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Gorilla trekking briefing in Uganda
Gorilla trekking briefing in Uganda is an orientation which is carried out by tourists prior to their visit to the natural habitat of the gorillas.
When visiting Uganda for gorilla trekking, the briefing is done in destinations such as Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and also in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park which are located in the south western part of the country.
During the briefing of gorilla trekking in Uganda, tourists gather at the park headquarters where they are welcomed by traditional dancers. Information about do’s and don’ts of gorilla trekking is communicated in the briefing which is done by the park officials.
Tourists also get to know about what to expect while in the forest and also different safety measures to follow during the gorilla trekking experience. It is compulsory for tourists to attend the briefing on gorilla trekking before engaging in the activity in Bwindi national park or in Mgahinga national park.
Bwindi national park has briefing points in the different sectors of the national park which include Rushaga sector, Ruhija sector, Nkuringo sector and also Buhoma sector. In Mgahinga national park, the briefing is done at the Ntebeko park headquarters.
Briefing for gorilla trekking in Uganda takes place as early as 07:00 am and the briefing points can be accessed by driving or walking for those tourists staying at lodges close to the park headquarters.
Identification documents are also verified at the park headquarters before taking part in the gorilla trekking experience in Uganda. This helps to confirm nationality and age of the individuals taking part in the activity.
Information about rules and regulation of gorilla trekking
The briefing of gorilla trekking in Uganda involves providing information on the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking and they include the following;
- Keeping a distance of 7 meters from the gorillas
For safety purposes during gorilla trekking experiences in Uganda, tourists are encouraged to keep a distance of about 7 meters from the mountain gorillas after finding them in the forest. This helps to avoid spread of diseases.
- Avoiding use of flash photography
When being briefed about gorilla trekking in Uganda, tourists are also told about avoiding use of flash to take pictures of the gorillas.
- Eating in the presence of the gorillas is prohibited
During the gorilla trekking experience, when tourists find the gorillas in their natural habitat, they are discouraged from eating in front of them.
- Avoid mimicking the gorillas
Tourists are also discouraged from echoing the sounds made by the gorillas during the gorilla trekking experience.
- Following the age restriction
Before visiting the gorilla trekking destinations in Uganda, tourists are informed that individuals below the age of 15 years are not allowed to visit the gorillas in their natural habitat.
Another rule which is to be followed before visiting the gorillas is that tourists who are infected with cough or flu are not allowed to visit the mountain gorillas of Uganda.
- No littering in the forest
Tourists are also informed about avoiding littering during the gorilla trekking experience and to dispose their rubbish in specific areas for garbage disposal around the national parks.
- Avoiding noise
Tourists are also discouraged from making noise during the gorilla trekking experience since it can scare away the gorillas.
- Avoiding sudden movements
When in the presence of the gorillas in Uganda, tourists are also discouraged from making sudden movements.
It is important to follow these rules and regulations for gorilla trekking in Uganda to be safe when exploring the natural habitat of the gorillas.
Assigning of ranger guides to tourists
During gorilla trekking in Uganda, tourists are also assigned ranger guides to accompany them for the search of the gorillas.
In groups of 8, tourists visit a specific gorilla family during the gorilla trekking experience in Uganda. There are different habituated gorilla families found around Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga national park.
At this point, tourists who require services of porters can also hire them at the park headquarters in Bwindi national park or Mgahinga national park.
Allocation of gorilla families
Different groups of tourists are also allocated gorilla families to visit during the briefing session in Bwindi national park and Mgahinga national park.
8 permits are issued daily for each gorilla family in Uganda and because of the limited number of gorilla permits issued daily, tourists are encouraged to book their permits in advance. These gorilla permits can be booked through licensed tour operators.
The cost of a gorilla permit in Uganda is 800 USD for foreign nonresidents, 700 USD for foreign residents and 300,000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens. these permits allow tourists to visit the gorillas in Bwindi national park and Mgahinga national park and spend time with them in the forest.
The gorilla family which is visited during gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park is the Nyakagezi gorilla family. Bwindi national park has different gorilla families such as Bweza, Rushegura, Habiyanja, Mubare, Bitukura, Oruzogo, Kyaguriro, Nkuringo, Mishaya, Nshongi, Kahungye, Busingye among others.
After gorilla trekking briefing in Uganda
The briefing session is followed by the actual gorilla trekking experience during which tourists are led into the forests to search for the gorillas.
Due to the unpredictable movements of the gorillas in the forests, the amount of time spent in search for the gorillas is unknown. However, tourists spend 1 hour in the presence of the gorillas during gorilla trekking experiences in Uganda.
During the 1 hour with the gorillas, tourists can enjoy recording photos and watching the gorillas before returning to the park headquarters. Certificates are awarded to tourists after completing the gorilla trekking experience in Uganda.
After the gorilla trek, tourists can engage in other activities around Bwindi national park such as community tours, guided nature walks, bird watching, hiking among others. Mgahinga national park offers activities such as golden monkey trekking and habituation, volcano climbing, bird watching and also community tours which can be done during the gorilla tours around the destination.
