Planning a Gorilla habituation experience for Christmas day

When you decide to spend Christmas day on a gorilla habituation experience safari in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, be sure to reserve the gorilla permit in advance. Christmas holiday is a time to make merry, and indeed, sharing it with the only mountain gorillas in the world is remarkable. The festive season is peak tourism season in Uganda so demand for the gorilla permits is over the top too.

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Gorilla habituation experience is an adventure where tourists escort a team of researchers and ranger guides in the wilderness to have four hours if taking notes, observing and collecting information about the mountain gorillas. At the moment, the southern sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the only home to two semi-habituated gorilla families open for habituation experience. so far

Ensure you book the gorilla habituation experience permit up front because they sell out fast especially during the high season. Maximum 4 gorilla habituation experience permits are available per day per family.

Reserve accommodation to use during gorilla habituation experience as options of categories luxury, mid-range and budget facilities are limited. Booking accommodation in the southern sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the right option to avoid waking up early in the morning to drive in the dark to get to the briefing point. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has four areas under which gorilla permits are booked that is Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo and Rushaga.

Book transport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park as there are two options from Kampala or Entebbe to the gorilla safari destination: road or air transport. All these require advance booking, especially during the festive season, because the competition for safari vehicles in good condition plus professional and experienced driver guides is high.

How to plan For Gorilla Habituation experience on Christmas Day

Book gorilla habituation permit for 25th December 

Reserving your gorilla permit for Christmas day in advance, at least 6 months to a year upfront, is important. This is because the gorilla permits sell out fast, and the majority are booked at least 6 months to a year upfront.

Having access to last-minute gorilla habituation experience permits is hard because of the overwhelming demand for them, especially those for the festive season. 

At Encounter Africa Safaris, through our tour consultants, we can assist you in checking availability, booking your gorilla habituation permit, and reserving the permit. We need some of these details first that is the number of people traveling with not to keep moving back and forth with checking availability in case you have company and the ages of the tourists.

Upon receiving your enquiry, our tour consultant checks gorilla permit availability from the list of Uganda Wildlife Authority and then gets back to you.

As soon as availability is confirmed, we advise clients to purchase the gorilla habituation permit as soon as possible. As a Uganda Wildlife Authority policy, no gorilla permit is preserved without payment yet first come first served basis is used to secure these permits.

Later, you need to forward us some personal information to add to the gorilla permit card that is your full names as presented on the passport, date of birth, nationality, passport expiry date and others.

What is the cost of a gorilla habituation experience permit?

The current cost of a gorilla habituation permit is $1500 for foreign nonresidents, $1000 for foreign residents, and 750,000 for East Africans.

This gorilla habituation permit cost covers park entrance fees, ranger guide fees, security, certificate after the adventure, government tax, mountain gorilla conservation, support to the local community, four hours of mountain gorilla viewership and others.

Exclusions in the cost of gorilla habituation experience permit cost include tips, porter hire, accommodation, transport and personal expenses.

Book accommodation for the Gorilla habituation experience safari

Secure accommodation to be used during the gorilla safari immediately after confirming the gorilla habituation permit. This is because accommodation options run out as days draw closer. This is because of the high tourist influx into Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to have holidays in such a relaxing and not overcrowded African safari destination.

It is best to reserve Bwindi accommodations in the southern part that is Nkuringo and Rushaga area. There are categories of accommodations in this area: luxury, mid-range and budget.

Southern Bwindi accommodations: Clouds Lodge, Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Safari Lodge, Trekker's Tarven, Bwindi Backpackers' Camp, Nshongi Camp, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge

Reserve Transport To Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 

By road

You can travel to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by road from Entebbe or Kampala. Different routes lead to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, so you need an experienced driver guide with knowledge of the conditions of these roads. During the severe rainy seasons, some of the roads to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park could be more impassable.

Reserve a 4x4 wheel drive vehicle in great condition to navigate the countryside's slippery and winding roads. Christmas time is peak season so you need to hire a vehicle upfront.

From Entebbe or Kampala the drive time to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is about 8 to 9 hours. 

By Air

Daily domestic flights to Kisoro airstrip and vehicle transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are available. You need to reserve a seat on the flights so as not to get disappointed at the last minute. You can cut short the drive time by getting on the daily domestic flights to Kisoro for about 1 hour and half to two hours flight. Later, you need a transfer vehicle from Kisoro airstrip to your lodge taking about 1 hour and 15 minutes drive. 

Charter flight services are available too for more private travel.

Select additional activities to combine with gorilla habituation experience. 

Uganda is rich with great safari destinations you can combine with gorilla habituation experience. You can engage in chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park, game drives and launch trips in Queen Elizabeth National Park, relax at Lake Bunyonyi, visit the source of River Nile, and do white water rafting on the River Nile, to mention but a few. 

With all these Uganda safari activities, you need extra safari days to get the best experience.

Pack the right gorilla habituation gears.

While you plan for a gorilla habituation adventure on Christmas day, ensure you pack the right gear. Gorilla habituation experience happens in the wild where you have to walk in the jungle. Sometimes, you may be required to hike the slippery slopes, so you must be ready for such conditions.

It would help if you packed the right safari gear like safari boots, safari foldable hats, garden gloves, warmers, and so much more. No need to over pack as this may be of great inconvenience to you but pack relevantly.

Do Exercises in advance of gorilla habituation

The terrain of the jungle is rugged as a result of volcanic action in this area. Sometimes you may be required to hike on the slopes or deep on the valley in order to locate the mountain gorillas. These primates may spend part of their day time on the slopes or deep in the valleys. It would help if you found them but some level of fitness is required.

You can engage in some exercises in order to find the mountain gorilla, but there is no need to do vigorous exercises. Stretch your muscles a little more than usual as you plan for this safari. This saves you from getting muscle pulls or delaying the rest of the tourists.

When Is The Best Time To Book A Gorilla Habituation Permit For Christmas Day?

Booking the gorilla permits at least 6 months to a year upfront saves you from getting disappointed at the last minute when permits are sold out. The maximum number of gorilla habituation experience permits opened to public booking per day is 4 per family, yet two gorilla families are open for this experience.

According to Uganda Wildlife Authority, Gorilla permits can be purchased in full or in installments. To qualify for instalment gorilla habituation permit purchase, you must have booked the permit before 90 days to trekking date and remember to top up before 90 days to trekking date. Failure to comply with this policy calls for a penalty.

Is Gorilla Habituation Experience Tiresome?

Gorilla habituation experience is tiresome because of the nature of the terrain where these primates spend there day. This being a volcanic area with ridges and plateaus where the mountain gorillas sometimes spend there time, tourists have to hike to get to them.

This may be a challenging move in case you are unfit, so some fitness is required. You may hire a sedan chair service in case you have a physical disability at an affordable fee. This requires advance booking.

What Is The Return Time After Gorilla Habituation Experience?

Return time after gorilla habituation experience adventure is hard to determine just like locating the mountain gorillas. Finding the mountain gorillas depends on factors like where their feeding spot is, the death of a family member, the pace of fellow tourists, and others.

Upon locating the mountain gorilla during the gorilla habituation experience, only four hours are allowed with them. During these four hours, you may be asked by the researchers to collect some samples, observe and note down some characteristics of these primates, and take photos of these primates and others.

After the time with the mountain gorillas retreat away slowly in order not to cause any suspension about your presence.

Are Mountain Gorillas Under Habituation Experience Aggressive?

Naturally, mountain gorillas are serene primates, even those that are semi-habituated. These mountain gorillas may present odd behavior like thumping their chests, walking on one foot, and hooting, but do not panic. Wait for the ranger guide and researchers to establish the root cause of the matter.

When you locate the mountain gorillas, do not stare into their dark brown eyes because they are generally shy. Try to desist from doing anything that can agitate the mountain gorillas because they will run into hiding. Follow keenly the rules of gorilla habituation experience given during the briefing.

How safe is the gorilla habituation experience?

The gorilla habituation experience is safe because these mountain gorillas are first habituated before allowing public visits. Each team of habituators is in company of researchers and ranger guides with background experience about the gorilla family under habituation. They know how to deal with this gorilla family in case they are in charge.

Each party of tourists is first briefed and a must attend before entering the forest to search for the mountain gorillas.

As a tourist, you must follow the rules of gorilla habituation experience and pay attention to the instructions given by the ranger guides while in the forest.

What to Pack For Gorilla Habituation Experience?

• Garden gloves to protect your palms from touching stinging nettles and other rough surfaces.
• A pair of Binoculars to bring a closer view of far-ranging objects.
• Sunscreen to smear your entire body and protect your skin from sun rays 
• A foldable hat to protect your hair from dripping water off the tree leaves
• Extra fully charged batteries to exchange with in case one runs low.
• A fleece or sweater because it gets cold during the morning and late evenings. 
• Travel An adapter and charger in case you need them for your electronic equipment.
• A torch to use in the nights when lights go out.
• Raincoat in case it rains during gorilla habituation experience 
• Comfortable shoes to use when searching in the jungle and for the safety of your feet while in the wilderness.  
• Sunglasses to use for protecting your eyes from dripping water from the leaves and buzzing insects
• Medicated Insect repellant for covering your skin from stinging insects 
• Bug spray to use in case bugs invade you
• Safari convertible trousers and shirt for protecting your body against rough jungle surfaces like biting nettles.
• The camera to use when taking photos of the gorilla habituation experience and other activities you combine with. 
•  First aid kit with emergency medication in case you need it.

Do you plan on spending more time with the mountain gorillas? Contact us for more information, and let us plan your safari with you today.