Four Hours Gorilla Trek Vs One Hour Gorilla Trek

Four Hours Gorilla Trek Vs One Hour Gorilla Trek

The Main difference between the Four-Hour Gorilla Trek vs One-Hour Gorilla Trek is that in the former, you visit a Gorilla family that is not used to Human presence (Gorilla Habituation). In contrast, in the latter, you see a family familiar with human Presence (Gorilla Trekking). 

The mountainous forests of four incredible Protected Areas- Bwindi, Volcanoes, Mgahinga, and Virunga National Parks beckon primate enthusiasts with their pristine landscapes, unique vegetation, and outstanding mountain gorilla population. Gorilla tours in Africa ignite a sense of awe and wonder as you witness these majestic Great Apes go about their daily routines in the dense forest. These Gentle Giants, some infants, others females, and silverbacks, inspire a profound appreciation for the jungle’s power and natural beauty.

For anyone seeking an unforgettable gorilla trekking adventure, the debate between spending four hours vs. spending one hour with the Giant Apes in their natural habitats often arises. The four-hour gorilla trek is known as the “Gorilla Habituation Experience”, where visitors can spend up to four hours with the Giant Apes once sighted. The one-hour gorilla trek doesn’t mean you have one hour to find them, but instead, you have one hour to watch and take photos upon sighting them.

Both experiences offer unique encounters with these captivating creatures, but the key differences and surprising similarities can influence your decision. Dive into our guide to discover which phenomenal adventure aligns best with your desires!

How the four-hour gorilla trek differs from the one-hour gorilla trek

• Visits to semi-habituated (shyer gorillas) vs. fully-habituated mountain gorillas

One of the key differences between four-hour treks and the one-hour gorilla trek is that visitors will be visiting mountain gorillas still undergoing habituation (shyer gorillas) with the former. In contrast, you’ll see gorillas that are fully habituated to the latter.

Before mountain gorilla families are opened for tracking, they must undergo a two to five-year training period, whereby they gradually become accustomed to human presence, thus losing their natural fear or avoidance of humans. This happens typically through repeated exposure, therefore leading to a decrease in their responses to these visits. Visitors track and spend time with mountain gorillas still undergoing habituation (say semi-habituated or partially habituated, not completely unhabituated) for the four-hour gorilla treks. For this reason, they still maintain their raw state, sometimes even hiding away from visitors during photography. For this reason, you might not get close to the Giant Apes as you would on standard gorilla treks, with some even staying hidden.

Visitors need to be more alert while taking photos of mountain gorillas during the four-hour trek, as they tend to move more often compared to those during the one-hour trek, who are fully habituated and feel more relaxed being in the presence of humans.

• Where to do the activities

Another way the four-hour gorilla trek differs from the one-hour trek is the location/where to do the activities. Standard gorilla treks (the one-hour gorilla trek) can be done at any of the four National Parks- Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, introduced in 2016, the Gorilla Habituation Experience (four-hour gorilla trek) is only done in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s southern sector (Rushaga).

• Number of people accompanying visitors

Like the one-hour gorilla trek, the four-hour gorilla trek usually starts with a briefing to familiarize visitors with the activity’s rules and how to behave in the presence of mountain gorillas. The Habituation Experience starts a little earlier than standard gorilla treks, hence the early start for the adventure.

The four-hour gorilla trek involves visitors heading out with the Habituation team into the forest, which includes a tracker or two, researchers, Rangers, guides, porters, and conservationists. You will be amazed by how they search for the trail and the nests used by the gorilla family during the previous night, with trackers moving beforehand and communicating with guides leading the group. The search for the Giant Apes, which lasts between one and six hours, involves going through different elevations and vegetation types, and you will be able to head straight toward the gorilla family because trackers have already pinpointed the gorilla family’s location with the help of satellite phones.

When sighted, Park Rangers make gorilla calls and grunts, chop the thick undergrowth with their machetes, and talk among themselves to get these Giant Apes used to these noises. The Habituation team provides details of the gorilla family being visited—the name of each mountain gorilla, their behavior, and individual personalities.

• Number of gorilla permits available

Only one gorilla family (The Gorilla Habituation Experience) is currently visited during the four-hour trek, and this family is visited by a maximum of four visitors per day. This means the Uganda Wildlife Authority issues only four gorilla permits daily.

Numerous gorilla families are available for the one-hour trek in all four National Parks—over 25 gorilla families in Bwindi alone, 12 habituated gorilla groups in Volcanoes National Park, eight habituated gorilla families in Virunga National Park, and one habituated gorilla family in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Interestingly, each of these gorilla families is visited by a maximum of 8 visitors daily.

• Costs of the experiences

Gorilla Habituation Experience permits a cost of USD 1500 per person, including the Habituation team’s services, Park entry fees, and four gorillas to spend with the Giant Apes as they go about their daily routines. However, this cost doesn’t include hiring a porter/s, which is advisable to help carry your bags as you walk through the forest searching for the Giant Apes.

The cost of a one-hour gorilla trek permit depends on the destination: USD 1500 per person in Rwanda, USD 800 per person in Uganda, and USD 450 per person in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Similarities between the four-hour gorilla trek and the one-hour gorilla trek

• What to wear and carry

Regardless of whether you are going for the four-hour or one-hour gorilla trek, we recommend covering up entirely except for your face. Avoid brightly-colored clothes and opt for khaki, grey, brown, and dark green clothes. The essentials for your four or one-hour gorilla treks include a waterproof backpack, a reusable water bottle, sturdy and water-resistant hiking boots, a rain jacket, long-sleeved shirt/s, long safari pants to protect your legs from getting scratched, long cotton socks, gardening gloves, a wide-brimmed sun hat, an insect repellant, and sunscreen.

• The best time for gorilla treks (whether the four-hour or one-hour gorilla trek)

The best time for gorilla treks is generally during the dry season, typically between June and September, and December to February in most National Parks. This period offers drier weather, drier and accessible hiking trails, sparser vegetation, and less challenging walks through the jungles. While it is still possible to experience showers during these months, this season generally brings less rainfall than the wet months, March to May, and October to November.

Conclusively, regardless of whether you have mixed thoughts over the four hours gorilla trek vs one-hour gorilla trek, gorilla trekking promises unforgettable experiences. So, pack your bags and venture into the forest to embrace its wonders, and create lasting memories as you encounter these incredible Giant Apes in their natural habitat.