4-Hour Gorilla Habituation Experience In Uganda: The Perfect Itinerary
The 4 Days Gorilla Habituation Experience provides you with a more in-depth & immersive encounter with mountain gorillas Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National specifically in Rushaga sector. According to the Uganda Wildlife Authority guidelines, the Gorilla habituation experience allows you to spend a maximum of 4 hours with a gorilla family being habituated to human presence familiarizing with them so as to make them get used to the presence of human beings.
During this extraordinary wildlife experience, take time to witness the behaviors of the gorillas, their social interactions as they go about their daily life.
4 Days Gorilla Habituation Experience Tour Package Itinerary:
Day 1: Transfer by road from Entebbe/Kampala/Kigali to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Today your dedicated driver/guide will pick you up from the Kigali/Entebbe International Airport on arrival or from your hotel in Kigali City/Entebbe/Kampala and transfer you to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in South Western Uganda. We highly recommend that you start and end your tour from Kigali City or Kigali International Airport because its closer to Bwindi ( 5 Hours away) than Entebbe/Kampala which are 10 hours from Bwindi.
If you must start and end your tour from Entebbe/Kampala, we highly recommend that you take an internal small flight to Kisoro Airstrip which is very near to Bwindi to avoid the 10 hours road drive.
Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Option: Ultra-Luxury ( Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge), Luxury ( Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge), Mid-range( Four Gorillas Lodge), Budget ( Bweza gorilla Lodge )
Day 2: Bwindi Gorilla Habituation Experience
Today you will wake up very early and enjoy your breakfast after which you will be transferred to the park headquarters with packed lunch for briefing on the dos and don’ts of Gorilla habituation in Bwindi. You will then enter the jungle to meet the gorilla family that you will watch for four hours and during this time the rangers will tell you a lot about the group and thereafter you will head back to the park headquarters where you will meet your driver and transfer back to the lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation Option: Ultra-Luxury ( Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge), Luxury ( Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge), Mid-range( Four Gorillas Lodge), Budget ( Bweza gorilla Lodge )
Day 3: Another Night in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Today, you can choose from a variety of optional experiences including ordinary Gorilla trekking if you Opt for a second gorilla trekking experience this time visiting a habituated gorilla family for a new perspective on their fascinating behaviour, guided forest walks, community walk or just choose to have a day of leisure relaxing and enjoying the serene surroundings of the lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation Option: Ultra-Luxury ( Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge), Luxury ( Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge), Mid-range( Four Gorillas Lodge), Budget ( Bweza gorilla Lodge )
Day 4: Transfer to Kampala/Kigali
After breakfast you will embark on a return drive to Kampala/Kigali arriving in time for a drop off at the Airport for your onward flight.
Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch
End of the 4 Days Gorilla Habituation Experience and Batwa Tour
Contact Us for information or Quotation
This Gorilla habituation Itinerary is Crafted for Who?
This Itinerary is crafted for travelers ( solo travelers, couples, family, group of friends etc) who want more than just a one-hour encounter with mountain gorillas and would love to immerse themselves in the world of these gentle giants and create memories that will last a lifetime.
What happens on the day of doing the gorilla habituation experience ?
On the day of gorilla habituation experience, visitors booked for the experience gather at park headquarters of Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by 6:30am for briefing by park officials and later the research team at 7:30 am before commencing the activity at 8:00am. The activity involves hiking through steep and dense parts of the forest hence we recommend that you carry drinking water and put on hiking shoes for a better encounter.
When the trekkers finally find the gorilla family under habituation, they will be allowed to spend a maximum of 4 hours interacting with the family members and taking pictures
Please note that visitors with infectious diseases are not allowed to take part in the gorilla habituation process because human diseases like flu can threaten an entire gorilla family and the minimum age for the gorilla habituation experience in Uganda is 15 years of age.
The 4 Days Gorilla Habituation Experience Tour Package Cost
This package is tailored and therefore the cost of the tour will largely depend on the type of accommodation you choose to stay in during the tour between ultra-luxury, luxury, mid-luxury and budget, the mode of transport to and from the gorillas between all road or a mixture of small aircraft flight and road transfers and the optional activities you will do on day 3. All these costs are an addition to the mandatory fixed cost of the permit at USD1800 Per Person.
Kindly let us know the number of people you are traveling with, your preferred type of accommodation and mode of transport and your dates of travel so that our team can prepare for you the customized itinerary and best quote.
What to pack for the 4 Days gorilla Habituation Experience Tour
It’s important to come well prepared for the incredible experience of trekking on this 4 Days tour and below is our recommended packing list:
- Waterproof hiking boots with good ankle support
- Waterproof jackets and trousers
- Long-sleeved shirts
- Lightweight woolen socks
- Wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses for sun protection
- Toiletries such as sun cream, insect repellent, after-sun, bite relief cream and lip balm
- Garden gloves
- A small backpack to carry your water, lunch, extra clothes, binoculars and camera
- Camera with extra lenses and batteries
- Binoculars
- Snacks for extra energy
- A reusable water bottle to limit waste
- Multi-way travel adaptor.
How to book This Tour with Engabi Tours and Travel
- To book this tour with Engabi Tours and Travel, contact us on WhatsApp at +256-757341593 Or send us an email at info@gorillasafaridiscovery.com
- Our payments are preferred in US Dollars
- Currency exchange rates vary daily based on the current international banking data available.
- We accept wire transfers and credit card payments.
- Payment by credit card is subject to a surcharge of 3.5%.
Please Note that this tour should be booked at-least 1 year in advance to avoid missing out on the permits since habituation permits are limited to 4 people per family per day.
Frequently Asked Questions about Gorilla habituation Experience In Uganda
How much is a gorilla habituation Experience permit in Uganda?
A Gorilla Habituation Experience permit in Uganda costs $1800 per person per trek. A Gorilla habituation permit includes park entrance fee, ranger guides who take you to visit the gorillas and conservation fees.
What is the difference between gorilla trekking and habituation?
While normal gorilla trekking involves a group of 8 tourists hiking the forest in search of the already habituated gorilla families in their natural habitat and spend one hour with them, gorilla habituation experience involves familiarizing with wild gorillas so as to make them accommodate human interaction and presence and only 4 Tourists are allowed to trek a group per day and spends with the gorillas a maximum of 4 Hours.
General Information
Entry Requirements:
All visitors to Uganda and Rwanda must have a valid passport with at least 4 consecutive blanks pages. Any applicable visa and/or relevant documentation are the responsibility of the traveler. To move between Uganda and Rwanda, we recommend that you acquire an East African Tourist Visa and this can be got from your first country of arrival
Language:
Luganda, English (Uganda) and French, English, Kinyarwanda & Kiswahili (Rwanda)
Voltage:
In Uganda the standard voltage is 220 Volts/AC50Hz. Sockets are UK style, 3 pin square plugs.
Currency:
Foreign currency must be changed at the Bank, Bureau de Change, and Hotel/Safari lodge/Camp/Resort. Major Credit Cards, Master card, Visa, American Express, are usually accepted throughout the country. Where credit cards are accepted, the payment will normally be recorded in US$ regardless of the card’s default currency.
Clothing:
Dress is mainly informal and should be comfortable as well as practical. Something warm should be brought along for early morning and evenings. Safari clothes are available from hotels/lodges/camps.
Baggage:
Where possible, travel light. Baggage space on safari is limited to medium suitcase or soft bag per person plus reasonable amount of hand luggage. There is 15 Kilogram per person limit on all flights to the wildlife sanctuaries. Excess luggage must be stored in your arrival hotel.
Water:
You will find many different of opinion of what is safe and what is not. We recommend for peace of mind, to drink local Bottled Mineral water. It is important to drink plenty of water especially during the hotter months. We would recommend that guests drink at least 2 to 3 liters of water per day to limit the effects of dehydration.
Health;
East Africa is a safe and secure destination; however, it is a good idea to take a few precautions. Kindly consult your GP or local doctor at least 6 weeks before you travel, with regards: Malaria prophylactics. East Africa is a known malaria area and preventive measures are essential. You are advised to take one of the recommended anti-malarial drugs. Be sure to wear long sleeved shorts and trousers after sunset and spray the exposed parts of your body with a mosquito repellent spray
Remember to protect yourself from direct sun rays with sunscreen cream or safari hat.
Dietary Requirements:
For those guests with specific dietary requirement, please ensure the Hotel is notified prior to travel
Gratuities:
As a guideline and dependent on how happy you are, we would suggest the following:
The General Hotel/Lodge/Camp Staff – Approximately U$ 10.00 per person per day
Driver Guides – Approximately US$ 15.00 to US$ 20.00 per person per day
Photography:
Please be careful when photographing public buildings, airports, bridges, the national flag and people in uniform. Ensure that you have sought permission before photographing local people and their villages. If in doubt, please check with your guide.