Who is Eligible for Gorilla Trekking?

Are you envisioning yourself in the jungles of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, or Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda but still questioning your eligibility for gorilla trekking? Understanding your eligibility for gorilla trekking is crucial in making preparations because the activity is limited to a few people, given the endangered status of the Giant Apes whose World’s population currently stands at only 1063 individuals.

Another reason for placing a limitation on gorilla treks is that the mountain gorillas are close relatives of humans and if not monitored are likely to suffer from the same diseases that affect us. Additionally, their natural habitats (in form of verdant tropical rainforests and mountains) are fragile and affected by human activities such as settlement and agricultural activities. Therefore, the rugged terrains and densely forested landscapes as well as the meager population and susceptibility to human diseases by these Giant Apes is the reason why not everyone is allowed to trek them in their natural habitats. Back to the question of whether you are eligible for gorilla trekking, the answer is that as long as you pass the eligibility criteria then you are good for this life-changing experience;

You are of age (at least 15 years and above)

One of the things that ascertain whether you are eligible for gorilla trekking or not is your age and as long as you are above 15 years, then you have passed the first important testing criteria. There are a number of strong reasons for this limitation and they include; it is very unlikely for young children to follow trekking guidelines that govern the life-changing activity. Not only that, their reaction to mountain gorilla charging sometimes isn’t predictable because instead of keeping calm, the young child might just cry. Also, gorilla trekking is physically demanding and young children might not catch up with the pace of the group hence slowing the entire trekking process.

However, your 14-year old child can be offered the opportunity to trek mountain gorillas, as long the birthday is just few weeks or months from the trekking date, or when the parent/guardian agrees to sign a consent form to take responsibility for any eventualities while trekking.

Possess a valid Gorilla Trekking Permit

Mountain Gorillas in Uganda

On passing the age limit criteria, then you should be sure to have a valid gorilla trekking permit because, without it, there will never be a gorilla trekking tour. For any safari destination you choose, you will be required to present a gorilla permit, simply a document issued by UWA, RDB, and ICCN for Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo respectively permitting you to enter the forest to search for the mountain gorillas. Without it, then you are not eligible for gorilla trekking. Presently, foreign non-residents pay $700, foreign residents pay $600 while East African community visitors pay Shs. 250,000 for Uganda gorilla permits. Visitors planning to trek Rwanda gorillas are required to pay $1500 while those planning to go to the Democratic Republic of Congo pay $450 per person for gorilla permits.

You are in good health

As long as you are healthy (free from communicable diseases such as Tuberculosis, cough, flu, and colds), then you are eligible for gorilla trekking. Sharing 98.2% of our DNA, mountain gorillas are susceptible to a lot of the diseases that affect us, and therefore being healthy is an important requirement as a way of protecting them. With the prevailing Covid-19, presenting a negative PCR test result is another requirement for trekking these Giant Apes.

Physical fitness

Gorilla trekking in Uganda

Another way to know whether you are eligible for gorilla trekking is by evaluating your level of physical fitness. Just imagine hiking to areas of 2500 to 4000 meters above sea level and ask yourself whether you can handle it without being physically fit. However, you don’t have to be a fitness freak or gym junkie to undertake this adventure but simply prepare months before the trekking date by undertaking simple exercises such as jogging, biking, hiking hills, and walking long distances. Nonetheless, it doesn’t mean you will be turned down for not being athletic because there is an option of hiring porters to offer support during these treks in addition to being offered the chance to hire a sedan chair (between $350 to $450) where you will be lifted throughout the trek.