5 Activities to Add to Your Gorilla Habituation
Gorilla Habituation Experience is one of the most adventurous and thrilling gorilla safari activity to do in Uganda and it can only be done in Bwindi impenetrable national park in the whole world.
Uganda as a destination is endowed by nature and abundant wildlife protected in various national parks – safari destinations including Bwindi impenetrable national park which is a home for largest population of mountain gorillas in the world, for many years Uganda has been visited by a number of influential people including Bill Gates, the fallen Queen of England – Queen Elizabeth, Sir Samuel Baker among others.
Mountain gorilla habituation experience is an adventurous gorilla activity on which visitors follow semi habituated mountain gorilla in their natural habitat without altering their nature, visitors accompany researchers together with armed rangers and guides in the jungle of Bwindi and they are allowed 4 hours of being in presence of the beautiful gorillas.
Though visiting Mountain gorillas on gorilla habituation experience is one of the most done and favorite Uganda safari activity by most visitors, there are a number of other amazing activities you can add on your Uganda safari itinerary.
Other activities you can do other than gorilla habituation in Bwindi impenetrable national park while on a Uganda safari include birding, nature walks, game drives, launch trip and game drives in Queen Elizabeth national park, Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park, hiking in Mgahinga national park, launch trip in Murchison Falls national park among others.
- Chimpanzee tracking and Chimpanzee habituation in Kibale National Park
Visitors can combine gorilla habituation with chimpanzee tracking or chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale Forest national park a great primate destination in Africa, after following mountain gorillas you can go for another adventure in the jungle of Kibale following either the habituated chimpanzees or semi-habituated chimpanzees.
Gorilla habituation experience is done in the Southern sector of Bwindi impenetrable national park and to get to Kibale National park, it is a drive of approximately 7 hours.
On Chimpanzee habituation experience, visitors visit a semi-habituated chimpanzee group in its nature setting and together with researchers and armed guide follow the chimpanzee, feed them and learn more about them. Chimpanzee habituation experience offer visitors enough time to interact with the chimpanzees, only 4 visitors are allowed to participate in Chimpanzee Habituation experience.
Chimpanzee tracking – unlike chimpanzee habituation experience, chimpanzee tracking offers visitors only one hour of being in the presence of chimpanzees and observing their amazing behaviors. Only 6 individuals are allowed to take part in chimpanzee tracking experience.
- Birding in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Bwindi impenetrable national park is recognized as Africa’s prime birding destination hosting over 350 bird species including 23 of the 24 Albertine rift endemics noted to be found in Uganda.
Bwindi impenetrable national park consists of different vegetation zones including forest zones favoring the survival of montane forest birds, wetland birds and other species. Birding can be done in the Nkuringo sector while on a gorilla habituation experience, as you trek o various trails you will spot over 100 bird species in the Bwindi forest including dazzling Black Bee-eater, Handsome Francolin, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Cinammon-chested Bee eaters, Canopy and Mid-storey flock, Mountain Masked and Chestnut throated Apalis,Western Green Tinker bird, Rwenzori Batis, white-Tailed Crested Flycatcher, collered Apalis, Canopy and Mid-storey flocks, Grauer’s Wabler, Shelley’s Crimsonwing and others.
- Game drives and Launch trip in Queen Elizabeth national park
Queen Elizabeth national park is a great Uganda safari destination to add on your gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi impenetrable national park, game drives and launch trip on Kazinga Channel are some of the best Uganda activities to do in Queen Elizabeth national park.
Queen Elizabeth national park is situated en-route to Bwindi impenetrable national park and from the Southern sector of Bwindi it is approximately 74 kilometers to Ishasha (Southern sector of Queen Elizabeth national park) and approximately 170 kilometers to Mweya, headquarters of the park.
Due to the location of Queen Elizabeth national park, you can decided to visit for a game drive or a launch cruise before or after gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi’s Nkuringo sector.
Launch cruise/ trip on Kazinga channel – is a rewarding activity offering visitors a chance to explore a nature channel connecting Lake Edward to Lake George, you will be able to spot herds of elephants and buffaloes drinking water and hippos, crocodiles bathing in the waters of the channel and many water birds such as herons, crested crane among others.
Game drives – Queen Elizabeth national park is a home to a variety of wildlife including tree climbing lions in Ishasha sector, leopards, hyenas, giant forest hogs, Uganda kobs, waterbucks and bushbucks among others.
Game drives in Queen Elizabeth national park that are morning and afternoon game drives are done in Kasenyi tracks where you enjoy spectacular views of the crater lakes and Rwenzori ranges.
- Hiking In Mgahinga National Park
Mgahinga national park is a scenic park dominated by 3 of the 5 Virunga volcanoes shared with Uganda, Rwanda and DR.Congo. These volcanoes include
Mount Muhavura – locally meaning the guide, this volcano at an altitude of 1700 m to 4100m has a beautiful crater lake and hiking it takes you through the thick vegetation. During the hike you will enjoy great panoramic views of the rift valley floor, Rwenzori ranges, Lake Edwards among others.
Mount Gahinga – this beautiful volcano is named after a local slag meaning small piles of stone that are found in the farm land on the volcano, hiking the volcano takes about 6 hours of a return trip. During the hike you go through bamboo forest and you will arrive at the lush swamp in the crater summit on the top of the mountain.
Mount Sabinyo – locally meaning old man’s teeth got from its weathered top that sagged in to form a ring of stubby peaks, the volcano has 3 peaks that can be reached on a hike through a muddy trail. On top of the summit you will get to see Uganda, Rwanda, and DR.Congo.
Community Visit in Bwindi or Mgahinga National park
The forests of Bwindi and Mgahinga were initially inhabited by the Batwa – pygmy people known as the forest dwellers, these people lived in the forest harmoniously with the gorillas and other forest animals. The Batwa were initially hunters and depended on the forest, however they are not farmers and they live on the borders of the parks.
Buhoma Community Walk and cultural performance – carried out in the Buhoma area of Bwindi impenetrable national park, this projects offers visitors a deeper insight into the life of the Batwa people. From the Northern area of Bwindi, it is a drive of approximately 3 hours and visitors get to learn how to prepare banana bear, visit the traditional healer, be entertained by local dances and drama. Among others.
Nkuringo Community Walk – this is a perfect to do after the gorilla habituation experience in the Southern part of Bwindi impenetrable national park, with a local guide you will visit prominent hangouts that is the banana beer brewer, visit a traditional healer, black smith and the local people in a rural homestead.
Visit Batwa Pygmies and Garama Cave in Mgahinga National Park – this community project is worth visiting after gorilla habituation experience in the Southern sector of Bwindi impenetrable national park. This experience gives visitors a deeper insight in the lifestyle of the Batwa pygmies, this project is a source of income to the Batwa people and it was established for conservation reasons as it the humans were a big threat to the existence of mountain gorillas.
These community based initiatives were set to bring the local people to appreciate the existence of mountain gorillas in the area, the funds collected are repatriated into community based projects such as road maintenance, building schools, community healthcare among others.
How to get to Bwindi Forest National Park for Gorilla Habituation Experience
Bwindi impenetrable national park can be reached for gorilla habituation experience by road and air transport.
By road
Using road means is the cheapest way to Bwindi impenetrable national park, there are several routes leading to Bwindi from Kampala – the start point for most Uganda gorilla safaris.
Routes used to Bwindi impenetrable national park
- Kampala to Kabale to Kanungu to Buhoma
- Kampala to Kabale to Ruhija to Buhoma
- Kampala to Ntugamo to Rukungiri to Kihihi to Buhoma
- Kampala to Kabale to Nkuringo
By air
There chartered flights from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi airstrip to several airstrips serving the park including Kisoro Airstrip, from the airstrip you connect to the park by vehicle.
What to Pack for Gorilla Habituation Experience
Having the perfect gear for a gorilla habituation experience will make the experience more comfortable, gears to have include
- A camera
- Safari tracking boots
- Insect repellants
- Foldable Safari hat
- Sweater or fleece
- Garden gloves
- Energy bites
- A Travel adapter and charger
- Pajamas to wear in the night
- Toiletries
- First Aid box
- Light water proof bag
- A pair of binoculars
- Medicated insect repellant
Contact Petnah Tours and Travel – info@petnahafricatours.com for gorilla habituation experience and gorilla trekking packages.
