Reasons that may stop you from trekking gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda

Gorilla trekking is a dream come true African safari adventure for most tourists in the world but there are reasons that may stop you from trekking gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda. In fact, gorilla trekking is among the to-do activities on the bucket list of several tourists. The hassle of reserving mountain gorilla permits because just a limited number of them are released per day is hectic.

Rwanda gorilla trekking is in Volcanoes National park and gorilla trekking permits for Rwanda can be obtained from Rwanda Development Board. About 13 gorilla trekking permits so far are open for tourists to visit.

Most Popular Safaris

• 3 day Uganda gorilla trekking
• 5 days gorillas & chimp safari
• 3 day Uganda gorilla via Kigali
• 5 days gorilla trekking Rwanda
• 5 day Uganda gorillas & wildlife
• 3 day fly in gorilla habituation
• 5 day gorilla habituation and chimps
• 3 day Bwindi double trek via Kigali
• 5 days gorillas & game safari

Some of the Rwanda Gorilla families open for gorilla trekking include the Susa family, Hirwa family, Group 13, Amahoro family, Umubano family, Sabyinyo family, and others.

Uganda gorilla trekking is in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. The Uganda Wildlife Authority is responsible for selling Uganda gorilla permits. At the moment, Uganda has about 19 gorilla families open for tourist viewing.

Uganda organizes gorilla habituation in the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National park. This is the process of following semi habituated gorilla family without altering their natural being.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National park is booked according to the area. This is because of the vast size of the pack. This park has four gorilla trekking areas that are Nkuringo, Rushaga area, Buhoma area, and Ruhijah area

Each of these areas has gorilla families under it some of which include the Habinyanja family, Bweza family, Oruzogo family, Muhozi family, Christmas family, Rushegura family, Mubale family, Nyakagezi family, and others.

When you obtain a gorilla permit, you hope to see any of these gorilla families but you may not be in a position too because of the below highlights.

Highlights

• Breaking rules of gorilla trekking
• Contracting a communicable disease like Covid-19 during or before gorilla trekking
• Being Under age before gorilla trekking
• Missing briefing before gorilla trekking
• Staying far from the gorilla trekking area
• Getting a bad Injury while in the forest before seeing the mountain gorillas.
• Failing to complete payment for a gorilla permit
• Having no gorilla trekking permit
• Not showing up for gorilla trekking

Breaking the rules of gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking is aimed at protecting mountain gorillas amidst collecting funds to support their existence. During gorilla trekking, you must follow the guidelines for gorilla trekking. In case you deviate from any of them, you may be disqualified from participating in gorilla trekking.

These rules were set after thorough research from those who habituate the mountain gorillas. They understand what may agitate them and how to take themselves while searching for them in the wilderness.

 In case you deviate from any of these rules, you may cause a stampede in the forest that any destruct general gorilla trekking. In case you shout anyhow in the forest, you may scare mountain gorilla families even beyond the family you are trekking. This is not a great move in the wilderness with this you may be disqualified from attending the trek.

Contracting a communicable disease like Covid-19 during or before gorilla trekking

In case you catch a communicable infection that can be passed to the primates in the wilderness like cholera, flu, or cough, Covid 19 volunteer to stay behind. Mountain gorillas are highly susceptible to these infections yet the rate of damage it may cause is unknown.

Mountain gorilla conservation has come a long way and nothing should break this progress since as of now about 1000 mountain gorillas are thought to be living in the world from 250 gorillas by the 1980s census.

 In case you are identified, you are immediately disqualified from attending gorilla trekking

Being Under age before gorilla trekking

The age limit for gorilla trekking is 15 years because of the conditions prevailing in the forest like the high topography. You have to be with some level of fitness to hike on the slopes to catch up with the mountain gorillas. Children below this age may not persist because the time of locating the mountain gorillas is unknown.

The first glance mountain gorillas are scary at times which a child below this age may not be able to contain. They may scream yet noise is forbidden in the forest. Send that mountain gorilla into hiding.

In case a child below the age of 15 years is discovered among the trekkers, he or she is disqualified immediately.

Missing briefing before gorilla trekking

One of the most attends before gorilla trekking is briefing at the ranger station Uganda or ORTPN in Rwanda. When you miss a briefing, you may not know other rules of gorilla trekking other than those stated on brochures on the internet.

Many reasons may cause you to miss briefing for gorilla trekking like waking up late, driving from one area to another, falling ill and so much more. Since the gorilla trekking briefing starts early, it’s a must-attendance to even allocate trekkers the right gorilla family to trek.

When you arrive after the briefing, you may not be allowed to join the rest for trekking because you don’t know the direction they have taken yet you are not allowed into the forest without an escorting ranger guide. Search confusion is only stopped by not allowing you to attend gorilla trekking yet your permit is not refunded too.

To sort out such issues, ensure you overnight closer or with your gorilla trekking park.

Staying far from the gorilla trekking area

 In Uganda, gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National park is done according to the area. Four areas make up gorilla trekking in Uganda that is Buhoma gorilla trekking area, Ruhijah area, Nkuringo area and Rushaga area and other.

Crossing from one area to another early morning to attend a briefing in another area is challenging because of the poor road conditions which are slippery at times, logs may obstruct the way, get a flat tire, and others. Such delays may cost you gorilla trekking in Uganda.

Getting a bad Injury while in the forest before seeing the mountain gorillas

An accident is an unexpected injury but you may fall and hurt yourself while hiking to locate the mountain gorillas. In case it’s a very bad injury, you may not continue searching for the mountain gorillas. The ranger guide communicated with the backup team to collect you from the forest.

In case you get a spline,  you may need to be lifted by the rescued team. It has never happened with any group of tourists because one of the ranger guides leads the trek to establish if the way is passable and then the rest follow.

Failing to complete payment for a gorilla permit

For those that pay for their gorilla permits in installments, the time for topping up is latest 90 days from the date of trekking. Failure to top up you losing the gorilla permit. They are released back to the public yet you lose your deposit too.

Do not expect to top up on the day of trekking so you either buy another gorilla permit or do not attend gorilla trekking.

Having no gorilla trekking permit

If you show up for gorilla trekking without a gorilla permit yet there are no no-shows, you are not allowed to join the gorilla trekkers in case there is no availability. This is because only a maximum of 8 tourists are allowed to view the mountain gorillas in a day.

To reduce the chances of missing gorilla trekking, you need to reserve the gorilla permits in advance at least 90 days before the date of trekking or be safe 6 months prior to the date.

Not showing up for gorilla trekking

In case you do not show up for gorilla trekking because of reasons known to you and you do not declare this to the authorities in advance, you are not accounted among those trekking for the day.

You are disqualified immediately and even you may not be refunded according to the authority guidelines.

When Is The best time To Book a Gorilla trekking Permit

Reserving your gorilla permit in advance at least 90 days to 6 months in advance of the gorilla safari gives you confirmation that you are to attend.

The gorilla trekking safari package has a combination of other items included like accommodation, transport, and booking other activities. They may be determined when you purchase the gorilla permit.

Some of the great choices may be hard to make during the last minutes because of the high demand from other trekkers.

How safe Is Gorilla Trekking Safari

The area where gorilla takes place that is Volcanoes national park, Bwindi impenetrable National park, and Mgahinga National park safe for gorilla trekking,

This is because the ranger guides collaborate with other security organs of each country to ensure law and order are kept in this area,

The security of tourists and locals living around the parks is paramount to the safety of the mountain gorillas.

Every day a group of ranger guides follows the gorilla families to trek so that they establish their prevailing mood for that time, where they may be feeding from, and others. They give a report to headquarters about what is happening in the park and how the mountain gorillas are behaving before tourists are allowed to trek them.

How Difficult Is Gorilla Trekking In Uganda and Rwanda

The general topography of this area is volcanic where you need to hike plateaus, or ridges to get to the mountain gorillas. Some level of fitness is necessary to succeed in finding mountain gorillas. In case you have a physical disability, you may hire a sedan chair or stretcher for the mountain gorillas.

 You must have some level of fitness to succeed in getting through with the mountain gorillas.

Personal safety is important too like

• You must not travel with precious items that you may not be in a position to recover when lost. Declare these valuables to the lodge manager so that they can be kept in a safe and remembers to collect them when leaving
•  Do not count a lot of money in public which may attract thieves and other bad people.
•  Eating from undesignated places like street food that may cause you food poisoning is not advised.
• Stay close to your gorilla trekking party so that you are not lost in the wilderness. The gorilla trekking area is vast so tracing where to go is quite challenging when alone. Even the internet connection is poor or not there.
• Do not trust those who sell drugs in these areas in case you come across them. They may take away your belongings and you may be imprisoned in case authorities discover you.
• Pack a first aid kit in case you get injured and require emergency treatment.

Rules Of Gorilla Trekking In Uganda And Rwanda

• Flash photographing is not allowed during gorilla trekking because it may send the mountain gorillas into hiding. They fear new occurrences in their vicinity.
• No eating or smoking 200 meters from the gorillas because you do not know the effect of the smoke on the mountain gorillas.
• If you catch a communicable disease like flu, or cough, corona Virus, volunteer to stay behind so that you do not pass such infections to these gentle giants.
• Littering the forest with waste especially indecomposable waste like plastic wraps is forbidden. It alters the natural setting of the forest where mountain gorilla feed.
• Stay close to your gorilla trekking party and avoid surrounding the gorillas to make them feel ambushed.
• Only one hour is allowed with the mountain gorillas when you locate them. This is how long they have been habituated to being in the presence of humans so that they can go on with their day to day activities like feeding, grooming, and other activities.
• Keep about 8 meters from the mountain gorillas when you locate them. This is to reduce the chances of passing any possible infection to the mountain gorillas.
• Do not spit on the vegetation this is food for the mountain gorillas. They munch on it throughout the day to support their sheer bodies through night and day.

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