Rushaga Sector in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park offers a unique gorilla habituation experience found nowhere else in East Africa apart from the normal gorilla trekking adventures. Travelers join excellent gorilla trackers and researchers to spend time with a semi-habituated gorilla group to familiarize them to human presence. The Rushaga Sector also has a rugged terrain and plenty of wildlife species that offer a unique and rewarding adventure experience.
Starting time
Gorilla habituation experiences typically start at 6:30 a.m., therefore every visitor should be at the briefing location right before that time. Only management can authorize, through writing, any other starting time if necessary. But being this early offers the perfect time to track the gorillas from their nests as they start their blissful day. You also get a unique opportunity to witness their early morning behaviors and interactions in the wild.
How is gorilla habituation experience done?
As mentioned above, arrive at the briefing location before 6:30 a.m. You will meet the park personnel and researchers on the semi-habituated gorilla family you are about to track. A short briefing from the park authorities is necessary. Valuable rules and guidelines will be provided for your safety and that of the gorillas for a more enjoyable habituation experience. Now embark on a hike following gorilla trails to search for the semi-habituated gorilla family.
You will definitely meet the gorillas. Four hours are offered to be in the presence of the gorillas. Ensure to maintain a distance of at least 7 meters away from any of them. This is one of the most amazing opportunities of your life. Seeing them eat, drink, play, groom or mate is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The researchers will share glimpses into their studies during the process. Return to the briefing point for debriefing, and end the gorilla habituation experience.
Maximum people accepted.
All gorilla habituation experiences in Uganda’s Rushaga sector allows a maximum of 4 visitors per visit. This has several advantages and among them is intimate encounters with a precious primate species. The encounter with the mountain gorillas is low-impact, with minimal disturbance on gorilla behavior, physiology and habitat. Also, visitations of the semi-habituated gorilla family is done only once per day.
Gorilla habituation experience duration.
Overall, the gorilla habituation experience starts at the briefing location to the time visitors return for debriefing at the same place. In addition to the viewing time (4 hours), a gorilla habituation tour often last between 6 to 8 hours. This depends on quite a few factors. For example, the pace at which visitors walk is a significant factor. Also, the terrain where you will hike determines the difficulty of the trek.
Where the gorillas nested the previous night is a huge factor since they construct new nests in new locations each day. However, the extended time of 4 hours with the mountain gorillas increases the chances of witnessing rare interactions. Unlike gorilla trekking tours, this offers deeper observations of their social dynamics. You even get to build stronger bonds with the semi-habituated gorilla family.
Minimum age of gorilla habituation experience.
Only 15-year-olds and above are allowed to do gorilla habituation experiences in Uganda. This minimum age is set by the Uganda Wildlife Authority for a number of great reasons. Most importantly, this ensures safety of both the gorillas and the visitor. The experience involves long, strenuous walks through the jungle which may be too demanding for people younger than 15. Also, encountering unpredictable wild animals like mountain gorillas at close range might be risky for children.
The price of gorilla habituation experience.
Participating in a gorilla habituation experience requires the purchase of a permit, which constitutes the full price. All gorilla permits are issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority in Kampala. To ensure fair access and conservation of the mountain gorillas, you are eligible to only one gorilla habituation permit per visit. Also, to ensure fair access for all, the permit prices are set based on your country of origin. Below are the permit prices for each category,
Although these permits are issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority, purchasing is only through us or any other registered Uganda tour operator.
How to travel to Rushaga sector for gorilla habituation?
Traveling to the Rushaga headquarters for a gorilla habituation experience can be done either by road or air. From Kampala to the Rushaga headquarters, the distance by road is about 478 kilometers. This implies that you have to be prepared for a transfer that takes a duration of 9-10 hours from Kampala. There is plenty to enjoy during this scenic journey, including hills, countryside, equator crossing, enroute lunch and others.
For short transfers to Rushaga Sector, kindly consider boarding a domestic flight from Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro Airstrip. However, these are scheduled flights so arrangements to book in advance is required. We can assist you on this process to ensure that all inconveniences and needless expenditures are avoided. Nevertheless, the flight takes only 1 hour and 15 minutes. From Kisoro airstrip, ground transportation to Rushaga headquarters will be arranged. The distance between the 2 places is only 35.6 kilometers.
