Gorilla trekking is the most interesting wildlife encounter in the whole world which can only be experienced in Africa. Imagine trekking through lush-green forest, serenaded by nature’s orchestra of scintillating bird calls, monkey hoots and the occasional elephant trumpet. Your tracker beats a path through the dense foliage and silver mist swirl, when suddenly there they are…Gorillas! It’s a moment you’ll never forget.
This adventure is a thrilling and fascinating experience especially when the gorilla family has babies, young gorillas, and old gorillas. Trekkers enjoy seeing gorillas as they eat, sleep, play, fight. Seeing the rare huge furry mountain gorillas is done in three countries of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo and all countries provide great and memorable experiences to the travelers.
What is Gorilla Trekking
Gorilla Trekking is an adventure activity that involves hiking or walking on foot within the impenetrable forests of Africa looking for the endangered gorillas. Many people spend sleepless nights thinking of how the one hour encounter with the endangered mountain gorillas will be. It is true the one hour allowed to stay with the rare gorillas is a truly life adventurous experience very difficult to forget. It’s known as the most sensitive, breathtaking, and exciting.
You spend the one hour with mountain gorillas while observing their behaviors as well as taking photograph although a flash camera is not allowed. You will be in a group of eight people who are only allowed to track in each gorilla family and each group is guided by a well experienced ranger guide who is in charge of guiding you during the process of gorilla tracking, and they also help in giving you all necessary information on all forest flora and fauna. Exchanging eyes with gorillas in a distance of just about 7meters is a life time experience, just don’t wait to book your gorilla tracking safari with us you will never regret and if everyone could do it just ounce, the world would be a better place to live in. without exploring the gorilla wouldn’t be here at all, it’s the only thing that warranty their existence.Gratitude should go to the tourism board, ranger guide who monitor these apes time to time and the local community who live near the parks.
Where to Go Gorilla Trekking
Gorilla trekking/tracking in Uganda is carried out in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park as the leading gorilla safari destination in Uganda and at times, Mgahinga national park which borders with both Rwanda-on the south and DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) to the west.
Mountain gorillas in Africa can be trekked in the following places:
Uganda
Uganda is a home to half of the mountain gorillas in the whole world. Approximately 480 gorillas are situated in Uganda in the two national parks of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park both in south western Uganda. Trekking in Uganda is interesting because there are 13 gorilla families with 12 in Bwindi and 1 in Mgahinga all available for trekking.
More still, the tow national parks are 7-8 hour drive from the international airport of Entebbe and this provides travelers an opportunity view other attractions and natural features en-route to the gorilla national parks. Travelers to Uganda also come in contact with other wild life for example the golden monkeys, elephants and many bird species which all provides a memorable experience to travelers never to forget.
Rwanda
Trekking in Rwanda is an easy in, easy out game. It is done in the volcanoes national park located only two hour drive from the international air port of Kigali. This short distance allows short time travelers to trek mountain gorillas in that they can even trek on the day of arrival despite tie long distance in Uganda. Trekkers in Rwanda can also pay a visit to the Dian Fossey grave site and will also encounter different animal and bird species which all adds to the final tourism experience.
There are 10 gorilla families in the volcanoes national park available for trekking and a gorilla permit is sold at 750usd quite expensive compared to Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Democratic republic of Congo
Although done at a relatively low rate as compared to Uganda and Rwanda, mountain gorilla trekking in the DRC is now going on. It is done in the virunga national park and a gorilla permit is sold at 450usd which is quite cheaper compared to Uganda and Rwanda.
In the last years, the political instabilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the neighboring Rwanda led to the death and fleeing of many mountain gorillas since their habits the tropical rain forests were used by the rebel groups for hiding. This put trekking and tourism at a standstill but however at present the country has stabilized and gorilla trekking is done peacefully. There are other attractions such as the world’s largest lava lake at the summit of mount Nyiragongo among others.
How is the Experience Conducted?
Gorilla trekking involves walking long distances and spending a number of hours in search of the gorillas whereas gorilla tracking comes along with short distances since it is done at the nearest known gorilla group, and that is by far the main difference between gorilla trekking and gorilla tracking safaris.
It entails hiking in the tropical rain forests of Africa before reaching these rare endangered species. Though challenging, trekking is so much interesting since from the start to finish as the jungle envelops the hikers in its sounds associated with the calls of unseen birds, the soft hum of insects, the whispering of countless leaves, wrapped in emerald shadows, travelers also glimpse the secret lives of the rainforest’s shy creatures including the mountain gorillas.
Mountain gorillas being the close relatives of human beings sharing 98.3% of human genes, they are so susceptible to human diseases and therefore a distance of seven metres is encouraged between the trackers and the mountain gorillas. Trekking time can range from 45 minutes to 8 hours depending on the location of a gorilla family. All gorillas live in families with each family headed by a dominant silver back that plans for the entire family and defending it against all external attacks, every gorilla is so much attached to its family and cannot join another family even if the two different families come in contact. Female gorillas are the mums in the family who nurse and cater for the young ones sin the entire family.
Once a trekking group approaches the gorilla family all other things are left with the porters except non flash cameras. While with the gorillas, trekkers are reminded of the seven meter distance and quietness as they observe the gorillas and take photographs for the maximum of one hour.
Conclusively, mountain gorilla trekking is the best wild life encounter that provide memorable experience. It can be done in only three countries of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo and therefore travelers can choose to trek in any of the three or visit all the three countries for the greater and memorable experience.
Why Go Gorilla Trekking
Gorillas themselves are entertaining or dramatic to amuse trekkers. Gorillas are found jumping from one tree to another to entertain visitors.
Gorillas are intelligent and are capable of using tools like sticks, stones and so on in their routine work. They can slow stones to the enemy, can use sticks to get fruits from trees, they can also build nests to sleep in.
They nurture their young ones just like human beings. The young ones are trained how to jump, climb, hunt, feed, run and so on. They do it to prepare them face future challenges.
Gorillas are among the rare primates which are found in few countries on African continent. They are unique and visiting them is a life time event which every human being should do before going for eternal life.
Gorillas stay in the wild and they stay in groups for security reasons and they fight in groups. Gorillas do not what anybody to challenge them so; trekkers are advised to remain humble when they visit the gentle giants.
Gorillas also communicate amongst themselves and they use different communication sounds in different circumstances. When attacked they make different sound from that when they land on the plenty sources of food.
Gorillas are treasured to extent of being treated by expert primatologist doctors -well known internationally. That testifies why Gorillas are worth visit!