Gorilla habituation is a process where wild mountain gorillas are trained to get used to people. Gorilla Habituation may take between two to three years to be completed and during this time, researchers keep on visiting an identified Wild gorilla group on a daily basis. They get to learn more about individual gorillas and the way they behave. With time, these gorillas get used to these researchers and in the long run, each individual gorilla is given a name. Once researchers are sure that these mountain gorillas can be trekked, they then introduce a mock exercise where some few people who may include scientists, journalists start visiting it. Once such a gorilla family has passed mock exercise, then it is opened for trekking.
The Gorilla Habituation Experience gives you the chance to spend 4 hours in the company of the Mountain Gorillas in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. You’ll trek into the forest alongside park rangers – blazing a trail through the wilder sides of the forest – in search for gorilla families.
What is the difference between gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation?
Both gorilla trekking and the Gorilla Habituation Experience are incredible opportunities to trek deep into the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest with an experienced tracker, in search of a wild mountain gorilla family.
On a gorilla trek, you can hike through the forest for anywhere from 30 minutes to four hours, depending on the location of the specific gorilla family you’re tracking. When you finally meet your allocated gorilla family, you’ll have the chance to spend up to one special hour quietly observing them in their natural habitat.
No wildlife encounter on earth can compare to standing a few metres from the gorillas. It will undoubtedly be a magical experience that you’ll never ever forget.
For those who wish to spend more than one hour with the gorillas there is a rare opportunity to participate in a full day Gorilla Habituation Experience, run by the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
This allows you to spend up to four hours with these magnificent creatures and is only available in Rushaga, in the southern part of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. On this experience you’ll get a deeper understanding of gorilla tracking and gorilla behavior than on a normal trek, and you’ll have a greater amount of time to observe and photograph the gorillas.
The lengthy and delicate process of gorilla habituation in Uganda
The process of habituating a gorilla group can take up to two to three years, while it can take up to seven years for chimpanzees. To achieve this, researchers and their assistants spend time with the group every day, mimicking their behavior and gradually earning their trust. However, the initial weeks with mountain gorillas can be dangerous for humans, and charges are expected.
Habituation is crucial for research purposes, allowing primatologists to observe the behavioral patterns of different primates, including gorillas, chimps, golden monkeys, and baboons. This process is managed by a team of expert researchers, conservationists, trackers, and rangers. The process begins with park rangers spending some time with the gorillas each day but at a safe distance within the gorillas’ comfort zone.
Over several months, the rangers gradually increase their time spent with the gorillas while reducing the distance between them until they are ready to receive visitors. Although the gorillas are not fully habituated to human presence, the Gorilla Habituation Experience helps to ensure that they will become fully comfortable in the company of humans.
This process is critical in protecting the gorillas from the dangers of poaching and habitat destruction. By carefully introducing them to human presence, we can help ensure the survival of these magnificent creatures for generations to come. It’s worth noting that the habituation process began long before the idea of charging tourists for a gorilla permit.
Cost of Gorilla Habituation Experience
Gorilla habituation experience permit costs 1,500USD per person in Uganda. UWA currently issues only four habituation permits per day, a number that makes the experience a scarce commodity. So, book your gorilla permit with your operator in advance to avoid inconveniences.
There are two gorilla families currently under the habituation process in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The third gorilla group in Nkuringo, also currently under the habituation process, is not officially available for the experience.
How to book gorilla habituation experience permits
For one to spend four hours with mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable National Park, one has to hold a valid gorilla habituation experience permit for Rushaga or Nkuringo. Uganda Wildlife Authority issues gorilla habituation permits out with cash payment on first come first serve. Only four people are allowed to spend four hours with mountain gorillas per day. This is because these mountain gorillas for gorilla habituation are not still undergoing habituation and thus human interference must be controlled.
To get your gorilla habituation permit, kindly send us an email showing date, month, and year when you wish to come to Uganda for gorilla habituation experience. We will then contact the Uganda Wildlife Authority about the availability of permits. Should we get them, we will then reserve them on their system, send you an invoice to make payment.
Once payment is made, we will go ahead and buy/secure your gorilla permits and of course send you scanned copies for your records. Once we have your permits, we will tailor your safari by suggesting Lodges in Rushaga, Nkuringo or Rubuguri plus your transport to and from the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Photography of the mountain gorillas
The Gorilla Habituation Experience is one of the best wildlife photography encounters in the world – it offers more time to capture the perfect shot, however taking photographs of gorillas can still be challenging, due to the light conditions and the unpredictable distance between you and the gorillas.
You should ensure that you’re as prepared as possible to get the best photos. Make sure that your batteries are fully charged and you have plenty of space on your memory cards. Bring waterproof bags or covers for your camera as the rainforest climate means it can rain any time of year.
As you’re required to be at least seven metres from the gorillas, a 70-200mm lens is ideal. A 2.8 lens is even better as the light in the forest can be very poor at times.
Flash photography is not allowed so make sure that you disable the flash on your camera or mobile phone before you get to your group of gorillas.
Where to stay for habituation experience
The gorilla habituation experience’s best accommodation choices are around Nkuringo and Rushaga trailheads in the south, where the only gorilla groups available for the habituation experience live.
For the top of the price, Clouds Mountains Lodge offers luxury. Other facilities include, Four Gorillas Lodge, Gorilla Leisure Lodge, Gorilla Heights Lodge, Rushaga gorilla camp and others.
Rushaga has much of the budget and mid-range accommodation options for the gorilla habituation experience. You can even get a hostel or camp to put your tent in Rushaga.
