Best Practices When Planning A Gorilla Trek For The Elderly.
Gorilla trekking is appropriate for anybody aged 15 and above, including senior citizens. Particularly when on vacation, gorillas are a delightful species of monkeys to spend time with. In order to find the mountain gorillas, you must physically walk. This can be exhausting at times, particularly when the gorillas are grazing on the hillsides.
The elderly can still enjoy that special time on a gorilla trekking safari despite this. Whether hiking gorillas in Rwanda or Uganda, you may join the gorilla trekking team for the day.
To allow for particular attention before to gorilla trekking, you only need to be transparent about your age range, physical capabilities, and health status.
Pre-book a gorilla permit.
Getting a gorilla permit ahead of time is essential to organizing any gorilla trekking tour. Despite the great demand, the gorilla permits are few and rapidly sell out. Our safari crew looks into availability and gets in touch with you when you inquire about a gorilla trekking safari for the dates of your choice.
As a sign of your dedication to your gorilla trekking expedition, no permit is reserved without payment. We see your query as tentative for a while before obtaining the permit.
In order for the Uganda Wildlife Authority or Rwanda Development Board to take your age into account while scheduling the gorilla permit area or family, it is important to let our adviser know about it now.
Don’t offer the elderly a back-to-back Gorilla Safari schedule so they can unwind.
Customizing a back-to-back schedule for a gorilla trekking tour based on the age of the visitors will deprive them of the enjoyment of the whole experience. Elderly people may find it difficult to stretch their muscles due to the gorilla trekking area’s topography.
After a strenuous hike, it is preferable to allow the visitor to rest for at least one day so they can recover. It is extremely exhausting to drive on uneven, dusty roads, especially while traveling to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
This also relies on the number of vacation days that are available during your African gorilla trekking trip.
Reserve Lodging for Gorilla Trekking with Fewer Climbing Steps
The location of your gorilla trekking safari days greatly influences how you feel and enjoy the safari in the conclusion. Make reservations for lodgings that are easier for an elderly person to access and are closer to the ground. The top rooms of certain lodgings in gorilla trekking places have significant stare instances. These make the gorilla trekking experience a nightmare for an elderly person.
at Uganda, lodging for gorilla trekking must be reserved at or near the location where the gorilla permit is reserved. In order to catch up with the gorilla trekking briefing, it is best to avoid getting up too early.
Use a spacious, comfortable safari vehicle to go to your destination.
Driving to either Volcanoes National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in a luxurious and comfortable safari vehicle is a wise decision, depending on your budget.
An nice road journey is made possible with a car with ample legroom and window seats for the elderly. Driving more than eight hours to reach Bwindi Forest for Uganda gorilla trekking necessitates a more comfortable car with four-wheel drive.
Think About How Many People The Elder Is Taking on the Gorilla Trek
The more the better, but packing your safari too full might make gorilla trekking less enjoyable. When combined with people of different ages, the elderly might become sensitive to particular difficulties. Think of taking a small group of people on a gorilla trekking safari to prevent a horrible experience.
It might be disastrous to book an old person on a gorilla trekking safari with individuals of varied ages, especially if there isn’t a safari group leader.
Before going on a gorilla trek, reserve a stretcher or a sedan chair with porters.
Before beginning your gorilla trekking safari, it is essential to hire a stretcher or sedan chair with porters if you have trouble moving about. It is recommended to get porters’ assistance in advance at a reasonable cost if an elder is unable to navigate the rough volcanic terrain of the Virunga region.
Even if the gorilla family is not far from the beginning site for feeding, the terrain in the parks can occasionally be quite slick and muddy. Consider additional assistance from porters or, at the at least, a walking stick, depending on the age and physical capabilities of the visitors.
Because safari vehicles are so high off the ground, even some elderly people have trouble getting inside them; thus, some movable stairs are necessary.
Bring the Proper Equipment for Elderly Gorilla Trekking
The proper clothing and equipment are essential for gorilla trekking success. The items you should prepare for while gorilla trekking are listed below.
Insurance for Travel
You may avoid uncertainties by purchasing travel insurance before to the expedition. You must be aware of the coverage provided by the insurance.
An elder can have a great time gorilla trekking if they wear comfy tracking boots. Walking through damp mud and climbing steep hills might be difficult at times, but they can be conquered with the correct footwear.
a water bottle that can be folded up to keep drinking water handy while walking with gorillas.
To protect the skin from wilderness pests, safari clothing should have long sleeves and pants.
Applying insect repellents to your skin will help you avoid stinging insects.
To prevent biting insects from getting inside your pants, use stockings to keep them out.
A flash-less camera to capture the memories of your gorilla trekking adventure.
Wearing garden gloves in the woods will shield your palms from harsh surfaces.
This safari hat has a wide brim and can be folded to shield your hair from rain and tree leaf drips.
When it rains, a raincoat will protect you from getting wet.
When in the woods, carry a light backpack to keep your belongings organized so that nothing gets lost if you slip and fall.
Binoculars to improve the view of distant wild animals and birds
A first aid package including emergency medications is necessary in the event of an accident or illness that might necessitate immediate medical assistance when gorilla trekking.
When one runs low, a fully charged spare battery can be used.
While walking to find the mountain gorillas, here are some snacks to consume when you become hungry.
Before going on a gorilla trekking safari, encourage visitors to complete a few basic physicals.
You may prepare your muscles for the walk by performing some basic physicals before to gorilla trekking. You may choose to take little steps at a time if the elderly person has less limb difficulties.
This is to assist stretch the muscles more than they would normally be in order to prevent muscle pools during gorilla trekking in the bush.
Even though it’s unknown when the mountain gorillas will be found, group members may become frustrated if the rest of the party is kept waiting. It takes around two to three quarters of the day to find the gorillas.
Review the Gorilla Trekking Rules in advance.
Being aware of the gorilla trekking regulations beforehand spares you the trouble of breaking any of them.
Among the guidelines for gorilla trekking are
Since gorillas are wild creatures who must find their own food, you should not feed them.
Never leave trash in the forest because it changes the ecosystem that provides food for mountain gorillas.
The mountain gorillas should be kept at a distance of around 8 meters. If they get close, carefully back off.
The foliage is food for the mountain gorillas, so don’t spit on it.
When among mountain gorillas or when they are moving suddenly, try to speak quietly.
The mountain gorillas are not to be visited by anyone who has a communicable disease such as the flu, COVID-19, or diarrhea. The gorillas can readily contract these.
Once you find the gorillas, you are only allowed to spend one hour with them.
All human waste should be buried in a hole that is 30 cm deep and completely filled in.
