What is gorilla trekking? /All You Need to Know about gorilla trekking 2024/2025

Though becoming a popular African safari activity, gorilla trekking may not be known to some travelers and they wonder, what is gorilla trekking? Gorilla trekking is a safari activity where tourists take a hike / walk through the jungle forests in an experience to search for mountain gorillas. Trekking is done in Africa’s forests of Bwindi and Volcano ranges on foot and up close to nature.

A gorilla trek takes about 2-6 hours and during this time the trekkers move into the jungle searching for where the gorillas spent their previous night. Searching for where they spent their night is caused by the fact that gorillas make new nests every day and therefore sleep in different places each night. The trek is rewarding as you take a simple hike and also see other forest fauna and flora.

There is a little bit of hiking during the trek because you will have to walk mostly at an altitude of 2,607 meters above sea level.

How Gorilla trekking is done/What to expect on a gorilla trekking safari

If you are planning to go gorilla trekking, have your mind ready for an experience similar to this;

Before heading out to the jungle, expect to have a briefing session that starts at 8:00 a.m. both in Rwanda and Uganda’s national parks. Briefing starts at 8:00 a.m. local time and at this time, you are briefed about the gorilla trekking etiquette be it for Uganda or Rwanda. During the briefing, the park rangers reecho the guidelines on what you should and should not do in the jungle. Still, as you have your Uganda gorilla safari briefing, you are allocated a gorilla family to trek. Make sure to inform the rangers of your hiking ability such that you are allocated a family with whom you can trek.

After briefing, you head out to the jungle to look for these amazing primates The time spent trekking gorillas in the forests is unpredictable since they are wild animals and keep moving. The time you spend in the forest can be as little as 30 minutes or as much as 6 hours and more, it’s all about what Mother Nature decides to offer you. You will be accompanied by an armed ranger who will lead you to where the gorillas are and tell you much more information about the gorilla family you are trekking as well as gorillas in general.

An Encounter with gorillas

When you get to meet the gorillas, the excitement will be with a sigh of relief as your guide informs you to get ready to see the family and take pictures. A maximum of 1 hour is spent in the presence of the gorillas as you have the opportunity to take all of those stunning memorable pictures of finally coming face to face with the giant apes of the jungle. Make sure to take as many photos and record as many videos as you can, using a non-flash photography camera.

After spending your valuable 60 minutes with the Ugandan gorillas, you are led by your ranger guide back to the park headquarters. The return is one with memories and not anxiousness as with the search. Arriving at the park headquarters, you are welcomed back and then given a Rwanda or Uganda gorilla trekking safari certificate which is recognition for a complete trek.

Plan your gorilla tour with acacia safaris and have such a memorable primate experience. We also customize gorilla trekking combined with other destinations like Tanzania safaris and Kenya wildlife tours.