How to book a gorilla habituation experience safari?

How to book a gorilla habituation experience safari? Mountain gorillas are endangered species of primates that are found in 3 African countries- Uganda, Rwanda, and DR Congo. The main activity done with mountain gorillas is gorilla trekking but another activity was introduced in 2014 in Uganda and this is gorilla habituation.

Mountain gorilla habituation is only done in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park at any time of the year and it’s done in only 2 sectors. Rushaga and Nkuringo are the only places to do mountain gorilla habituation and this is done among Bikingi and Bushaho mountain gorilla families. Gorilla habituation is done by people of 15 years and above and they must all be having gorilla permits which are got from Uganda Wildlife Authority.

Where is mountain gorilla habituation done in the world?

Mountain gorilla habituation is only done in the famous Bwindi impenetrable forest national park in Uganda. The activity was introduced in 2014 to enable travelers to stay around mountain gorillas for 4 hours and also help those with short days on a safari spend some good time with these endangered mountain gorilla species.

Mountain gorilla habituation in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is done among 2 gorilla families that are found in the southern sector of the park. These mountain gorilla families are Bikingi and Bushaho and to trek them you need to visit either Rushaga or Nkuringo sectors. The fact that there are 2 semi habituated mountain gorilla families implies that only 8 permits are available for trekking every day in Bwindi.

How to book a gorilla habituation experience safari in Uganda?

There are 2 ways of booking a gorilla habituation safari and these are using a trusted local tour operator or doing it yourself online. Booking yourself a gorilla habituation safari requires you to first secure a permit from Uganda Wildlife Authority and this can be done by sending them an email asking for the availability of permits for habituation on the days you want to travel. Once they reply and the permits are available then you can buy your permits and what will be next is hiring the best transport facilities as well as accommodation during your stay at the park. Remember that you have to choose accommodation facilities in the sector you are to habituate from.

Another way of booking a gorilla habituation safari is by using a local tour operator. Africa adventure vacations limited is one of the best local tour operators in Uganda that can organize for you the best habituation experience safari. We are licensed by the Uganda Tourism Board and we are members of the association of Uganda Tour Operators so you need to trust us in all we do because we have well-trained staff that are informed about what they do.

The first thing we do while organizing for you a gorilla habituation experience safari is get you a gorilla permit. We first ask for the travel dates and once you have told us, we do a search with Uganda Wildlife Authority for the availability of the permits on these dates. When the permits are available, we then send you an email containing details of how you can send us money and once we have received the money, we go further and book for you the permits. After securing the permits, we make sure we book for you accommodation at the park with the best fees and for the case of the vehicles, we have all kinds of vehicles.

How much is a gorilla habituation experience permit in Bwindi?

Uganda wildlife authority sells gorilla habituation permits at a fee of $1500 for foreign non-residents, $1000 foreign residents, and Shs750,000 citizens of East Africa. The gorilla habituation permits come with 4 hours of being around mountain gorillas and making them get used to human presence. If you are intending to trek mountain gorillas in the dry season, we advise you to book your habituation permits in advance of 3-4 months to avoid inconveniences since the permits sell out quickly.

Gorilla habituation in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

Gorilla habituation in Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park starts with a briefing at the park offices where the trekkers are expected to be early in the morning for a briefing. During the briefing, the trekkers are taught about the dos and don’ts of the gorilla habituation activity after which the rangers lead a group of 4 trekkers into the jungle accompanied by researchers and conservationists. During the trekking, the trekkers get opportunities of seeing different park animals, birds, and vegetation.

After several hours of searching ad meeting the mountain gorillas, the trekkers are given an opportunity of being around these apes for up to 4 hours and during this time they take in activities of making the mountain gorillas get used to human presence. In the same four hours, the trekkers are allowed to take photos and ask rangers different questions regarding mountain gorillas but in a low voice and this helps them get to learn more about their habits.

What is the best time to habituate mountain gorillas in Bwindi?

Mountain gorilla habituation can be done on any day of the year but the best time is the dry season which normally occurs in June to September and December to February. During this season, there is little or no rainfall which means that the trekking trails are less muddy and not slippery, the roads to the sectors are passable, the vegetation in these sectors is thin giving clear views of the park animals and good photography. To habituate mountain gorillas in the dry season, you need to book your habituation permit in advance since they are few and are sold on a first come first serve basis.

Accommodation on a gorilla habituation safari in Bwindi impenetrable forest

When going for a habituation safari in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park you need to make sure that you book accommodation facilities that are in the sector you are going to habituate. These accommodation facilities must be in areas of Nkuringo and Rushaga sector and these include Nkuringo Gorilla Safari Lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla Valley Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla havens lodge, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Lake Mulehe Gorilla Safari Lodge, Gorilla Valley Lodge, Gorilla Heights Lodge, Four Gorilla Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Gorilla Heights Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge, and Rushaga Gorilla Camp.

What to do with Africa Adventure Vacations?

Africa adventure vacations is a tour company based in Uganda licensed by the Uganda Tourism Board and a member of the Association of Uganda Tour Operators. Booking with Africa adventure vacations provides you safety and confidence during your safari courtesy of well-trained safari driver guides who are well conversant with all routes and tourism destinations in Africa. You can book with us any of the activities you want to do in Africa such as mountain gorilla trekking, mountain gorilla habituation, Chimpanzee trekking and habituation, birding, golden monkey trekking, game drives, hiking, nature walks, and community tours among others. To book a gorilla habituation experience safari in Uganda can be done at any time of the year.