Gorilla trekking is one of the most popular thing to do in Africa. This amazing experience brings you close to the mountain gorillas, rare animals that are categorized as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The most popular countries where one can go gorilla tracking are Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. For those who would like to see lowland gorillas, Gabon and Central Africa are the two other destinations to visit.
To enjoy the moment with the mountain gorillas, there are some things that you need to go with during your trip. Here are the essential things to pack for a great gorilla tour in Africa;
- Waterproof plastic bag to wrap your camera and film in. The forest is moist and you will hike through the trails in the morning hours.
- Carry a raincoat or a jacket – the weather is unpredictable in the forest. It can rain at any time and be ready to walk on muddy path.
- Move with warm clothes to keep you warm during the trek. It is advisable to wear long trousers to protect your legs from morning dew, insect bites and scratch from the trees or grass that many be in your pathway. In addition, long sleeved tops/ t-shirts and caps can be used.
- Don’t forget your camera – you should not take pictures with flash. Therefore come with a camera that you are used to!
- Pack some snacks plus drinking water. Remember the time for the hike is unpredictable. It takes from a mere 30 minutes to a full day hike in the forest.
- For a small price, you can hire porters to carry your backpack and you experience some difficulty conditions he can give you a hand.
- Lightweight clothes for wearing at the lodge. You can also pack a sweater for chilly evenings.
- Hiking boots – Jungle shoes are recommended for the hikes through the tropical rain forests.
Travel Tips
The gorillas stay up in high montane forest therefore, gorilla trekking is done on the higher altitude that offers a diversified vegetation and landscape. Be ready to meet weather changes. You have to be fit as well as the will to climb the slippery slopes through the dense undergrowth. Most especially when going to track gorilla groups that are known to be far.
You can visit gorillas throughout the year, however, due to the rain forest climate, it may rain any day in the year, therefore, and there isn’t a particular time that you should not trek. You have become familiar to any climate change in the forest.
The minimum age for gorilla trekking is 16 years and this is the standard limit. It applies in Uganda as well as Rwanda and it is strongly enforced in all the National Parks. However there isn’t a maximum age for trekking it depends on your fitness.
It is 98% to see the gorillas and we have not had cases where visitors do not see the gorillas during their trek. To make sure that you see them trackers leaving at day break to establish their location and then they radio the gorilla guides at the park head offices such that by the time you set off the guide has an idea of where the gorillas are. These trackers follow the gorillas even as they move.