Gorilla Trekking vs Gorilla Habituation

Gorilla Trekking vs Gorilla Habituation: The different between gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation will be in terms of aspects like price, experience, length or time visited and many other things. According to gorilla trekking it involves in a group of 8 people accompanied with the park ranger who leads you through forest trails in search for the already habituated gorilla families in their jungle to spend one hour with them. Then gorilla habituation involves in training gorillas for under 1 to 2 years’ process so as to make them interact with people for long hours. Both gorilla trekking and habituation offers a remarkable experience.

Below are some of the different between gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation that would prove out a little more about each of the activities and choices you may opt for if you don’t want to do both;

Prices

Both activities have different prices tourists who wish to engage in gorilla trekking must be having a gorilla permit sold at USD700 for foreign nonresidents ,USD600 for foreign residents and UGX250,000 for East African Citizens while permits for gorilla habituation costs USD1,500 for foreign non-residents ,USD 1000 for foreign residents and UGX 750,000 for East African citizens .These permits can be booked or purchased at the ‘’UWA’’ Uganda Wildlife Authority offices or through a trusted tour operator with registered company. So we advise you to always book your preferred gorilla permit in advance before 6 months of your arrival in Uganda

Number of people for each activity;

Uganda gorilla trekking is done in Bwindi Impenetrable national park that allows only 8 people to trek a single gorilla family per day whereas gorilla habituation allows 4 individuals per gorilla family. This is to minimize spread of infections and stressing out of the gorillas

Length of the activities;

Gorilla trekking experience is unpredictable can take between 2 to 8 hours while trekking depending on their movements and after locating them visitors are given one hour to spend with them in the presence of the habituated family while gorilla habituation allows tourists to spend four full hours in the presence of these creatures undergoing the habituation process.

Gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation both requires an escort. A gorilla trekking activity need only a trained guide and ranger who accompanies them in the forest in search for this gentle giants while gorilla habituation experience requires to move with researchers, rangers, habituation experts and doctors. This is because the gorillas undergoing the habituation process are still wild and undertaking a series of learning procedures so visitors need these experts that are more knowledgeable enough to this creature to be with them during the gorilla habituation experience.

Number of gorilla families available;

There so far 21 fully habituated gorilla families in the four sectors of Uganda Bwindi Impenetrable national park and one gorilla family in Mgahinga Gorilla national park that tourist can be selective for trek on their trip to Uganda primate’s safari. Currently 2 gorilla families have been put aside for gorilla habituation experience found in the southern sector of the park.

Age Limit;

The age limit is recommended for both activities only 15 years old and above are allowed to engage in gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation and this is because of the reaction they can scream or be frightened and end up failing to make through the trek. The childhood diseases like flu, malaria, diarrhea that they carry which can threat to the gorillas as the gorillas can easily be infected with them.

Best time to visit

Travelers can visit Bwindi Impenetrable national park to take part in either gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation both throughout the year. But the best time must be in drier seasons that runs through the months of June –September and Mid-December-February are the most awesome seasons to visit the park, when the roads are passable and forest trails are easy to be accessed.

Rules and regulations for gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation

Both rules and regulations for gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation are the same and tourists are advised to follow them at all times for their own safety and conservation of the great mountain gorillas. As listed below;

Travelers should not be sick or have any infection

Keep 7 meters’ distance away from mountain gorillas

Do not look straight in the eyes of gorillas

Minimum age for both activities is 15 years

Keep low voices while in the forest trekking

Do not litter rubbish in the park

Flash disc cameras are not allowed

Do not eat, drink or smoke close to gorillas

Stay in tight groups

For a gainful gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation experience, travelers are advised to carry the recommended essential items such as long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, hand gloves prevents you from touching sharp tree branches and muddy, rain jackets, energy giving snacks, rubber hiking boots among others.

Both gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation are quite amazing activities as you get close to your cousins said to be 98% DNA that lives in Bwindi Impenetrable national park renowned for hosting the largest population of mountain gorillas in the world. The different between gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation should help you on what to do, if not both of them and whatever choice you want, have a trustworthy tour operator for help.