Whereas gorilla trekking has become a major safari highlight in most of tourists’ travel plans, little is known about how it is done which raises significant questions that need to be addressed. Today, most travelers still wonder what this adventure is really like and indeed it is significant that anyone who plans to be part of this experience gets to know the general highlight of what they are going for prior their actual treks. Gorilla tracking has for long been described as a lifetime experience. It entirely involves visitors hiking via the dense tropical rainforests and the steep slopes in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga National Park southwestern Uganda, the Volcanoes National Park in northwestern Rwanda and the Virunga National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The treks start with early morning briefing by the park official depending on where your gorilla permit directs you to. You will be briefed mainly about the dos and don’ts that must be observed while you enjoy this life changing experience. After, you will be grouped into 8 visitors and later be assigned to only one habituated family to track plus an experienced guide who takes you through the entire trekking process. The hikes are a bit challenging and require some physical fitness a fact that these rare species live between altitude 2200 and 4300 meters and at the lower slopes, the vegetation is thick and usually features mixture of bamboo, ferns and vines. Your trek last from 2 to 8 hours depending on factors especially your hiking speed, nature of the habitat and location of the gorilla group that will be assigned to you but trackers are always sent to ascertain more about location of these apes before the next group of visitors are set off to the jungles for their actual trek. The trackers will be in touch with park guides and where there is thick vegetation, they will clear to pave way for visitors using machetes. Up on getting your gorilla group, you will have an hour to strike your imaginations with these Great Apes, explore more about their general behavior, body gestures that the guide will explain and interpret to you and take as many photos as possible.
This breathtaking adventure is mainly done in habituated gorilla families and in Uganda, most groups are found in Bwindi National Park and only one is tracked at Mgahinga National Park. If Bwindi is your dream destination, there are 4 major tracking areas where treks start from and each sector comprises of habituated families. They include Buhoma, Nkuringo, Ruhija and Rushaga sector. The key groups for you to explore at this park include Habinyanja, Rushegura, Mubare, Bitukura, Kyaguriro, Oruzogo, Nkuringo, Nshongi, Kahungye, Mishaya, Bweza, Busingye and Nyakagezi at Mgahinga National Park. In Rwanda, gorilla trekking is conducted only in Volcanoes National Park and this park consists of habituated families like the Susa, Bwenge, Group 13, Kwitonda, Hirwa, Ugenda, Amahoro, Umubano, Sabyinyo and Karisimbi. In the Congo Virunga National Park, treks are conducted in gorilla families like Rugendo, Mapuwa, Munyaga, Lulengo, Kabirizi, Nyakamwe, Humba and Bageni.
Upon arrival at your respective destination, you will be required to present a permit or a copy of it plus a passport at the park headquarters and this means a gorilla trekking permit is a must to have at hand if you are to be allocated a gorilla family to track. In Uganda, you will obtain a permit at $600, $1500 in Rwanda and $400 in the DRC. You can book for your permit through a recognized tour operator that arranges related safaris in any destination of your choice or alternatively, through respective park authorities and in Uganda-you can contact Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) in Rwanda. However, booking through a ground tour operator is easier than if you booked directly with park authorities given the strenuous process that is involved. Most significantly, the tour operators especially those in Uganda have opportunity to purchase about 80 percent of the permit and this means 20 percent remains with UWA which limits your chances of getting a permit if you booked directly. The advantage with booking your permit through tour companies is that they can help arrange for you your safari a fact that they very knowledgeable about tourist attractions at the destination and which accommodation facilities you should spend a night. Due to high demand for permits, you are advised to book for one early enough to avoid any kind of disappointment.
Besides, visitors are required to pack appropriately for this lifetime experience and in your packing list, you should include long sleeved shirts or T-shirts and these should be environmentally friendly and avoid bright colors, waterproof hiking boots, gardening gloves, camera, rain jacket/poncho, day pack, energy giving snacks, bottled water, first aid kit, walking stick to offer you support as you hike and this can be got at the park headquarters or at your respective safari lodge, insect repellents and many other significant items that will help you while on gorilla trek. The other important factor to put into consideration while on gorilla trek is the rules and regulations that you have to observe throughout and among many include; only persons above 15 years are allowed to track gorillas, a distance of about 7-8 meters must be observed at all times while with these critically endangered apes, you are not supposed to smoke, eat or drink while in the gorilla habitat, no flashlight is allowed while taking photos of these species and if your camera has a flashlight, you are advised to turn it off, only 8 visitors are allowed to track only one habituated group, in case you are not feeling well, you won’t be allowed to track gorillas, don’t touch gorillas a mention but a few.
In conclusion, gorilla trekking is a process that visitors on safari Africa should endeavor to complete if they are to have memorable experiences thereafter. Whether you are a first time or a repeat visitor, you should be physically well as this breathtaking adventure entirely involves hiking through the dense forests and steep slope to look out for the world’s Great Apes in their natural habitat.