According to research findings by the Uganda Tourism board and Uganda wildlife Authority, tourists flock Uganda for the interest of gorilla safari. These gorillas inhabit the jungles of Bwindi forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park. It is indeed a tough adventure while trekking for these majestic creatures, because they stay on steep slopes of the Virunga massif where accessing them is absolutely not a piece of cake.
Trekking requires physical fitness and ability to trek for long hours, for about 2 to 8 hours before meeting the gorillas. However many people still wonder what chances are there for meeting these gorillas in the jungle? This question is normally asked by travelers to all the gorilla destinations; Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.
It is definitely true that no one will ever guarantee travelers 100% chances of seeing the mountain gorillas but the chances of seeing and interacting with the gorillas is always high, up to 99%.
It is on record that since gorilla tourism started in the 1990’s no traveler has ever missed seeing the mountain gorillas in Uganda. These giant creatures are always on the move and their movement can’t be controlled but still trekkers can always located their daily movements.
Though there is no 100% guarantee for trekkers to see the gorillas but still there are surely chances of meeting them, given the below measures.
Pre-trekking by the park rangers:
Before the trekkers embark on a gorilla tour on any given day, there is a group of park rangers who hike very early in the morning in to the forest to navigate mountain gorilla family’s location.
This group of rangers check to find where the gorilla families spent their previous night and after they communicate back to the park management and directing them on which trails to use with the trekkers.
Rangers use radio calls to inform park officials on the location of the gorillas hence saving the trekkers time because they follow the right route giving great opportunities of meeting the gorillas.
This preparation for gorilla encounters by the park rangers saves the trekkers’ time, energy and of course increasing the chances of meeting gorillas.
Allocating the gorilla family based on one’s capacity:
Because these gorillas live in different altitudes, trekkers should always be ready for both a long and a short trekking depending on the location of the gorillas.
Before visitors embark on the trekking, they are divided into group of eight people with each group is allocated a particular gorilla family. The grouping depends on the trekkers’ choice and the level of difficulty to trek a given group.
In most cases the young and energetic ones are allocated long treks while the aged are assigned to gorilla families that live in areas of low altitude or close to the park headquarters. During the allocation, trekkers are advised to be open to their guides or the travel consultants in the reservation process about things like physical fitness to select the appropriate hike levels.
However, the park management of Bwindi national park has introduced a provision of stretchers to those who can’t hike at all, this they can be carried up in to the forest and still interact with the gorillas and then retire back to the headquarters; this comes at an extra cost of $200.
This provision is to cater for the unfit ones so that they can as well enjoy the gorilla trekking experience.
Early booking and preparations:
To best plan for a gorilla safari, it is required that travelers book early enough, latest three months to the actual date of trekking. This can help the tour operator to book early bird permits, avoiding disappointment of not getting a permit at a later date.
During these preparation travelers should organize trekking gear like hiking boots, hand gloves, sunglasses, long pants and sleeved shirts not forgetting jackets for any weather changes in the forest.
Dressing appropriately for gorilla trekking ease movements especially in muddy and slippery grounds, thorny bushes, lose rocks and bites by insects hence having a rewarding trekking experience.
Gorilla trekking is an exciting adventure and a life changing experience that happens once in lifetime. Trekkers are assured of meeting mountain gorillas in the wild and interact with them in their natural habitats; Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.
