I am drawn to nature, but there are few things that have been as awe-inspiring as gorilla trekking in Africa to see gorillas in their natural habitat. I almost did not check this item off of my bucket list because it is quite an expensive adventure. However, I am so glad that I did not miss out on this opportunity. The Gorilla Berengei Berengi (Mountain gorilla) lives in the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. There are some 900 gorillas that remain in the region as the numbers have dwindled due to poaching. That makes this experience even more amazing.
What to Expect
After an early rise, you will meet up with a crowd of other excited trekkers in the Volcanos National Park. Before you are divided up into groups of 8 people, dancers perform the Rwandan Traditional Dance.
Depending on where you start gorilla trekking, it may take you up to 1.5 hours to drive to small villages near the mountain and another 30-45 minutes to reach the base of the mountain. Before the trek, you will be able to hire a porter for about $20, which I highly recommend, to carry your belongings and help you up the mountain.
Before you begin gorilla trekking, your guide will talk to you about safety, respect, the gorilla community. They will also discuss something about the family you will meet. Now the real hike begins!!
We walked through a beautiful bamboo forest and then we started the climb. Gorilla trekking is TOUGH. Your guides will barely break a sweat as they cut back the thick forest and bamboo to make a path. Meanwhile, you huff and puff up and question your choices in life. The trek can last anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours.
My group had a very steep, 3 hour climb. Just as we started to question what we had gotten ourselves into, we found a large family of gorillas with twin babies.
We even had a close encounter with a naughty black back who jumped out of a tree right in front of us. After 1 hour with the gorillas, we started our hike down the mountain, which was a much easier task. Our trek was 6 hours round trip. It was worth it.
What to Pack for Gorilla Trekking
• Long pants and long-sleeved shirts: Even if it is hot, you will want to be covered to protect your skin from stinging nettles
• Hiking boots: No flip-flops!! You will have major regrets if you choose to hike with exposed feet. However, I recommend keeping a pair in your backpack for when you complete the hike. Your feet will want relief after hours of hiking.
•Rain jacket: Even if there is not call for rain, it could happen suddenly.
•Plenty of water and lunch or snacks: Remember, you may be hiking for hours
•Good Camera: I took a very expensive camera and lens, put them in my backpack, and let my porter carry it until we found the gorillas.
• Plastic bag for muddy boots. Our hotel cleaned our Boots, but not every hotel offers that service.
•Hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
•Binoculars
Book your trip for gorilla trekking well in advance of your planned travel. The number of trekkers is limited to about 56 per day to protect the habitat. The permit for foreign visitors to trek in Rwanda is $1500pp. If that is outside of your budget, the permit in Uganda is much cheaper at $600.
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