What is gorilla trekking?

What is gorilla trekking? If you have ever thought of planning a visit to Africa, then surely you might have heard about gorilla trekking or gorilla tracking. Mountain gorilla trekking is one of Africa’s most renowned wildlife safari activities, often described as life changing safaris. Trekking in the dense tropical African jungles to see mountain gorillas is one of the best wildlife safari activities in Uganda.

Mountain gorillas are an endangered wildlife species and a few of these gentle giants can be found in the tropical jungles of east and central Africa. A gorilla trekking safari or Gorilla tour will allow you to encounter these adorable primates in their natural habitat, an experience you will live to remember. If you are wondering what gorilla trekking is, then here is all you need to know. This authentic guide about gorilla trekking is best done to provide you with all the necessary information about gorillas. Is it booking a Gorilla safari Tour or just understanding What is gorilla trekking? below we have you covered.

What is gorilla trekking? Definition, facts, gorilla trekking permits, trekking locations and lot more

What is gorilla trekking? Gorilla trekking is an adventurous and immersive wildlife experience in Africa. Gorilla trekking involves hiking through dense African tropical rainforests in search of endangered mountain gorilla families in their natural habitat. Mountain Gorilla Safaris gives travelers once in a lifetime opportunity to encounter the gentle giants in their natural habitat and spend some time in their presence. Mountain gorilla trekking is conducted by a team of experienced ranger guides who lead the way into the forest to search for particular gorilla families.

The trekkers follow the lead of their ranger guides who usually carry machetes for creating passages in the thick tropical jungles. Upon locating your assigned gorilla family, you are allowed to observe them from a safe distance for about one hour, to minimize disturbance to the animals.

Do not get surprised by gorilla behaviors as they are the second closest relative to humans after chimpanzees. Gorillas share up to 96% DNA with humans. You are likely to see them mimic human behaviors like breastfeeding, and females grooming their young ones among others. After a challenging trek in the jungle, you will finally locate your gorilla family and spend your allocated time observing them.

During the allocated time with gorillas, you will have the opportunity to capture epic gorilla photos and videos for memories and proof that you actually did the activity (Gorilla tracking experience). It is usually advisable to not use a flashlight while photographing or filming gorillas in the wild since it may provoke them. Although mountain gorillas are generally gentle and habituated, it is important to keep it in mind that these primates are still wild animals and their behavior can be unpredictable at times especially when they feel provoked or threatened.

When gorillas feel threatened or provoked, they usually react by charging however such scenarios are rare. In case this happens, trekkers are usually advised to stay calm and be submissive since the provoked will want to show their dominance.

To be safe during the trek, you are advised to observe gorillas at a safe distance of at least 7 meters. However, these animals can be unpredictable, sometimes they can move so close to you during the trek. Do not feel tempted to touch these primates when they move closer to you at all costs this is because the watchful silverback will always be seeing your every move.

Social structure and feeding

Gorillas are social animals and live in family structures made up of several adult females and their offspring and a dominant silverback. The gorilla families vary in size. The larger families usually consist of more females and young ones including young males that haven’t yet matured.

The silverback gorilla is the protector of the gorilla family from intruders or any other kind of attack. It also holds the highest hierarchy having sole mating rights to all the females in the gorilla group. The blackback usually leaves the group and live in solitary until when they establish their own families.

Mountain gorillas are primarily herbivores and feed on leaves, shoots, and stems of plants. Their diet is water rich, making it easy to survive without need to take a lot of water. If you are planning to visit Uganda, Gorilla tracking is one of the must do activities in the country. Our team of experts will help you to organize your gorilla trekking tour to Uganda, customized to fit your best preference. Contact us for gorilla safaris today.

When is the best time to go gorilla trekking?

Gorilla tracking can be done at any time of the year however, some months of the year offer more ideal gorilla trekking conditions compared to the others. The long dry season that extends from late June to October offers the best gorilla trekking conditions in both Uganda and Rwanda.

During the dry months of the year, the foliage is less making sightseeing of gorillas more easy. The forests also receive less showers compared to the wet season, making trekking easy and the ground and trails more easy to navigate. The best time to trek mountain gorillas in Africa is therefore between June and October.

Note: The dry season is also the peak season for safaris in Uganda and acquiring a gorilla trekking permit can be difficult. To avoid last minute cancelation, book your gorilla trekking permit prior enough before.