Gorilla Trekking in Africa : Gorilla trekking is one of the top activity that is conducted on an African continent in countries like; Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazzaville, Angola, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, Gabon, Central African Republic among others. Gorilla trekking helps individuals gain a new experience and crate good memories they move around forests and mountains. More so, Gorilla trekking safaris in Africa involve trekking both mountain, which are known as western gorillas and Eastern lowland gorillas within their natural habitats. Trekkers always walk through forests and hike through mountains and they encouraged implying in tricks like; tracking gorilla footprints, following areas with broken plant shoots, fresh feces that help to locate the gorilla species so easily.
Gorilla trekking activities normally begin in the morning where tourist first gather at the park headquarters where they are given short briefings about the do’s and don’ts that they should follow while trekking and then, they are put in different groups with a maximum number of 8 people depending in what gorilla group they are going to trek. More so, each of these groups is being assigned with a park guide whose role is to lead tourists through and answer some questions that the trekking will ask in case there is something they do not understand. And this trekking activity takes about 4 to 8 hours however after these endangered mountain gorilla species have been located, tourists are always given about one hour to spend with the species and it is during this period of time that individuals get chances to observe and learn more about the mountain gorillas behaviours and characters.
Tourists who have their best interests of exploring through Africa on a gorilla trekking safari should note that this activity is charged at different costs depending in which country you love to trek its gorillas for example; Uganda’s gorilla trekking permit is charged at a fee of about 700 USD per person, in Rwanda they charge about 1500 USD per person and in the Democratic republic of Congo, they charge at a fee of about 400 USD per person. More so, Gorilla trekking activities in Africa are restricted for only individuals above 15 years of age because this activity involves trekkers to hike through high altitude areas, walking on the steep slopes and slippery trails and navigating through the dense forests with an aim of locating the endangered mountain gorillas hence emphasizing the point of how it is not suitable for young children because their emotions are unpredictable. More so, this activity is best for individuals who are physically fit and free from diseases like; conical heart conditions, pressure and many others. during the trekking activities, tourists are always accompanied by park rangers and guides whose role is to lead and guide tourists hence ensuring the safety of both individuals and the gorilla whereby before the trekking, tourists always gather in one area and get briefed on how to behave themselves most especially while in the presence of the gorillas and given the basic rules to follow while trekking and these include;
- Tourists are advised to lower their tones of their voices while near or within the park.
- Individuals are always put in groups with a maximum number of eight people depending on which gorilla group they are going to track.
- Tourists are encouraged not to litter within the park while during the gorilla trekking expedition such as; through empty water bottles, polythens.
- Avoid unnecessary movements while with in the national park, and they are encouraged to always move in groups because it is too risky to walk by yourself because you could get lost.
- For individuals who want to use their phones and cameras to record videos and take pictures, they are advised to disable the flashlights while in their presence of the mountain gorillas in order to avoid any harm.
- Do not maintain a direct eye contact while in the presence of the gorillas most especially the silver back that takes it as a sign of disrespect which may result into a fight, which lead to death of humans.
- Keep a distance of about 7 meters while in the presence of gorillas.
- Wash hands before and after the gorilla trekking activity and many others.
More so, for tourists planning to go on gorilla trekking safari in Africa are encouraged to pack things which they will use like; good hiking boots, sun screen which protects your skin from sunshine, a hat/cap, a light rain coat just in case it rains, long sleeved shirts and blouses, a camera for those who would love to take pictures and record videos for memories, long trousers due the fact that the trekking areas are always bushy, packed lunch and drinking water, walking stick, a sweater because the weather tends to be cold while they hike to the top of the mountains and they are advised to always book their gorilla trekking permits in advance in order to avoid an inconveniences among others.
Age limit for Gorilla trekking in Uganda.
Gorilla trekking safari is the most attractive safari activity in Africa. In Uganda, tourists can see half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, making for a memorable safari. A lot of travelers who come to the country want to see the species in their natural habitat. However, it’s important to know that while the activity is open to a lot of travelers, there is one age group that can’t go gorilla trekking safari in Uganda. To learn more about the people who aren’t allowed to go gorilla trekking safari in Uganda, which will lead you to a number of sites for an amazing safari in Uganda.
The minimum age for gorilla trekking safari in Uganda is 15 years and anyone that is below that age will not be able to engage in the safari activity however there’s an exception for travelers turning 16 years during the year for gorilla trekking in Uganda therefore you should write a letter to the Uganda wildlife Authority the tourism authority in Uganda that involves the fact that you would like to participate in gorilla trekking safari in Uganda. After the letter is accepted, a 15 year old tourist will be able to go on the gorilla trekking safari.
One of the main reasons why people under the age of 15 should not go on a safari is because children are easily startled by even the smallest things, which can make the animals angry and make them attack the children. Even though it’s not easy to keep kids under control, this is a very important part of gorilla trekking in Africa to make sure you have a safe safari.
Uganda has two safari destinations where you can go gorilla trekking safari: Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Both of these destinations will lead you to gorilla families that are used to humans. During gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park, you can hike the Virunga Mountains in Uganda, which are Mount Muhabura, Mount Sabyinyo, and Mount Gahinga. These mountains will lead you to a specific gorilla family. For gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you can visit the Uganda gorilla families in the Nkuringo, Rushaga, and Ruhija sectors of the park. When you get to a species, spend an hour with it and look for intriguing creatures in the wild while your guide tells you everything you need to know about it for an amazing safari experience.
A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda can be acquired at a cost of 700USD which renders it the least costly gorilla trekking destination in Africa. As for gorilla habituation permits in Uganda, they can be bought from the Uganda Wildlife Authority for $1500 USD or obtained from a reputable tour company like Focus East Africa Tours.
Another safari activity that you may engage in during your gorilla trekking safari experience in Uganda is gorilla habituation in Uganda which offer you access to the gorilla families that are under the habituation process which is very interesting to watch the species and their different real-life experiences and reactions for a memorable safari experience. Gorilla habituation is very different from gorilla hiking in Uganda because you get to spend four hours with the gorillas instead of just one hour.
Contact our trusted tour operators in case of any more information about gorilla trekking in Africa and book with our tours and travel companies who offer the best tour packages however, one should note that our companies will only give you chances to tour around countries like; Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
