Gorilla trekking with children (safari with kids, family & friend)
Gorilla trekking with children, Gorilla trekking is one of the most popular safari activities in the country. In Uganda gorilla trekking with kids, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to over half of the remaining number of gorillas in the world. Gorilla trekking with children is an exceptional experience that allows both parents and their kids to interact with the great apes in their natural habitat.
During gorilla trekking with children, meeting the silverback in lush green vegetation amidst the thick rain forests becomes a reality and a great adventure that leaves kids (children)with everlasting memories. In Uganda, gorilla trekking with children is done in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Maghinga National Park, both located in the southwestern part of the country. Alternatively, you can do gorilla trekking with kids in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
For a traveler to participate in a gorilla trekking activities with kids, both parents and kids above 15 must be physically fit and prepared to walk with the gorilla for hours through different terrain. At most times, gorilla trekking takes 2-5 hours including one festive hour, as you enjoy the silverback guarding his family and the females caring for the juveniles.
For the best gorilla trekking experience with children, Bwindi’s Impenetrable National Park, he/she should choose from the four sectors of Nkuringo, Buhoma, Rushaga, or Ruhija. This is the best destination for gorilla trekking with family and friends as the park is home to more than 20 gorilla families, which is not the case for Mgahinga National Park, which has only one family.
Gorilla trekking age limit, Uganda, Rwanda and Congo
when planning for gorilla trekking with children, you should consider age for children, Age limit for tracking gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo is 15 years. This guideline for the age limit is set by the governing bodies responsible for tourism in the different countries that is Uganda Wildlife Authority for Uganda and Rwanda Development Board for Rwanda.
Children below 15 years are not allowed to track gorillas for reasons that they are considered immature and may be scared by the size of the gorillas. A typical silverback weighs over 195 kg and is 5 feet in height. This huge size at times scares some adults. When children are scared, they will either shout or run away which at times makes the gorillas charge and even cause harm to the people around them. According to the rules and guidelines for trekking, tourists are not supposed to run away but only to crouch down, a condition that will prove unbearable to children.
Children under 15 years old are considered rationally young and unprepared to walk with the gorillas for longer distances when searching for gorillas. At times they are impatient, get hungry and thirsty very fast, and always request to go back to the lodge earlier before the end of the gorilla expedition, this brings inconvenience and parents decide to cancel the activity.
Some children are careless and may find it hard to follow and obey the tracking rules and regulations. They will always move unnecessarily something that provokes the gorillas.
At most times children are susceptible to communicable diseases which can be transferred to gorillas as they share 98% DNA with humans.
Can a child below 15 years may trek gorillas
If a child is nearing their 15th birthday they may be allowed to engage in gorilla trekking. This is on condition that the parents provide the necessary proof for the dates of birth using birth certificates or valid passports for the kid.
Another instance is when the kid expresses the physical ability to walk longer distances. If the child is assessed and has qualified, he/she is allowed to go trekking. This condition is mainly considered in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where the terrain is a bit flat; the paths for the treks are under shades of the big trees of the tropical rainforest.
In Bwindi National Park, children between 13 and 14 are allowed to go gorilla trekking. Parents should first seek permission from the Uganda Wildlife Authority. This is done through their tour operator company. If permitted, parents must pay for gorilla trekking permit at the same cost as adults. Parents must take care and be concerned for the kid and accept any occurrences in the forest at the time of tracking.
What can kids do when adults go gorilla trekking in Rwanda,Uganda or Congo.
Gorilla tracking activity is mainly restricted to people of 15 years and above. however, children on a gorilla safari with their parents also engage in various activities to keep them in an emotional state with the African Safari.
If the kid is not allowed to go tracking, the parent can still move with the child. When the parent goes for gorilla tracking, the child can be taken to take part in activities in and around the park that have no age restrictions.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park can be organised for community walks with their tour guides. This depends on the sector where the parents are tracking. In the community walks children get to interact with the local people in the area as they enjoy their activities like listening to the traditional healers, local beer brewing, ironworking, and many other related activities that will not leave them bored. On these community walk visits; children identify monkeys and birds on people’s farms. They can also visit schools. The guide makes it more interesting when he takes photos of these children during their activity.
Children can also be organized to visit the Batwa people who lived and depended on the forests before eviction. The Batwa traditional group of people exhibit delightful traditional practices like storytelling, singing, and dancing which leave the children very vibrant and in a good mood for the safari.
In the Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda, children can be taken to the Gorilla guardian village (Ib’yiwachu) where they enjoy lots of culture and tradition. They get time with the best traditional entertainers, the herbal medicine man, see how local food is prepared, and can even taste it. In this place, they will enjoy it until you remind them about their parents.
What is the cost of a gorilla trekking permit? Uganda, Rwanda and Congo
Gorilla trekking is a greatly sought-after activity. It is quite expensive because mountain gorillas are considered an endangered species, yet many people want to see them. Due to the high demand for seeing the gentle giant apes, the governments of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo set up specific prices for gorilla permits. In Uganda, gorilla permits cost $800, Rwanda$ 1500 and Congo$ 450. This applies to both adults and children.
Gorilla trekking Rules and Regulations
Apart from the tracking guideline that limits trekkers to 15 years and above, there are several other rules and regulations to be followed by participants in the gorilla tracking activity which include
Attend early morning briefings at the park to understand the rules and regulations to be followed in the park during the tracking process. Only eight people are allowed to visit a specific gorilla family on a particular day. This helps to reduce disease transmission and disturbances to the gorilla families.
Participants should always follow what the rangers tell them in the due course of the activity if you are to talk, the voices should be very low. This is because noise frightens the gorillas, making them move deeper into the jungles.
Avoid using flash photography at the hour of tracking.
You are not allowed to track the gorillas when you are infected with any communicable disease. This may affect the apes as they are human cousins and share 98 %DNA with humans. Gorillas easily catch human diseases like flu, cough, and diarrhoea. So at times if you want to cough or sneeze, turn away from the direction of the gorillas and cover your nose and mouth.
Tourists are not allowed to drop any rubbish or leftover food in the forest. If you want to ease yourself, inform the guide who will help you dig a hole that should be covered well after use.
You should not eat, drink, or smoke in the forest. The remaining cigars or ash drops may sparkle off fire which can lead to the destruction of the whole forest and even death of some wild creatures.
Trekkers should keep a minimum distance of 7 meters from the gorillas when it comes to the real hour of interaction with the gorillas. This will prevent the primates from being too friendly to humans.
Avoid making unnecessary body movements like lifting arms or walking up from place to place. This may be a sign of aggression that will lead the gorillas to charge at you.
