Looking to taking a gorilla trek to Uganda or Rwanda? In order to have a successful gorilla trek, prior planning is needed. Here are some of the most important things to consider when planning a gorilla trek in Africa;
1. Book Gorilla Permits Early: For one to see the endangered mountain gorillas, a gorilla permit is required. There are only 18 habituated gorilla groups in Uganda and 12 habituated gorilla groups in Rwanda. Therefore about 80 permits are granted per day in Bwindi and 80 permits are granted for Rwanda visitors! if you are planning to take a gorilla safari most especially during the peak season, make sure that you book gorilla permits early enough as well as the lodges where you intend to stay during your trip. You can book gorilla permits through a safari outfitter given that it is not easy to reserve them from the Uganda Wildlife Authority or ORTPN.
2. Proper Clothing. Dressing right for a gorilla safari is another important factor that you should look at. Experience shows that though it is possible to enjoy a gorilla trek in different kinds of outfits, such as skinny jeans and tennis shoes, adventure boots etc, it is important to pack the best hiking clothes. Remember be ready for hikes through slippery and muddy trails. In addition to changeable weather, it is necessary to put on sturdy shoes and don’t forget to pack garden gloves, a hat and khaki shirts. Please remember to pack long pants. These will protect you from potential cold weather and the stinging nettle plants and insects that you may encounter during the trek. Some trekkers also bring waterproof pants to wear on top of regular pants, and this is not a bad idea most especially if you are to travel during the peak of the rainy season in April and May.
3. Choosing the right shoes for a trek is not easy. However Boots that fit above the ankle are a must given the hiking trails where you will walk through! Remember you can easily walk through ankle-deep mud at certain points, and sometimes even knee-deep mud that threatens to suck the boots right off your feet. Some hikers prefer to wear gators over boots but many make it with a knee-high rubber wellies with treads on the bottom.
4. Pack enough food and water
On a gorilla trek, there’s no place to buy food and water once you get to the national parks. For most all inclusive tours you will leave the lodge with packed lunch. For water, always make sure you have at least a liter of water! You will indeed need enough water to take you up the hike, some glucose and some snacks. Remember there is no actual known time that you will spend on a gorilla trek. Some treks last well into the afternoon, and therefore try to bring some energy bars and fruit to keep me going.
5. Make sure your camera is forest ready.
You should not forget to bring with you a good shuuter camera. Remember flash photography is not allowed given that it disturbs the gorillas so make sure you get your camera manual and disable the automatic flash and automatic focus light functions. Some travlers have opted to record a footage of the gorillas and later get photos from the video recorded. Remember to come with a flash disk 64GB and more so that you can get enough room on your camera for other destinations that you may visit after your trek!
Outfitters:
There are several tour operators offering gorilla safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo. Some of the recommended gorilla trekking companies are;
- Gorilla Expeditions (www.gorillasafarisuganda.com) – (trips from $1095 per person, all-inclusive) . They offer customized trips with the best guides to Bwindi and Volcanoes parks;
- Go Gorilla Trekking (www.gogorillatrekking.com) – (3 nights from $1,090 per person, all-inclusive) Offer day trips and multiday adventures to Uganda, Rwanda and Congo guided by local tour guides.
- African Jungle Adventures (www.rwandagorillasafaris.com) – (trips from $1,089 per person) – Company offering gorilla tours in Uganda and Rwanda at incredibly good prices.
