After an early breakfast at 5.30 am, take a short drive of about 1 hour to the Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for your Gorilla Habituation Experience. The resort will provide a packed lunch to enjoy during your adventure.
Unlike standard gorilla trekking, the habituation experience allows you to spend up to four hours with a semi-habituated gorilla family.
These gorillas recognize regular trackers but are still learning to accept new human visitors. Each day, expert rangers spend hours observing them to gently accustom them to human presence. Your participation helps support this ongoing conservation process.
The experience begins by tracing signs such as footprints, broken branches, or discarded vegetation from where the gorillas nested the previous night. The trek is exhilarating — through thick forest, muddy trails, and steep terrain — but immensely rewarding.
Once you locate the gorillas, you will spend time observing them at close range (approximately seven meters away). These semi-habituated gorillas are often more active and unpredictable than fully habituated ones, adding to the excitement and authenticity of the experience.
Your trackers will guide you on safety etiquette, such as maintaining calm body language and avoiding direct eye contact, especially if a silverback displays dominance or mock charges. When the gorillas settle, you’ll mirror their behavior — crouching, pretending to forage, or even mimicking their low rumbling sounds of contentment. To have a gorilla respond to your vocalization is truly one of the most profound wildlife encounters imaginable.
After your unforgettable four-hour habituation session, return to Mutanda Lake Resort to relax, enjoy dinner, and recount the day’s incredible memories.
Accommodation: Mutanda Lake Resort – Luxury Cottage
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner