While planning a gorilla trekking tour in Uganda, it is mandatory to vaccinate against some deadly infectious diseases. Diseases such as Yellow Fever and COVID-19 are highly infectious but can be prevented by vaccination. Yellow fever is caused by an arbovirus and spread by infected vectors such as Aedes and haemagogus mosquitoes. In contrast, COVID-19 is caused by the Coronavirus and spreads through contact with an infected person’s cough/flu droplets.
The vaccines against Yellow Fever and COVID-19 are certifiably safe and yet affordable in each country that offers them. We recommend that you get shots in your home country. This should be in a medical facility recognized by the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control. If you failed to get vaccinated, then you can get the shot at Entebbe International Airport as soon as you arrive. In either case, you will get vaccination certificates.
Why do you need mandatory vaccinations for gorilla trekking in Uganda?
You are not allowed to trek gorillas without presenting a genuine vaccination certificate. Both COVID-19 and Yellow Fever are transmissible to humans from an infected visitor. Once this happens, there might be a serious epidemic, which subsequently threatens the survival of all Ugandans. Uganda is considered among the countries free of Yellow Fever, which makes an outbreak of this preventable disease so dangerous. Meanwhile, there is currently no anti-viral drug to treat Yellow Fever if it is contracted.
Since your primary activity in Uganda is gorilla trekking, you will be exposed to either COVID-19 or Yellow Fever among the mountain gorillas. Also, mountain gorillas share 98 percent of human DNA. Therefore, they can suffer from the transmission much like humans. This is a threat to their already low populations in the wild. Remember, they are critically endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Best time to get mandatory vaccinations
The best time to get vaccinated is at least a month before you travel for your gorilla trek in Uganda. This time ranges between 6 to 8 months before traveling to Uganda. Ensure to travel with the certificate. You will present the certificate at the airport or any entry point where it is required.
What else to consider on a gorilla trek in Uganda?
Uganda is in the tropical region, thus experiences warm temperatures, with insignificant variations throughout the year. This is favorable for the persistent survival of the influenza virus, which is responsible for causing flu. This is a threat to the survival of both the visitor and the mountain gorillas. Therefore, each visitor should travel with anti-flu medication to avoid acquiring the flu.
The location within the tropics also makes Uganda susceptible to malaria. This is because the weather is warm, humid, and wet throughout the year. These favor the survival of Anopheles mosquitoes, which spread the Plasmodium organisms, which cause malaria. Malaria is among the killer diseases in Uganda and is responsible for many deaths. Therefore, you should travel with anti-malarial drugs to avoid catching the disease.
Every visitor also needs to travel with anti-fever tablets to avoid fever that might arise due to a variety of factors. Fever may lead to an uncomfortable gorilla trekking tour, therefore, you need to prevent its occurrence. Moreover, you should ensure that to stay in accommodations that have mosquito nets covering the beds. Sleeping under one is an effective way to avoid mosquito bites while you sleep.
Mosquito repellents are also handy against mosquito bites. So, you will need to travel with them to repel mosquitoes from accessing you. While tracking gorillas in the forest, wear a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of trousers that cover most of your body. This also protects against insect bites, especially from mosquitoes, to prevent the spread of malaria.
Where to do gorilla trekking in Uganda?
The only destinations where gorilla trekking can be done in Uganda are Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Either national park is situated in southwestern Uganda. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is part of the Virunga Conservation Area, along with Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and the DRC’s Virunga National Park. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, on the other hand, is along the Congo border next to Virunga National Park.
Why trek gorillas in Uganda?
Firstly, Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks together shelter half of the remaining population of mountain gorillas in the wild. Secondly, at least 22 gorilla families have been familiarized to human presence, thus a majority of them are available for trekking. This positions Uganda among the best countries to guarantee a gorilla trek. A gorilla trek in Uganda costs only USD 800 per person, which can be afforded by visitors either on a luxury or budget tour. This is in comparison to Rwanda’s which costs USD 1,500. This is mostly paid for by travelers on a luxury tour.
