What to pack for gorilla habituation experience safaris in Bwindi
What to pack for gorilla habituation experience safaris in Bwindi
Packing light but relevantly for gorilla habituation safari in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is important. On your list of items to pack for gorilla habituation, you can include items like safari boots, safari hat, garden gloves, a camera to mention but a few. In Uganda gorilla habituation safari happens in the southern part is Bwindi Forest composed of Rushaga and Nkuringo area.
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You must purchase the gorilla habituation permit to be allowed to join the researchers and habituators doing this adventure. Each day only maximum 4 tourists are allowed to escort the researchers and habituators to enjoy gorilla habituation.
What is Gorilla habituation adventure?
Gorilla habituation safari is an activity where you follow a semi habituated gorilla family and spend 4 hours with them.
You follow a group of researchers and habituators assigned to help get a wild gorilla family used to the presence of humans without altering there nature. This the first step taken when trying to create a gorilla trekking family.
Uganda currently has two gorilla families open for habituation but 19 gorilla families are open for trekking
What Is the Cost of Gorilla habituation permit?
The cost of gorilla habituation permits is $1500 per person for foreign nonresidents, $1000 for foreign residents and 750000shs for East African residents.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority sells and regulates the gorilla habituation permits. Because the gorilla habituation permits are limited, first come first served basis is used to reserve them. No gorilla habituation permit is secured without payment, as it’s the only way for someone to show commitment to taking the adventure.
What Is Included and excluded in The Gorilla Habituation Permit Cost?
The cost of gorilla habituation permit includes park fees, ranger guide fees, 4 hours with the mountain gorillas, security, local community support, certificate after habituation and gorilla conservationsupport
Exclusions of a gorilla habituation permit cost are no accommodation, transport, tipping, energy bites and any other items of personal nature.
Can I Be Refunded the Gorilla Habituation Permit?
Refund for the gorilla habituation permit can only be done following the refund policy for Uganda Wildlife Authority.
The validity of the gorilla habituation permit ends on the date for which it is booked. When you are a no- show on the date of gorilla habituation yet you do not inform Authorities upfront, you stand no chance for refund.
In case you may not make it for gorilla habituation, you may apply for refund following the Uganda wildlife Authority policy or reschedule to a front date. Some patience is necessary before refund or rescheduling of your gorilla permit is processed. This is because of the bureaucracy around this.
How Can I reschedule Gorilla Habituation Permits?
Write to Uganda Wildlife Authority requesting to change the date for your gorilla habituation permit. State the reason why you would not be in position to attend. Attach evidence to back up your rescheduling request.
When approved, your gorilla habituation permit is rescheduled but this depends upon availability of the permits.
In Uganda allows two reschedules for the same gorilla habituation permit but the third time can only be approved by the executive director with a surcharge of 25% of the total cost.
What To Pack For Gorilla Habituation Safari?
- Safari boots comfortable enough to support you in case the slopes are slippery and can walk through soggy ground.
- Warm wear like a sweater because the temperature of this are drop to about 7 degrees centigrade. The mornings and late afternoons are very cold.
- Energy snacks to munch on during the search to locate the mountain gorillas during habituation. Breakfast is taken too earl to last the entire time in the jungle.
- A pair of stocking to securely tack in your clothes so that you allow no insects to creep into.
- Garden gloves to protect your palms from stinging nettles that you may tripe and fall onto during the gorilla habituation adventure.
- Camera to protect the memories of your encounter with the mountain gorillas. It is worth keeping your experience with the gentle giants.
- Insect repellant to keep away stinging insects that may bite you during the gorilla habituation safari.
- First aid kit with items that be applied in case of an emergency while in the jungle
- Foldable water bottle to carry drinking water to take in case you get thirsty.
- Some cash to exchange into local currency in case you wish to do ground shopping. Credit cards are not commonly used in Uganda because of the bureaucracy of obtaining money from them.
- Extra batteries to exchange with when one runs low during gorilla habituation.
- A travel adapter or charger to use on your electronics in case you need to recharge them.
- Toiletries fit for your skin in case it is sensitive to avoid causing eczema.
- Pajamas warm enough for the very cold nights of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Duffel bag to pack in your travel belongings. Pack well so that you can easily carry them in case you get no help.
- Rain coat or poncho because is a tropical rain forest which receives rain without warning.
- Flip-flops to change into after a long day on the wilderness.
- Other clothes to wear after changing from the stained clothes from gorilla habituation.
- Bug spray in case your lodge has them
- Light shoe bag to keep in your dirty shoes after gorilla habituation and you get no time to clean them. In order not to stain your clothes.
- A light water proof backpack to carrying your gorilla trekking gears or hand them to a porter. They are not scattered in the wilderness.
How Long Is Gorilla Habituation Adventure?
The gorilla habituation return time is unknown as it depends on the factors prevailing in the wilderness. Some gorilla habituators may take 6 hours or more depending on how fast you get to the mountain gorillas.
Some of the factors that may push the mountain gorillas to move from there known location include a fight from another gorilla family or within the family members. When food for the mountain gorillas is exhausted, they have to seek new feeding ground. When the gorilla family loses a family member, they may move into the deeper ends of the forest to mourn.
The length of the gorilla habituation adventure is hard to determine but with patience, you emerge successful ready to collect your gorilla habituation certificate.
How much is gorilla habituation safari?
The cost of gorilla habituation safari varies with the package you choose that is luxury, mid-range or budget. The gorilla permit cost is a common price across all packages and at the moment the cost of gorilla habituation permit is $1500 for foreign nonresidents, $1000 for foreign residents and 750000 shs for East African residents.
Other factors considered when calculating the gorilla habituation adventure cost include:
The number of days on gorilla habituation safari. When you have more days on gorilla habituation safari, the safari costa increases because service providers charge per day.
Additional activities combined with gorilla habituation like chimpanzee trekking, golden monkey trekking, game drives, birding the higher the safari cost.
The gorilla habituation package you choose that is luxury, mid-range or budget tour. Each has different inclusions and exclusions. The more inclusions the higher the cost and vice versa
The number of people joining the gorilla trekking safari where by the more people joining the gorilla trekking safari, the less the safari cost per person. You share some safari costs like on vehicle hire, driver guide fee and others. Solo travelers bare the entire safari cost.
What Else To Do With Gorilla Habituation Adventure?
Game drives
Uganda is endowed with a number of game parks with different resident wild animals. During an early morning game drive or late afternoon game drive, you may spot a number of wild animals either emerging from the night hideouts or moving towards the night hideouts.
Some of the Uganda National game parks include Lake Mburo National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park.
Although some animals are common to all the game parks, there some special to certain parks of Uganda. Some of the animals you may expect to see in the uganda game parks include giraffes, cape buffaloes, herds of elephants, hartebeest, lions, leopards, aardwolf, warthogs, bushbucks, topis, impalas, zebras, wild cats, statungas, oribi to mention but a few.
Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda
Chimpanzees are the closet human relatives in animal kingdom with DNA of about 98% to that of human. In Uganda, you get to do chimpanzee trekking in destinations like Kibale National Park, Kaniyo Pabidi in Murchison Falls National Park, Kyambura gorge in Queen Elizabeth Natoional Park, Kalinzu Forest reserve, Semuliki National Park, Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary and others.
You must have a chimpanzee trekking permit to access some of these destinations but the prices varies with where you choose.
Birding in Uganda
Uganda is Africa’s birding haven as the country is believed to have over 1000 bird species a population that is more than the birds of the entire European continent. Uganda has a number of RAMzA sites, which also act as magnets to even foreign birds that fly from as far as Europe during the winter period.
Some of the birding sites of uganda include Bwindi Impenetrable national Park, Kibale National Park, Mpanga Forest, Lutembe Beach, Botanical beach, Musambwa Island, Mgahinga National Park, Sango Bay, Mabamba Swamp, Echuya Forest Reserve, Mabira Forest and others.
A few of the birds you may get to spot include shoe bill, saddle bill stock, Handsome Francolin, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Kivu Ground Thrush, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Rwenzori Turaco, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, White-bellied Robin Chat, Archer’s Robin Chat and many others. you need a knowlwgable and experienced birding guide to get the best of your uganda birding experience.
Sport Fishing in Uganda
You need to acquire a fishing permit to have access to the sport-fishing site of Uganda. Uganda is endowed with a number of fresh water bidies where you can catch a number of fish species. Some of the common Uganda fish species include Nile perch, tilapia, cut fish, mudfish and others.
Some of the sport fishing sites in Uganda include River Nile in Murchison falls National Park, Lake Victoria, Lake Bunyonyi, Lake Albert, Lake Mburo and others.
You must carry your own fishing equipment and hire a boat to take you around the water body.
White water rafting in Uganda
Enjoy peddling the River Nile tides at Itanda Falls where rough tides of River Nile race over embedded rocks. You do not have to be with any experience because on ground there are instructors to take you through all you need to know in the shortest time possible.
Participate in beating the tides and follow the white water rafting instructions keenly to enjoy the entire experience. You can make a choice of which tide levels you wish to stop at. The pressure of the water increases as you go along. Those that may like this adrenaline stimulating adventure can do kayaking or tubing on River Nile.
Mountaineering in Uganda
The Rwenzori mountain range is the highest all year round ice topped mountain of Uganda that you may hike for at least 7 days to Margheritah peak on return trip. You must have some level of fitness and not afraid of heights to enjoy the entire adventure. Carry hiking gears to do mountain climbing on Rwenzori Mountain.
Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhavura, Mountain Sabyinyo can be hiked in a day. From the top of Mountain Sabyinyo, you can simultaneous see the border of Uganda, Rwanda and D. R.Congo.
Visit Source Of River Nile
Uganda has the source of the world’s longest River crossing through Uganda, South Sudan, a tributary in Ethiopia, The Sudan and Egypt. At Jinja, vigorous River Nile water departs calm Lake Victoria water at a dramatic point. You can sail to the departure point but on the way, look over the banks for beautiful birds on the marshy beaches, green vegetation, a number of primates and so much more.
Cultural Tour in Uganda
Uganda has different cultures each with unique traits. You may visit the Uganda kingdoms like Buganda Kingdom in central, Busoga kingdom in the east, Bunyoro Kingdom and Tooro Kingdom in the west and several other.
Enjoy prearranged cultural dances and you may get chance to attend a traditional ceremony like traditional marriage ceremonies and so much more.
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