Gorilla Trekking Procedure.
Trekking the mountain gorillas in their natural wild habitat has always been a dream for many tourists, which is often referred to as a lifetime experience. On a gorilla trekking safari day, the Gorilla Trekking Procedure starts at exactly 7:30 am, with the tourists arriving at the park head office, for the briefing session. You will need to plan your arrival earlier, depending on how far from you place of accommodation, you will need to plan to arrive early. This is a reason why most tourists will prefer to book accommodation closer to the trekking points, to avoid waking up so early, so as to be on time for briefing. Your driver guide will make all necessary arrangements, and make sure you’re there on time.
Soon upon arriving at the park office, registration will commence and your guide will aid you with the paperwork. You will need to present copies of your passport as well as the physical passport is needed, accompanied with the gorilla trekking permits.
After registration, the grouping of tourists, matching them with their gorilla family of interests, depending on their physical fitness, will be looked at.
Please tell your guide, which trekking group you will prefer, something like “I prefer short hike/ long hike, I prefer a smaller group or bigger group, and I prefer a gorilla group with so many members / babies. I will prefer to have a longer hike” this will enable the guide to request for a gorilla group that suits your interest.
For shorter gorilla trekking families, first priority is given to clients who are aged, have medication conditions, and physically not so fit to hike longer treks. However, the park rangers will try to attend to, and listen to everyone’s requests.
Also note that experience differs from one gorilla group to another, some gorilla families are so far away that it takes a long drive to reach the starting trekking point, or you will hike longer to reach the family, while others are very close. Your guide can make arrangements to see you join a group of your choice.
After registration and group allocation, each member of each group will assemble and have briefing from their allocated guide, get to know each other, with other members in the group, later around 8 am, you will all get back to your safari vehicles, and drive over to the starting trekking point.
You will later get off your vehicle, conduct another short briefing, where do’s and don’ts of gorilla trekking will be told to you, before you set off and find your way inside the park in search for the gorillas where about. The rangers know where the gorillas are located and you will hike to the place.
At the trekking point, you will be joined by other rangers, with riffles, who will accompany you, for your safety in the jungle, and also porters are available just in case you would like to hire one. You will need to have good walking shoes, and water protective gears, just in case of down pour, your gadgets are well protected.
On finding the gorillas, an hour will be allocated to you, to take photos, videos and watch the gorillas. The ranger guide will take an educational session with you, telling you a lot about the gorillas, and you will be free to ask any question of any kind, as you socialize.
A distance of 8 meters, is kept between you and the gorilla. You ranger guide, will be with you during the enter process, with an informative guide.
You will have to carry packed lunch, snacks and drinking water with you, to the trek.
Later, you will return back, to the starting point, meet your driver guide, who will be waiting for you, and drive off to your next destination or lodge, with great sweet memories.
The same procedure for gorilla trekking, is applied for chimpanzee trekking and golden monkey trekking
For gorilla trekking safari booking, you can talk to our sales team at Rwanda Eco Company and Safaris, about the Gorilla Trekking Procedure and have everything put together in advance, all you have left with is to get packing and ready for the trek.
