Why Viewing For only one hour is given During Gorilla Trekking In Africa

During gorilla trekking, only one hours is allowed to be in the presence of mountain gorillas. This is because the mountain gorilla area habituated to be infront of humans for only every day.

When you book your gorilla trekking safari, you are eager to be in the presence of the mountain gorillas. You wish to take photos as memories of this Africa safari experience with the only leftover mountain gorillas.

You must select the dates when you wish to do your gorilla trekking safari and have a rough estimate of how many people you are willing to travel with to do gorilla trekking. Note that the age limit for gorilla trekking is 15 years and above.

In Africa, gorilla trekking tours are carried out in Bwindi Impenetrable national park in Uganda, Volcanoes National park Rwanda, Mgahinga National park Uganda and Virunga National park D.R.Congo.

The least number of days you can spend on gorilla trekking in Africa is 3 days gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda 2 days gorilla trekking tour. This is because you need to spend some day or days in or close to the gorilla trekking park to catch up with briefing. Even the times of locating the mountain gorillas is unknown because it depends on the conditions in the wilderness.

With all the above noted, only one hour is allowed in the presence of the mountain gorillas when you meet them across all countries.

Highlights

Mountain Gorillas need to feed

Allow conception for the Mountain gorillas

Conservation reasons of the mountain gorillas

Reduce on the amount of grass trampled on for long time

To allow enough return time After gorilla trekking

Reduce on chances of agitating the mountain gorillas

Prevent disease transmission to the mountain gorillas and humans

Mountain Gorillas need to feed

The forest is the sole food provider for the mountain gorillas. The mountain gorillas all day keep searching for foliage to support there sheer bodies. The mountain gorilla delicacy is bamboo but can supplement it with leaves, soft stems, fruits, branches and others. They are generally vegan primates feeding on over 200 pounds of foliage every day to support there bodies through day and night.

 Not spitting on the vegetation is one way to preserve the mountain gorilla food from getting contaminated. The Virunga area is made-up of dense, tangled vegetation that draped over a mountainous landscape of deeply fissured valleys and steep ridges.

 Each day the mountain gorillas traverse this area in search for food to support there families’ lives. The dominant silverback is responsible for seeking new feeding ground for the family once exhausted.

Allow conception for the Mountain gorillas

The presence of humans makes it difficult for conceiving. There is a lot of distraction and mountain gorillas are shy too.

They need to be given spare to go on with there lives freely. Even grooming the infants, family bonding is affected too that is the reason for allowing only one hour with the mountain gorillas.

During the low seasons when there are less visits to the mountain gorilla destinations, many females give birth and pregnant females are so many. Limiting the amount of time to only one hour is to allow conceptions so that the population of mountain gorillas is expanded.

Conservation reasons of the mountain gorillas

Although gorilla habituation is to get mountain gorillas used to the presence of humans and attract more funds to support this cause, conservation takes precedence. To keep this in practice, only an hour is allowed to be in the presence of the mountain gorillas.

 The more time people are allowed to be in front of the mountain gorillas, the more they get used to human presence and level of dependence increases. The mountain gorillas may get chance of grabbing eats from humans.

Mountain gorillas are wild animals that must not live on human provision. When this habit starts, the natural being of the mountain gorillas is altered. Conservation of the mountain gorillas is the number priority.

 In the 1980s according to the census a carried out by the team of American naturalist Dian Fossey, only about 250 mountain gorillas were living in the world. There plight came to the notice of both local and international bodies too marking them among the highly endangered species.

Of late about 1000 mountain gorillas are existing and this is owed to the conservation fraternity including the gorilla research team, gorilla doctors, ranges, park officers and others.

Reduce on the amount of grass trampled on for long time

The mountain gorillas feed on foliage to survive but the longer people keep around the mountain gorilla family, the more vegetation is stepped on. This reduces on the food supply for the mountain gorillas in the wild.

 Alternatively, the mountain gorillas will in turn go into the community to feed on people’s food. This may lead to setting snares for these apes who increase in number has taken a lot of effort and money.

 To allow enough return time After gorilla trekking

Time of locating the mountain gorillas in the wild is not known. You may take between 2 hours to three quarters of the day. By the time you locate the mountain gorillas. You may be tired to walk back in case you take longer time with the mountain gorillas after hiking, watching the gorillas in the wild is an emotional and touching adventure.

When you take more time in the forest with the mountain gorillas, returning to your lodge may be challenging in case you moved very deep in the forest.

Reduce on chances of agitating the mountain gorillas

Mountain gorillas are agitated by some acts that humans do. Over staring in the eyes of the mountain gorillas may cause them to become suspicious of your presence. In nature, the mountain gorillas are shy primates with brown sunken eyes.

When you over look at them, they retreat into hiding which may not go well after paying for your gorilla permit. To reduce on the chances of this happening, time of being with them must be reduced.

Provoking the mountain gorillas is one of the forbidden acts but it can happen in case you stay longer in the presence of the mountain gorillas.

Eating or smoking closer to the mountain gorillas is forbidden but when you take longer, you may get hungry and pull out something to munch on.

Prevent disease transmission to the mountain gorillas and humans

Mountain gorillas are wild animals that may have some infections that may be transmitted to humans and humans can also transmit to them too.

To reduce on the chances of disease transmission, the time of locating the mountain gorillas must be reduced to just one hour.

What Is The best Time to Go Gorilla Trekking in Africa

Gorilla trekking is open all year round but the drier seasons are most sought after. This is because the trails are less soggy and forest dwellers more active. Gorilla trekking is not like other safaris where viewing certain animals is a probability. Gorilla trekking is a sure win activity no matter when you visit

The months of June to September and December to January gorilla trekking is most demanded. The Virunga area is known for receiving untimely rains without warning. No matter when you book the gorilla trekking tour, you are sure of finding the mountain gorillas.

 The mountain gorillas feed closer to the ground during the dry seasons but may move to the slopes during the wet season when the ground is soggy.

The low and usually wet season comes with less people visiting so if you wish to have exclusive gorilla trekking, you can opt for this time. This is because chances of trekking a gorilla family solo are high.

Even those interested in closing off the gorilla trekking family and have it for themselves can do this best during the low season.

Many infants are born in the low season so incase you wish to select a gorilla family with an infant, you can use the low seasons.

Which country is best for gorilla trekking in Africa

 The moment you get in front of mountain gorillas you forget where you are trekking from for a while. To get the best country for gorilla trekking is dependent on what you wish to do and see.

In Rwanda the drive time from Kigali Airport to Volcanoes National park is about 3 hours however the drive time from Entebbe Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National park is about 8 hours to 9 hours.

The gorilla trekking permit for uganda costs $700 per person while the Rwanda gorilla trekking permit costs $1500 per person per trek.

Minimum number of days you can take on Rwanda gorilla trekking safari is 2 days gorilla trekking while 3 day gorilla trekking tour is minimum for uganda.

More activities to add with gorilla trekking in Uganda include game drives, chimpanzee trekking, white water rafting, mountaineering, Uganda birding community visits and others. Rwanda activities to combine with gorilla trekking are limited in choices to choose from. Some of the alternative Rwanda safari activities include chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe national Park, birding, Kigali city tour, community visits and others

Uganda has about 19 gorilla trekking families open for tourism including two for gorilla habituation While Rwanda so far has about 13 gorilla families open for tourism. Uganda has more permits open for gorilla trekking compared to uganda.

How To Book Gorilla Permits In Uganda And Rwanda

Note the date when you hope to do gorilla in Uganda or Rwanda with the number of people you hope to join you for gorilla trekking.

Our safari reservation officer checks availability status for that date per that time because it change any time. Gorilla permits are sold according to first come first served basis. This is because the permits are limited yet demand is high worldwide.

In case the status of the gorilla permits is positive, we advise you to secure your gorilla permit in advance to reduce on the chances of missing out when they are sold out. Every day, the mountain gorillas are released for the public to book.

Buying the gorilla permit is the only way to confirm your interest in taking this safari.

Later you are required to provide some personal details like the full names per your passport, nationality, date of birth, passport expiry date and others.

How safe Is Gorilla Trekking in Africa

The general security for gorilla trekking destinations in Uganda and Rwanda so far is very good. The rangers at the park headquarters work with other security bodies for both Uganda and Rwanda to keep law and order in this area.

Your personal security is very important for the entire gorilla trekking adventure.

Try to keep close to the people you travel with during gorilla trekking so that you are not isolated by the wrong people.

Do not eat anywhere to avoid food poisoning, ask your driver guide for best food centers on the way and at the destination.

Counting a lot of money in public may invite the wrong people to follow you during gorilla trekking.

Do not carry your precious belonging like jewels but ensure you declare them to the lodge managers so that they can be kept in the safe. Remember to collect your belongings when departing.

Remember to move with your identification documents like passport so that you can be traced in case you get a problem.

Entering the forest without a ranger guide is forbidden. This is because the wilderness has some other dwellers that may be harmful to you.

Pack the right gorilla trekking gears that will protect your body from rough jungle surfaces. Carry your long sleeved shirt and trousers. Even insect repellants to protect your skin from stinging insects.

Listen to the instructions from the ranger guide because he knows most of the details in the forest. In case you deviate from the rest of the group during gorilla trekking, you may be abandoned in the forest.

Never provoke the mountain gorillas during gorilla trekking because it may cause a stampede in the wilderness.

BOOK SAFARI NOW