Gorilla Habituation Experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

The Gorilla Habituation Experience is a form of experiential tourism introduced by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in 2014 to give visitors an in-depth understanding of mountain gorillas.  The Gorilla Habituation Experience gives visitors more time to see gorillas than gorilla tracking, and allows 4 hours in their presence. In contrast, on a normal gorilla tracking safari, once visitors meet the Gorillas, they are only allowed one hour to watch them. The gorilla habituation experience is a stupendous moment for those seeking to meet and stare at the Mountain Gorilla during their African holidays, particularly on Uganda Safaris. Mountain Gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable This form of tourism (experiential) gives tourists/visitors a clearer understanding of wildlife (Mountain Gorillas) and their behavior. Habituation is an activity aimed at getting wildlife used to human /visitor presence without altering its natural environment.  In the gorilla habituation process, Habituators and researchers visit the identified wild Mountain Gorilla group daily to monitor them from morning through the day until the process is complete. Before any group of Gorillas is made available for tourist tracking, it is first habituated, a process that can last 2 or more years. The first group of Mountain Gorillas available for visitor tracking in Bwindi was in 1993. As of December 2018, the park has over 18 families across the four locations of Buhoma, Nkuringo, Rushaga,haga and Ruhija. To enhance the visitor experience on a Gorilla trip, UWA introduced Gorilla Habituation for USD 1,500 per permit per person, and only 4 people are allowed per day. Only two groups in Rushaga, the southern sector of Bwindi, are currently available for habituation, which means only 8 Habituation permits are available per day; therefore, if you want to participate in the Gorilla Habituation Experience, you need to reserve your permit well in advance. Meeting the Mountain Gorillas on a gorilla tracking safari is an emotional experience; now imagine being behind the scenes of the gorilla habituation experience. To prepare for this activity, you need to be reasonably fit, as it is a full-day adventure involving trekking through the misty mountain forest. You need to wake up early enough and assemble at the park headquarters with a confirmed permit, where you meet the guides (researchers and/or habituators), receive a briefing on the etiquette, and, with your packed lunch boxes, enter the forest at dawn; the morning sights, sounds, and scents make the experience remarkable.  You can reserve your permit well in advance, as meeting these Great Apes is one of the most sought-after wildlife experiences and permits sell out quickly. Contact Us or UWA directly to reserve your permit. At Avens Travel World, we arrange gorilla habituation experience safaris, both pre-planned and custom-made. For a seamlessly curated Gorilla Habituation Experience and Gorilla tracking safari, please browse www.safaris-travel.com or contact us at atwholidaysafrica@gmail.com or safaris@avenstravelworld.com to customize your safari.