Training And Fitness Exercises For Gorilla Trekking

Training And Fitness Exercises For Gorilla Trekking- Mountain gorillas are endangered species of the world’s largest primates and share 96% DNA with humans making them sloe relatives together with bonobos and chimpanzees. Gorillas are gentle and humble but can only become aggressive when they are disturbed.

Mountain gorillas have thick and long fur that helps them to adapt to their environment of very cold temperatures, they don’t take water reason being they mostly feed on foods that contain water. Mountain gorillas also fear water and the rain they can only cross a stream if there is a log to pass on top. For unknown reasons, the mountain gorillas fear caterpillars or chameleons.

Training and fitness exercises for gorilla trekking

Mountain gorillas stay in sub-tropical and tropical forests in mountainous areas, they live in social family groups of about 10 – 20 individuals and are scattered in different locations so different gorilla families need different fitness levels, some mountain gorilla families are difficult to trek while others are easy to trek.

All the same gorilla trekking will require travelers to engage in training and workout before the final day of gorilla trekking. Preparing for the trek helps you to get familiar with the landscape that you will encounter. Sometimes the climb can become steep, muddy, and slippery, and allocating a gorilla family takes you 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on the gorilla location.

Sometimes you might be allocated the nearest gorilla family to trek but nature is always unpredictable as mountain gorillas are wild animals, they can move from one place to another in search of food so your trekking hours might be longer. So, whether trekking the easiest gorilla family or the hardest you need to be physically fit.

Most tourists who have enjoyed gorilla trekking always say that they got involved in some exercise back home probably on the nearby hills and this made their trekking easier. You can be part of fitness classes, do some jogging, walk for long distances or just do any exercise that makes you fit enough so that you enjoy your once in a lifetime gorilla trekking experience.

Apart from being physically fit on gorilla treks, you will also need a good parking list and ensure to have garden gloves, insect repellents, long-sleeved warm clothes, waterproof hiking shoes, sunscreens, raincoats, hat, enough drinking water, and many other things that you might need.

In conclusion, gorilla trekking can be done by every person apart from very old people that can’t be allowed to travel and the ones suffering from flue or diarrhea as well as children below the age of 15. Old people or the disabled can trek and hire sedan seat stretchers for gorilla trekking. You will be carried to the jungle with a dean seat by the porters and after meeting them you will be out down only to observe the mountain gorilla family and be carried back to the starting point for your gorilla trekking observation.

What to pack for mountain gorilla trekking?

Besides knowing the training and fitness exercises for gorilla trekking in Africa, you need to compile a list of things to pack for gorilla tracking activities in Africa

Hiking Boots

One to enjoy gorilla trekking experience with no disturbance should carry hiking boots because some gorillas are staying in the mountainous areas like mountain gorillas so encounter them it needs you to hike and remember that these primates are always moving from one place to another when their searching for food. On your safari hiking boots is one of the most important things you should carry for your gorilla tracking safari.

Long-Sleeved Shirts / Blouse

Try as much as possible to put on the long-sleeved shirts, this is because some gorillas are staying in the big forests. During the tracking is too helpfully for you to put on long-sleeved shirts and trouser into the boots to avoid flies and insects in the forest which can affect your body.

Garden Gloves

These gloves will protect you from germs and reduce the risk of other infections that may affect you since during gorilla trekking activity you hold onto vegetation when you’re hiking. Therefore, always consider gloves as the important thing on this safari.

Rain Jacket

Most gorilla trekking visitors prefer to track gorillas during the dry season of the year but national parks where these primates can be found are rainforests therefore anytime it can rain in the dry months.

Consider having a raining jacket just in case it rains since these parks are in a mountainous area, you will not know the day it will rain.

Hat and Sun Glasses

It is also important to carry hats and sunglasses mostly in the dry months of the year, this is an optional thing during gorilla trekking but it is advisable to carry them to avoid disturbance.  They protect you from the light and heat.

Energy giving snacks

Sometimes gorilla trekking can take like 30 minutes and you find them depending on your lack on that day like in Virunga national park of Congo, Mgahinga gorilla national park of Uganda but in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park of Uganda and Volcanoes national park of Rwanda it very hard to find gorilla family within 30 minutes, it takes like 2-6 hours to meet them, therefore, you need to carry some energy drinks and enjoy your experience.

Cameras and extra batteries

Do not forget to carry a good camera and extra batteries for taking photos with these primates that to share with your loved ones when you’re back in your homeland. Please when you’re taking pictures make sure that your flash is off.

Pair of Binoculars

Apart from gorillas, there are also other attractions in the forest so it is important to carry binoculars with you so that you do not miss out on anything. Most especially bird lovers during gorilla trekking you will also get a chance to spot a lot of bird species.

Best time to trek mountain gorillas

The best time to trek mountain gorillas has been approved as the dry season when there is less or no rainfall so the terrain is always not slippery and the roads are passable. The dry season occurs during June, July, August, and September and also December, January, and February.

Low season

Low season is the best season for gorilla trekking for budget trekkers. Tracking in this season is cheap because the accommodation is lowered at a budget rate. The low season months are March, April, May, and November and the months are discouraging.

The prices of lodges is more favorable than high season rates and the low price rates are set to attract budget travelers. The few travelers are grouped into different gorilla families giving different experiences.

Although travelling in this season has an advantage of being cheap, it rains a lot making trekking in this season difficult.  The forest grounds are muddy and slippery making travelers uncomfortable.

However the rain falls throughout the year and gorilla trekking still continues, the sun will shine still after the rain has fallen and this enables the gorilla trekkers to still trek the rare endangered mountain gorillas.