Guide to Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda – Gorilla Trek Africa
These are certain guidelines / rules that should be taken into consideration when on
a mountain gorilla trekking adventure. Gorillas have an 98% DNA similar to human being, which makes them very much vulnerable to human diseases hence need maximum care and attention for their survival. The following are some of the common guidelines one should follow;
- You should avoid getting too close with these animals and usually maintain a distance of 7 meters away from where they are.
- It’s best you avoid trekking mountain gorillas when sick especially with flu and cold as these animals can easily contract diseases.( they are very vulnerable animals).
- A specific gorilla family group is limited to a group of 8 individuals per day and for one hour
- Maintain a 15 -20 feet away distance from the mountain gorillas even in cases where the young ones may approach you, it’s your role / call to move away from the animal but be care full not to make any noise while moving away.
- Avoid making noise when with the mountain gorillas as it may bring them disturbance and even force them to move away
- You should not eat or even drink from within their locality.
- Much as they are frequently visited and used to seeing people, you shouldn’t ignore the fact that they are wild animals.
- When photographing and taking videos avoid using too much flash lights
Your gorilla trekking kit
A well planned and prepared trip is a successful trip. That said; you must carry the following with you if going for a mountain gorilla trekking tourist activity.
When packing, don’t forget to include the hiking boots as the woods may be muddy and slippery especially on the rainy days, gardening gloves for easy and safe grips on the bushes and branches, walking sticks for slashing away the long grass, long trousers for protection from forest insects like beetles and mosquitoes, water proof jacket / rain coat in case of the rains, since it can still rain within the volcanoes area. A back pack with snacks and drinking water( you can hire a porter to help with your backpack or even in the hard sections of your trek, these may be of great value).
All in all, a visit to Rwanda for gorilla trek adventure is an amazing and rewarding experience encountering these endangered creatures in their natural vicinity and watch them proceed with their daily activities like eating, playing, teasing, crying and even nurturing / caring for their young ones.
I t is no surprise how the Rwandan government has worked so hard to see to the survival of these animals in the country together with the local people. The park rangers really care about the well being of the mountain gorillas. All these together with, the baby gorilla naming ceremony held every year lead to the continued conservation and preservation drive for the animals.