A gorilla trekking certificate is precisely a document that is awarded to visitors after a successful gorilla trekking tour, as a sign of appreciation and achievement.
Gorilla trekking is an activity that includes tourists visiting the forest jungles, in order to view endangered gorillas in their natural habitat. These elegant primates are located only in East Africa, which makes it the only location where anyone can view them globally.
Gorillas are divided into two species, and it’s these types that make their location distinct. While mountain gorillas are in D.R Congo, Rwanda and Uganda, the Grauer’s (Eastern lowland) gorillas are only found in Democratic Republic of Congo.
The two different types of gorillas have unique features that stand out to make their differences visible, although, they are similar in the rest of other aspects. They preserve a family unit with a silverback gorilla as family head. There are numerous families to trek in any of the listed three countries. It’s therefore up to the visitor, and if they so wish, they can trek gorillas in all the three countries, since each country has its unique traits that supplement gorilla trekking adventure.
The main national destinations for gorilla trekking for each country include Volcanoes National Park for Rwanda; Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for Uganda; while Virunga National Park, Kahuzi-Biega National Park and Maiko National Park serve D.R Congo. These primates are glorious in their physique and it’s recommended that any tourist should make trekking them a priority. They are classified as endangered species, and it’s because of that aspect that conservation efforts are a priority. This calls for regulation of human activities around the gorilla parks a positive step.
Trekkers are guided in the wilderness by park rangers, who equally provide the necessary required security to protect the visitors’ safety. Because of safety precautions, maximum age allowed to take part in gorilla trekking is limited to only 15 years of age and above.
The consequence of this is that for one to take part in gorilla trekking exercise, they require to have a gorilla permit. This is the document that grants a visitor access into a national park, and be able to participate in gorilla trekking.
Orilla trekking usually goes on for about 2 hours while in the jungles searching for gorillas and one hour in their presence. The other reason for lengthy trekking is the topography of this region. The region is majorly covered by highlands referred to as the Virunga ranges. On these, the rainforests grow which sustain the life of these endangered primates.
The cost of gorilla trekking permit.
Gorilla trekking costs aren’t uniform throughout all the countries; each has autonomy in deciding the prices with regard to other determining factors. Rwanda’s gorilla permits are acquired from Rwanda Development Board, and are the most expensive in the region, with each permit costing $1,500 per person.
Uganda’s gorilla trekking permit prices range in terms of nationalities; East African nationals acquire permits at 300,0000/= each trekker, foreign residents at $700 each trekker and non-foreign residents at $800 each. For Uganda, permits are purchased from Uganda Wildlife Authority offices or a licensed local tour company. D.R. Congo’s gorilla trekking fees are the cheapest, and the permits cost $400 for each.
Process of acquiring Gorilla Trekking Permits.
The process is often tedious for mostly foreign tourists, who are advised to make arrangements with a local tour operator in the country they choose to trek from, to cater for permit purchase from the authorities.
Tourists should also beware of peak seasons when the permits are on higher demand. Late bookings can lead to their trekking opportunities being rescheduled to undesirable dates. Tourists should therefore find out more from their tour operator.
When is the best time to book a gorilla permit?
Without a doubt, earlier seasons prior to the peak seasons are the best time to book. This secures the required fulfilling experience for tourists when the trekking is later done in dry seasons of the year. This spans from July to September, and alternatively in December to February when the sunshine beams brightest.
Visitors therefore escape the bad side of rainy seasons that may bring challenging conditions for the trekkers. Sunny weather also contributes to better visibility as the rays of sunlight penetrate the thick forest cover to give visitors required trekking conditions.
