Gorilla trekking is an outdoor activity that enables the visitor to encounter the endangered gorilla species in their natural habitats. Gorillas inhabit densely forested areas, especially in the Great Lakes region. The activity is usually done in the southwestern provinces of Uganda, northwestern Rwanda and the central Democratic Republic of Congo in the national parks of Bwindi and Mgahinga, Volcanoes, Kahuzi – Biega and Virunga respectively. The gorilla trekking activity is carried out under the guidance of Rangers of the National Park who have vast knowledge about the families of the gorillas and their hideouts in the jungles, professional tourist guides and researchers. Gorilla trekking activities usually begin in the wee hours of the morning with a briefing where the trackers are briefed about the dos and don’ts when on exciting gorilla treks. The trekking activity could go on possibly for about six hours and when the gorilla family is encountered, visitors are allowed a maximum of 1 hour to enjoy the moment, interact and take beautiful photographs with the gorillas.
The difficulty in gorilla trekking tours.
However much the gorilla trekking activity is enjoyable and adventurous, it is also important to note that it comes in handy with various difficulties associated with it especially before you reach the gorilla families. The difficulties encompass;
The Kind of walk it takes. Getting to the gorillas in their natural habitats takes a difficult kind of work which involves various activities especially hiking through the mountainous regions for the mountain gorillas for example in Bwindi impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga. Visitors therefore go through the difficulty of maneuvering through the dense forest cover, bushes and steep slopes of the Virunga mountain ranges. Countless streams can be crossed before you get to the families. This therefore makes walking sticks substantial for this activity to help the visitor make their way through the forests.
Nature of terrain. Gorilla trackers have to make their way through fairly steep slopes of mountain ranges since some of the gorillas inhabit the higher slopes of the mountain ranges especially in the Virunga massif. Visitors therefore have the task to hike through the slopes just before they get to the gorilla families. It is paramount to remember that the slopes can be slippery during rainy seasons which further adds to the difficulty one has to go through to reach the gentle giants. The rocky terrain on the slopes of the mountain further makes it hard to reach the gorillas and so one needs to have treaded shoes for easily making it through this kind of terrain.
Forest cover. Gorillas inhabit areas that are characterized by thick forest cover which partly explains why they inhabit the areas of central Democratic Republic of Congo and the Virunga massif which has the oldest tropical rainforest on the African continent. Visitors have the task to go through the dark spots in the forests that are characterized by bushy trails which further makes it difficult for the traveller to access the gorilla families. All these exploration difficulties can surely be forgotten the moment one encounters the gentle giants and they further make the experience enjoyable and worth telling about. Meeting the gorilla families in their natural habitat is such an unforgettable experience which makes visitors endure the difficulties knowing that they will have something fruitful once they reach the gentle giants.
Favourable items one should carry to track successfully.
Visitors willing to embark on the gorilla trekking adventure or advised to carry with them some items which will aid uninterrupted experiences while in the forests. These among others include long-sleeved shirts and trousers to help them manoeuvre through the bushes preventing thorny plants from cutting their bodies, mosquito repellents are also substantial since they help keep the biting insects away from the travellers, tourists day packs to carry the essentials of the travellers including drinking water, snacks and medicine and hiking boots which are substantial as the tourist makes their way through the slippery and steep terrain.
