Uganda Gorilla habituation- Primate Safaris Uganda
The gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest allows tourists to get within a few feet of a semi-habituated gorilla family and spend four hours observing them, a more immersive experience than the ordinary gorilla trekking experience offered only in Uganda.
Mountain Gorillas, like any other wild animal have a natural fear for humans. They will move away or become aggressive if approached by humans. Gorilla charging is rare but can occur if a wild group is approached without undergoing the process of habituation. Mountain Gorilla habituation is the process of getting these gracious and adorable creatures comfortable with humans in their presence. The gorilla habituation process normally takes two to three years but can go up to five years.
What is gorilla habituation?
Gorilla habituation is the process of gently introducing wild Mountain Gorillas to the sight and presence of humans for research, care and conservation purposes.
It involves different groups of people like the trackers, conservationists, trackers, researchers and rangers among others who take a period of about 2 to 3 years completing this habituation experience. It is a learning experience that has just recently become a stable activity presented by the Uganda Wildlife Authority on a small scale.
What do you do during the experience?
A gorilla habituation experience begins with an early morning briefing. During the briefing the ranger will explain what to expect and some dos and don’ts when in the presence of the troop.
You’ll then head out with the habituation team into the forest. Led by a tracker or two, you’ll hike into the mountains in search of a troop. You’ll see how they look for the trail and the nests used by the troop during the night. This is part of the gorilla habituation process: seeing how the trackers work to find a troop. The gorilla treks later in the day are able to head straight towards a troop because the trackers have already pinpointed troops’ various locations.
When you find the troop, the rangers will do things like make gorilla calls and grunts. They’ll also chop vegetation with their machetes and talk among themselves. This is done to get the gorillas used to these noises.
The habituation team will also tell you about the troop being visited. This includes things like the names of each gorilla, and their habits and personalities.
It’s important to note that if the troop you track is early on in the habituation process, the individuals are going to be quite shy around humans. This means you may not get as close to them as you would on a regular gorilla trek. Some may even stay hidden.
It’s important to understand that a gorilla habituation experience often introduces visitors to a troop that’s shy or nervous around humans. In one sense you’re getting a more authentic experience with the gorillas. But some could be disappointed if they’re expecting a really close-up encounter.
How to Book the Gorilla Habituation Experience?
Since this experience is reserved for only 4 tourists per day, it is important to book your permits early. Gorilla habituation permits cost only 1500USD per person and you can obtain the gorilla permits through a local tour operator.
We advise that bookings for gorilla habituation permits should be at least 3 months from the actual date of the activity for the low season and at least 6 months before the actual activity date for the peak season.
How fit do I need to be?
A gorilla habituation experience usually involves a pretty taxing hike of a few hours, so you need reasonable fitness to cope. It is often also muddy and slippery, so you want to be reasonably sure-footed.
Many trekkers hire porters to carry their backpacks, and we encourage this. Not only does it provide much-needed work, you really feel the advantage. These guys and gals spring along with your backpacks, while most visitors find the trek plenty tough enough even without a pack on their backs.
What to Pack for the Gorilla Habituation Experience?
The Packing list should include long sleeved shirts made of synthetic material, gardening gloves, a hut, long trousers, a rain jacket, bottles of drinking water, hiking shoes, a camera, a walking stick and of course insect repellents to protect you against mosquito bites. Tourists should ensure that they pack some lunch/snacks because the habituation experience takes a long time. It is important to consider hiring porters to help carry any heavy equipment or assist when climbing steep slopes.
The best time for gorilla habituation in Uganda
Gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi impenetrable national park can be done all year round though the best time is during the dry season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February because during this period there is less or little rainfall in the national park therefore access to the national park is easy.
The months of March to May typically see the most rains in Bwindi, so where possible you should avoid these months. Although seeing the gorillas during the wet season offers some advantages for photographers. The rain clears the air of dust, making for clearer photos, and the rain and mist combines to create a certain moody, wilderness look-and-feel of the national park
How to access Bwindi impenetrable national park?
There are three main ways to get to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. The cheapest way is to drive from Kampala/Entebbe in Uganda or Kigali in Rwanda to the park. The drive from Kampala/Entebbe to Bwindi takes 10 hours. The route from Kigali in Rwanda is shorter taking about 4 hours.
The shortest and most convenient way of getting to Bwindi is to take a Charter flight from Entebbe or Kajjansi. The flight ends in Kisoro airstrip and takes one hour and a half. Once at the airstrip, you need to endure a 45 minutes’ drive to your lodge in Rushaga.
In conclusion
The overall, long-term aim for the gorilla habituation experience is to eliminate the fear gorillas naturally feel for humans. By being around the gorillas every day and showing them that the team is not a threat, the gorillas learn to be calm and go about life in the presence of humans. So by the end of the long habituation process, the mountain gorilla troop is still wild; it still lives in its natural habitat and goes about its normal daily activities.