What Can I Expect From A Gorilla Trek? Gorilla trekking is an excursion to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a jungle that is home to mountain gorillas. Finding a group of recognizable gorillas requires a little dirtiness and meandering through the deep forest with a knowledgeable local guide. Though it’s regarded as one of the most exciting wildlife encounters, gorilla trekking differs from a typical game drive or trip to the neighborhood zoo. Hiking over challenging terrain, dense foliage, water, hills, and valleys is a need of gorilla trekking.
Particularly if you’re not used to jogging for extended periods of time, the sport can be quite taxing and demanding, leaving you tired and with a sore knee. There is more to this pastime than just trekking on well-maintained, concrete paths. One must contend with thorns, dense foliage, and biting insects. In certain parks, rain and altitude sickness are also serious concerns.
Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be standing next to an almost 200 kg silverback gorilla in its full form? It is a must to witness these gentle giants in their natural environment. We’ve compiled all the information you require for trekking with mountain gorillas and safaris in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Do you like the continent of Africa? If you’d like to read further. Check out the top ten African safari parks, where we’ve gathered all the information you need to plan a gorilla safari across Africa’s most well-known parks.
According to reports from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig and the Congolese Virunga National Park, the number of mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei beringei) living in the wild has once again risen above 1000. The WWF participated in the census, which resulted in the documentation of 1004 creatures by researchers. Consequently, the Red List’s classification was modified to Vulnerable. To follow in Dian Fossey’s footsteps, drive 30 minutes from the park headquarters to her burial, then walk for two or three hours through the forest to an elevation of nearly 3,000 metres.
Gorilla trekking permits in Virunga National Park are the least expensive, costing $400. But as of late, the park is also offering the package that includes accommodation and travel. Therefore, 10% of the money received from the permits will be given to the nearby communities in order to construct roads, schools, and health facilities. There is a compensation fund for local farmers should gorillas damage their crops, which helps ensure peaceful coexistence. In Uganda, one can go gorilla trekking throughout the year.
The dry and wet seasons are the two main seasons of Uganda. It is important for visitors who wish to trek with mountain gorillas to remember that following gorillas can be an exhausting and full-day experience. While taking you around the gorillas’ world, the guide explains several facets of their ecology and behaviours. When going on a gorilla trekking expedition in the dense rainforest, one must frequently spend hours travelling on tiny, steep routes and following a scout who uses a machete to cut a path through the dense trees.
The “light rainy season,” which runs from December to February, and the “rainy season,” which runs from June to September, are the easiest times to go gorilla trekking in Congo. At the moment, visitors can see more than eight gorilla populations in Rwanda and Uganda. Tourists have not yet been allowed to view the state of the new gorilla family.
If you plan to go gorilla trekking during these months, you should expect to deal with damp, muddy soil and periods of prolonged or prolonged rain. Residents of Congo’s Odzala Kokoua National Park have started to emphasize nature conservation more through gorilla trekking tourism and primate research. Since mountain gorillas live in isolated areas of nations not well-known for their tourism infrastructure, as their name implies, planning a gorilla visit can be difficult. Please be aware that gorillas are quite prone to human illnesses. If you are sick with a cold or similar contagious illness, you cannot go on a gorilla trek.
That being said, you don’t have to be able to bench press three times your own weight or complete a triathlon in order to go gorilla trekking. People who are physically incapable of going on a gorilla trek can still do so provided they notify their tour operator in advance to allow for better planning. There is no better way to get up close and personal with primates than by going on a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda.
