in the forest for mountain gorilla’s habituation.

The number of people for this activity is few because people will be exposed to gorillas are being trained to get used to people meaning that they are not used to people. Like gorilla trekking, gorilla habituation starts early in the morning at around 6:00 pm and once everything is okay then you will be introduced into the forest in search of the gorilla. Visitors will spend 4 hours during this activity seeing the gorillas as compared to gorilla trekking where they spend only one hour. The uniqueness of the gorilla habituation process is that visitors trek and see gorillas are not fully habituated, I mean gorillas that are being trained to get used to the people. You will see how researchers train these gorillas and also participate in this activity.

How much is a gorilla Habituation permit in Bwindi?

One could be wondering how much it will cost him or her for a gorilla habituation experience permit. Yes, we all know that a gorilla tracking permit costs 700 united states dollars, but for the gorilla habituation permit, the cost of the permit is United States Dollars 1500 per trek per person for Foreign-Non Residents, $1000 for foreign residents, and Uganda shilling 750,000 for East African citizens per person per trek and this allows you to do the activity for 4 hours. Only four permits are available per day which implies that you need to book in advance to be able to get an opportunity to engage in a gorilla habituation experience. The activity starts at around 7:00 am with a briefing by the staff and you must attend this briefing. The costs of this involve the four hours spent with gorillas, the park entrance fees, the guiding /ranger fee however it excludes transportation to and from Bwindi and the accommodation costs. The gorilla habituation permit is issued to visitors who are 15 years and above and those below are not eligible to do the activity.

What are the guidelines to be followed for successful gorilla habituation activity?

Yes in all the national parks in Uganda, every activity has got its own rules and regulations that visitors have to follow to enjoy the activity successfully. All the visitors must adhere to the guidelines before the trek to ensure that they are not inconvenienced. Remember that some of the primates are so intelligent and sensitive and being preserved and conserved for the future generation. Therefore for gorilla habituation experience activity in Bwindi, visitors must take note of the following guidelines;

All visitors must have gorilla habitation valid permits and each permits $1500 per person per trek. The permits must be booked in advance before the actual dates of travel. These permits are issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority.

You should avoid flash when taking photos. Visitors are also not supposed to eat, drink and you’re not supposed to touch on the gorilla during the habituation experience even when they come closer to you.

The minimum age for gorilla habituation experience is 15 years meaning that only visitors who are 15 years and above that can acquire the gorilla habituation permits as it is during gorilla trekking activity.

In case, you need to ease yourself always ask your guide for guidance

Visitors who feel sick are supposed to stay behind and seek medical treatment and once you’re okay the Uganda wildlife authority will help you to arrange for you  another gorilla habituation  experience

Visitors are required to stand 7.5 meters away from the mountain gorilla once seeing them during the habituation process.

Always follow the instructions of your guide or researchers while on your way to where the gorillas will be.

How to get to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for Gorilla Habituation process?

Bwindi forest national park can be accessed from Entebbe international airport or Kigali international airport in Uganda. Getting to Bwindi Forest National Park via Kigali international airport is so easiest and shortest route as it will take you about 4 to 5 hours to reach the park through Katuna or Cyanika borders between Uganda and Rwanda. Our professional drivers will pick you from Kigali international airport or at the hotel where you slept and traverse with you through the city of Kigali and then start the cross country journey and have your lunch in Kisoro for lunch and a night and then wakeup for gorilla trekking in Bwindi forest park. However, visitors can use 8 to 9 hours to arrive from Entebbe international airport to Bwindi Park with good interesting stopovers. You can as well opt to fly from Entebbe international airport/Kajjansi airfield to Kisoro airstrip which is about two hours Aerolink Uganda limited operated flights in addition to other chartered flights such as that land at Kihihi or Kisoro airstrip and then use an airport transfer to your hotel

Where to stay in Bwindi Forest National Park for your Gorilla habituation experience?

Accommodation facilities in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park range from budget, midrange, and upmarket accommodation facilities. The budget accommodation facilities include Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Buhoma Camp Lodge, Trekkers Tavern Cottages, Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge, Ride 4 a woman, Buhoma Community Rest Camp, and visitors can pay around 90-100 dollars a night per person. Midrange accommodation facilities in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park include Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Buhoma Havens Lodge among others and here visitors can have rooms ranging from100-200 dollars per night per person for those interested in luxury options, they can go for Engagi Lodge, Four Gorillas Lodge, Bwindi Lodge, Buhoma Lodge, Gorilla Sanctuary Camp, Mahogany Springs and several others where visitors can pay a price ranging from 200-400 dollars per night per person.