How To Plan A Nkuringo Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari From Kigali

How to plan a Nkuringo gorilla habituation experience through Kigali Rwanda. Planning the gorilla habituation experience for Nkuringo area through Kigali starts with securing the gorilla habituation permits. Nkuringo is one of the four sectors, but it is located in the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Gorilla habituation experience in Uganda is currently in only the southern sector of Bwindi Impenetrable with two gorilla families open to the public. 

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Gorilla habituation adventure is where tourists escort a team of researchers and trackers in the wilderness to follow a semi-habituated mountain gorilla family and stay with them for four hours. Only four tourists are allowed to do gorilla habituation experience per day to minimize the effects of mass tourism on the environment where the mountain gorillas live. Mountain gorillas are generally vegetarian, as many people may trample on the vegetation they feed.

From Kigali, you can cross into Uganda by land or by air. On land, you cross into Uganda from Kigali in Rwanda via Cyanika or Gatuna borders. By air, you cross into Uganda from Kigali airport via Entebbe airport.

If you must possess a visa before entering Uganda or Rwanda, purchasing the East African visa is the best option as it allows you to enter at least two East African countries, of which Uganda and Rwanda are members.

Planning the Nkuringo Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari

Book The Gorilla Habituation Experience Permit

To confirm any gorilla safari, you must have a gorilla permit. So far, two gorilla families are open for gorilla habituation experience in Uganda, meaning each day only 8 gorilla habituation permits are available. Gorilla habituation experience gives you extra time with the mountain gorillas so you need to secure the permit in advance as they are limited, yet demand is exceptionally high.

Check for gorilla permit availability first but you must set a date for this adventure and know the number of people you hope to travel with. This reduces the chances of moving back and forth by checking gorilla permit availability. During the peak Uganda tourism season, gorilla permits sell out upfront, so to be safe, you need to secure yours at least 6 months to a year in advance.

How Much Is A Gorilla Habituation Experience Permit? 

Currently, a gorilla habituation experience permit costs $1500 per person for foreign nonresidents, $1000 for foreign residents and 750000shs for East African residents.

 The gorilla habituation experience permit costs the researcher fees, ranger guide fees, security four hour with the mountain gorillas, community support, mountain gorilla conservation, government tax, and certificate after the gorilla habitation adventure.

Exclusions in the gorilla permit cost are accommodation, transport, snacks and any other personal use items.

Secure Accommodation To Use During Gorilla Habituation Adventure

Spending your night in the southern Nkuringo area is the best decision. This is to prevent chances of not getting to the briefing point on the day of the gorilla habituation experience. Besides accommodations in the Nkuringo area, you can also secure accommodation in the Rushaga area, which is close to Nkuringo.

 The accommodations in the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are categorized into Luxury, mid-range and budget.

Southern Bwindi accommodations: NKuringo Gorilla Lodge, Nshongi Camp, Ichumbi Lodge, Clouds Lodge, Bwindi Backpacker's Camp, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Tracker's Tavern

Book Transport To Use when Getting To Nkuringo Area From Kigali

By Road

You can get into Uganda from Kigali via Gatuna or Cyanika borders. The drive from Kigali to Kibale to Kisoro to Nkuringo area is about 5 to 6 hours. Enjoy the scenic undulating highlands you pass by and the meandering roads you drive on.

From Kabale to Nkuringo area is 105 kilometers in about 4 hours.

By Air

From Kigali Airport, you can fly into Entebbe Airport and catch up with the daily domestic flights from Kajjansi Airstrip or Entebbe Airport to Kisoro Airstrip. You can drive to make stopovers at different Uganda safari destinations like Lake Mburo National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Kibale National Park.

You need a transfer vehicle from the Kisoro airstrip to the Nkuringo area.

Reserve Additional Activities To Combine With Gorilla Habituation Experience 

Uganda has several safari destinations you can add to your itinerary. Uganda is a country endowed by nature, and additional activities to combine with your gorilla safari widen your understanding of the country. Within Uganda, you can do chimpanzee trekking, game safaris, white water rafting, birding, launch trips, cultural experiences, scenic viewing and so much more.

You need to pay park fees for national parks where it is required in advance as cash is no longer accepted at the entry gates of most national parks.

When is the best time to book the Gorilla Habituation Experience in Nkuringo?

The gorilla habituation experience in Uganda is all year round, but the dry season is most preferred as there is less precipitation in the wilderness. The mountain gorillas are most active in the dry season, and the ground is drier, allowing quicker movement. 

Other than the mountain gorillas, other primates in the wilderness are also active and may be easier to spot. An array of birds can be spotted, too, including Albertine rift endemics.

The dry season, which is normally June, July, August, September, December, and January, also serves as the peak tourism season. You must reserve the gorilla permits in advance so you do not have to find one at the last minute. The demand for gorilla habituation permits is high in the peak season, yet supply is limited to a maximum of 4 permits per gorilla family.

How Long Is Gorilla Habituation Experience?

The time of the gorilla habituation experience is hard to determine as it depends on factors prevailing in the wilderness. Mountain gorillas are free animals that walk in the forest with nothing stopping them. The time of finding the mountain gorillas depends on the location of the mountain gorillas' feeding area, in case the gorilla family is adventurous, if there is a fight in the wilderness, weather conditions prevailing in the day, and so much more.

As you have to follow the researchers, you need patience because they now have the best information about the mountain gorilla family. It would be best to have some patience to enjoy the entire experience with the mountain gorillas.

Upon finding the mountain gorillas, four hours are allowed with them, and you may be requested to help observe while noting down some of their characters as individuals, collect samples, participate in naming them, and so much more.

Before locating the mountain gorillas, you need to open your mind to other interesting features in the wildernesses to avoid getting bored in case the mountain gorillas are feeding far away.

Is Gorilla Habituation Experience Difficult?

The gorilla habituation experience is quite strenuous as the topography is generally volcanic, with a number of highlands resulting from volcanic action. The remnants of volcanic action may include ridges and plateaus draped by tangled vegetation. Sometimes, the mountain gorillas spend part of their time on the slopes of these highlands or deep in the valleys, which requires some hiking.

This is why you need to do some exercises before the gorilla safari so you do not get muscle pulls while you trek to find the mountain gorillas. It would be best to have some patience as you do gorilla habituation experience because these mountain gorillas are semi-habituated, so they still possess the organic mountain gorilla traits like hiding, hooting, and so much more.

Sometimes, you may be required to creep beneath some vines and get where the mountain gorillas may be. The ranger guide carries a machete to trim some of the obstructing plants in the wilderness.

How Safe is Gorilla Habituation Experience in Nkuringo area?

Gorilla habituation experience is safe despite the fact that you interact with semi-habituated mountain gorillas. In nature, mountain gorillas are calm and serene primates despite their huge body structure and scary outlook. 

You cannot miss observing their shy nature with them, especially when you look into their dark, sunken brown eyes. 

Every day, a team of trackers wakes up early to patrol the forest and establish the overnight spot for the mountain gorillas and possible hangout locations. They also observe the trails to be used by tourists and in case there are snares, they set them disable them or call for assistance. 

At least two ranger guides in the wilderness escort each gorilla habituation safari. One carries a machete and another a rifle for emergencies.

To avoid forgetting anyone in the wilderness, the ranger follows the pace of the slowest trekker. 

Tourists must pay attention to personal safety by only entering the forest with an escorting ranger guide or not deviating from the rest of the tourists. 

Carrying the right gorilla habituating gears like a well-set first aid kit may save a life in case an emergency occurs while on the way. 

What is the age limit For Gorilla Habituation Experience?

15 years and above is the age limit for gorilla habituation experience. The nature of the topography where mountain gorillas live is volcanic, so sometimes you may be required to hike, which a child below this age may need to be in a position to do.

The mountain gorillas look scary at a glance, but you must not show freight upon meeting them; children below 15 years may be unable to withstand this.

The time of returning from the gorilla safari adventure is still being determined which a child below 15 years may only be able to complete. The child may also delay the rest of the tourists, which may cause a disagreement with other tourists. The age limit for gorilla habituation experience is 15 years and beyond to prevent such occurrences.

How Must I Behave While With The Mountain Gorillas During Gorilla Habituation Experience?

• No one with a communicable infection like cough, flu, diarrhoea, covid-19 is allowed to visit the mountain gorillas.
• When with the mountain gorillas, stay in a tight group to avoid making them feel ambushed. Mountain gorillas fear intruders in their space.
• When meeting them, keep a gap of about 8 meters from the mountain gorillas. This is one of the measures taken to reduce the spreading of diseases to their gentle giants.
• Provoking or mimicking the mountain gorillas is forbidden because you may agitate them causing them to run into hiding.
• When mountain gorillas move closer to where you are, stealthily retreat to keep the required gap between you and the mountain gorillas.
• If you wish to smoke or drink, do it away from the mountain gorillas so as not to entice them to pick it from you. They are wild animals that must not depend on human provision. 
• If you have to sneeze or cough, do it away from the mountain gorillas so as not to pass any germs to the mountain gorillas. They are highly susceptible to human infections.
• Bury any human faeces in a hole dug at least 30 centimeters and cover well beyond human recognition. 
• Never dump litter in the wilderness, or in case you come across anything indecomposable, do pick it up so that it can be burnt. We need to protect the mountain gorilla habitats because it's where these primates thrive.
• Avoid spitting on the vegetation or the ground as this is unhygienic and may pass an infection to the mountain gorillas.
• When with the mountain gorillas, avoid making loud noises or sudden movements in the wilderness because you may agitate the mountain gorillas.
• Only persons aged 15 years and beyond are allowed with the mountain gorillas. The time to locate the mountain gorillas is still being determined, which a child below 15 years may not withstand.
• Only four hours are allowed with the mountain gorillas when you locate them. Later, you can allow them to go about their day-to-day activities.

Contact us to plan your gorilla habituation experience today.