Gorilla habituation in Uganda is a common meaning to stay with the gorillas for almost a whole day. As a way of learning and to those who need more time than tracking? Gorilla habituation is a process where wild mountain gorillas are trained to get used to people. Gorilla Habituation may take between two to six hours to be completed and during this time.
Gorilla is a giant ape in the thick forests of Africa. Most of the world’s left Gorillas are found in Uganda in Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga National Park. The rest is dived in the virunga ranges of Congo and Rwanda volcanoes national park.
What is the Gorilla Habituation Experience in Uganda?
Gorilla habituation is the process of introduction to a family of wild gorillas to the presence of humans. Wild gorillas are habituated so researchers can study the species, treat them for sickness and injuries, protect them from hunters, and boost their conservation efforts with sustainable tourism.
In Uganda we have two gorilla families (Bukingyi & Bushaho) are currently being habituated in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. But also recently the government is trying to open up more habituation families.
In order to become accustomed to the presence of humans, each gorilla group has undergone a lengthy habituation process (between 3-5 years) managed by a team of expert researchers, conservationists, trackers and rangers.
Park rangers start the habituation process by spending a short period of time with the gorillas each day, maintaining a specific distance at the limit of the gorillas’ comfort zone. This process is repeated for some time until the gorillas are ready to accept any human around them so close,
Gorilla habituation costs 1500 dollars per person for you to be able to spend about 4-6 hours depending on how you will find the gorillas that day. These are wild animals and that should not be forgot even if you have incurred a lot and expect a lot in return.
Most likely you want to do a gorilla habituation experience but you are way beyond your budget, do not worry that much because there is also gorilla tracking at half the price of gorilla habituation 700 dollars per person for 1 hour.
Bwindi impenetrable national park in the south western parts of Uganda has half of the only worlds remaining gorillas, and guess what it is where the gorilla habituation is done in Rushaga
It takes about 9-10 hours’ drive from the Kampala capital city of Uganda to Bwindi and less hours depending on where you are coming from. Though Uganda is a landlocked country and the mostly used means of transport is road, you can fly to Bwindi.
Gorilla tracking can also be done in Mghahinga gorilla national park in Kisoro a few kilometers from Bwindi. However this park is in the bordered of Rwanda and Congo where gorillas are also shared between the three countries.
The only difference between gorilla habituation and tracking is the gorilla tracking is few hours of seeing gorillas in their natural form so close to tour eyes for about one hour.
Gorilla habitation on the other hand is staying and learning more about gorillas for about 4 hours in the same close range. This is a tamed somehow group that will accept you and maybe if you are in lick come closer.
These experiences are both great and unforgettable. The ball is in your hands to roll it on whichever side you need to.