What May Stop You from Seeing Mountain Gorillas In Uganda, Rwanda And Congo
What May Stop You from Seeing Mountain Gorillas In Uganda, Rwanda And Congo
What May Stop You from Seeing Mountain Gorillas In Uganda, Rwanda And Congo : Mountain gorillas are one of the most sought for animals in the world and they can only be found in Uganda, Rwanda and DR.Congo, though chances of seeing mountain gorillas are high. There are some things/ issues which may stop you for seeing the mountain gorillas regardless of the hassle of securing a gorilla permit due its limited numbers issued.
During mountain gorilla trekking experience, there are about 99% chances of seeing mountain gorillas in the wild so there is guaranteed value for money.
History of Mountain gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking started with An American philanthropist Dian Fossey who realized the need to conserve the mountain gorillas that were at a verge of extinction due to various factors including hunting.
Conservation for mountain gorillas is very pricy so one of the way to keep funding the conservation is through sale of the gorilla permits.
Unfortunately Dian Fossey was brutally murdered in 1985 by unknown assassins, she was buried amongst the gorillas and you can visit it on Diani Fossey Grave Trek in Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park. Up to today, her efforts towards the conservation of mountain gorillas still stand in the continued gorilla conservation campaigns.
Although gorilla trekking is open to humans, there are some factors that may deter visitors from accessing the gorillas as per the standards of IUCN. Mountain gorillas are considered endangered species and due to the conservation efforts, their population has greatly increased to about 1000 gorillas living in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga national park, Volcanoes national park in Rwanda and Virunga national park in DR.Congo.
Highlight Of What May Stop You From Gorilla Trekking
Having no gorilla trekking permit
Contracting a communicable disease like Covid-19 during or before gorilla trekking
Being Under age before gorilla trekking
Missing briefing before gorilla trekking
Not showing up for gorilla trekking
Breaking rules of gorilla trekking
Staying far from gorilla trekking area
Getting a bad Injury while in the forest before seeing the mountain gorillas.
Failing to complete payment for gorilla permit
Having no gorilla trekking permit as per your preferred day
On the daily, Uganda Wildlife Authority and Rwanda Development Board issues a limited number of gorilla permits to the public, only 8 gorilla permits per issued per habituated gorilla family and in Uganda there is a total of 19 habituated gorilla families while in Rwanda there is 13 habituated gorilla families and DR.Congo has about 6 habituated gorilla families.
To participate in gorilla trekking, you must book and full pay for a gorilla permit prior to confirming your gorilla trekking safari through your tour operator or agent. The cost for gorilla permits is as follows
- Uganda – 700 $ per person per trek
- Rwanda – 1,500$ per person per trek
- R Congo – 450 $ per person per trek
In Uganda, you must present the issued gorilla permit card to the park’s authorities before briefing. Your personal details are embedded on the metal strip behind the card.
In Rwanda, you must present your paper receipt to the ORTPN officers before briefing.
In case you do not have a gorilla trekking permit, you are not allowed to access the park for an encounter with gorillas in the wild.
Contracting A Communicable Disease before or During Gorilla Trekking
Mountain gorillas share about 96% human DNA which makes them highly susceptible to human infections and disease like communicable diseases. Due to the recent communicable infection in society, visitors must be fully vaccinated for Corona Virus or test negative for it approximately 72 hours before gorilla trekking.
Visitors are required to present your immunization certificate and results to the authorities too. More infectious diseases include flue, diarrhea, cough and many other.
In case you get symptoms of infections, you are requested to volunteer and stay behind so as to save the gorillas from massive death that may come from contacting these infections.
When you report your illness to the authorities early, your gorilla permit refund according the Authority guidelines may be proceed.
Being Under Age Before Gorilla Trekking
In Uganda, Rwanda and DR.Congo the age limit for gorilla trekking is 15 years above. Securing a gorilla permit for an underage is prohibited. This is because of the nature of the terrain where mountain gorillas live, the land is generally volcanic with ridges and plateaus. It is required to hike the slopes at times to get to the gorillas.
The time of locating of the gorilla is unknown and it may range between 2 hours to 2 quarters of the day, sometimes mountain gorillas are so provocative which may not go well with a child below this age causing a freight in the child which may lead to a rampage in the forest.
A child below the age of 15 may not withstand all these surprises in the wilderness which may delay the entire group or even require assistance while return to the lodge.
These are some of the few reasons to why children below the age of 15 may not be allowed to do gorilla trekking even when they have a permit.
Missing Briefing before Gorilla Trekking
Gorilla trekking sacrilege is missing briefing early morning before heading to the forest, in Uganda briefing for gorilla trekking starts at 0730 hours while in Rwanda briefing starts at 0700 hours.
You join other trekkers for briefing and if you wish to hire a porter to carry your belongings this is done during the briefing session. The ranger guide takes you through the rules of gorilla trekking while in the forest, even if you plan to do two or more gorilla trekking sessions on your safari that is in two days, it is a must to attend briefing. The nature of gorillas is that they get moody depending on the condition in the forest just like humans.
For such reasons, a team of ranger guides wakes up early to follow the gorilla families to be trekking that day and observe their behavior, they send a report to the park authorities who disseminate it to the rangers.
In case, you miss out on briefing you may be the cause to a bad gorilla trekking experience for the rest of the group, in that case you may be asked to stay behind.
Not Showing Up For Gorilla Trekking
A no-show for gorilla trekking calls for no refund more especially if you have no standing reason, trekkers must report to the Uganda Wildlife Authority or Rwanda Development Board prior to the date booked for your gorilla permit just in case you are incapable of attending gorilla trekking.
This is because many tourists who would have booked that permit are left out without permits and so they do not get to trek, you must present evidence for not attending your day of gorilla trekking so that refund claims can be processed according to terms of the Authorities.
You may reschedule your gorilla permit for another day in case you are not in position to do gorilla trekking as per that day but this must be according to the authority ‘s terms and conditions.
Breaking Rules of Gorilla Trekking
Gorilla trekking is governed by a set of rules and regulations for the safety of the mountain gorillas and tourists, following the rules makes the dream about gorilla trekking experience come to life.
Some of the gorilla trekking rules include
- Do not spit on the vegetation
- No entering the forest with a communicable infection
- No using flash photography
- No provoking the gorillas
- Keep a distance of about 8 meters from the mountain gorillas when you meet them and so much more
Violating such rules may call for your dismissal from the forest because you may cause a stampede.
Staying Far From Gorilla Trekking Area
Staying far from gorilla trekking areas may lead to missing your gorilla experience as a result of arriving late for the briefing and start of the experience.
In Uganda, Bwindi impenetrable Forest National park is vast with very think forest cover, for easy management of the park, it is divided into 4 sectors that is Buhoma Area, Ruhija Area, Rushaga Area and Nkuringo Area.
As a trekker, you must book your gorilla trekking permits in the area you are spending overnight which should also be close with in the area you are trekking. This is to avoid waking up early to catch up with early morning briefing, at times connecting roads from one area to another area are impassable too.
In case you don’t arrive in time for briefing, you may be disqualified for gorilla trekking because the groups are divided into 8 after briefing and so you might not have a group to join.
Even the rest of the trekkers move fast in the forests and therefore locating where they may be gets difficult which automatically disqualifies from participating in gorilla trekking experience.
To avoid such puzzling moments, it is crucial to book accommodation within or closer to the area where your gorilla permit is booked.
Getting A Bad Injury While in The Forest Before Seeing The Mountain Gorillas
The wilderness where mountain gorillas are found are steep, sloppy and slippery at times. To find mountain gorillas you have to hike to locate them which may cause you an injury in case you do not step in the right places, this is why the ranger guides have to lead the way so that you use the best trail to get to the mountain gorillas.
In case an accident like this happens which is a rare occurrence, you may not have the strength to continue with your gorilla trekking experience. This may stop you for attending gorilla trekking experience in Uganda, Rwanda or Congo.
Failing to Complete Payment for Gorilla Permit
When booking for a gorilla permit, normally 30% of the total cost of a gorilla permit is required, however you must complete payment at least 90 days to the date of your gorilla trekking experience.
Failure to do so, that calls for cancelation of your permit according the terms and conditions of the Authorities. As trekker you need to be in position to complete the cost of your gorilla trekking permit so as to attend.
Are you planning to go for a gorilla trekking experience, checkout some of our gorilla packages for Rwanda, Uganda and DR.Congo.
