What is gorilla trekking? /All You Need to Know about gorilla trekking 2022/2023

Though becoming a popular Africa 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. Gorilla trekking is done in Africa’s forests of Bwindi and Volcano ranges on foot and up close with nature.

A gorilla trek takes about 2-6 hours and during this time the trekkers move in 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 gorilla trekking because you will have to walk mostly on an altitude of 2,607 meters above sea level. Gorilla trekking offers that up-close encounter with the still pristine jungles and this experience of fully being immersed and experiencing the wild that makes the whole experience unique.

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 for gorilla trekking, expect to have a briefing session that starts at 8:00am both in Rwanda or Uganda’s national parks. Briefing starts from 8:00am 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 that you are able to trek.

After briefing, you head out to the jungle for gorilla trekking. 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 less as 30minutes 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 of all the information about the gorilla family you are trekking as well as gorillas in general.

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 then 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 gorilla trekking experience. We also customize gorilla trekking combined with other destinations like Tanzania safaris and Kenya wildlife tours.