Gorilla habituation can only be done in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, located in southwestern Uganda. A permit for gorilla habituation costs $1500 per person.
This activity started in Uganda on January 1, 2014. It gives visitors the chance to spend up to four hours with mountain gorillas. In comparison, regular gorilla trekking allows only one hour.
Gorilla habituation is easily accessed through gorilla trekking tours that start in Kigali and continue to Bwindi.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has four sectors: Ruhija, Buhoma, Nkuringo, and Rushaga.
Habituation takes place in the Rushaga sector, where two gorilla families are currently being habituated.
One of the challenges of gorilla habituation is that the gorillas are not yet used to people, so their behavior can sometimes be unpredictable.
Researchers and rangers visit the gorilla groups every day. They study each gorilla carefully and later give them names based on their behavior and character.
Once the gorillas are more used to humans, they go through a mock exercise. If the group behaves well, they are then opened for normal trekking.
This test involves researchers and rangers trekking with a few other people to see how the gorillas respond.
The two families currently under habituation in the Rushaga sector are the Bikingi and Bishaho families.
Mountain gorillas live in high altitudes, so tourists need to be in good physical shape to take part in habituation or trekking.
Visitors should be well prepared with waterproof hiking boots, garden gloves, enough drinking water, energy snacks, sunscreen, insect repellent, and long-sleeved clothes.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s four sectors are Nkuringo, Ruhija, Buhoma, and Rushaga. Only Rushaga offers the gorilla habituation experience.
If you plan to take part in habituation, it is best to book your accommodation in either the Rushaga or Nkuringo sectors.
