Gorilla Habituation Experience Uganda
While gorilla trekking is regarded as breathtaking experience, mountain gorilla habituation experience is exceptionally an extra ordinary adventure that rewards visitors beyond imaginations. For interested visitors, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park features as the only protected area in the world where this tremendous experience can be obtained.
This adventure is a newly created tourism product that is worth par taking while on safari to Africa’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Whereas the usual treks allow visitors to spend only one hour with the Great apes, Gorilla Habituation Experience gives visitors about 4 hours to have a face to face encounter with these unique creatures. Over 480 mountain gorillas are known to thrive in the jungles of Uganda, 400 of them call Bwindi Forest their home. Mountain gorilla habituation is currently introduced product in Rushaga area of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and it is conducted in the semi habituated groups of Bushaho and Bikingi.
The habituation process is an all day trek with conservationists, researchers, park trackers and tourists. Unlike the usual treks, habituation experience is entirely conducted within the semi habituated groups and this means that the gorillas are not used to human presence. The group members are shy and in most cases they roam through out and tend to run away from humans.
The trek starts early in the morning at Bwindi National Park headquarters at 7:30am with briefing from park official on the code of conduct of visitors while in the gorillas’ habitat. Among other rules to be followed while on habituation experience include; keep within your group members and do not get astray from the group, maintain a distance of 7 meters away from the apes at all times, do not smoke, drink or eat while in the forest, always keep the guides instructions, keep the voices low, no flashlight cameras are allowed while photographing the apes, only 4 visitors are allowed to go for this tremendous experience and the permits cost $1500 per visitor for foreign non residents, $1000 for foreign residents and shs750000 for East African residents.
Gorilla Habituation Experience is breathtaking adventure that demands some physical wellness. Intending visitors need to be prepared with at least two bottles of drinking water, energy giving snacks, lunch and hiking sticks. In case of heavy load, porters can be hired around the park at $10 or $15 and they can help you reduce the heavy load as you only enjoy your adventure without any inconveniences. Only persons above 15 years are allowed to go for this life changing experience.

Rushaga Gorilla Camp
For accommodation, intending visitors are encouraged to get a lodge within Rushaga region to ease movements to the park headquarters for early morning briefing. Some accommodations here include Rushaga Gorilla Camp, Gorilla safari Lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Bwindi Jungle Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Lake Mutanda resort, wagtail Eco Camp and many others. Gorilla Habituation permits are obtained from Uganda Wildf eAuthority Headquarters in Kampala, or by contacting the warden of Rushaga area who will let you know of the availability. Rushaga sector of Bwindi is known for its 5 habituated gorilla families and the 2 semi habituated groups making it one of the exceptional sectors in Bwindi for gorilla adventures.
Finally, Mountain gorilla Habituation Experience is the newly and rarest gorilla experience that is worth par taking while on safari in Uganda. It is slowly picking up and allows few visitors making visitors to enjoy the adventure without crowds. The permits should be booked early at least 3 months in advance, but first of all find out about the availability before traveling.