What to know before gorilla trekking in Uganda?
Are you considering going gorilla trekking in Uganda? If so, you are in for the experience of a lifetime. I had been wanting to go for 14 years when I finally did it, so the expectations were pretty high, but it did not disappoint.
However, there were some things I wondered before I left which I thought it was tricky to find answers to. So, here is a full list of everything I think could be nice to know when you are planning a trekk.
Where to go?
All the remaining mountain gorillas are located in one area, however this area is divided across three countries. So you can actually choose to do the trekking in Uganda, Rwanda or DR Congo. We chose to do it in Uganda, but I have done other treks that start at the same location in Rwanda (for Golden Monkeys) and DR Congo (for Lowland gorillas). The possibility to see gorillas is the same in every country and even though I heard rumors that they only have rangers in Rwanda, this is not true, they have them in every national park. The differences really comes down to price, accessibility and what you want to see other than gorillas. Its more expensive in Rwanda, but a lot easier to get to than Uganda and DR Congo. You will need to get a permit in advance either from the park directly or with help from your guide no matter where you choose to do it.
How to get there?
I know some people choose to drive themselves and that is definitely possible, but the roads up to the location in Uganda is truly rocky. I personally would not have wanted to drive there. You have to drive upwards steep mountainsides on rocky and narrow roads. If you really want to drive yourself I would choose to do it in Rwanda instead where the infrastructure is a bit better and there is paved roads all the way to where the trek starts. My recommendation is to get a driver/guide to take you here. There are many places you can reach in Uganda by driving yourself and taking public transport, but up to the mountain gorillas is not one of them in my opinion.
What happens when you get there?
After a good nights sleep at your chosen lodge, you get up at the crack of dawn to drive to where the trek starts. You will usually arrive around 6:30 am to be in time for briefing and registration. When you arrive you are are greeted by some locals dancing and singing traditional music you can listen to while you wait. Once everyone has arrived you will gather and get a safety briefing about the area and how to act around the gorillas once you find them. At this time the rangers have most likely located the families so you will get info on approximately how long the hike will be. At the site there are toilets if you need, but that is about it, so make sure to bring everything you need. At the site they will also inform you about the opportunity to borrow walkingsticks or hire a porter to carry your bags and help you at the more tricky spots on the trek. There is no need to book a porter beforehand, you can do it when you get there if you need it.
How many will you trekk with?
You will be divided into groups of maximum 6 tourists + rangers, guides and potential porters. There are different gorilla families located at different areas in the forest, so each group of tourists will trek in different directions and visit different families.
How hard is the trekking?
The trekking can definitely vary from group to group, but the longest trek we were on lasted 4 hours. This includes 1,5 hour walk to find the gorillas, 1 hour with the gorillas and 1,5 hour trekking back to the car. I have heard of groups spending more time, but mostly it takes that amount of time or less.
Most of the distance is walked on a pretty decent road or path in the forest. Its not before you really come close to the gorillas the hard core trekking starts. And yes, then it really is hardcore. The guides will walk in front cutting down branches to make the way a bit better, but you are really in the jungle. Finding a good place to put your feet can be tricky, it might be slippery, and you need to hold on to some sticky and wet branches to keep your balance. This is not meant to scare anyone, but its nice to be aware of. However, I will say that the trek is possible for everyone.
How to do gorilla trekking with disabilities?
If you have a disability which means you cant walk, the guides said that there was a possibility of ordering a stretcher and someone to carry you the whole way. They were adament that there was a way to get there for absollutely everyone who wanted to see the gorillas. You just had to contact the national park directly to help plan for it.
Are you guaranteed to see the gorillas?
They are wild animals, so no there is never a 100% guarantee to find them. However, after the different national parks introduced rangers and trackers the possibility of seeing them has increased drastically and it seemed like it was a very long time ago since they had brought a group and not found gorillas. The rangers job is to go the trek a while before you and follow the trails the gorillas leave behind and do the actual search for you. So when you start your trek you can walk directly towards where the gorillas are known to be that day.
What happens when you spot the gorillas?
The first time you see them is an extremely exciting moment. They are so much bigger than I could have expected, and you get so close to them. The rule is generally to stay 7 meters away from them, but once they start moving they will come much closer. A huge silverback walked directly in front of me at one point, so close I could have stroked him. Another of the smaller gorillas playfully pushed one in our group out of his way so he fell to the ground. No one got hurt, it was all good fun.
You get to spend one hour with them. I know it sound very short, but you get to see a lot during that one hour. In addition, I really love the fact that they have such strict rules on it so we dont impose unescaserily much on the wildlife. You get the privilege of getting a glimpse into their life for one hour and cherish it forever. During the hour you will most likely see them relaxing at one point, playing, getting up to move and find some food and finding a new spot to relax again. You will probably have some time where you have a very good view of them and others where it can be a bit tricky to spot or see them. After all, it is deep in the forest and they can be covered by trees, branches or leaves. After the hour is up, you will walk towards the car again a huge experience richer.
Is it dangerous?
No time during the trek did I feel I was in danger or anywhere close to it. Of course the pulse quickens a bit when they come very close, but it is just very thrilling! The rangers and guides do this everyday and are skilled at reading the gorillas body language and are well prepared for every reaction. But of course they are wild animals so you have to behave as such and dont do anything that can intimidate them. They are used to humans, so they dont see us as a threat and therefor have no reason to attack
Tipping?
Tipping is a big thing throughout Uganda, and the trekking is no exception. Make sure to bring some money for the actual trekk so you can tip the rangers before you leave the forest, because they will stay behind there. Have some more for the guides when you get to the car and if you watch the dancers before the trek make sure to have something for them too.
What to bring?
- A small backpack with space for camera, food and water
- Rain jacket
- Gloves, typical garden or exercise gloves (I was the only one with this, but I loved it)
- Face mask (It is still mandatory to wear facemask when you reach the gorillas after the pandemic)
- Some money for tipping
- Hiking shoes that are waterproof
- Gaitors (or long socks you can tuck your socks into to avoid fire-ants and branches getting in)
- Something warm/wool sweater (the mornings get pretty cold, especially if it rains)
