3 Days Gorilla Habituation Experience is a unique way watching gorillas in the wild that can only be enjoyed in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which is the only park in the world that permits habituation visits by tourists.
Nestled within the lush, verdant embrace of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest lies an extraordinary opportunity for a truly immersive and unforgettable encounter with one of nature’s most majestic creatures: the mountain gorilla. It is here, amidst the mist-shrouded canopies and dense foliage, that the remarkable endeavor of gorilla habituation unfolds—a process that offers intrepid travelers a rare glimpse into the world of these awe-inspiring primates.
This trip starts from Rwanda’s capital Kigali since it’s much closer to the south of Bwindi impenetrable national park saving you long hours of driving from Uganda’s Entebbe airport (11 hours drive)
During a gorilla habituation experience, you will follow a research team that is observing the group of wild gorillas and helping them become comfortable with human presence.
Visitors will learn a great deal about the gorillas, including research facts, behavior, and ecology. The experience typically begins by meeting the trackers at 6am before setting out to find the gorillas. This experience is often described as intimate and awe-inspiring, with visitors feeling a strong connection to the family of gorillas.
Tourists on a gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Destinations to cover.
Tour Program
Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Set off in the morning from your hotel and drive to Bwindi impenetrable national park.
Border crossing at Cyanika boarder point.
Note: Plan for an East African visa to access both countries with one visa.
Proceed to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Check in the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 2: Gorilla habituation experience
Wake up very early in the morning, have your breakfast and pack your lunch for a gorilla habituation experience.
Unlike in the normal gorilla trekking where trackers have already found your gorillas and they take you directly to them, on a gorilla habituation trekking starts from where the gorillas were last seen the previous evening.
You walk with the trackers, learning the tell-tale signs that eventually lead to the primates’ nests; such as knuckle prints in the mud, bent and broken vegetation and discarded food. Gorillas build new nests each night then move on looking for food: what they leave behind is vital for checking their health and numbers. At the nests, the team collects samples of hair and dung before continuing their search.
Gorillas aren’t always so placid in the presence of people: it takes time and effort to achieve this relaxed, almost nonchalant attitude in a process known as habituation.
This Bwindi’s exciting gorilla experience allows you to be part of this process by tracking a group that is only semi-habituated. During habituation, trackers visit wild gorilla groups every day for around three years, gradually getting closer and spending longer in their company. At the semi-habituated stage, the primates are familiar with trackers but not strangers, so this new experience can now help them get used to seeing different people.
On a habituation trek, you can spend up to 4 magical hours with these highly intelligent and emotional creatures! It is an incredibly humbling experience, and the habituation process is fundamental to the continued protection of the gorillas.
Later after your habituation, you will return back to the hotel and relax.
Day 3: Drive back to Kigali
Check out and set off to cross the border back to Kigali
Drop off at the hotel of your choice or airport depending on your travel arrangements.
END OF TOUR