Age limit for gorilla trekking.
A well-known and truly amazing experience, gorilla trekking safari is limited to the African continent. Trackers and park rangers travel along forest routes in search of gorillas, and the duration of the experience can vary from 30 to 7 hours, depending on the gorilla’s movements. After locating the gorilla family you were looking for, the guide allows you to spend an hour with them learning about their amazing way of life and shooting priceless pictures for your archives. Moreover, mountain gorilla trekking safari is the primary and the most prevalent activity in every destination where mountain gorillas are located, possibly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. Though Rwanda’s gorilla permits are twice as expensive as those in Uganda, the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national park in Uganda offers the best gorilla trekking experiences because it is home to half of the world’s mountain gorilla population in the wild. Because gorilla trekking safari is a popular sport in these three different countries, please take note that booking your gorilla permits in advance is advised. Certain months, primarily during the high seasons of June to September and December to February, may provide challenges.
Therefore, in order to avoid disappointments at late times, you must reserve your gorilla permits in advance. Before you pay for your gorilla trekking permits, you should be aware that the age limit to trek gorillas is fifteen years old.
Minimum Age Limit for Gorilla Trekking -Bwindi Safari –Uganda & Rwanda.
When first-time travelers want to know the recommended age limit for gorilla trekking, they frequently ask this question. So the age limit for gorilla trekking safari is above 15 years in all the three countries Uganda, Rwanda and Congo because below that age are considered to be young who can get scared of this huge unique mountain gorillas and hiking in the forest for long hours must be difficult.
The various government agencies in charge of overseeing the national parks in each of the aforementioned nations regularly change the age restriction for gorilla trekking. This is due to the fact that Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in Congo, as well as Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, are the two national parks where mountain gorilla trekking is permitted. In Uganda, the body that sets up the regulations is ‘’UWA’’ Uganda Wildlife Authority and Rwanda -Rwanda Development Board.
Why age limit of gorilla trekking is set at 15 years old.
The gorilla trekking age limit is 15 years old since younger tourists are regarded as children and may not have any unpleasant interactions with the gorillas. Although gorillas are generally calm and quiet animals, they can turn hostile if they feel threatened by trackers. In light of this, kids may remain calm when gorillas transform into a threat, especially the powerful silverback if they start acting aggressively. When these children are unable to control such incidents, they will just scream or flee, which prevents the gorilla from chasing after the child. However, remaining silent and acting submissive is the only way to keep an aggressive gorilla under control. In the unlikely event that a gorilla charges, more experienced travelers are better at managing their emotions.
Furthermore, elderly tourists are more likely than younger ones to abide by the park rangers’ guidelines and directions when it comes to gorilla trekking.
Some of gorilla trekking rules and regulations;
maintaining a 6-to 7-meter gap between you and the gorillas.
Never make fun of or make light of gorillas.
Furthermore, children might not be psychologically prepared for the activity, unlike adults who choose to go gorilla trekking knowing full well what they are getting into. Kids who usually only go on safari with their parents. Their parents may have enjoyed the trip more than they did. Because gorilla trekking requires courage and tenacity, you must hike to find the gorilla family to which you have been assigned, no matter how far you have to hike.
It’s possible that the little kids aren’t physically capable of going gorilla trekking. They eventually reach a point where they are so exhausted from hiking that they ask to return to camp.
High altitude regions are home to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Finding the gorilla group therefore requires travelling up steep, mountainous terrain in locations that receive a lot of sunshine. Children might not finish the task because of the type of environment. Mature hikers typically have better physical health and the kind of endurance needed to finish the exercise.
More then, every young children can easily get infected with communicable diseases like cough and flu, diarrhea. Because mountain gorillas and human illnesses are similar, a flu infection will ultimately result in death.
Under which children may be allowed to trek gorillas;
Parents, you may be frustrated that you are unable to take your kids or daughters, who you feel are old enough but not yet fifteen, go gorilla trekking. Don’t give up, though, as a 14-year-old who is making a 15-year an expedition can make an exception.
The gorilla trekking exception is only allowed in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable national park. But the child needs to be sufficiently muscular and fit. Comparing Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to Mgahinga and Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, the former is steeper. The canopy forest of Bwindi helps to shield trackers from the sun.
Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) may demand parents to submit images of their child along with details on their maturity and fitness in order for the child to be exempted. The child needs to be 14 or 15 years old. You will need to bring in recent photos and a copy of the child’s passport as proof that they are 14 or almost 15. That is to say, provided they are accompanied by their parents, children under the age of 15 are also permitted to undertake gorilla trekking.
Uganda Wildlife Authority will ask a parent to sign a consent form after receiving a copy of your child’s passport. This is done to shield the organization from liability should something untoward happen when gorilla trekking. The warden will make sure that the parent and youngster hike to the nearest gorilla group from their accommodation. When they get tired, as a parent, you can engage additional porters to carry them in sedan chairs. It is advised that elderly trackers use sedan chairs and porters. If your child is less than 15 but mature and physically fit, and you intend to go gorilla trekking with them. Please get in touch with us.
What to do if your child doesn’t fall in between the allowed age for gorilla trekking.
Parents can still travel with children who are too young ‘’13 and below’’ to take part in gorilla trekking safari. This is due to the park’s abundance of fantastic activities that your child can partake in while you head out to look for the gorillas. You can leave them with the hotel staff and keep them occupied with kid-friendly films and games. In addition, they can be taken on walks in the outdoors, visits to nearby schools, and cultural events. You have the option to postpone your vacation to arrive when the kids are older.