Experience the Safari of a lifetime

There are approximately 600 mountain gorillas in existence today. Gorillas are man’s closest relatives yet man is the greatest enemy to their survival. Man has hunted gorillas for their heads and hands and used them in making lamp shades and ash trays. Others have been killed while protecting their babies from poachers who sell them illegally to zoos. This is despite the fact that their survival rate at the zoos is very low.

Gorilla trekking is an experience everyone ought to have at least once in their lifetime. The trekking allows you to have an opportune close encounter with gorillas within their natural habitat. The trekking takes place in DRC, Rwanda or during a Uganda safari and is dependent on the local conditions as well as the availability of trekking permits. Trekking in the gorilla habitat is not exploitation; on the contrary, the increasing number of tourists played a significant role in their survival. The permit fee that is charged goes to setting up and financing patrols that ensure the security of the animals.

So why are these gorillas any different from the ones you have seen at the zoo? Most gorillas in the zoos are those that have been shipped from the lowlands of West Africa while the ones you will observe in the East African countries are mountain gorillas of the sub species known as beringei beringei. This species can only be found in Rwanda- Virunga highlands within Volcano Park; Uganda- Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park; and DRC- Virunga National Park. These parks are located within a distance of 48 km from each other. Accessibility in Rwanda and Uganda is easy whilst DRC is nearly impossible to access mainly because of the civil strife that currently rocks the nation.

Trekking in gorilla land in both Uganda and Rwanda can be done all year round. However, the damp conditions of their habitat push tourists to visit in the warmer months of June-September and December-February. You can visit the parks while taking one of your Uganda or neighboring country Tanzania safari holidays during the low season as this attracts a lower permit fee.

When preparing for a trek, ensure you have the appropriate trekking gear. You will need a pair of good quality and comfortable walking boots for hiking; warm and insulated clothing for the cold and wet weather that characterizes the high altitude area.

It is good to know at this point that the treks are made as safe as can possibly be. Although gorillas are much heavier and stronger than the average human adult, they are shy and gentle. The mountain gorillas that visitors come to see are habituated over a period of two years which means that you are safe. However, it is good to be cautious hence it is advisable for you not to bully or irritate the gorillas, remember they are wild animals and can turn to be so when agitated.

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Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.

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