Ways you can make a gorilla trekking trip a success

With only 900 gorillas left in the world, many tourists have strived hard to have a glance at them in their natural habitats. If you have ever seen a gorilla in a zoo, then you should not jubilate because you might have seen lowland and not a mountain gorilla due to the fact that they are not kept in captivity. In order to see one, you have to personally trek them in their natural habitats.

In Uganda and Rwanda, these rare-primates can only be found in Virunga Mountains, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga National Parks. Bwindi Impenetrable has the largest number of these great apes with almost half of the world’s total population. But whenever a visitor hears the word impenetrable, he/she thinks that it is impossible to trek through it which is not the truth. The park’s compact magnificent nature spiced with a thick rainforest are some of the wonders experienced and while in the middle, you will notice that it is too dark because of the many trees that cover the whole area.

A gorilla trekking safari to these East African countries is a lifetime experience that you will never get tired of. In fact, to many visitors, a second visit is always better in terms of adventure to the first one. It doesn’t matter which side of the park you start your trek from .You might have read many pieces discussing which of the countries is the best for trekking adventure but those pieces miss the fact that each country has its own unique experience t another country lacks. It is important in most cases to live the judgment to the visitor after the trip because everyone perceives things in a different way. But according to me, Uganda offers the best experience. Not because I have been there several times for the same reason but because of the easiness to encounter the great-apes in the rainforests and other adventurous exposures guaranteed. I must confirm to you that every trip I made to this “pearl of Africa “was completely different.

Factors to consider while picking a location

There are many things you should put in mind before choosing your favorite destination that suites your expectations and these include; the length of the trek, how open is the place and the protection provided to avoid attacks from the primates. However, you should also know that it is not a must that you will find it easy to see the gorillas since they are not in captive. They live in families and keep on moving through the forest in search for food and this makes it tricky to find them.

Check your fitness

Gorilla trekking involves moving fairly long distances through thick rainforests and highlands and therefore, one should ensure that he/she is physically fit and not sick. The whole activity can take approximately 3 hours meaning that one has to be energetic to enable him/her complete the trip. Never force yourself to track when sick because it is too dangerous for both your health and that of the primates since they also contract certain human diseases. To avoid dehydration and thirst, you may carry a bottle of water with you.

What to carry

Unlike other tourism activities, with gorilla trekking there are specific clothes that you should carry like long-sleeved shirts, long-thick socks, hand gloves, sun glasses, high-hilled shoes with a strong skin and many more. The number of clothes to carry depends on the number of days you plan to spend on your safari.

When to go gorilla trekking

Since both countries lie near the equator, they share the same climatic conditions each with 2 dry seasons. It’s best to visit during these periods because the parks are not too muddy during this time and can easily be accessed. Dry seasons are; – mid–December –February and June-September.

One other thing you should put in mind is that you must obtain a  gorilla permit before you are allowed to do so. A permit in Uganda costs US$600 and in Rwanda it costs US$700.