Spend more time with the Mountain Gorilla on this Safari
3-Day Luxury Fly-In Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari in the Rushaga Area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Spend an unforgettable day with the Mountain Gorillas on this 3-Day Luxury Fly-In Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari while staying at the exclusive Clouds Mountain Lodge or the upmarket Gorilla Safari Lodge. Explore Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in 2019 CNN Travel, named as the most beautiful place in the world. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to half of the remaining Mountain Gorillas.
Our 3-Day Luxury Fly-In Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari takes place in Rushaga in the Southern area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It is a 90-minute flight, and your Gorilla Encounter is a full-day Trek.
The Gorilla Habituation Experience means more time with the Gentle Giants. Instead of one hour on a regular trek, you are with them for up to four hours. Instead of eight participants, there are a maximum of four.
You have more time with the gentle giants of the forest. You are not an observer but a participant in the habituation process, which takes two years or longer. The Gorilla Habituation Experience is a time of learning beyond a regular Gorilla Trek.
Your 3-Day Luxury Fly-In Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari Highlights:
- Scenic Flight: To Kisoro from Entebbe with Aerolink Safari Airline.
- Land Cruiser Safari Vehicle: with an experienced safari driver-guide.
- Luxury Lodge: Full-Board lodging at Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge or Four Gorillas Safari Lodge.
- Gorilla Habituation Experience\: All-Day Trek and 4-Hours with a Gorilla Family. Permits are included in Safari Price.
- Porter Services: Are included as well as walking sticks, bottled water, and facial masks for the gorilla Encounter.
- Forest Walk with the first people of the forest: See the forest through the eyes of its first people, the Batwa people.
Arrival Day in Entebbe:
You will be met upon your arrival at Entebbe International Airport, where we will take you to the Hotel of your choice that is close to the airport. We will arrange the hotel along with your pickup.
Your 3-Day Fly-In Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari in Detail:
Day 1 – Fly to Kisoro – South Bwindi Impenetrable Forest:
Your driver guide will pick you up at the Hotel at 5:40 am and drive you to the airport for a 7 am departure. You will be flying with AeroLink on one of their Cessna Grand Caravan planes flying you to Kisoro Airport on a 90-minute scenic flight.
You need to pack wisely since there is a 15 kg weight limit, and excess weight charges are six dollars per kilo. We suggest you wear your trekking boots on the flight and not put them into your luggage, and duffel bags are recommended but not required.
There is one short stop to your flight in Kihihi, which serves the northern area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and where there is no Gorilla Habituation Experience.
As you pass over the Gorilla Highlands, the final flight from Kihihi to Kisoro is the most scenic portion. It would be best if you had your camera out since there are some great photo opportunities.
On arrival in Kisoro, your driver-guide will meet you and drive you to either Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge or the Gorilla Safari Lodge. A trip that will be about forty minutes in length.
Choose your Lodge for your Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari
The Exclusive Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge:
The Lodge is in Nkuringo, a quaint village at the edge of the southern area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Clouds Mountain is most appropriate since it is the highest Lodge in Uganda at 7,000 feet above sea level. It is also one of Uganda’s most exclusive and luxurious lodges.
Sweeping views of the Virunga Volcano Chain and the hilly Bwindi Impenetrable Forest await you. The Lodge gives you that extra touch for your Gorilla Encounter Experience.
The Lodge is built of local volcanic stone, making Clouds Mountain an attractive lodge with a vast, open main building and awe-inspiring views across Rwanda and DR Congo volcanoes. With exposed wooden beams and floor-to-ceiling windows, the lounge is full of large sofas and chairs with giant squashy cushions in shades of cream and terracotta. The dining room is adjacent to the lounge with solid wood furnishings, paintings, and sculptures by renowned Ugandan Artists.
There are ten cottages, two of which have two bedrooms. They all have a living room and a fireplace to add warmth during those colder Bwindi Nights. Your butler and house cleaner provide services. The meals here are most often almost celebratory occasions with African-Fusion Meals that are fantastic. Local drinks, including house wines, are included. Let us know if you want to stay at Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge.
Four Gorillas Lodge
Stay at the Luxury Four Gorillas Lodge – the Affordable Luxury Lodge for your Gorilla Trek or Gorilla Habituation Experience in the Rushaga area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The Lodge overlooks the primeval Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. You can see primates, birds, and wildlife right from the balcony of your cottage as you have your morning cup of Ugandan coffee or a sundowner at sunset.
The newer Rushaga Luxury Four Gorillas Lodge is a welcomed upmarket addition providing trekkers with an away-from-it feel adjacent to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest with scenic views of the lush rainforest from both the main-loge area where you will find the restaurant and bar to the cottages.
The Lodge is a blend of modernity with traditional architecture and decor, providing a comfortable setting where you are surrounded by subdued elegance with Bwindi Impenetrable Forest so near you. Read more here.
Afternoon – Buniga Forest Walk with the Batwa Pygmies:
The Buniga Batwa Forest Walk is an interactive Hike with the First People of the Forest, the Batwa Pygmies.
They have lived in the forest for thousands of years until they were evicted in 1991 as parks were formed. This was done at the insistence of Conservationists and the Government in 1991.
The Africa Conservation Society started this Forest Walk. They realized that preserving the Culture and Ways of the Batwa lived in harmony with nature and left a small ecological footprint.
They will show you how they hunted and gathered some of the workings quite effectively, including medicine for various ailments. This is a 2-hour activity, and a Batwa Village Visit can be added, time permitting.
Please Note: you can relax at the Lodge, take a walk if you like, include a guided village walk, or enjoy one of our Gorilla Reads about the area. Read more about the Buniga Forest walk here.
Meal Plan: Lunch – Dinner
Day 2 – Gorilla Habituation Experience Trek:
Gorilla Wear and Gear you will need:
- Daypack: Preferably a waterproof daypack, you can use it as a carry-on flying to Uganda. Pack all essentials inside the daypack.
- Hiking Boots: Make sure that they have good treads on them. You will need ankle support, something boots give you and give you reactions on muddy trails. Have a good pair of merino wool socks.
- Long Trouser: They will protect you from nettles and thorns. Tuck the trousers into your socks for added protection from ants.
- Long-Sleeved Shirt: Neutral in color. Again, this is for your comfort and protection.
- Rain Jacket or Poncho: Pack into your daypack. You never know when it will train. You are in an Afro-montane Rainforest.
- Tough Gardening Gloves: This is to protect your hands from thorns, nettles, and sharp branches.
- Wide Brimmed Hat: It gives you protection from the Sun.
- Facial Mask: You will need to wear a facial mask in the presence of the gorillas and your and their protection.
- Camera Equipment – Binoculars: Ensure extra batteries and storage devices. Put them into Ziploc bags. Binoculars are not needed if you are not a birder.
- Packed Lunch and Bottled Water: You will need your packed lunch from the Lodge and two liters of bottled water.
- Insect Repellent – Sun Lotion – Sunglasses: We recommend the effective Australian RID Insect Repellent. Good Sun blocker cream and sunglasses.
- You will need a Porter and Walking Stick: The services of a porter free you on the often-difficult trail, and a local walking stick helps you and steadies you on the often-challenging path. We supply our clients with both.
Read more about Gorilla Gear and Wear here.
There will be a short orientation on how to conduct yourself on the Trek and in the presence of the gorillas.
Your Gorilla Habituation Experience trek begins as you enter the forest and hit the trail. The length of the day is determined by today’s location of the gorilla family being habituated. The trail may be challenging at times; however, you have the assistance of a porter. We suggest that participants prepare for this Trek by taking walks and hikes in their home country before the Safari. Read more about Gorilla Trekking Fitness here.
As you reach the gorilla family, please observe the rules of the ranger leading your group. While you are with the gorilla family, you are now participating in the habituation experience. The process of the gorillas becoming used to being around humans and a process that takes two years or longer.
Today, you have entered the world of a gorilla family. You are an observer in their living room. Life for them goes as if you were not there. Your day will also be enhanced by the rangers and researchers who give you further insights into gorilla family life,
You make the Trek back to the trailhead, where your driver guide meets you and takes you to your Lodge for the evening.
Meal Plan: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Day 3 – Return to Entebbe via Aerolink:
Breakfast, and you are taken to the Kisoro Airport, where you catch the flight to Entebbe that arrives before lunchtime in Entebbe. You can add Chimpanzee trekking to this Safari since the flight has a stopover in Kasese. From there, it is only a 60-minute drive to Kibale Forest, where the best Chimpanzee Trekking in East Africa takes place.
Arriving at Entebbe, you will be met by your driver-guide, who will handle your schedule for today.
Meal Plan: Breakfast
What is included in this 3-Day Fly-In Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari?
- Experienced Ugandan Driver-Guide: A Safari becomes more enjoyable when you go with a knowledgeable and professional Local Driver-Guide.
- Flights: Flights with Aerolink Safari Airline are included
- Greet and Meet at Airport upon arrival: We provide meet and greet services, including a welcome gift and Safari Informational Packet.
- Full-Board Lodging: All meals are included except alcoholic drinks, sodas, and snacks that you might order apart from meals. Some luxury Lodges have non-premium alcoholic beverages and sodas.
- Private 4×4 Land Cruiser Safari Vehicle with pop-Up Roof: The vehicle has a car fridge, WiFi, and bottled Water.
- Gorilla Trekking: Gorilla Habituation Experience Permits are included in your Safari. Additionally, we provide porter services, a walking stick for support, and bottled water. Read our Practical Gorilla Trekking Advice:
- WiFi Internet Access: Most Lodges only provide a WiFi Internet Connection in the main lodge. We offer you a MiFi Router that gives you and your party access to the internet in your cottage or room, depending on nearby transmission towers. Read Staying in touch with home.
- Spanish, French, Italian, German, Russian, Mandarin, Arabic Speaking Driver-Guides: At an extra cost.
- Your Dietary Needs can be met: Notify us if you are a vegan, vegetarian, or need a gluten-free diet. Halala dietary requirements can be met in most instances. Strictly kosher nutritional requirements cannot be met on safari. a.
- ;Automatic AMREF-Flying Doctors Air-Medivac Insurance coverage: Our clients have covered in the case of a rare need for medical evacuation to a hospital that meets international standards.
Not included: Visas, Travel Insurance, Tips, drinks at lodges such as Alcoholic drinks and sodas, extra day option.
Contact Us about this 3-Day Luxury Fly-In Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari:
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