Getting Ready for Gorilla Trekking in Uganda and Rwanda
Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda is one the best safari packages of East Africa’s travel industry. Trekking to see gorillas in Africa is an amazing experience as well as an important tool to conserve the endangered mountain gorillas. it is one of the top to do on a bucket list on a safari to Uganda and it requires physical fitness and commitment from trekkers who will be guided through dense jungle with thorny bushes, slippery grounds and thick undergrowth.
This all may sound quite daunting, but the experience of being with the gentle giant mammals in their natural habitat is incredibly exciting and memorable. Mountain gorillas only reside in two destinations that is Bwindi impenetrable forest where half of the population call it home and the Virunga mountains that covers Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, Uganda’s Mgahinga gorilla National Park, and Congo’s Virunga National Park.
Below are the guidelines to keep ready on your journey to trekking;
- Trusted tour operator. Gorilla trekking needs timely preparation and planning to choose the right tour operator offering gorilla trekking tours and your physical fitness a and Health condition should be of the level required to be able to trek thought the tropical forests.
- Gorilla trekking permit need to be booked early in advance at least 3 months ahead with a 30% of the total cost permit as booking fee. This helps to allocate which gorilla family to track and at which sector to specific trekkers and also to avoid last minute disappointment. Currently a gorilla permit is at 800$ in Uganda, 1500$ in Rwanda and 450$ in Congo. Rwanda is in plans of adjusting the current prices from $1500 to $2000.
- Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda can be done all year around but the best time to track gorillas is dry season, June to August and December to February .However trekkers are reminded that there might be a few rains no matter the season since the mountain gorillas live in the tropical forest.
- There are simple regulations to follow which are briefed by the rangers before the trek, groups of eight are formed and assigned different gorilla families which you spend with 1hr up to the whole day depending on where the allocated family spent the previous night and the speed of their movements.
- The trekkers are given Guidelines such as maintaining a 7-metre distance from the gorillas at all times, facing away from the animals when coughing or sneezing, not using flash photography, and avoiding any close interaction with gorillas even when they approach the trekker.
- It is very important to wear the right clothing for the trek as it involves hiking through dense jungle that is full of biting insects and plants that can scratch. Recommended wear includes long-sleeved shirts and pants, hats, hiking boots, gloves, sunglasses, rain jackets and a sweater a walking stick is provided at the gorilla center.
