Includes in a budget gorilla habituation safari to Rushaga, Bwindi

What is included in a budget gorilla habituation safari is one of the frequently asked questions by tourists and the answer is that all the necessary safari services are included in the budget safari. Gorilla habituation in Rushaga, Bwindi is increasingly becoming famous among tourists and this is why we have decided to come up with a budget gorilla habituation safari for our clients who are interested in spending four hour with the gorillas.

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Gorilla habituation is an expensive safari because of the many costs involved including the permit cost, accommodation and transport among others. We however encourage our visitors to always spend as low as they can by providing the different budget offers to choose from.

In this article, we will let you know about what is included in the budget gorilla habituation safari in Rushaga, Bwindi. Note that the budget gorilla habituation safari refers to tourists having the full value of the money paid engaging in the different activities within Rushaga sector.

Permits

Permits are the first item that is included in a budget gorilla habituation safari in Rushaga, Bwindi. The gorilla habituation permit in Rushaga is a ticket that gives tourists an opportunity to have access to the mountain gorillas for four hours. The gorilla habituation permit is $1500 for foreign non-residents, $1000 for foreign residents, $1000 for other African citizens and UGX750, 000 for East African citizens. Permits are to be purchased in advance and from a trusted tour operator like Encounter Africa Safaris. The gorilla habituation permit covers a number of items and these include the following:

Park entrance fees: The park entrance fees to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where gorilla habituation is carried out is covered under the cost of the gorilla permit. Note that no one is allowed to access the park without paying the park entrance fees but when you send in the payments for the permit, the entrance fees are catered for.

Ranger guide fees: The cost of the permit covers that ranger guide fees as a salary. Ranger guides ensure that tourists get a chance to have a one on one meeting with the mountain gorillas and they provide necessary information to the tourists.

Research fees: When it comes to gorilla habituation, research about the mountain gorillas is key and the gorilla permit cost covers the research that is needed to study and understand more about the mountain gorillas.

Community support: Part of the permit fees is used to support the community of the local people living around the national park. The support is usually done through hospitals, schools, roads and activities that help the local people earn some money.

Security: The gorilla permit cost also covers the security during the trek.

Transport

Transport to and from Rushaga is inclusive of the budget gorilla habituation safari to Rushaga in Bwindi. We take responsibility of transporting our clients either by use of road or charter flights to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The moment you're in Uganda at the Entebbe International Airport, you will be picked from either the airport or lodge depending on your preference and taken to you're respective destination.

Road transport: If your preference is to use road transport, you will be picked using well-serviced 4x4 safari vehicles from and driven to Rushaga sector for your safari. We can pick you from anywhere of your preference either at Entebbe International airport or Kigali depending on your point of entry and our guides aim is to make sure that you get to your destination safe. Our driver guides are experienced and knowledgeable about the routes to use when it comes to transporting clients to Rushaga.

Air transport: Tourists who are interested in flying, we can arrange charter flights for you from either Entebbe International airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Kisoro airstrip. There are daily flights between the two but have to be booked in advance. From kisoro Airstrip, our driver will transfer you to Rushaga sector in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for your budget habituation safari.

Accommodation

This is one of the includes in a budget gorilla habituation safari to Rushaga. Rushaga as a sector has three categories of accommodation and these are budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation facilities. When booking accommodation, you need to consider your budget, comfort and security, and the facility that you zero down on has to be booked in advance because accommodation is always on high demand especially during the peak months. Tourists have to book accommodation that is found in Rushaga sector during the budget gorilla habituation safari and this is to make sure that you are not late for the trek that starts early morning. The accommodation facilities that you can use on your budget gorilla habituation safari to Rushaga include the following.

Budget: The budget lodges in Rushaga include the Rushaga Gorilla Haven Lodge, Bwindi backpackers Lodge and Nshongi Camp.

Mid-range: Mid-range lodges in Rushaga include the Rushaga Gorilla Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Camp, Gorilla Safari Lodge, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, and Rushaga Gorilla camp.

Luxury: These include the Four Gorillas Lodge, Wild Olives Lodge, Gorilla valley Lodge and Rushaga Gorilla Safari Lodge among others.

NB: As we plan for accommodation, we do full-board where all three meals are provided per day for your entire safari. Although you can buy or pack some snacks to eat as you trek the mountain gorillas. Contact our team for more information.

Guide services

Guide services are included in  the budget gorilla habituation safari to Rushaga sector because we appreciate you choosing us, Encounter Africa Safaris to take you on this adventure and that is why we provide you with our best and most experienced guides to take you on your habituation safari experience.

Our gorilla safaris are handled by well-trained, time managers and experienced guides that show and exhibit high levels of professionalism. They have extensive knowledge about the road network system, the national park and history of the different parts of the country that you are travelling to during your safari.

Whether you are travelling alone or with a group of other tourists, know that the services of an experienced guide will be provided at all times for the budget gorilla habituated safaris.

When you send us an inquiry, the first step we do is assign you one of our experienced consultants to handle all your queries till the end of the trip. You are free to ask about the different activities you want to engage in during your budget gorilla habituation safari and about the entire safari until you are satisfied with all the answers you need.

Feel free to contact us for the best safari experience in not only Rushaga but Uganda as a country.

Four hours with the mountain gorillas

The four hours spent with the mountain gorillas are included in the budget gorilla habituation experience in Rushaga, Bwindi. During the gorilla habituation experience, tourists have four hours with the gorillas and this is one of the reasons as to why the cost of the habituation permit is $1500 per person and they only allow a maximum of 4 people per day. There are only 4 gorilla habituation permits that are printed per day and this is why tourists are advised to book them in advance so that they are part of the four hours that are spent with the mountain gorillas. When participating in the gorilla habituation experience, all trekkers have to follow the rules and regulations that are set and these include:

The cost of the budget gorilla habituation safari in Rushaga, Bwindi NP

The budget gorilla habituation safari cost is affected by a number of factors and these have to be put into consideration if you want to save on your safari. Even though the safari is expensive, there are ways in which you can save and have a budget friendly safari and these include the following:

Accommodation: There are three categories of accommodation and these are budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation facilities. The accommodation facility that you choose will determine if you have a budget gorilla habituation gorilla safari in Rushaga. Communicate with your operator about your needs so that everything can be planned in accordance with your budget.

When to travel: You get to decide on when to come for your gorilla habituation safari because there are two seasons and these are the dry and rainy season. The dry season is a peak season and an expensive time to travel whereas the rainy season offers some discounts especially on accommodation which can reduce the cost of the safari.

Size of travel group: Tourists can decide to travel in groups or do solo safaris when it comes to budget gorilla habituation safaris and the choice you make will determine the cost of your safari. Travelling solo or alone is more expensive than when travelling in  a group because all expenses fall on one person. When you travel in a group, some of the expenses are shared among the group making it cost friendly on an individual basis.

NB: The budget gorilla habituation safari in Rushaga is possible depending on the decisions made during the planning of your safari. Communicate effectively with the tour company to ensure that all your needs are put into consideration and that you fully get to enjoy your safari.

What other activities can I carry out in Rushaga sector on my budget gorilla habituation

There are several other activities that tourists can engage in while on a budgeted gorilla habituation safari in Rushaga Bwindi and these include the following:

Gorilla trekking: Gorilla trekking is the main activity carried out in Rushaga Sector which is home to about 8 habituated gorilla families which include the Bweza, Businge, Mucunguzi, Rwigi, Nshongi, Kutu, Kahungye and Mishaya gorilla families. Gorilla tracking in Rushaga is carried out throughout the year and the cost of the permit is $800 for foreign non-residents, $700 for foreign residents and UGX300,000 for  East African citizens. During the gorilla trek exercise in Rushaga, tourists have an hour with the gorillas where they get to observe the behavioral patterns of the mountain gorillas.

Bird watching: Rushaga is home to over 350 bird species and these include both the migratory and Albertine endemic bird species. During a bird watching exercise, you will be able to see the different bird species some of which include African green broadbill, African wood owl, Grey cuckoo shrike, Mountain yellow warbler, Bar-tailed trogon and Finely banded woodpecker among others.

Guided nature walks: Guided nature walks in the Rushaga sector are mainly carried out with the help of an experienced guide and they will take you through the different trek trails that are found in the sector. Taking a walk through the sector will ensure that you get a close feel of the forest and nature, you get to see all the wildlife species that are too little like butterflies, several bird species, tree species and primate species some of which include chimpanzees, red-ratiled monkeys, colobus monkeys and L’Hoest monkeys among others.

Enjoy the Batwa culture: The Batwa people are indigenous to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and they are known hunters and gatherers who used to live in the forest before it was gazetted off to care for the wildlife within it. The Batwa cultural walks are carried out by Batwa locals who will take you around the villages and during this walk, you get to learn more about the local people and their traditions, learn how they have been surviving and enjoy their traditional songs and dance among others.

Best time to go for the budget gorilla habituation safari

The best time to go for the budget gorilla habituation safari in Rushaga is during the rainy season from March to May and October to November. This is because during this season, the cost of many of the services are reduced as compared to the dry season which is a peak season. You can still however enjoy the budget gorilla habituation safari throughout the year.

Encounter Africa Safaris is a leading tour operator which has experience in organizing gorilla habituation safaris in Uganda and all you have to do is get in touch with us to help you plan an unforgettable budget safari.