How to plan a gorilla trekking safari for elderly and people with disabilities
Elderly and disabled people may need to rent a sedan chair or woven stretcher, so preparing ahead is necessary when organizing a gorilla trekking safari for them. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but make sure to reserve your gorilla permit in early because they sell out first.
The likelihood of being unable to hike and complete the gorilla trek is considerable because, as an elderly or disabled person, your level of fitness may not be sufficient to navigate the uneven terrain of this volcanic region.
To be carried, you will require a sedan chair or woven stretcher, which you can reserve with porters. You must let the trip operator know these details before booking the gorilla trekking experience.
How to Arrange an Elderly or Disabled Person’s Gorilla Trek Adventure
Select a Gorilla Trekking LocationTwo of the most popular places to go gorilla trekking are Rwanda and Uganda. Although these nations may share a border, they are all separate nations, which helps you today when you book your gorilla permit.
Rwanda Gorilla Safari Location
Volcanoes National Park is Rwanda’s gorilla trekking park, and 15 families are available for reservations. The Rwandan gorilla trekking permit must be purchased. To really enjoy this adventure, you must bring the appropriate gorilla trekking equipment. Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Karisimbi, Mountain Muhabura, Mountain Sabyinyo, and Mountain Bisoke are the five volcanoes that provide the park’s backdrop.
Uganda Gorilla Safari Locations
Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are two Ugandan gorilla trekking sites. Nineteen gorilla families in Rwanda are fully habituated and available for reservations. Families of gorillas inhabit the Buhoma region in the north, the Ruhija region in the east, the Nkuringo region, and the Rushaga region in the south of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
The southern region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to two gorilla families that are available for gorilla habituation experiences.
Have a gorilla permit booked.
The elderly and disabled must make reservations in advance to utilize the gorilla permit because there are only a limited number available and they are sold out first due to great demand. A maximum of eight gorilla licenses per gorilla family may be sold to the general public each day.
The gorilla permits are sold on a first-come, first-served basis due to their restricted quantity. Without payment, no gorilla permit is reserved.
Most travelers get their gorilla permits at least six months or a year in advance since they sell out early during the busiest travel seasons, which are June to September and December to January in Uganda or Rwanda.
Because gorillas shift positions according on the conditions of the forest, it is difficult to choose the nearest or finest gorilla trekking family to reserve.
How much does a Gorilla Trekking Permit cost?
Gorilla trekking licenses in Uganda cost 300,000 shs for East African citizens, $700 per person for foreign residents, and $800 for foreign nonresidents per gorilla family.
Permits to trek with Rwandan gorillas cost $1500 per person.
What is covered by the gorilla trekking permit fee?
Park entrance fees, ranger guide fees, gorilla conservation support, community support, an hour with the mountain gorillas, security during the gorilla trek, community support, and a certificate upon completion are all included in the purchase of the gorilla trekking permit.
What is not covered by the price of a gorilla permit?
Transportation to the gorilla trekking locations, sedan chair fees, gratuities, porters, and any other personal belongings.
For information on facilities that support a gorilla trekking safari, such as lodging, car rental, driver guide fees, etc., contact Katland Safaris. Our knowledge on how to provide visitors with an unforgettable African safari has been acquired over the course of our more than ten years of safari preparation experience.
Make reservations for lodging for the gorilla trekking expedition.
In the case of Uganda, you must reserve lodging near or inside the boundaries of your gorilla permit when you book a gorilla trekking safari. Because gorilla permits for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are sold by area, lodging needs to be close to the permit booking location.
Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Kinigi Guest House, Hotel La Palme, and other lodging options are available in Rwanda for gorilla trekking. You can spend the night in Kigali, but in order to attend the briefing, you will need to drive early to Volcanoes National Park.
Clouds Lodge, Silverback Lodge, Mahogany Springs, Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge, Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge, and more lodging options are available in Uganda for gorilla trekking.
Tell the lodge to reserve a room at the bottom floor with a ramp when making reservations for an elderly or disabled individual.
Reserve a Seat for the Gorilla Trekking Safari Fly-in
Make sure to reserve a seat on one of the daily scheduled flights in Uganda if you are participating in a fly-in gorilla trekking expedition. Particularly during the busiest time of year, when many tourists relocate to Uganda’s rural, these airline seats sell out quickly. Domestic flights to Kihihi or Kisoro Airport depart daily from Entebbe or Kajjansi Airport.
Rwanda offers charter flights to Volcanoes National Park from Kigali Airport. From Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Kihihi Airport or Kisoro Airport, Uganda even offers charter flights.
Reserve international travel to Rwanda (Kigali Airport) or Uganda (Entebbe Airport).
To take part in the gorilla trekking expedition, book your foreign flights in advance. Arriving in Rwanda prior to embarking on the gorilla trekking safari is the ideal way to recuperate from jet lag, particularly if you are traveling straight to the gorilla trekking locations in Rwanda or Uganda.
When you request it, Katland Safaris may help you get to the airport so you can rest.
For gorilla trekking, reserve a woven stretcher or a Sedan chair.
Renting a sedan chair is necessary if you have a physical impairment or are unable to complete the walk due to limb itching. You can rent sedan chairs or woven stretchers at reasonable prices in any national park; the price varies depending on the brand.
Sedan chairs vary in price depending on where they are manufactured, with locally produced models being less expensive than imported ones.
Even the porters who will hoist the sedan chair are scheduled in advance when you reserve it.
Work out to stay in shape. For Trekking with Gorillas
Even though you are elderly, you must maintain your muscular fitness if you want to engage in physical activities to find the mountain gorillas and your limbs are still strong enough to carry you through the journey. It is a difficult journey to find the mountain gorillas, particularly when the footing is slick from frequent rain and muddy.
You may have to hike to the location where the mountain gorillas may be grazing or relaxing because they occasionally feed closer to the slopes.
Bring the Proper Equipment for Gorilla Trekking
You must have the appropriate gorilla trekking equipment, such as safari long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, insect repellent, thick clothing, a bag, etc., even if you will be lifted in a stretcher or sedan.
Having your own gorilla trekking gear makes the walk more comfortable and secure, even though you can rent some on the spot, particularly in Rwanda. To determine whether the gorilla trekking equipment will suit you, you might need to measure it on the ground. By the time you get on the ground, they might have already been employed. See our list of items to bring on a safari that involves gorilla trekking.
Are Elderly or Physically Disabled People Safe to Trek With Mountain Gorillas?
As long as you abide by the guidelines provided during the briefing, gorilla trekking is safe for everyone. During gorilla trekking, Rangers guides are there to keep you safe; one holds a rifle, and another a machete to clear the path.
Other security services from Rwanda or Uganda are on the ground to maintain law and order and provide additional protection in the gorilla trekking regions.
In accordance with gorilla trekking regulations, you should also refrain from disturbing the mountain gorillas by hooting back when they do so, since you might need to be instructed on the meaning of the sound. For the safety of your belongings and other people, stay away from consuming street food that can upset your stomach and don’t let strangers inside your apartment.
Is Trekking with Gorillas Hard?
The trek to the mountain gorillas might be challenging at times because it passes through a volcanic region with rocky slopes. You must have a certain degree of fitness if you can continue gorilla trekking without experiencing any limb itching or muscle strains afterward. You can stretch your muscles more than usual without having to conduct strenuous activities.
Please be considerate of the porters and encourage them to accompany you the entire time if you must use a sedan chair.
What is the duration of the Gorilla Trekking Safari?
Both the return time from gorilla trekking and the time needed to locate the mountain gorillas are still being worked out. The amount of time you need to spend finding the mountain gorillas and their return time depends on their movement in the wild and the nature of the forest. After two hours or more than three-quarters of the day, some visitors had returned from their gorilla trekking expeditions.
Despite their size, mountain gorillas must forage for food throughout the day and night to sustain their massive size. This occasionally forces the mountain gorillas to roam freely, extending the time spent gorilla trekking.
To emerge from the gorilla journey content and successful, it would be ideal if you had some patience.
Which of Rwanda and Uganda Is Best for Elderly and Disabled People to Go Gorilla Trekking?
The only three mountain gorilla habitats you can choose from for your gorilla trekking trip are Rwanda and Uganda. Every gorilla trekking location has exceptional qualities that make it a fantastic safari location. Because you sense a connection to the mountain gorillas, the experience of being in close proximity to them is unique. To find the mountain gorillas, you might need to recall everything you have been through.
The following are some distinctions between the best countries for gorilla trekking:
The price of gorilla permits
Gorilla permits in Rwanda cost $1500 per person per trek, whereas those in Uganda cost $800 per person every trek.
The quantity of families that go gorilla trekking
About 19 gorilla families, 152 mountain gorilla permits, and two gorilla habituation experience families are available for public reservations in Uganda. There are roughly 15 gorilla families in Rwanda, and 96 gorilla permits are available for public reservation.
Driving time from the airport to gorilla trekking locations
It takes roughly three hours to drive from Kigali International Airport to Volcanoes National Park, and eight to nine hours to drive from Entebbe Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park.
Activities that can be added to gorilla trekking
Chimpanzee trekking, white water rafting, exploring the Nile River’s source, game drives, and other activities are among the many activities available in Uganda that are related to gorilla trekking. However, Rwanda’s options for combining gorilla trekking with other optional activities are limited.
The gorilla trekking area’s steepness
Compared to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park typically features steeper topography. Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhabura, Mountain Sabyinyo, Mountain Bisoke, and Mountain Karisimbi are among the five highlands that provide the backdrop of Volcanoes National Park, despite the fact that the entire Virunga region is volcanic.
