Gorilla trekking has become the leading tourist activity in Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the only 3 countries in the world with the endangered mountain gorillas. This breathtaking encounter in the wild attracts thousands of travellers all over the world to come and meet these amazing great apes which share 98% of the human DNA in their natural habitat.
Unlike, other tourist activities, gorilla trekking involves extra procedures right from booking the tour till the conclusion of the actual trekking day. After securing the gorilla trekking permit and flying in for the experience, here is what transpires on the actual day of the exercise .
The briefing
The first event of the gorilla trekking day is briefing and orientation on the gorilla trekking rules and what to expect during the trek. Starting at 7:00am early in the morning, every visitor must attend to get acquainted with what to expect from the trek including the gorilla rules and regulations, the time it may take to see gorillas, the structure of the gorilla family among others such as hiring a porter or extra gears.
Viewing gorillas in particular is very dynamic. There’s no single rule to apply for the unforeseen. If you obey and carefully pay attention to your ranger’s advice, then the gorilla trekking will be safe and successful. The common rule is maintaining 7-meter distance when observing the gorillas. Keeping the distance however, may not stop playful gorillas from approaching you. For that reason, the ranger will tell you to step backward aside for the gorilla to move on.
Those undertaking gorilla trekking safaris during Covid-19, there are standard operating procedures to follow (SOPs) including wearing face masks, regular use of disinfectants and temperature screening. Having any slight symptoms of cold, you could be denied to visit the gorillas. Preparation is key in this case.
Gorilla rules are strict because the primates can easily catch infectious diseases including Covid-19 and common cold. This reality along with protecting the animals from human stress has put gorilla trekking at the core of responsible tourism.
Trekking gorillas
The hike to the gorillas from the briefing point can take anywhere between 30 minutes ad 8 hours depending on the location of the gorillas. The allocation of gorilla families for trekking can be applied for short, medium or longer treks. The rangers will assess the visitor’s hiking capacity and age in relation to the anticipated trek.
The hike to and from the forest will occupy much of the trekking time besides the 1 hour to spend with gorillas. Usually gorilla trackers are the first to go into the forest to trace the movement of gorillas from where the animals slept the previous night.
The trackers search for signs such as stems, fresh droppings to confirm that it’s the gorillas and not any other animals. Then, they will communicate by walkie talkie to the main guide at the centre telling him the direction to follow using GPS.
In rare cases, the movement of gorillas could be disrupted by forest elephants and it can prolong the search time. Eventually when trackers locate the gorillas, they will advise the shortest route possible. In that manner, gorilla trekking is deemed a well-coordinated activity. The promise is that coming face to face with the gorillas in their natural habitat is guaranteed whether in Rwanda, Uganda or DR Congo.
Many travelers who have undertaken a gorilla tour before have described gorilla trekking as one of the best wildlife experiences in the world. Watching gorillas go about their daily activities in a human-like fashion is so amazing and always leave visitors fascinated. For memories, trekkers are permitted to use their cameras and take photographs and videos of gorillas though this should be done cautiously without making any unnecessary noise and inconveniencing the animals.
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