Gorilla Habituation vs Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

Gorilla trekking and the habituation experiences give visitors the chance to spend time in the company of endangered mountain gorillas within their natural environment and in this case Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (where the two adventures are offered). Travelers trek into the dense rain forest together with ranger guides through different forest trails in search of gorilla groups that are obviously going about their daily routines.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in south-western Uganda and known for sheltering world’s highest mountain gorillas in their natural environment. It is therefore a lifetime opportunity to meet face to face with one of mankind’s closest relatives in the jungle but before these creatures are introduced to humans, they are first trained/or habituated for 2-3 years to make them more comfortable with visitors around them.

Gorilla treks are done for fully-habituated gorilla families but travellers who yearn to spend a more active and involving part in the protection as well as understanding of these endangered creatures can join the team of Researchers, conservationists and Park Rangers in the process of habituating giant apes.

While gorilla trekking and the habituation experience all involve mountain gorillas and done in the same process, there are some dissimilarities and therefore the following are the difference between gorilla trekking and the Habituation Experience;

Location to undertake Gorilla Trekking and Habituation Experience

The gorilla habituation experience is conducted in only the southern sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, compared to gorilla trekking that takes place in all the four sectors of this phenomenal National Park in addition to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (also in south-western Uganda), Volcanoes National Park (north-western Rwanda) and Virunga National Park (Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo).

Time Spent with Mountain Gorillas

Gorilla Trekking (regardless of destination) entails walking through verdant thick rain forests in pursuit of habituated gorilla groups and climaxing with spending up to one hour observing the mountain gorillas play, rest, forage and sometimes even copulate. This is offered in all the Four Gorilla National Parks (Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda).

By disparity, the incredible Gorilla Habituation Experience entails spending up to four hours with a family of mountain gorillas and this is also after hiking through the dense rain forest searching for them. This adventure is only available in Uganda’s southern sectors of Rushaga and Nkuringo with only two Gorilla groups currently open for the experience. Therefore, the Gorilla Habituation Experience guarantees more time with families of Giant Apes, making it an all-day affair than gorilla trekking that involves less time with the mountain gorillas. Four hours are just enough to take as much photos with these creatures as possible, record videos and learn a lot more about their behavior. This activity is more of conservation and research than a tourist activity because participants get lucky to see different check-up procedures on gorilla groups.

Gorilla Trekking and Habituation Permit Prices

Gorilla trekking permits for Uganda cost US$800 for the foreign non-resident tourists, US$700 for the foreign resident tourists as well as UGX 250,000 for the East African tourists while the exhilarating Gorilla Habituation Experience costs a hefty US$1500 per person for foreign non-residents ($800 more), $1000 per person for the foreign residents (US$400 more) and over UGX 750,000 for the East African residents (UGX 500,000 more) at the time of writing. The higher cost of gorilla permits is meant to limit the number of participants because if they were lower, more visitors would have shown interest in spending quality time with the mountain gorillas for a longer time.

This experience is worth this money because it entails more time with the mountain gorillas and given the limited number of permits and few gorilla groups, bookings have to be done 6-12 months in advance.

Number of Participants

Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (or any other place) generally allows a maximum of 8 visitors to trek a particular habituated gorilla group each day. In contrast, the Gorilla Habituation Experience allows only four visitors to spend time with a gorilla group, given the rawness as well as wilder nature of these Great Apes towards humans. This activity is mainly conducted in the company of armed Rangers and guides.

However, remember that both limitations are done to minimize spread of diseases as well as stressing-out the Giant Apes that are trying to live normal lives. This means that visitors are offered more private and authentic experiences with the mountain gorillas. With this experience, visitors join Researchers and conservationists in addition to armed Rangers and Ranger guides. At the time of writing, 2 gorilla groups are opened for the Gorilla habituation Experience, meaning only 8 gorilla permits are issued for both groups each day.

Trekking Duration and Levels of Difficulty

The Gorilla Habituation treks are undoubtedly longer and more strenuous than the usual Gorilla Treks because the ones of the former involve searching for Giant Apes that are less accustomed to humans as well as venturing into new trails.

General Guidelines to be Followed During Gorilla Trek and Habituation Experience

The General guidelines that apply to gorilla trekking and the Habituation Experience are;

• The minimum age for visitors is 15 years and this is emphasized because treks for mountain gorillas are obviously physically demanding thus not favoring young children who are likely to slow treks as well as the unpredictability of children towards gorilla charging.
• Littering the National Park is prohibited to minimize the spread of diseases.
• Flash photography should also be avoided, not to startle the mountain gorillas.
• Eating, drinking and smoking close to the mountain gorillas isn’t allowed to minimize the spread of diseases.
• The minimum viewing distance for both gorilla trekking and Habituation Experience is 7 meters, followed at all time when searching and spending time in the presence of the Giant Apes.
• Sick tourists (with colds, flu, Tuberculosis, cough and other communicable diseases) are not allowed to get close to the mountain gorillas because these Giant Apes are also susceptible to these diseases.