Gorilla Habituation In 2025 – 2026 is best done in Uganda. This little gem of a country (Uganda) is home to over half of the total mountain gorilla population which currently stands at about 1,036 mountain gorillas surviving in the entire world.
What is Mountain Gorilla Habituation?
Mountain gorilla habituation is the process of making a family of wild gorillas get used to human visits. During habituation, daily visits are done by a team of researchers, rangers and local trackers. The entire process of habituating a gorilla Family might last well over two (02) years. As time passes, the gorillas become more welcoming to regulated human visits, and it is at this point that the team of researchers, rangers, and local trackers declare it safe for Tourists to visit. After the habituation process, a maximum of 08 tourists will be permitted to visit (track/trek) this particular gorilla group or family on a guided adventure safari dubbed Gorilla Trekking. On finding the Gorillas, the tourists are allowed a maximum of 01-hour with the gorilla family or Group. However, for the more discerning travellers wishing to take part in the habituation Process, there are currently two (02) gorilla families undergoing habituation in Bwindi Forest (Rushaga & Nkuringo sectors). A Gorilla Habituation permit is required, and there is only 04 permits are available for tourists visiting each family. This brings the total number of gorilla habituation permits available for purchase on a daily to 08.
What to expect of Gorilla Habituation in Bwindi
Gorilla Habituation unlike the traditional 01-hour Gorilla trekking experience is a more intimate small-group experience (Maximum of 04 tourists per group) with the gorillas. Mountain Gorilla Habituation starts a lot earlier than gorilla trekking (6/6:30 am) and goes on for a few hours up until the team locates the group you are visiting. you’ll be allowed up to a maximum of 04 hours with a group/family of semi-habituated gorillas. Your trekking group will be mainly dominated by researchers, rangers, and local trackers. These provide a wealth of information to you during and after the trek. In our opinion, there is greater value in doing Gorilla Habituation than there is in the traditional 01-hour gorilla treks.
Learn more about how the 04-hour Gorilla Habituation experience compares with the traditional 01-hour Gorilla Trek.
What is the cost of a Gorilla Habituation Permit in 2025 – 2026?
Mountain gorilla habituation permits for 2025 – 2026 cost;
- $1,500 per person Foreign non-residents.
- $1,000 per person/permit Foreign Residents.
- Uganda Shillings (UGX) 750,000 per person for East Africans (Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi & Southern Sudan).
Note: Gorilla habituation in Uganda can only be done in Bwindi Forest National Park
How to book my Gorilla Habituation permits in 2025 – 2026
The best, easiest and yet safest way to book/reserve a Mountain Gorilla Habituation permit in 2025 – 2026 is through a reputable local tour operator like Realm Africa Safaris™.
The process is simple, all you need to do is send us an email with a choice of date(s) on which you would prefer to go gorilla trekking. For instance 01st -January 2024.
Also, send a copy of your passport (bios page).
Learn More about Why your passport details are important.
We will then contact UWA or RDB to check if there are still gorilla Permits available for the date(s) of interest.
We’ll then get back to you with a response on whether or not there are permits available. Assuming they are available, the tour operator will then advise on how you should pay for your gorilla Permit. This depends on whether you are purchasing an all-inclusive Gorilla Trekking Holiday or only want the tour operator to buy the Gorilla permit and you arrange the rest of your tour – ask for my opinion, and I will say buy the all-inclusive tour as it saves you the hassle of having to figure things out, and reduces your chances of getting things completely wrong.
Caution: The DIY (do it yourself) process might seem cheaper at the start, but can turn out to be alot more costly if you get one or two things wrong….you’ll be surely screwed.
Mountain Gorilla Permits in Uganda cost $800 per permit and $1,500 per permit in Rwanda. If you want the operator to only assist you to buy the Gorilla Permit, then they will and an extra service fee charge of between $50 – $100 per permit. Otherwise, if you are buying an all-inclusive Gorilla Tour, then they will not charge extra on the purchase of the permit – it will be one cost for organizing your entire trip. For instance, Realm Africa Safaris™ will charge you $1,280per person sharing for a 3-day all-inclusive road trip to Bwindi which includes a gorilla permit ($800pp), accommodation, meals, transport in a 4×4 Toyota Landcruiser driven by an experienced local Safari guide. However, if you contacted us to arrange just the gorilla Permit(s), we would ask you to pay $800 per person for Uganda or $1,500 per permit for Rwanda Plus an extra service fee of $50 per permit.
Once we receive your payment(s) for the permit(s), they will make the payment and have your W printed out and sent to you.
When is the best time to go for Gorilla Habituation in 2025 – 2026?
The Best time for Gorilla habituation in 2025 – 2026 is the drier months;
- June, July & August – June and July are the driest months in most of the south, but it can still rain. Average temperatures hover around 27°C/81°F in the afternoon and 16°C/61°F in the morning. …
- December, January & February – Most of the south has less rainfall, but still more when compared to June and July.
If our opinion matters, we would recommend June and July as the Best time for Gorilla Habituation Experience Safaris in Uganda. Much as the gorilla habituation exercise is generally physically demanding, it’s a lot easier to trek up and down the steep slopes (tangled with vegetation) during the drier months as opposed to the rainy months when the grounds get extremely slippery.
However, for enthusiastic travellers, Gorilla habituation is an all-year-round activity – making any time okay for you to travel to Uganda for the Gorilla Habituation Experience.
What to pack for gorilla habituation Safari in 2025 – 2026
- Hiking Boots. Buy boots that go above your ankles – they protect you from strains.
- Garden Gloves. These protect your hands – they are important.
- Rain Jacket. Doesn’t matter if you are trekking in the dry or wet season.
- Long Sleeved Shirt or Blouse. The sleeves protect your arms.
- Energy Giving snacks. You might use some extra sugar during your trek.
- Cameras and extra batteries. Unless you don’t care to keep the memories.
- Hat or bandana. This covers your head and stops bugs from falling Into your hair.
- Pair of Binoculars. You might hear the sound of a bird high up in the canopy – these come in handy.
- A couple of Face masks. These are to prevent you from either passing on or contracting disease during the trek.
