Gorilla Habituation Experience in Rushaga

Choosing between normal gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation experience in Rushaga often leaves travelers undecided. Rushaga sector is the Southern gorilla sector in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) and holds the largest number of habituated gorilla families. About 9 fully habituated gorilla groups live in Rushaga and all can be trekked by tourists on Uganda safaris.

Mountain gorilla habituation experience is mainly done by researchers or scientists and involves a long-day following unhabituated/semi-habituated families. The long day of following a gorilla group involves taking note of gorilla daily behaviors in the wild and taking photos.

Why go gorilla habituation experience in Rushaga and not one hour gorilla trek?

Here are some of the benefits/advantages

Spend more time with gorillas in the wild

With gorilla habituation experience, visitors have 4 hours to interact with a family mountain gorilla in the wild. This is a great opportunity to explore in depth how these apes behave and take as many pictures as possible.

Explore other species

Unlike the normal gorilla trek, embarking on gorilla habituation offers plenty of time to look for not only the gorillas but also other species. Bwindi National Park contains a total of 120 mammal species and other than gorillas; it also protects chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, baboons plus over 360 species of birds. The birds in Bwindi include African hill babblers, red faced woodland, Rwenzori turacos, Shelley’s crimson wings and more.

Perfect for filming gorillas

One hour with gorillas isn’t enough to film or take pictures, a good reason you should consider embarking on gorilla habituation experience. It should be remembered that a face-to-face encounter with mountain gorillas in the wild is a lifetime experience.

Only done in Bwindi

There is nowhere else you can travel to be part of gorilla habituation except in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This makes Rushaga a special sector of its own, a region that guarantees visitors extra-ordinary adventures.

Gorilla habituation permit Cost

Gorilla habituation permits are open to guests at USD 1500 per person for the foreign non-residents, USD1000 for foreign residents and shs. 750,000 for East African citizens. The normal gorilla trekking permits cost USD 700 and offer one hour encounter with a family of gorillas.

Best time to go for gorilla habituation

While gorilla habituation experience can be enjoyed at any time of the year, the dry season is the most favorable. The drier months run from June to September and December to February. The wet months March, April, May or October, November are characterized by heavy rains and the ground can be muddy and steep slopes tend to be slippery.

Age limit

Gorilla habituation like normal gorilla treks is done by persons above 15 years. Below the set age limit, gorilla permits won’t be issued to you. When booking for the permits, your details will be taken to ascertain if you are within the acceptable age brackets.

Accommodation

Choose a suitable accommodation for a night stay and should be close to where your gorilla habituation experience starts from. The available lodges to consider booking include Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Safari Lodge, Ichumbi Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Lodge, Clouds Lodge, Bwindi Backpackers and more.

What to pack

Packing list for gorilla habituation: valid gorilla permit, passport, rain jacket, daypack, trousers, long sleeved shirts, insect repellents, safari hat, a sweater, enough drinking bottled water, snacks to keep you fit, walking stick, camera with no flashlight, and many others.

Getting there

Travel by car from Kampala via Masaka-Kabale route, 8-9 hours or from Kigali via Chanika border to Kisoro to Rushaga about 4-5 hours’ drive. By air, fly right from Entebbe airport to Kisoro airstrip and the driver guide will pick you up, transfer to the lodge in Rushaga.