Gorilla trekking guide Uganda

Ultimate Guide to spot Gorillas: Gorilla trekking guide Uganda

This is the Ultimate Gorilla Trekking Guide to help you choose what you will experience when you go for your gorilla tracking activity in Uganda. This includes where to track gorillas, what to Pack, Other activities involved, where to stay, etc.

WHERE TO TRACK GORILLAS FROM

Mountain gorillas can be tracked from places like Uganda, Rwanda, and the Congo, but most especially in Uganda. Here, the gorilla permit is $600, with transportation, accommodation, and food exclusive. Not only that, but the gorilla population is much larger in Uganda compared to other countries.

WHAT TO PACK

-A pair of binoculars will be able to view a lot of things, including various plants, simple animal species,

Cameras—to take a lot of photographs with the 1 hour you spend with the gorillas.

Tracking poles enable you to balance when moving on steep ground within the forest.

Energy-giving snacks: since this activity seems to take a long time, you might get hungry and thirsty, so these snacks help out.

Wear sturdy gardening gloves, water-proof sturdy boots, a rain jacket just in case it rains, and a long-sleeved blouse/shirt and trousers; this protects you from being pricked by thorns.

OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT CAN BE DONE THERE

There are activities like Nature walks in the Natural forest, Game drives which allow you to have a wide game view of different animals in the park, Batwa Experience, mainly meeting the community of the Pygmies-old forest dwelling forest tribe, Boat cruise and Canoeing on the lakes and rivers, and spotting animals like crocodiles, Buffaloes, etc.

WHERE TO STAY

There are many lodges and hotels to stay at for this activity. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has four sections, all of which have accommodation at your disposal. Buhoma being the starting place for gorilla tracking, one could stay in lodges like Buhoma lodge, Buhoma Community rest camp, Mahogany springs, Engagi lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi gorilla lodge, Chameleon hill, lodges in Ruhija like Trekkers Tavern, Rushaga Gorilla Haven, Gorilla mist camp, etc.

Gorilla Trekking Rules and Regulations

Before setting offdeparting, or leaving for Gorilla trekking activity

A total of 8 visitors or tourists are allowed to track or visit a particular mountain gorilla family or group in a day. This number is considered to help reduce behavioral disturbances that humans may cause to these mountain gorillas. It also helps to reduce the chances of transferring diseases from humans to mountain gorillas.

Before your trekking exercise sets off, ensure to have your hands washed thoroughly. This is to promote the highest level of cleanliness.

You are advised to keep your voices extremely low as you are heading to track the mountain gorillas, and you are requested to even be quieter when you finally meet them. This gives you the opportunity to watch the other various wildlife species on the trail like Birds, Butterflies, etc. Still, the peace of these animals is not disrupted at all.

Always follow your tour guide through the whole trekking process, and make sure you stick with the group for both safety purposes and to get thorough explanations of the attractions seen along the way to the mountain gorillas.

Do not recklessly litter in any national park or protected area. You are requested to keep any garbage or trash on you until you are back at the briefing point, then dispose of it.

You are requested to keep a distance of 7 meters (21 feet) from where the mountain gorillas are. Though they are habituated, mountain gorillas are still wild animals, and if they feel threatened, they can move away.(Finally, when with the gorillas.).

Keep in a tight group whenever you are near the mountain gorillas. Eating, Drinking or smoking is prohibited in the presence of these gorillas. Keep your voices as low as possible, but then you are free to ask questions of your guide.

Do not look closely and directly into the eyes of the gorillas; sometimes these animals do charge. Do not attempt to run away, because that will increase the risk.

Do not touch the gorillas because they are wild animals and flashy photography is not allowed, so move slowly and carefully when going to do that.

The time spent with the gorillas is limited to one hour. This is simply to minimize any behavioral disturbances, stress, or possible risk of infection.

Keep your voices very low after the visit until you are 200 meters away from these animals.

Body language is important and visitors should not raise hands or arms, point, or stare at them because to gorillas their behaviors are signs of threat or aggression.

The General Health Rules

All waste must be buried; a 30-meter hole must be dug; dispose of every piece of waste there;; then fill up the hole when finished. This is done because these wastes (feces) can be highly infectious to great apes and other animals.

If you feel ill and are carrying a contagious disease, please don’t engage yourself in the activity. So another visit will be arranged for you, or your money will be refunded.