Why Mountain Gorillas are Visited Once And For One Hour

When you locate the mountain gorillas during gorilla trekking, only one hour is permitted with them, and per day they are visited once in all countries where they live. Mountain gorillas are residents of only three African countries that is Rwanda in Volcanoes National Park, Uganda in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park and D.R.Congo in Virunga National Park.

Most Popular Safaris

3 day Uganda gorilla tracking

3 day chimp habituation in Kibale

3 day fly in gorilla habituation

5 days chimp and gorilla habituation

3 days Rwanda gorilla tracking

4 days gorillas and golden monkeys

5 day Uganda gorillas and wildlife

5 day gorilla habituation and chimps

5 days gorillas and game safari

5 days gorilla trekking Rwanda

The total number of mountain gorillas in the world had dwelled to about 250 mountain gorillas by 1980s as reported in the census carried out by Dian Fossey an American philanthropist by that time. This was attributed to many factors including human interference like poaching, setting snares, and others. She dedicated her entire life to the survival of the mountain gorillas and even set up a gorilla research station called Karisoke Research center in Rwanda.

She realized that for mountain gorillas to survive humans must be brought closer to them and so gorilla habituation was born then later gorilla trekking. This was to get both mountain gorillas and humans accustomed to each other without altering the natural being of the mountain gorillas. Through gorilla trekking, more funds to support the conservation work of mountain gorillas is collected too.

With the above brief history of gorilla trekking, rules to support this activity were set cutting across all mountain gorilla habitats. Visiting the gorillas once and for just an hour is one of the deeply emphasized gorilla trekking rules. This is why;

Highlights

• Mountain Gorillas are habituated to be in human presence for one hour
• To allow mountain Gorillas collect Food
• Allow mountain gorillas to reproduce
• To prevent chances of provoking the mountain gorillas
• Protect the mountain gorilla food
• Gorilla Trekking Is Strenuous

Mountain Gorillas are habituated to be in human presence for one hour

During the process of gorilla habituation, the mountain gorillas are trained to be in the presence of mountain gorillas for just one hour and for one hour. Gorilla habituation is the process of helping wild mountain gorillas used to the presence of humans without altering there nature.

In nature, mountain gorillas are shy with deep brown eyes so this process helps them get familiar with human presence. You just need not to stare into there eyes because this makes them shy and may push them into hiding yet you have just one hour with them.

To allow mountain Gorillas collect Food

In nature, mountain gorillas are vegetarian. They feed entirely on foliage and their favorite is bamboo normally located on the slopes of highlands at about 2400m to 3000m above sea level. They also feed on soft stems, leaves, fruits and others. These must be gathered the entire day to support the sheer size of the mountain gorillas through day and night.

Each day mountain gorillas may eat over 200 pounds of foliage. This is not collected in one area but the gorillas have to keep moving although not so fast because of there bulk size.

Tourists should avoid spitting on vegetation during gorilla trekking to prevent spreading any possible infection to the gorillas. This infection may not go well with the health of the mountain gorillas which may lead to it death or massive death of other primates in the forest too. Mountain gorillas have about 96% human DNA making them susceptible to human infections like cholera, flu, diarrhea, Covid-19, Ebola and others.

Allow mountain gorillas to reproduce

It is believed that with the presence of humans, the mountain gorillas are destructed from copulating. They need some time off to concentrate and make babies. This is one of the reasons why just one hour and once in a day visit is given to each gorilla trekking group per trek.

 Even giving birth, the mountain gorillas want some privacy just like humans. So in just one hour when you locate the mountain gorillas, you need to fully exhaust all your reasons for desiring to do gorilla trekking.

Lactating gorilla mothers may not get ample time to fully feed there infants in case of obstruction from human presence. Majority of the infants are still playful and so the presence unfamiliar visitors causes them to lose feeding concentration.

To prevent chances of provoking the mountain gorillas

It is believed that the longer tourists take in the presence of humans the more the chances of provoking the mountain gorillas during gorilla trekking. One of the rules of gorilla trekking is avoid provoking the mountain gorillas because this may cause them to loose there cool. In nature, mountain gorillas are none violent but this doesn’t mean test there patience.

When you take a longer time after locating the mountain gorillas, chances of irritating them are high. The dominant silverback is the leader of the entire family but in case he notices something odd, he commands the rest to move further than you can locate them.

After paying a hefty price, for the gorilla trekking permit, no one want to miss on the chance of exhausting that hour with the gorillas. All tourists want value for money since this may be one of their dreams come true African safari experiences.

Protect the mountain gorilla food

The longer mountain gorillas take in the forest, the more food for the mountain gorillas is trampled on. Many tourists keep changing mountain gorilla viewing positions as time unfolds which may cause stepping on surrounding vegetation.

 Everyone wishes to get the best position for capturing the perfect photo of the mountain gorillas as souvenir. It is hard to restrict trekkers to one position so in order to avoid further damage to the mountain gorilla food, just one hour and once in a day gorilla trekking experience is allowed.

 Gorilla Trekking Is Strenuous

Although the time of locating the mountain gorillas is unknown, the process of getting to them is sometimes long and strenuous. The mountain gorillas are wild animals that must look for there own food and so trekker have to follow the trail where they were last seen the previous day.

It may be quite tedious, especially during severe rainy seasons when gorillas feed from the slopes. The ground is boggy because of the nature of soft volcanic soils yet even the dense network of rivers overflows. There is less sunlight penetration through the dense canopy to the ground. This makes the ground slippery and soggy at times.

Despite some of those hardships, you may for a while forget about them when you locate the mountain gorillas. The joy of finally standing face to face with the mountain gorillas is unmatched but by the end of an hour, you are tired and wish to get back as soon as possible to your lodge to relax.

What Are The Rules Of Gorilla Trekking

• To protect the mountain gorillas from hitting the extremely endangered point, some rules and regulations were set that cut across mountain gorilla habitats. On the day of gorilla trekking, every tourist booked to be part of the day’s trekkers is supposed to attend briefing. Once you miss this, you may not be allowed to be part of the gorilla trekking team for the day.
• May new things happen in the life of the mountain gorillas over time that is not urgently documented but noticed by the ranger guides and researchers so your briefing attendance is very much required. Some of the rules of gorilla trekking include
• No one with a communicable infection is allowed to visit the mountain gorillas. Some of the communicable infections include cholera, ebola, covid-19, flu, diarrhea and others. This may lead to there massive death. Mountain gorilla conservations has consumed a lot of time and money so they have to be highly protected.
• Do not surround the mountain gorillas but remain in a tight group. This makes the mountain gorillas feel ambushed.
• Keep a space of about 8 meters from the mountain gorillas when you locate them. This is to passing any contiguous infection to the mountain gorillas or them spreading it to humans.in case the mountain gorillas approach you, try to stealthily move backwards.
•  Wear a musk during gorilla trekking because of the Covid-19 pandemic. This became one of the rules to be followed when you locate the mountain gorillas.
• No using flash photography when with the mountain gorillas because it scares them. Mountain gorillas are frightened by new occurrences in there presence.
• Never drink or smoke in about 200 meters from the mountain gorillas because you may not know the effect of the smoke till further notice in the life of the mountain gorilla.
• In case you wish to sneeze or cough do it away from the mountain gorillas or in your elbow to prevent spreading of germs .cover your mouth or nose with a handkerchief for hygiene purposes in this case.
• Ask the ranger guide to dig a hole for you in case you need to ease yourself. Cover everything well in a hole of over 30 cm, beyond recognition so that the primates cannot exhume it later.
• Never dump garbage in the forest and volunteer to pick it in case it you find it. The forest is the sole food provider for mountain gorillas and other primates so must be kept in its natural setting.
• Do not spit on vegetation or soil in the park during gorilla trekking because it’s unhygienic, and vegetation is food for the mountain gorillas.
• The age limit for gorilla trekking is 15 years because of the nature of this experience. The time for locating the mountain gorillas is unknown, yet the way is strenuous at times because of steep topography and slippery ground.
• Do not attempt or provoke the mountain gorillas because they will move into hiding yet every tourist in the group has individually paid for a gorilla permit to be in the presence of the mountain gorillas for the time allocated.
• When with mountain gorillas, try to keep your voices low and avoid sudden movements. Mountain gorillas are sensitive to unfamiliar noise in there vicinity.
• Just one hour is allowed with the mountain gorillas when you locate them to allow them go about there day’s activities.

When is the best Time To Visit Mountain Gorillas

Gorilla trekking is open all year round, by the drier months, June to September, are most favored. This is because the gorillas are closer to the ground and the ground is passable. There is fewer irregular drops of rain, although it may rain without warning.

 The low season that is March to May comes with less crowding in the forest and no obstruction during gorilla viewing and photographing. Gorilla trekking in Africa is one of those sure-win safaris where you are sure to find mountain gorillas. Its not like game drives where locating particular animals for example, lions, is a probability.

You need to equip yourself with the right gorilla trekking gears like safari boots, garden gloves, safari attire, a foldable safari hat and others. This is to make you comfortable when searching to find mountain gorillas.

During peak tourism time in Uganda, the prices of accommodation for overnight during gorilla trekking safari are high. Even competition for gorilla permits and best driver guides is high so advance booking is required for all

The low gorilla trekking time may attract discounted prices like on accommodation making them affordable even with a small budget but this is not guaranteed.

Many infants mountain gorillas are born during the low tourism time that is March through May and so in case you wish to see some freshly born infants, you may use this opportunity.

Holiday times that is the festive season and summer holidays are normally peak gorilla trekking times so booking your permit in advance is the best solution.

Tourists book gorilla trekking permits as early as 90 days to the proposed gorilla trekking date. Some even reserve gorilla permits a year in advance because of the high competition when acquiring them. They are scarce only maximum 8 permits per gorilla family are opened for the public to book every day.

Contact us for more information.