Single crystalline GaN-layers were implanted with radioactive 111In ions. The lattice location of the ions and the recovery of the implantation induced damage was studied using the emission channeling technique and perturbed-γγ-angular-correlation spectroscopy as a function of the annealing temperature. We find the majority of indium atoms on substitutional sites even directly after room temperature implantation, but within a heavily disturbed surrounding. During isochronal annealing treatments in vacuum, a gradual recovery of the implantation damage takes place between 873 K and 1173 K. After 1173 K annealing about 50 % of the In atoms occupy substitutional lattice sites with defect free surroundings.