
How difficult is gorilla trekking?
How difficult is gorilla trekking? Mountain Gorillas are found in the parts of Africa, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla national parks in southwestern part of Uganda, Virunga National park in the east of Democratic Republican of Congo and Volcanoes National park in the northwest of Rwanda. These are the only three countries in the world where you can find mountain gorillas for Gorilla trekking.
How difficult is Gorilla trekking is one of the most common questions asked by many visitor coming to Uganda, Rwanda and Congo for gorilla trekking safari. With no doubt mountain gorilla trekking is one of the most fascinating wildlife experiences in Africa but it is not like other normal game drives in national parks or visiting your local zoo. Mountain Gorilla trekking involves hiking through difficult terrain, crossing water streams, thick vegetation, valleys and hills with altitudes of about 2500 to 3000 meters above the sea level. Therefore, gorilla trekking is challenging, strenuous which can leave one tired especially if someone is not used to walking for long hours.
During mountain gorilla trekking anything so adventurous can happen such as insect stinging or biting, thorn scratches since the hiking takes you through the impenetrable forests with no well paved tracks. However, gorilla trekking is carried out with a well-trained guide, ranger and porters from Uganda Wildlife Authority who always pave way for you and guide you about what to do during gorilla trekking which later makes it easy.
Mountain Gorilla trekking safari in Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republican of Congo is challenging therefore, one should be physically fit and ready to walk for long hours through muddy, thick vegetation, valleys and hills depending on the location of the Gorilla family you are tracking. There are very many personal issues to be considered when preparing to go for the mountain gorilla trekking tour these include; the health status, age and physical fitness of the person. So, it is very important to hire a porter to help you carry your belongs during the trek.
The greatest guidance we would give you is to be mentally prepared before and in uncontrollable moods to meet the endangered mountain gorillas before embarking on your gorilla Africa trekking tour. The preparations should include preparing for unpredictable weather conditions, walking for long hours for unknown distances and walking through muddy, valleys and hiking hills therefore, following all the above advises, 100% percent you will complete the activity with no any challenge but only enjoying.
Mountain Gorilla trekking can be done throughout the year however, during the wet season, it is more challenging because the tracking trails tend to be muddy and slippery but this does not stop visitors from enjoying Gorilla trekking. Therefore, many of the visitors choose to trek in the dry season which is between the months of June to September and December to February.
Mountain gorilla trekking is only done by people of 15 years and above and it is always better to go with a group of your age bracket mates such that you can be able to move at the same pace during forest walk to search for the mountain gorillas. This will make your walk so adventurous and exciting with no any difficult.
The older, less mobile, or physically disabled visitors who would like to have the once in a lifetime experience of mountain gorilla trekking have a chance to see them even in high altitude of between 2,300 to 4,500 meters above the sea level by hiring local porters to carry you on either the traditional bamboo carrier or the modern sedan chair that are known as African Helicopter or Bwindi Helicopters and these have to be booked in advance therefore, if you wish to hire them, you have to inform us in advance such that we can arrange for you.
If you are not physically fit or not able to walk for long hours, during the pre-trekking briefing at the park information center you can tell your driver guide to choose for you a gorilla family which is the easiest to trek or not far from the information center but this is not guaranteed because Mountain Gorillas are wild animals so, no one can tell their movements all the time. Their movements are influenced by several factors such as searching for food, fear more especially when one family fights with another family and they have to travel for some long distances among others to be safe. So, this can make family which was nearer yesterday to be far away the next day.