GO UP
Gorilla discovery is a safari tour and travel company based in Uganda, fully licensed to conduct safaris within Uganda and Rwanda. We offer several tours and safaris in Uganda including Gorilla Tours, wildlife adventures, mountaineering trips

How long does gorilla habituation take in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park?

How long does gorilla habituation take in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park?

How long does Bwindi gorilla habituation take? This has been a question asked by many travelers intending to visit Uganda and see the world’s largest primates in their natural habitats. Mountain gorillas are close relatives to human beings which has attracted thousands of trekkers from different parts of the world to come and see these giant apes in the wild.

Gorilla habituation is a 2-7 hour activity within Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. The time taken to complete gorilla habituation in Bwindi can never be the same for every day. Some trekkers will come back early while others will come back after many hours of searching. The difference in hours depends on a number of factors among which include the following.

Location of the mountain gorilla family. When the mountain gorilla family is near, habituation will take a few hours unlike when it’s very far. Mountain gorillas in Bwindi are mobile and move around the falls every day in search of food. Before trekkers head into the jungle, there are rangers who go first to see where the apes could have slept. These later communicate with armed ranger guides about the routes to use when taking trekkers.

The nature of trekking trails. The nature of trekking trails within Bwindi changes depending on the weather. During the dry season, the trekking trails stay dry and passable which enables trekkers to locate the apes in a short period. During the rainy season, when it rains a lot the trekking trails become muddy and slippery which reduces the speed of trekkers making the trekking hours longer.

The speed of trekkers. The speed of the trekkers also determines the time taken trekking mountain gorillas of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. When the trekkers are fit enough and can move at a very good speed, the trekking will take a shorter time but when the trekkers are very slow the trekking will take longer hours. To help trekkers move well in the jungles of Bwindi, they are given hiking sticks to help them balance.

Fitness: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a mountainous area that calls for physical fitness. Tourists who intend to visit Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park need to come well-prepared for the hikes up and down the hills. We usually recommend tourists to do exercises from their homes 2 to 3 months before the trekking dates. This helps to make the body fit enough for the gorilla habituation activity.

Disabled tourists or those with health issues can still do habituation in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. There are sedan chairs and energetic porters within the park who do help trekkers who won’t manage walking throughout the activity. This service comes at a fee and tourists who need it need to talk with the tour operators or contact the park offices on time.

The gorilla habituation exercise in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Gorilla habituation in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is carried out in only one sector of the park every morning. Rushaga is found in the south of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. The activity starts early in the morning with a briefing from the well-trained ranger guides. These teach the rules and regulations of habituation for safety of trekkers and mountain gorillas while in the jungle.

When briefing is done, trekkers are grouped not exceeding 8 people and those that want to hire porters do get them at a small fee. The driver guides transport trekkers to the starting points of the trek where they let them go into the jungle with the guides. Inside the jungle, trekkers do use different trails to search for where the mountain gorillas could be.

Searching takes 2 to 5 hours and as they search there are chances of meeting a few of the attractions that live within the park. When the mountain gorillas are located, trekkers are given 4 hours to be around the members and be part of the activities that make these apes get used to human presence around them. Once the time is done, trekkers move away slowly from the gorillas to enable them to continue with their daily activities.

Cost of a gorilla habituation permit in Bwindi

A gorilla habituation permit for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is very affordable to all kinds of travelers who wish to visit mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. A single gorilla habituation permit costs $1500 for foreign non-residents, $1000 for foreign residents, and UGX750,000 citizens of East African member states.

To purchase a gorilla habituation permit for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, tourists need to use a local tour operator licensed by the Uganda Tourism Board. Africa Adventure Vacations is one of the tour operators that can help tourists in booking gorilla permits. The trekking dates, trekking sector, and number of people are some of the important information that is needed when purchasing gorilla permits.

When to go for gorilla habituation in Bwindi

Bwindi gorilla habituation can be done at any time of the year though we recommend the dry season as the best time to see these mountain gorillas. June to September and December to February are the best times for habituation because they are characterized by good weather. There is little or no rainfall and plenty of sunshine within Bwindi during the dry season.

The trekking trails are dry and easier to walk through which allows trekkers to locate the mountain gorillas on time. The vegetation within the forest is short allowing trekkers to see the mountain gorillas and other attractions clearly. Lastly, the roads leading to the park are in good condition allowing tourists to reach the destinations on time.

Tourists more so budget travelers can visit Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park during the rainy season. March to May and October to November are periods when the park has little rainfall and few travelers. This forces lodge owners and tour operators to reduce the prices hence favoring those who are looking for budget safaris.

During the rainy season, the trekking trails are wet and slippery which affects the movement of trekkers. Locating the mountain gorillas can take time because of the bad nature of trekking trails. The vegetation is tall with unclear views of mountain gorillas and other forest attractions and lastly, roads leading to the park are in poor conditions.

What to pack for a gorilla habituation safari in Bwindi?

The gorilla habituation safari packing list includes waterproof hiking shoes, long-sleeved clothes, a pair of gaiters, long cotton stockings, a light backpack, gardening gloves, a rainy jacket, a camera, a pair of binoculars, energy-giving snacks, a drinking water bottle, insect repellents, sunscreen, a mask, sanitizer, and a first aid kit to mention but a few.