5 Days mountain gorillas and golden monkey habituation tour

The 5 days Uganda mountain gorillas and golden monkey habituation is one of the best recommended primate safari for a person that wants a short guided safari in Uganda to see mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. This primate safari can be combined with a savannah wildlife safari to Kenya and Tanzania. This Uganda mountain gorilla and golden monkey habituation safari will take you into the misty bamboo forest of Mgahinga gorilla national park of the Virungas conservation area for an excursion to habituate golden monkeys and Bwindi impenetrable forest national park for mountain gorilla habituation experience. On this 5 days Uganda mountain gorilla and golden monkey habituation safari, you will be allowed to spend four hours with the beautiful golden monkeys and endangered mountain gorillas see rare species of birds and other primates within the forest canopy.

Safari Highlights of the 5 Days mountain gorillas and golden monkey habituation tour

• Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe international airport – Meet and greet and transfer to your booked hotel in Entebbe
• Day 2: Entebbe town – Transfer to Mgahinga gorilla national park
• Day 3: Golden monkey habituation experience – Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park
• Day 4: Mountain gorilla habituation safari – spend your evening relaxing
• Day 5: Bwindi impenetrable forest national park – Return to Entebbe international airport

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe international airport – Meet and greet and transfer to your booked hotel

On your arrival at the Entebbe international airport, you will find a representative from Africa Adventure Vacation at the airport guest waiting lounge waiting for you for a meet and greet, pick you up and then transfer you to your booked hotel in Entebbe town to check in, freshen yourself and meet our representative at the hotel reception to brief you on the 5 Days mountain gorillas and golden monkey habituation tour. Later have dinner and an overnight.

NB; if time allows, spend the evening relaxing at the beach on the shores of Lake Victoria to enjoy fresh breezes from Lake Victoria and spotting some water birds as well as getting used to the Uganda’s beautiful nature. Lake Victoria is the largest water body in Africa and second largest world’s fresh water body. Lake Victoria is shared by three Countries (Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya) and the source of the River Nile which is the world’s longest river flowing for more than 6,600 kilometers (4,100 miles) from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean Sea in the north through several African countries these include Uganda, Egypt Ethiopia, Sudan, and South Sudan.

Accommodation; Via Via Guest House (Standard), 2 Friends Beach Hotel (Mid-range), Protea Hotel by Marriott Entebbe (Luxury)

Meal plan; Dinner

Day 2: Entebbe town – Drive to Mgahinga gorilla national park

Wake up very in the morning at (0600 am) to pack your luggage, have breakfast and check out of your room to meet your safari guide and then start your drive to Mgahinga gorilla national park the home of silver and gold. Mgahinga gorilla national park is situated in the southwestern corner of Uganda on the Uganda Rwanda border and Uganda DR Congo border. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park stands high in the clouds of western Uganda with an altitude of between 2,227m and 4,127m above the sea level. Mgahinga gorilla national park  is one of the four national parks in Africa that were created to protect the rare mountain gorillas that inhabit its dense forests, and it is also an important habitat for the endangered golden monkey. Mgahinga gorilla national park besides being a home to the mountain gorillas and golden monkeys, it has a huge cultural significance, in particular for the indigenous Batwa pygmy people also known as “the forest keepers”. The Batwa hunter-gatherers were the forest’s “first people”. It is believed that their life is highly connected to forests and wildlife.

Mgahinga gorilla national park features three conical and extinct volcanoes these include Mount Sabinyo, Mount Gahinga and Mount Muhabura which are part of the spectacular Virunga Range that lies along the border region of Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo. Mgahinga gorilla national park is part of the much larger Virunga Conservation Area (Virunga massif) which includes adjacent parks in these countries these include Virunga national park in the DR Congo, Volcanoes national park in Rwanda and Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda. The journey from Entebbe town to Mgahinga gorilla national park more or less takes the entire day as you cruise through small busy towns and villages and made of several stopover over at different interesting landmarks and places. So, you will have a stopover at the famous Kayabwe Equator monument where the earth is divided into the northern and southern hemispheres. At this place, there is water experiment that is carried out to explain the geographical discovery of the Equator and to show how forces move differently on each side of the planet, take some memorial photos while spreading your legs in each side of the planet, pick a cup of coffee and possible craft shopping.  Proceed on your journey stopping at Igongo cultural center for bathroom, stretch your muscles, have lunch, tour the great museum that is well equipped with an illustrious history of the western cultures and their ancient life. Thereafter spending some time at Igongo cultural center, proceed with your journey to Mgahinga gorilla national park where you will arrive in the evening to check in at your booked lodge to freshen yourself, have dinner and an overnight.

Accommodation; Lake Chahafi Lodge (Standard), Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge (Mid-range), Lake Mutanda Resort (Luxury)

Meal plan; Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner

Day 3: Mgahinga gorilla national park – Golden monkey habituation experience – Drive to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

Rise up very early in the morning to prepare yourself, dress well in a recommended style such as waterproof hiking boots, long trousers, wear long sleeved shirt, round hat, wear a rain coat and pack your binocular, camera and insect repellants, have breakfast and get your box of packed lunch from the lodge, meet your safari guide and drive to the park information center for briefing about golden monkey habituation experience in the wilderness of Mgahinga National Park such as dos and dots to follow during the forest walk in search for the golden monkeys, expectations of golden monkey tracking and how to behave in the presence of golden monkeys.

The beautiful Golden Monkeys are not so well known primates like mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, but are undoubtedly enjoyable and worth visiting to stay with them for 4 hours to fully understand them. Golden monkeys are one of Uganda’s 20 primate species found only in Mgahinga Gorilla National park which is part of the Virunga Mountains where it is endemic. Compared with other monkey species, the golden monkeys are gorgeous in appearance, small and curious made of bright colored fur with long golden hair mixed with orange which make them to look so beautiful.

Currently, the available population of golden monkeys stands at between 2000 and 4000 individuals and they are only found in the Virungas conservation area that have made them to be classified as endangered primates. Golden monkeys live in troops of about 100 individuals and each troop is led by an Alpha male, and mostly feed on a variety of seasonal fruits, bamboo shoots, bamboo leaves, lichens, sprouts, leaves, flowers, and small invertebrates. Golden Monkey habituation experience will allow you to have an insight and a better understanding of what it means to conserve, research, and protect an endangered species in the 21st century and why they should be protect. On this golden monkey habituation experience safari, you with a team of researchers and UWA guide, you will visit a semi-habituated family of the golden monkeys following it as it goes about its day and you will stay with them for a maximum of 4 hours or the full day depending on your interest and energies. So, you will have an opportunity to understand about primate life in the canopy and their habitat and more of their behaviors. During your stay with the golden monkeys, you will be free to take as many photos and recording videos as you would want so, your camera has to be on standby not to miss out any moment uncaptured. After spending enough time with the golden monkeys, retire from the forest back to the park information center to meet your safari guide, relax for some time, have refreshments and then start your drive to Rushaga sector in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park about 2 hours’ drive from Mgahinga gorilla national park. On arrival, check in at your booked lodge to freshen yourself and spend rest of the time relaxing, dinner and an overnight.

Accommodation; Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge (Standard), Rushaga Gorilla Camp (Mid-range), Rushaga Gorilla Lodge (Luxury)

Meal plan; Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner

Day 4: Bwindi impenetrable forest national park – Mountain gorilla habituation safari

Wake very early in the morning to prepare your essential equipment for the activity such as the camera, binocular, insect repellant among others, dress up in a recommend style such as putting on along trouser and this could be a Jean trousers or Kachi trouser or any other water proof trouser, long sleeved shirt, rain jacket, water proof hiking boots and a round hat. This is to protect your body from contact with any plants and shrubs because some can be harmful and insects for the memorable mountain gorilla habituation experience. After you have fully prepared yourself, have breakfast, get your packed lunch box and other snacks, meet your safari guide and then drive to the park headquarters for the mountain gorilla habituation briefing on the guidelines to follow during mountain gorilla habituation, mountain gorilla habituation expectations and how to behave in the presence of the mountain gorillas, later join a team of researchers, UWA Ranger guides to start a forest walk in search for the mountain gorillas. The time spent to encounter the mountain gorillas in their natural habitats is unpredictable but it may take between 45mins to 4 hours depending on the location of mountain gorilla family that is under habituation process.

Mountain gorilla habituation experience is the process of making a wild Mountain Gorilla family to get used to the presence of humans in the forest during gorilla trekking experience. When mountain gorillas are still fully wild, they tend to move away depend in the forest once humans approach them. Sometimes, when they feel threatened by the approach of humans, they tend to respond by charging at you or even wage an attach as a way of protecting themselves but this is rare. So, this is why each mountain gorilla family has to first go through a habituation process which takes 2 years to be available for gorilla trekking experience.

Mountain gorilla habituation process is conducted by researchers from different research institutes together with ranger guides from Uganda Wildlife Authority a government organ which protects and regulates all wildlife places and activities in Uganda. The mountain gorilla family under the habituation process is monitored by the primate specialists and veterinary Doctors until they confirm that the family is in good health conditions and fully appropriate to be met by humans. Once the habituation process begins, mountain gorillas are observed, and monitored on a daily basis regardless of the weather. Unlike mountain gorilla trekking, mountain Gorilla Habituation is limited to only a number of 4 people and you will spend more time with the mountain gorilla family (4 hours) than it is for just mountain gorilla trekking experience where you are only allowed to spend one hour with the gorilla family. During mountain gorilla habituation experience, you will have an opportunity to see and watch tricks used by primate specialists and UWA rangers to make mountain gorillas used to the presence of humans for example, they pick tree leaves to pretend as they are eating them which excites gorillas to get interested and come to see what is happening, sometimes, researchers collect samples from individuals gorillas to monitor their health conditions. You will have a chance of helping researchers while collecting samples from them and seeing them when they still have their real wild behaviors which is one of the most exciting wildlife experiences never to miss while in Uganda. You will be free to take as many photos and to record videos of the mountain gorillas as you would want and you will encounter other wildlife species besides mountain gorillas such as bird species and other primates. After spending four hours with a gorilla family, return to the park information center to get your certificate, meet your safari guide and drive back to your lodge to spend rest of your time relaxing. Dinner and an overnight.

Accommodation; Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge (Standard), Rushaga Gorilla Camp (Mid-range), Rushaga Gorilla Lodge (Luxury)

Meal plan; Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner

Day 5: Bwindi impenetrable Forest national park – Drive back to Entebbe international airport

With an early sumptuous breakfast, check out of your lodge, get all your luggage packed in the vehicle and drive lazily back to Entebbe international airport to prepare for your return flight with the great lifetime memorable experiences with the endangered mountain gorillas and the beautiful golden monkeys. On your way back to Entebbe international airport, you will have a stopover at Igongo cultural center to stretch muscles, have refreshments and lunch and then proceed with your drive to Entebbe international airport. This will be the end of your 5 Days mountain gorillas and golden monkey habituation tour.

The inclusions of the 5 Days mountain gorillas and golden monkey habituation tour;

Return airport transfers (Pick up and drop off)

Private transport using a well-modified safari Land-cruiser/van which is 4×4 and air-conditioned)

Professional English speaking safari guide for 5 days

Fuel for 5 days

Private Luxury/Mid-range/standard accommodation on full board (Breakfast/Lunch /Dinner) for 4 nights

Bottled mineral water and en-route meals

A visit to Igongo cultural center

A stopover to do water experiment at Kayabwe equator land mark

1 golden monkey habituation permit per person

1 mountain gorilla habituation permit per person

The exclusions of 5 Days mountain gorillas and golden monkey habituation tour;

Domestic and international flights

Country entry visa

Personal travel insurance

Souvenirs and gifts

Tips to lodge staffs, safari guide and porter

Porter fee

Alcoholic and soft drinks (Wines, beers, sodas, juice and other beverages)

Telephone and laundry services

All other expenses of personal nature such as cigar, emails, airtime and many more.