Gorilla Trekking

Gorilla trekking refers to traversing the dense tropical forest in the gorilla destination to encounter mountain gorillas for an hour. This activity is one of the most sought-after experiences in the world. However, it is very rare and is done in only three countries in the world. The gorilla trekking experience allows visitors to have a one-on-one experience with the mountain gorillas. This face-to-face interaction offers visitors an hour in the presence of the mountain gorillas, watching them go about their daily activities.

Gorilla trekking targets the habituated mountain gorilla families. Mountain gorillas are social beings just like humans and live in groups. These groups are called gorilla families and are headed by male mountain gorillas called silverbacks. There is always one dominant silverback in each gorilla family. However, there can be multiple silverbacks, but there is always one dominant silverback. Its sole role is to protect and defend the family, along with reproducing with the females.

The gorilla trekking experience

The gorilla trekking experience begins with a short pre-trekking briefing. This briefing highlights the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking. This activity is very serious as it exposes visitors to the wild, unlike common ventures like game drives when visitors are in the safari vehicle. Therefore, there must be guidelines that are followed by visitors as they set out to find the mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. This briefing also informs visitors about the expected code of conduct, especially in the presence of mountain gorillas.

The rules and regulations, or the set guidelines, are meant to protect the gorillas and also the visitors. Visitors must understand that mountain gorillas, though habituated, are still wild and possess wild traits. Therefore, they can be very unpredictable; hence, visitors must follow the instructions of rangers during the trekking experience.

After briefing, visitors are categorized into groups of 8 people and assigned a gorilla family. Each gorilla family is visited by only 8 visitors per day, and this is done to reduce stress on the gorillas. Allowing a few people in the gorilla habitat to encounter the mountain gorillas also reduces the negative effects on the environment. This keeps the gorilla habitat in its natural state.

Rangers in communication with the trackers already in the forest lead the visitors to the assigned gorilla family. Mountain gorillas are an endangered primate species listed by the IUCN. This is why they are constantly monitored and protected. At the same time, they are very wild and known to move deep into the forest while feeding. Without trackers, it would be incredibly lucky to find them. However, with trackers, visitors have up to a 90-100% chance of encountering these mountain gorillas. Upon locating these mountain gorillas, visitors are awarded an hour in their presence.

Gorilla trekking destinations

Gorilla trekking is only done in three gorilla destinations in the world. These gorilla destinations are situated in East Africa. They are under the Virunga Conservation Area that stretches across the different gorilla destinations, as shown below.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Nestled in the heart of Uganda’s southern region, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the best gorilla destination in the world. It was established in 1991 as a national park from a forest reserve. After the sighting of mountain gorillas in this park, it became a hotspot for global exploration. Gorilla trekking began about three years after it was gazetted and also in the same year gained recognition as a UNESCO site. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is done across the 4 gorilla sectors. These sectors include Buhoma, Nkuringo, Rushaga, and Ruhija.

Bwindi hosts the most mountain gorillas in all of the gorilla destinations. Over 460 mountain gorillas are in this park, living in over 50 families. Among these, only about 25 gorilla families are habituated and available for trekking. Bwindi is the only park that offers gorilla habituation experiences in all the gorilla destinations.

Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park is Rwanda’s only gorilla destination. It is situated in the northern region of the country. It is the second most visited gorilla destination after Bwindi. Volcanoes National Park offers luxury gorilla trekking experiences. This is because of its improved infrastructure, such as accommodation and roads. This park hosts about 300 mountain gorillas that live in over 13 gorilla families.

It is one of the oldest protected areas in the country after it was established in 1925. Volcanoes National Park became popular after it hosted the great primatologist, Dian Fossey. She introduced the habituation of gorillas, and all the gorilla families in this park came from her first habituated families. She brought awareness of gorillas through her worldwide conservation campaigns. This boosted gorilla trekking experiences in this park.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is known for its gorilla trekking experiences. It is located in the southern region of Uganda on the border with Rwanda. It features three volcanoes of the Virunga massif. The park has over 100 mountain gorillas, with only one habituated gorilla family. Mgahinga is the smallest gorilla destination and protected area in the country, stretching over 33.7 square kilometers. On top of delivering an incredible gorilla trekking experience, it also offers an epic golden monkey trekking experience. Mgahinga is a perfect spot for filming and photography tours during gorilla trekking.

In conclusion, gorilla trekking costs about USD 800 to USD 1,500 depending on the gorilla destination. The costs also depend on the origin and nationality of the visitors. All in all, gorilla trekking is an epic adventure that is worth experiencing as it offers an encounter with the mountain gorillas.