On your gorilla trekking hike/safari in Bwindi: Things you must observe and Respect

On your gorilla trekking hike/safari in Bwindi: Things you must observe and Respect. Going for a gorilla safari to Uganda, especially in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, is an exciting experience for tourists, from trekking through the thick forests of Bwindi, some of which need to be cleared by a machete to create a trek path, to seeing the majestic Mountain gorillas in their natural habitat and other primates. The trekking exercise, although a dream for many visitors, comes with principles and guidelines that must be followed to protect and conserve the natural habitat of the gorillas.

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Trekking gorillas in Bwindi starts with a briefing which is a must for all tourists to attend. The briefing is where all the guidelines are laid out; tourists are told what to observe and respect and failure to attend the deadline might lead to disqualification.

Gorillas are wild animals, but with the introduction of the habituation process, they have undergone research and training to get used to the presence of humans moving around the national park. Although they are habituated, their behavior can still change in case they feel they are in danger, and this is because each gorilla family group has different character traits, which make each of the gorilla families worth visiting.

Things to observe and respect during a gorilla trek in Bwindi

Gorillas are an endangered species and must be protected at all costs to increase their number in the world. One of how tourists can protect the Mountain gorillas is by observing and respecting the guidelines that were put in place by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Below is a list of things that you need to observe and respect on a gorilla safari in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Volunteer to stay back (not trek) if you are sick:

Mountain gorillas can easily get human infections, especially cough, flu and other viral infections, and when one gorilla gets infected, the rest of the family might fall sick, which is a huge blow to the gorilla population in Uganda and the world. The best thing to do is to inform your guide about your illness and volunteer to stay back so that you do not have to pass the infection onto the Mountain gorillas and other primates. In cases where you do not inform the guides (this can be done during the briefing) and forcefully go for the trek, you will be disqualified no refund will be made according to the UWA policy and you will also face penalties.

Wear a mask when with the Mountain gorillas:

To increase the protection of the Mountain gorillas and reduce human-to-primate infections, you need to wear a mask before meeting the Mountain gorillas. Immediately after the briefing, make sure that you sanitize and place your mask on so that the virus and infections do not get to the Mountain gorillas. Putting on masks was emphasized after the coronavirus outbreak and has continued for tourists who usually have flu and cough.

Coughing and sneezing has to be done away from the gorillas:

Some sneezes come up randomly, including coughs, and when this comes about, you are advised to cover your mouth and nose and turn away from the gorillas because this reduces the chances of spreading diseases to the endangered Mountain gorillas.

Bury all the faecal matter after you are done:

There are no toilets in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and in case you want to use the toilet, a hole of 30cm will be dug away from the crowd and in the bushes where you will go and finish your business. After you are done, make sure that you cover all the faecal material, including the toilet paper used and leave no traces/clues behind. Burry everything so that gorillas might not dig them up.

Never spit on the vegetation or anywhere in the park:

Spitting on the vegetation and soil is unhygienic and can affect the health of the Mountain gorillas. Vegetation in the park is food to the Mountain gorillas and to avoid contamination of the food, you need to stop spitting not only on the vegetation but also on the soil. It is also disgusting to spit everywhere with other tourists watching you.

Avoid littering

Bwindi is home to Mountain gorillas and other wildlife species, and any disturbance to nature might affect the gorillas. When you go with any rubbish to the park, make sure that you take it back with you and even when you find any compost waste in the park, please pick it up and take it with you to protect the natural habitat of the gorillas and other wildlife species. When picking up the rubbish and not litter the national parks, this helps with conserving the environment and the gorillas in turn.

Trekking age in Bwindi

We know that all tourists traveling in Uganda would wish to join in the exercise but the Uganda Wildlife Authority put up an age limit as a measure to protect the gorillas. The limit for trekking in Bwindi is 12 years, and the reason why children are not allowed to trek is that children are harder to control and might not be able to follow all the guidelines and rules that were set up. Age verification will be carried out using your passport, and anyone below 12 will not be able to purchase gorilla permits.

Use of a camera flash when taking photos

Mountain gorillas are affected by any change in their surroundings and anything unfamiliar can cause a change in their behaviors. A flash on a camera when taking photos is unfamiliar to the gorillas and they don’t like it. It sometimes forces them to retreat into the forest and be in protection mode, and that is why if you want to watch and learn more about gorillas, you are advised to turn off the camera flash.

Feeding the Mountain gorillas is prohibited

Mountain gorillas are wild animals and can fend for themselves; feeding them will lead to them expecting to be fed at all times, which is not possible. They need to learn to hunt for their food in case of wars or any other calamities so they can still look out for themselves. In case food is finished in a certain location, they migrate to a new location with the help of the dominant silverback. This also reduces the poisoning of the gorillas, and if you are found trying to feed the gorillas, you will face penalties and be stopped from tracking.

You have an hour with the gorillas

Mountain gorillas are habituated and used to the presence of humans in the park. However, the permit gives you only an hour with the gorillas after finding them. The one hour reduces the time that is spent between humans and the gorillas, and this reduces the spread of diseases and agitation among the gorillas. If you want to spend more than one hour with the gorillas, you can book a second gorilla trekking experience but on a different date or go for gorilla habituation experience (tourists spend a maximum of 4 hours with the Mountain gorillas). Note that the one hour spent with the gorillas can be cut short if the guides feel there is a danger to the gorillas and the trekkers.

Provoking and touching gorillas is not allowed

Mountain gorillas are gentle primates even with their large frame but this does not mean that you have to provoke them. Once a gorilla is provoked and fears to be in danger, they will attack to protect their peace and their families. When a gorilla stands, it usually raises on its hind legs, thumps its legs and also makes a lot of noise. Do not provoke the infants as well as it will attract the silverback.

Keep a distance of 7 meters

As a means of reducing contact between humans and the gorillas, you are to maintain a distance of about 7 meters when you meet the gorillas. The gap/distance left not only reduces the interaction but also protects the trekkers and the gorillas. When you are at a distance, you get to observe the gorillas without disturbing their normal day-to-day behaviours.

Do not surround the gorillas after locating them

After locating the gorillas, do not surround them (making a circle or curve around them) because this will make them feel ambushed, which is not a good sign. Just try as much as possible to keep the 7 meters distance, and stay closer to the trek group. The Silverback is always on the lookout in case they feel trapped, and on other days, they will retreat further into the forest if surrounded.

Noise-making is not allowed

Mountain gorillas prefer their tranquil calm and to be able to observe the Mountain gorillas without them changing their behaviors because they are being watched; you need to keep quiet, minimize the noise and in cases where you need to communicate, do so in low tones. And never imitate the mountain gorillas when they are communicating with each other.

Follow all the guidelines given by the guides during the trek

The rangers and guides are familiar with the park, the behavioral patterns of the different gorilla families and what to expect during the trek. The guides have a relationship with the habituated gorillas and know what to do in case of an emergency. Tourists have to listen to all the advice from the guided and armed rangers, and this has to be followed without any question especially during trouble during the trek and after meeting the gorillas.

You have to follow all the guidelines and follow the guidance of the guides to avoid a delay in the trek. Contact us for more information.

How long does gorilla trekking take in Bwindi

There is a clear amount of time spent locating the mountain gorillas, and this is because the gorillas are found in different parts of the national park, some near whereas others are far and the physical fitness of the trekkers also determines the time spent trekking gorillas. If the trek routes are clear and easy to use, the trekking might take a short time, the location of the gorillas will determine how long you spend locating the gorillas as well. The trek can, however, take between 30 minutes to 6 hours, but know that the time spent locating the gorillas is worth it when you meet them.

Some of the reasons why you might find it hard to locate the gorilla family allocated include the following:

• When gorilla families lose a family member, they mourn just like humans, and this sometimes makes it difficult to locate them.
• Gorillas move when searching for food so when you visit at a time when food is scarce, it might be challenging to locate the gorillas since they move and settle where food is enough for the entire family.
• When there is a new birth, there are gorilla celebrations, and because of this, many of the gorilla families might be hard to locate, taking hours before they are found.

Note that as you attend the morning briefing, a team of trackers is sent out to track the last place where the gorillas were seen and during all this time, they are in contact with the guides to ease trekking for the tourists. This is one of the reasons why every trekking group gets to see gorillas on their safari. When the trackers find the right last location of the gorillas, they will get in touch with the guides via radio calls and that is the direction which the guides will take when gorilla trekking starts. Note that the trackers will not trek the gorillas to see where they are but will stop at the last place where they slept. Remember that the gorillas move around all the time, meaning that you will have to search for them gorillas until you find them.

For more information, get in touch with us. Our guides will be ready to answer any queries that you might have about gorilla trekking in Bwindi and help with planning your safari.