Gorillas are ranked among the renowned tourist attractions on planet earth. Characterized by gigantic, well-built muscular bodies gorillas are fascinating beasts to behold and the experience is even made more meaningful as there are few countries where you can encounter them. All these countries are in Africa and include Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. These are considered the best destinations since they harbor the legendary mountain gorillas of Africa.
A one-on-one encounter with these gentle giants is listed by guests who get an opportunity to be standing in their presence as one of the grandest experiences to partake before one leaves earth. Although gorillas are usually portrayed by most people for instance in comical books or movies as fierce and dangerous animals, these creatures are honestly a few of the most peaceful and nonviolent beasts in the wild as compared to other animals for example elephants or hippos.
Because of their uniqueness and status of being endangered, gorillas are sought after by countless guests for different purposes for example researchers or just normal people intrigued by the thought of encountering a gorilla face to face in its natural habitat. In order to achieve these visitors usually have to book gorilla permits that allow them to have an exhilarating adventure where you trek tricky trails, thick rain-forest and fight off the heat or rain to meet the magical creatures.
The gorilla habituation permits allow visitors to have an opportunity of a lifetime to encounter, interact and appreciate the pure beauty of the gorillas in the wild. Gorillas live in groups called families and permits are allocated to a particular family. A normal trekking permit allows up to 8 individuals who are only permitted an hour to visit the gorillas.
Meanwhile the gorilla habituation permit only accommodates four people, but provides a guest with more time to monitor a particular gorilla family but at a higher price.
Gorilla trekking is one of the most pursued activities for most travelers coming to Africa for a safari or vacation. This involves embarking on a 3 to 6hours adventure through the usually thick undergrowth, challenging treks and heat or rain to meet the gorillas. The time is majorly dependent on the movement of gorillas from they were last spotted. This starts with a briefing at park headquarters and the session involves being updated with the rules and guidelines while you are on the trek.
These include not making personal contact with the animals, not littering in the park, not feeding the animals, if one has the flu or cold they are required to abstain from trekking since gorillas can easily contract diseases like these from humans than can prove to be fatal and that only 8 individuals are allowed to go on this expedition.
After the briefing, the trekkers head into the jungle in search of the magnificent beasts and once you meet them you are only permitted one hour with them.
Gorilla habituation is the process of familiarizing wild gorillas with the presence of human beings. Researchers spend time with a wild unhabituated gorilla family and helps it become comfortable with the presence of seeing a human being. A fully habituated family is then finally made open to be visited by trekkers on a gorilla trekking safari in the respective parks.
This is almost the same as gorilla trekking though differs in the number of visitors accepted and the permit price. Only four individuals are permitted to visit a gorilla family while 8 people are accepted to visit a gorilla family during trekking. The experience however is only offered in Bwindi impenetrable national park of Uganda, after being incorporated in 2016. Gorilla habituation involves the few blessed guests to accompany researchers to Rushaga gorilla sector where you spend more time with the mountain gorillas.
Trekkers here spend four hours as opposed to one hour with the gorillas and observe as gorilla habituation process takes place. This is another glorious experience and more rewarding than the normal gorilla trekking. Gorilla habituation also costs slightly more than normal gorilla trekking. Gorilla habituation permits cost 1500$ per person while a normal gorilla trekking permit is priced at 700$.
Visitors interested in gorilla habituation experience can always secure their permits to Bwindi national park and this also comes with an added advantage of less competition for permits more raw exhilarating experience of encountering wild gorilla family than the habituated ones.
Book your gorilla habituation permit and await to embark on an unforgettable safari experience found only in Uganda’s Bwindi impenetrable national park.
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