Frequently asked questions about Gorillas in Uganda
These are questions that the visitors usually ask themselves to understand more about the Uganda gorilla trekking safari or in general the African gorilla trekking safari. In the whole of Africa, there are five national parks where the gorilla trekking activity is conducted and these national parks include, Virunga national park and Kahunzi Biega National Parks in the democratic republic of Congo. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in Uganda and lastly, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Usually, the visitors ask different questions relating to the gorilla in these national parks and thus today we decide to look at these questions
What does gorilla trekking mean?
Gorilla trekking is an adventure and experienced activity whereby the visitors move or walk on foot into the African dense forests to search for the wild mountain gorillas that have been trained to get used to the human beings. Within the gorilla trekking activity, visitors will stay for only one hour once they have seen the gorillas and this one hour will help them to enjoy the gorillas including their learning their behaviors, lifestyles, as you are taking photos of the endangered mountain gorillas.
In which national parks can the gorillas be seen?
The gorilla can be traced and seen in the following national parks
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. This is the national park with the highest concentration of mountain gorillas and it has got more than 18 habituated gorillas families available for the tourists. The park is located in southwestern Uganda and has four sectors and you will be able to see the gorillas in any sector that you opt to choose to see the gorillas
Mgahinga Gorilla National park; is also the park found in southwestern Uganda where you will be able to see the endangered mountain gorillas. The park harbors only one gorilla family called Nyakagezi and it is also a home for the rare golden monkeys which is so much interesting.
Volcanoes National park; is also an interesting destination for you to enjoy the gorillas. The park is located in Rwanda in the Gisenyi and there is more than 14 habituated gorilla family but only ten are available for tourists with others reserved for research purposes. This is the only national Park in Rwanda with gorillas and it can be seen as the best destination for the gorillas in Rwanda.
Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo;
The Democratic Republic of Congo also harbors different families of gorillas and it is blessed with two subspecies of gorillas. Virunga National Park harbors the gorillas and more than 8 habituated families are available for the gorilla trekking safaris meaning that 24 permits are available on daily basis. Other than the Virunga National Park, there is also the Kahunzi Biega National Park that harbors the gorillas. However, the Kahunzi Biega National Park harbors the eastern low land gorillas and there are five habituated families with this kind of gorilla family that is available for the gorilla trekking safari.
Where to stay during the gorilla trekking
In Africa especially where the gorilla parks are located, there are developed lodges which range from budget, upmarket and then the midrange lodges and these lodges and accommodation facilities feature a lot of the standard facilities that include the en-suite bathroom and these are characterized with hot water and cold waters. Guests are thus encouraged to remain in lodges close to the objections where they will travel from for simple openness, free Wi-Fi in open areas, gardens for unwinding after gorilla journeying, and extraordinary grand perspectives among various guests are thus encouraged to remain in lodges close to the objections where they will travel from for simple openness.
How old should I be to trek the gorillas?
Gorilla trekking in all the national parks mentioned is open for visitors who have aged fifteen years and above and the visitors who are below this age are not allowed to engage in any gorilla trekking activity unless otherwise. Usually, this age limit is limed to 15 years because the people who are below this age are difficult to control and it might be a big problem to engage within the gorilla trekking activity. Therefore if you are above the age of fifteen, you will be able to trek the gorillas.
What is the perfect time to trek the gorillas?
Gorilla trekking is an activity that is done all year round and all the gorilla parks in Uganda, Rwanda, and the democratic republic of Congo are open all year round. However, the gorilla trekking experience becomes so sweet during the dry season from June to October and from December to February when there are fewer chances of rainfall and thus it is ideal to travel for gorilla trekking during the dry season which is known as the best time for the gorilla trekking. The dry season makes the roads so much accessible as compared to the wet season which might be hard.
What is the cost of the gorilla trekking permit?
Each country has got various charges for the gorilla trekking permit and in Uganda, the gorilla trekking permit costs $700 for the Foreign Nonresidents and then $600 for the foreign residents however in Rwanda the gorillas trekking permit costs $1500 and you will need to pay $400 to see the gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This means that one can opt to pay for gorilla trekking in Uganda since it is the best destination with affordable gorilla trekking permits as compared to Rwanda.
Can I trek the gorillas when I am disabled or pregnant?
Yes, the answer is that you can trek the gorillas even if you are disabled or you have a lady who is pregnant or yourself you are pregnant. In Uganda, several modern sedan chairs are made of steel and these are available to help the visitors who are pregnant or disabled to carry them to the areas for the gorillas. Once you fly to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national park, we shall engage you with the sedan chairs such that you can as well enjoy the gorilla trekking activities, and thus don’t worry, you will be able to come and enjoy this wonderful activity.
What to put on or dress during the gorilla trekking
Going for the gorilla trekking safari, you need to prepare adequately and come with the items or closing gears that will protect you whether there is sunshine or rainfall . Therefore as your coming for the gorillas trekking, make sure that you come with the insect repellant, the strolling stick, the eyes snacks, a long-sleeved shirt, and trousers, you need to have the camera with extra chargers, the warm waters, the garden gloves, the hiking shoes the rain jacket and the poncho among other items.
There are also other instructions that you will need to follow during the gorilla trekking safaris and some of the instructions include, each habituated gorilla family can only have a maximum of 8 persons trekking with them, when taking pictures, avoid using flashlight cameras, if you eat, smoke, or drink in the vicinity of gorillas, you risk dropping food particles, which could contribute to disease transmission, if a gorilla charges, avoid looking directly into its eyes, as this may enhance the likelihood of an attack, only guests above the age of fifteen are permitted to go gorilla trekking, when in the woods and the presence of gorillas, keep your voices low, always follow your guide’s directions.
Can I do other things than the gorillas?
Yes, there are other activities that you can do other than gorilla trekking and this may include bird watching, the community cultural encounters insight in Bwindi impenetrable park, social experience, nature strolls, visiting Dian Fossey grave in Volcanoes public park, hiking in Volcanoes public park, Mgahinga gorilla public park, and Virunga National park, visiting twin lakes, and visiting Lwiro Rehabilitation Center are just a few of the activities available.
