3 Days Gorilla Habituation experience – Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

A well-planned 3 days gorilla habituation safari in Uganda takes you to the Bwindi Impenetrable National park in southwestern Uganda for a memorable encounter with mountain gorillas. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to the greatest gorilla population with about 550 individuals living here, the highest by a single gorilla trekking national park. It is the only park where tourists can take part in the gorilla habituation experience. About 18 gorilla groups have now been habituated and open to standard gorilla tracking. What is the gorilla habituation experience? The gorilla habituation experience allows tourists to take part in the process of habituating gorillas. Gorilla habituation refers to the process of making the primates use human presence. Our 3 Days Gorilla Habituation Experience in Bwindi will allow you to join a group of researchers and trained ranger guides for the habituation experience.

gorilla habituation experience

A suitable gorilla group is identified for study by a group of researchers, conservationists, and local trackers. Once the researchers learn their feeding and nesting timetable, they come up with strategies to gain their trust. The process takes about 3 years and by that time, the primates would be able to tolerate humans in their midst. This experience was introduced by Uganda Wildlife Authority in early 2014, and tourists were allowed to participate in the habituation experience.

Detailed itinerary for 3 Days of Gorilla Habituation experience

DAY 01: PICK UP AND TRANSFER TO BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK

You will meet your driver guide at the airport or hotel for pick up. You will be briefed on the details of the safari before embarking on a 480-kilometer journey to Bwindi’s impenetrable national park. While traveling, you will make stopovers to spot some roadside attractions like the equator crossing point and Igongo Cultural Centre just to mention a few. The Western part of Uganda has beautiful landscapes, national parks, and forests. All these features can be spotted on your way to Bwindi. Lunch will be at the Igongo Cultural Centre in Mbarara before proceeding to Bwindi. Expect to reach Bwindi late in the afternoon. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your already booked accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation Options: Nkuringo Gorilla Camp, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, or Lake Mulehe Lodge.

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi

DAY 02: GORILLA HABITUATION EXPERIENCE IN BWINDI

You will wake up very early and enjoy your breakfast before heading out for your gorilla habituation experience.  Your driver guide will be ready to take you to the Rushaga sector head offices. At the head offices, you will undergo a briefing about the rules for gorilla tracking and then 3 days gorilla habituation tour handed over to a team of researchers/Park Rangers who will lead you to the dense forests of Bwindi. The activity is similar to normal gorilla trekking in Bwindi but you will be with a team of experts.

The interaction may be a bit different and you might be required to keep a long distance from the primates because they are not yet certified as suitable for closer encounters. The Researchers and Park Rangers may get closer to the primates before allowing you to get nearer. You will observe the gorillas for 4 hours. This would be enough time to take all the photos and videos you want. Expect to come out of the forest late in the afternoon very tired but happy to have learned a lot about mountain gorillas and what is being done to protect them in Africa. You will then head back to your accommodation for dinner relaxation and an overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Full Board

Accommodation Options: Nkuringo Gorilla Camp, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, or Lake Mulehe Lodge.

DAY 03: TRAVEL BACK TO KAMPALA, ENTEBBE, OR KIGALI IN RWANDA

Today you will wake up at your own time but take into consideration if you have a flight or program later in the Afternoon. The driver will start the long journey to Entebbe in case you are departing through Uganda or you will head toward Kigali in Rwanda if your flight is through Kigali International Airport. There will be stops along the way for lunch and photography.

End of the 3 Days Gorilla Habituation experience