1. Gorilla habituation in Bwindi Impenetrable forest
Mountain gorillas are endangered species of primates found in a few national parks in the whole world and Bwindi’s impenetrable forest national park is lucky to be one of them. The national park is found in southwestern Uganda and was gazetted in 1991 to protect the mountain gorillas as well as the tropical forest. Travelers from different parts of the world come to Bwindi’s impenetrable forest national park to purposely see these mountain gorillas. This is because they are said to be close relatives to human beings with 98% human DNA. Gorilla trekking has been for so long the only activity that allows you to encounter mountain gorillas but just for one hour in different park sectors, that is; Rushaga, Ruhija, Buhoma, and Nkuringo.
Therefore, Gorilla habituation in Bwindi is a unique gorilla activity that takes you 4 hours with mountain gorillas while learning the behaviors of these critically endangered great apes. It’s the best way to meet, see, interact face to face and enjoy the human like characters of mountain gorillas, which make them exceptional creatures. Also known as gorilla training, most people mistake habituation with Gorilla trekking however the experience is a different story. It’s an experience of its own kind, which is surely worth doing by people interested in gorillas.
Gorilla habituation is all about training wild gorillas to make them familiar with human presence before they are declared free for trekking. Gorilla training is on a daily basis that lasts for 2-3 years before a gorilla family is opened for trekking. During this activity, the armed ranger guides are accompanied by researchers, conservationists, and trackers. The trekkers are always four in number and together with the group they head into the jungle here they start searching for the gorilla group. The search can take 2-7 hours and the time taken depends on the speed and the location of mountain gorillas. When the mountain gorilla family is spotted, it is approached in a non-threatening manner and 4 hours start counting. The rangers try their best to win the favor of these mountain gorillas and the tourists are allowed to be part of the activities that make mountain gorillas get used to human presence. Trekkers can watch members do daily activities such as nesting, playing, coupling, learning about their habits, and also taking photos. Unlike gorilla trekking which starts at 8:30 am, gorilla habituation starts at 7:30 am, and briefing is done much earlier to catch up with time spent with the Gorillas.
Gorilla habituation experience permit
Like gorilla trekking, in order for you to take part in gorilla habituation experience in Uganda, you must have a permit at hand. Each permit costs $1500 for foreign residents and $1000 for foreign non-residents. For those who are Ugandan citizens, a gorilla habituation permits costs Shs.750,000 and this gets you all the 4-hours of magical encounter and the whole day exploration of these remarkable creatures while in their natural habitat. Interested visitors are encouraged to book their permits in advance at least 6 months earlier before the actual habituation day. Permits can be booked directly from the Uganda wildlife authority or through any trusted tour operator like gorilla trek Africa who offer memorable experiences. The minimum age for gorilla habituation is 15 years and above just like the case with the gorilla tracking experience. Gorilla habituation is limited to only four people per Gorilla group joining the team of UWA researchers who lead them to the location of the Gorilla family under habituation.
Where does Gorilla Habituation Experience take place?
Gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi is practised in Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors every day. The activity starts early in the morning at the sector offices where those going for the activity gather for a briefing from the park rangers. Two gorilla families i.e Bikyingi and Bushaho are undergoing training and will be opened for tourism soon.
Packing list for Gorilla habituation
The packing list for gorilla habituation in Bwindi would include long-sleeved shirts, long-sleeved pants, waterproof hiking shoes, long cotton stocks, gardening gloves, a light backpack, a rain jacket, a sweater, insect repellents, sunscreen, a camera, a pair of binoculars, drinking water, energy giving snacks, packed lunch, and walking stick among others.
Best time for Gorilla habituation in Bwindi
The best time for gorilla habituation in Bwindi is usually during the dry season which runs from June to September and December to February. The dry season is good because it’s characterized by little or no rainfall that makes the trekking trails stay dry, the vegetation is scattered and short with good views of the mountain gorillas as well as other park animals and the roads leading to the park are passable.
However, Travelers can still visit the park for gorilla habituation in the rainy season of March to May and October to November but they should know that too much rainfall makes the trekking trails muddy and slippery which affects the speed of trekking, the vegetation is thick with unclear views of the apes and the roads to the park are in bad conditions.
Accommodation during the gorilla habituation experience.
Accommodation facilities to use during your gorilla habituation experience should never be a worry as long as you are visiting Uganda and Bwindi Impenetrable national park in particular. Here are some of the suggested accommodation (lodges) where a tourist can consider spending a night.
Budget/Basic options: Haven Lodge Rushaga or Nshongi Gorilla Camp.
Mid-range: Gorilla Valley Lodge/Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge.
Luxury options: Gorilla Safari Lodge/Clouds Lodge/Chameleon Hill Lodge.
Note: whether there are clients or not, rangers, conservationists and gorilla doctors must visit a gorilla family under-going training for all the 3 years. Travelers are reminded to be extra careful to ensure safety in the presence of wild gorillas and follow all trekking rules and guidelines like keeping a seven-meter distance, keeping calm, staying within your groups are all highly emphasized.
2. Why is gorilla habituation experience for four hours?
Mountain gorilla habituated experience is a newly introduced primate experience that is only attainable nowhere else in the world except only the Impenetrable Forest. The impenetrable forest is often also muddy and slippery, so you want to be reasonably sure footed thus spending a lot of time while in this practice. This will require you to have a reasonable degree of fitness. Given that this is a four-hour experience, don’t think that you will be seated. You will follow the gorilla family in its daily chores. Sometimes you may need to walk through steep slopes on this rare experience that is only done in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
Unlike Gorilla tracking, with habituation experience, it entirely takes a process and involves making the wild gorillas get used to human presence meaning, you will be exploring the semi habituated families. It is such a rare primate adventure that it mainly involves trackers, guides, conservationists, researchers, scientists exploring the semi habituated groups. It is a participatory adventure where you choose to participate in data collection, nest counting and sometimes you can receive information about the data collected.
Gorilla habituation experience takes four hours mainly to minimize disease transmission, stress and behavioral disturbance, to reduce the chance of possible future aggression towards tourists and to prevent the gorillas from becoming too habituated to humans.
As if that is not enough, also to minimize behavioral disturbances and avoid frightening gorillas. Newly habituated gorillas may be afraid to come anywhere near noisy tourists and if gorillas are already present, they are most likely to leave.
3. Gorilla families habituated in each sector
A mountain gorilla family is a group of mountain gorillas that live and grow in the same environment. The only park in the world with the greatest number of gorilla families is Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. This park is located in western Uganda on the outskirts of the Great East African Rift Valley, encompassing an area of 321 square kilometers on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, directly near to Virungas National Park. There are several gorilla families in Uganda, but they are only found in two parks: Bwindi and Mgahinga, both of which are located in the western section of the country. Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has two gorilla families under habituation process which include Bikingi and Bushaho located in Ruhija gorilla tourism sector south of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Ruhija is accessible by car taking 8-10 hours from Kampala city, 4 hours for those in Queen Elizabeth national park. Time bound travelers should use the available fly in scheduled charter flights.
Currently, 19 gorilla families are habituated and ready for tourism in Uganda’s Bwindi, the impenetrable forest National Park. These gorilla family groups may be found in all four regions of the park, which are Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Nkuringo. Therefore, here is a list of habituated gorilla families that are accessible for your walk from the four sectors of the park.
Rushaga sector
This is the best place to go mountain gorilla trekking in Africa. It has got the highest number of mountain gorillas with 8 habituated families/groups namely; Busingye gorilla group, Nshongi gorilla group, Bweza gorilla group, Mishaya gorila family, Kahungye gorilla group, Mucunguzi gorilla group, Bwigi gorilla family and Bikyingi gorilla group. Currently there are two more groups to be added in Rushaga but they are not yet habituated for viewing. Unlike other sectors in Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park, Rushaga Uganda is more convenient and more exciting to visit. Below are some of the gorilla groups ready for trekking in Rushaga.
Nshongi Gorilla Family
After the split of the Bweza gorilla family which consisted of 18 members, Nshongi gorilla family was formed. It split away from Bweza after a fight between the members and one silverback had to start life with a new family (Nshongi). Currently this group has seven members with one male silverback, 1 juvenile, 1 sub-adult, 1 infant and 3 adult females. This group was officially habituated and made ready for trekking to tourists in 2009 and its one of the most visited gorilla families in Rushaga Uganda.
Busingye Gorilla Family
Busingye gorilla Family originated from Kahungye gorilla group. It was after a bitter fight between 2 silverback gorillas (Rwigi and Rumanzi) that one decided to move on start its own family and that’s how Busingye came into existence. Initially the Kahungye family had 27 members but after the break away, Busingye left with 9 members.The group is called Busingye because it lives on a hill called Busingye. Currently it has 10 members with 1 silverback, 2 juveniles, 4 adult females, 1 sub adult and 2 infants.
Bweza Gorilla Family
It was after the conflicts in Nshongi gorilla family that one silverback called Kakono decided to form its family and this is how Bweza gorilla family was formed. This group is one the highest populated groups in Bwindi with 12 members as of today. It was habituated and made ready for gorilla trekking in 2013 and currently it’s one of the most visited in Bwindi forest.
Mishaya Gorilla Family
Originally composed of 7 members Mishaya gorilla family has multiplied and it currently has 12 members. This group was formed after a split from Nshongi gorilla family. Just like other groups, this group is headed by 1 silverback called Mishaya and it has commanded the group for a long time.
Kahungye Gorilla Family
Habituated in 2011, Kahungye gorilla family is one of the most visited gorilla groups in the southern part of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. It got its name from the hill called Kahungye where the group lives and it’s composed of 17 members including 3 silverbacks, 3 sub adults, 2 infants, 3 adults and 3 juveniles. Later on, various silverbacks separated from the Kahungye Gorilla group to establish the Rwigi and Busingye gorilla families.
Rwigi gorilla family:
This is one of the Rushaga family’s recently habituated families, with six individual gorilla members. Rwigi gorilla silverback dominates and leads the Rwigi gorilla family. The Kihungye Gorilla family was bent away from this group.
Busingye Gorilla Family:
This family is still found in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park’s Rushaga section. The gang is now led by one silverback and consists of nine members. Nonetheless, this gorilla family was founded in 2012 after breaking away from the Kahungye family.
Mucunguzi gorilla family:
Mucunguzi is a gorilla family in the Rushaga region that consists of 8 individuals, with females leading the group. After a fierce battle, this party was able to escape from the Buweza family. Silverback Mucunguzi is the leader of the gang.
Bikyingyi gorilla family:
This group consists of 21 individuals and is located in the Rushaga area. Members of the Mishaya gorilla family banded together to establish the Bikyingyi gorilla family, which was also set up for habituation and is now open to visitors for trekking.
Buhoma sector
Mubare gorilla family: This group is found in the Buhoma sector, which is located in the park’s northern region. This was the first gorilla family to be habituated in Uganda in 1991, and there are presently 9 members, with one silver back serving as the group’s leader.
Ruhija sector
Bitukura gorilla family.
The group consists of 14 members and four big dominating silverbacks. This specific group was habituated in 2007, and by 2008, the family was ready for trekking, making them the quickest family to be totally habituated in under one year and one month.
The Oruzogo gorilla family
This is also located in the Ruhija sector and is known for its intransigence, but it is most liked by visitors for its bravery and its full talents. The Orugoza family includes 21 members and one dominating silverback. In 2011, the family was available for gorilla trekking and included numerous juveniles and newborns.
Kyaguriro A&B Gorilla Family:
This is a gorilla family that was habituated in 1995, deep in the rainforest of Bwindi. The most recent batch had 20 members, with two male-dominant silverbacks. Rukina is the current leader, and Mukiza left the group to create the Mukiza Gorilla family group.
Nkuringo sector
This group was named after the Rukiga word for ‘round hill’. The group has 14 members including 2 silver backs and depending on the client’s preference, they can either set off on foot or take 5 minite’s drive to the ranger post to visit these primates. The scenery in this area is stunning, since the gorillas usually dwell on the primary rainforest side, it is unusual to find them in a closed canopy area thus meaning an excellent viewing. This group is often located quite close to the ranger post but the steep hillsides of this area can make for a challenging descent.
Note: The number of members in these gorilla families may change with time as more are produced and some die.
