Safety & Security during Rwanda gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking isn’t the ordinary Africa safari kind of activity where tourists watch wildlife from a distance especially from their safari vehicles. With gorilla trekking, just like any other primate tracking experience, individuals visit the forests which are natural habitats to the primates by foot and therefore get so close to all the living things within the habitat. With the nature of gorilla trekking, many individuals, therefore, wonder about the safety & security during Rwanda gorilla trekking.

Rwanda is known as one of the safest countries in Africa with very strict rules and regulations and dedicated security forces to enforce them. Security in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is guaranteed as there is security by park rangers to ensure that tourists are safe from any attacks from poachers or wildlife. Each group of tourists (8 visits one group) is escorted to the forest to trek the gorillas with two park rangers who are armed to ensure the tourists are safe.

safety & security during Rwanda gorilla trekking

Though the officials will ensure that each tourist is safe all through the trek, safety, and security during Rwanda gorilla trekking is also partly a responsibility of the tourist. Each tourist is required to follow the guidelines that are set for gorilla trekking in order to ensure they do not get hurt. Below are the guidelines set to ensure gorilla trekking is safe;

• Always wash your hands before you start the gorilla trek
• Keep your voice low at all times of the trek. Do not make loud noises in the forest from the start of the trek to the end but you are allowed to ask questions to your guide.
• Always maintain a 7 meters (21ft) distance from the mountain gorillas. Remember they are still wild animals and should be treated as so.

• Do not touch the gorillas. Always remember that they are still wild animals.

• When taking photos, do not use flash photography.
• Human waste should be buried 30cm (12”) deep. Ask your ranger guide to help you with this.
• Respect the maximum of 1 hour that you are allowed to spend in the presence of the mountain gorillas.
• Persons with cold or diseases that might be found infectious to gorillas are not allowed to trek the gorillas.
• DO NOT leave any rubbish in the park it could be harmful to the gorillas.
• DO NOT eat, drink or smoke during the mountain gorilla trek.
• During the trek, if you must sneeze or cough cover your face and turn away from the gorillas.
• A maximum of 8 individuals is allowed to trek a single gorilla family in a day. This is done to minimize behavioral disturbances and the risk of exposure to human-borne diseases.

Other guidelines that will surely be useful to help tourists keep safe during Rwanda gorilla tours to include booking with a good tour operator, wear the right clothing, and be careful while moving with your important documents and cash.

Age Limit for Gorilla Tracking in Rwanda

The age limit for gorilla tracking in Rwanda is 15 and above! Those below the age of 15 years are considered to be young and are not eligible to trek mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda. Persons above 15 years are considered eligible to purchase a gorilla permit which allows them to track one of the ten habituated gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park.

This is a standard rule that every trekker should observe when planning a gorilla trekking safari in Volcanoes National Park in northwestern Rwanda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is located in the Southwestern region of Uganda, Virunga National Park in the Eastern part of Congo.

Persons below 15 years are considered as vulnerable and not fit to make a complete trek. As well, it is not easy to predict their characters the fact that they can easily be frightened since mountain gorillas do change how they behave. As a result, such persons may get harmed or other group members may get hurt especially when these apes charge.

In scenarios where gorillas charge, children can easily be tempted to run away which may compel these primates to follow with the assumption that they have been attacked and they want to defend themselves. Persons above 15 years are able to understand and interpret the behavior of these apes and also abide by the set rules and regulations or instructions from the park ranger guide.

Given the nature of mountain gorilla habitats and general kinds of adventure activities, people below the age of 15 years may not be in a position to make a complete hike while on the gorilla trekking adventure.

Trekking mountain gorillas is a breath-taking safari experience that requires someone’s physical wellness. Trekking to see mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park can last for about 2-6 hours less or more.

Mountain gorillas also share about 98% of their DNA with humans which makes them the closest human relatives in the wild. Persons below 15 years are considered as children and they carry most of the communicable diseases (flu, cough) which can be spread to mountain gorillas.

It should be noted that mountain gorillas are very susceptible to human infectious diseases and the set age limit for gorilla trekking in Rwanda is mainly to ensure these endangered species are well-protected.

Acacia Safaris has experience of over 20 years planning gorilla trekking tours in Rwanda and therefore trust us with your trip for easy bookings. We also plan Uganda gorilla safaris and other primate tracking tours like chimpanzee safaris in Uganda and Rwanda. For the most authentic Africa wilderness experiences Kenya safaris and Tanzania tours are worth undertaking.