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Gorilla Tour

Is Gorilla Trekking Safe?

Is Gorilla Trekking Safe?

Gorilla Tour

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is one of the best wildlife experiences in Africa. There are stringent safety precautions in place, and the field guides who accompany you on the treks are total professionals who know more about the gorillas and their behavior than anyone on the planet.

Gorilla trekking is a safe enterprise, so long as you follow a few basic rules and listen to your trek guide. We introduce you to the safety guidelines for gorilla trekking to give you peace of mind about this extraordinary adventure.

Moreover, the troops that folks visit on gorilla treks are habituated, which means they’re used to being around humans.

There are of course some fairly commonsensical rules that you should obey on a gorilla trek to ensure your safety as well as the well-being of the gorillas. And your gorilla trek guide is the person to look to if you’re ever uncertain about what to do (or not do). He or she is there to protect you and knows the visited troop well.

Mountain gorillas are gentle giants

Some might understandably have qualms about the mountain gorillas themselves. A silverback can weigh around 150 to 180 kg, after all. But while mountain gorillas are extremely powerful especially the fully grown males, they’re quite gentle by nature.

Mountain gorillas are even vegetarians and predominantly, at least – sometimes they eat insects. So, while gorillas will defend themselves if attacked, they’re not aggressive creatures. And they have no interest in messing with humans.

You visit habituated gorillas

Further enhancing everyone’s safety is the fact that the gorilla troops you visit on a trek are habituated. This means they’ve undergone a long process of slowly becoming accustomed to the presence of humans. They’re therefore less likely to become alarmed and agitated by your presence.

You trek with a trained guide

When you go on a gorilla trek you go in the company of a trained guide. Such men and women know the gorilla troops being visited, and know what can and cannot be done.

It is important to always listen to your ranger and stay with the group while trekking. Listen to what you’re told to do and not do. Poking a silverback’s stomach, for instance, is not allowed. But if you follow the rules of your trek guide and act with common sense, you’re perfectly safe visiting the gorillas.

The age limit for Gorilla Tracking

The age limit for gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is 15 years and above. This is the age limit for all tourists planning a gorilla safari in Rwanda. Age verification using your official identification documents like national IDs and passports will be done. The age limit was put at 15 because all those that are 15 and above can easily be controlled, unlike children below the age who are hard to control and might be forced to run in case a gorilla approaches them. They make noise and play around.

Gorilla Trekking Safety Guidelines

Obviously, there are rules to follow when observing the gorillas that are geared towards not angering, frightening or in any other way upsetting the gorillas. Here are some simple guidelines to follow when in the presence of mountain gorillas to further ensure everything goes smooth.

The forest trek is safe, but tough

Mountain gorillas live in montane forest, which means you have to walk along forest trails to find them. A gorilla trek is all about seeing these magnificent animals in their natural habitat, after all.

Every forest trek varies in length and difficulty depending on a few factors, like which park your visit, the weather, and the particular gorilla troop you’ve been assigned (troops’ locations are monitored by park rangers and each trek group is assigned a specific troop to visit).

Generally speaking, visitors can ask to be assigned a troop near or far from the starting point. The less fit, for example, may wish to have shorter hike. Hikes range from about half an hour to three or four hours. There are no overnight hikes.

You need to be prepared

Probably the biggest ‘danger’ on a gorilla trek is to do with navigating the mountainous and forested terrain. You often walk along narrow or even non-existent trails.

Further, note that the route you walk is likely to be steep in places, as well as muddy and slippery. So, you want hiking boots with good grip. And you might also consider bringing along trekking poles or a walking stick, as many others do.

You can also hire the services of a porter, who not only carries your backpack for you but also helps you to navigate tricky sections.

Finally, it can be really cold in the early morning, as well as hot at midday when the there’s no cloud cover. So, you need to be prepared for all kinds of weather, having warm layers, a waterproof shell, and sunscreen and a sunhat.

Uganda and Rwanda are stable countries

We regularly travel in both Rwanda and Uganda, the two main countries where visitors head to go gorilla trekking. And we’re pleased to say that Rwanda and Uganda are relatively stable countries with thriving tourism industries. The locals in both countries are warm and welcoming towards visitors.

Well-run national parks

Moreover, the parks where the mountain gorillas live – Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda – are particularly well maintained and patrolled.

Visitor safety is a top priority at both parks, and experienced trek guides always accompany every gorilla trekking party. So, you’re in one of the safest spots of each country when you go gorilla trekking.  You can also see mountain gorillas in the DRC, but we don’t recommend that as a destination right now.

We also recommend travelling with a local tour guide to further ensure your safety. No matter where you go in the world, having a local look after you is always a great idea, as they know the culture, environment, people and wildlife of the place.

In conclusion

Although safety measures have been put in place, you also need to ensure that you take care of your personal Security to contribute to safety during a gorilla trek safari in Uganda and Rwanda.

Follow all the rules and regulations that were put in place because they are to protect you from mountain gorilla attacks and protect the gorillas from extinction.

Is Gorilla Trekking Safe

Is Gorilla Trekking Safe

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Mountain gorillas are an endangered species that can only be trekked in three countries: Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the Virunga region, which has made these giant primates a top tourist attraction in the three countries. Although they are large and powerful primates, they never have an interest in attacking or causing harm to humans unless they are provoked, which is rare to zero occurrence. Though many people think that gorillas are scary, they are very peaceful animals and gorilla safaris into Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and the Virunga Massif are quite safe.

Safety Tips for Gorilla Trekking

Book with a good local tour operator

Before booking a gorilla trip, make sure that you do extensive research about the company you are about to use so that fake companies do not defraud you. Read reviews on TripAdvisor from other clients who have used the company before, and ensure that the company is legally registered, has worked with clients before, and has a company account for payments or any other genuine online payment plan. Avoid sending money to a personal account because it might be hard to trace it.

Follow all the trekking rules

Mountain gorillas are calm and peaceful primates until they believe they are being threatened. To avoid being attacked and irritating them, make sure that you stay with the group at all times; keep a distance of 7 meters between you and the gorilla; when approached by the gorillas, keep a low profile; bow down and do not look at the gorilla straight in the eye; avoid making noise; do not eat, drink, or smoke around the primates; give them space to move around; do not touch the baby gorillas even though it is tempting because the silverback might think that you want to harm their offspring; and do not litter the compound.

Get an easier hike

If you believe that you are not fit for a hike but would still want to hike, we recommend that you communicate with your operator so that you are assigned a more accessible family to hike with. The hike will still be the same as the rest; the only difference is that you will be given an easier family to hike with. Read more about gorilla trekking for seniors and disabled people.

Dress appropriately

Gorilla trekking rules are extremely important, but so is the dress code if you want to avoid injuries. You will be hiking through an African jungle, and you will need to be well protected by putting on strong, sturdy hiking boots, long-sleeved shirts, trousers (avoid jeans), gaiters, thick socks, and sunglasses, but only during the hike, waterproof jackets, a warm sweater, and sunscreen, among others.

A Good Hotel

The internet is filled with many hotels you can book. We advise, however, that you get accommodation that is both safe and has comfortable rooms. Cheap hotels are always overcrowded and do not have the best facilities. So, it is best to let your tour operator book the spaces on your behalf since they are well-versed with the accommodations within and outside the national parks.

Purchase of permits

Avoid purchasing gorilla trekking permits from the black market and sites that are not genuine and usually offer the licenses at a low cost. The only authentic places to get your permit are the local tour operators registered with the Association of Uganda Tour Operators, the Uganda Wildlife Authority in Uganda, and the Rwanda Development Board in Rwanda.