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Gorilla Trekking for The Elderly People
Thousands of tourists flock in their numbers to view including the elderly. Seeing mountain gorillas in their native habitat is every wildlife enthusiast’s fantasy and because they are endangered, gorilla trekking ranks as one of the most expensive wildlife safaris.
Gorilla trekking tours are some of the most popular tourist activities to enjoy while on an African safari. Seeing these giant apes in their natural habitat is one of the most breathtaking experiences that every traveler should partake in. With over 1,000 individuals remaining in the world, mountain gorillas are endangered species that are only found in three African countries: Rwanda (the Volcanoes National Park), the Democratic Republic of Congo (Virunga National Park), and Uganda (Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks).
Mountain Gorillas are fascinating wildlife creatures, and meeting a habituated gorilla group is regarded as one of the most memorable wildlife encounters. Thousands of guests flock in their numbers to view including the elderly. Seeing mountain gorillas in their native habitat is every wildlife enthusiast’s fantasy and because they are endangered, gorilla trekking ranks as one of the most expensive wildlife safaris. Gorilla governments put a lot of effort into conserving these creatures which can only survive in their high-altitude natural environment. To trek mountain gorillas, one ought to purchase a gorilla permit and gorilla permits cost $1,500 per person in Rwanda, $700 per person in Uganda, and $450 per person in Congo. Nonetheless,
Gorilla Trekking for the Elderly
To see mountain gorillas, a tourist should be 15 years of age and above; however, the African safari tour involves hiking steep slopes and navigating through thick vegetation and muddy trails: moreover, for long hours in search of your assigned gorilla family, which can be physically strenuous. As a result, it is critical to go when you are prepared and in good physical shape. You may fail to complete your gorilla trek if you are not physically or mentally prepared. Moreover, these difficulties can be problematic for those with impairments, the aged, seniors, and others who are not in excellent physical condition for any reason.
Regardless, gorilla trekking is not restricted to only the youthful and energetic travelers, but even the elderly and the elderly (seniors) in this case include all tourists between 50 to 60 years and above. Gorilla trekking tours for the elderly are often carefully planned and when choosing a gorilla family to trek, they are assigned groups that are close to the park headquarters. Like any other gorilla trekking escapade, gorilla trekking for the elderly begins with a briefing from the park wardens and rangers at the headquarters. However, at the time of the briefing, travelers will be requested to present their passports for verification and identify the elderly, as well as anyone else that is less fit. This is to assign them gorilla groups that are near the park headquarters.
If a visitor is disabled or unable to walk long distances, there are sedan chairs and porters available to transport them straight up to the gorillas. On the other hand, elderly travelers who are physically fit and in good shape can request longer gorilla treks and explore the forest at its prime. All gorilla treks are fascinatingly rewarding incredible personal encounters with mountain gorillas and other smaller primates, mammals, birds, stunning flora, and cascading waterfalls, to mention but a few.
Things to Consider When Planning Gorilla Trekking Tours for the Elderly
Availability of Gorilla Trekking Permits
As often mentioned, anyone interested in trekking mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda, or DRC must purchase a gorilla trekking permit. Given the high demand for gorilla safaris, gorilla permits can be booked out; hence elderly tourists ought to book their gorilla trekking permits about three months in advance. Depending on which gorilla country you are visiting, gorilla permits cost $1,500 in Rwanda, $700 in Uganda, and $450 in DRC. A gorilla family can only be trekked by 8 individuals in one day. This is to prevent putting the gorilla group under stress and exposing them to human infections through extended interaction. Moreover, tourists interested in trekking mountain gorillas for more than one day (double gorilla trekking) should expect to trek two different gorilla groups respectively.
Declaration of Age and Any Health Issues
At the time of booking a gorilla trekking tour, elderly tourists will be required to disclose all the information bout the, including their age and any medical issues that need to be addressed with their tour operators. This is to help the tour operators plan for any issues that may arise including planning for emergencies.
Transportation to the Gorilla National Parks
With all the required information about the elderly traveler, the tour operator will now start arranging your gorilla trekking tour including your transportation to the gorilla national parks. In Uganda, driving for about 8 to 9 hours from Kampala or Entebbe to southwestern Uganda (where the gorilla parks are located) may be a challenge for the elderly. Hence, domestic flights would be the preferred option. The driver guide will then pick you up from the designated airstrips to the park. The domestic flights are quite pricey but they are faster and more efficient. Alternatively, one can fly to Kigali and drive for about 5 hours to Bwindi or Mgahinga. On the other hand, Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is about a 3-hour drive from Kigali in a 4×4 safari vehicle.
Budget elderly travelers who cannot afford the cost of domestic flights can opt to embark on the long road trip in customized 4WD safari vehicles; however, the driver guide ought to make several stopovers along the way, to allow the travelers some rest, bathroom breaks, and lunch. While in the park, the tour operator will arrange a safari vehicle to transport you from your lodge or camp to the starting point for gorilla trekking.
Best Accommodation for the Elderly
Choosing accommodation in the gorilla national parks often depends on one’s preferences, budget, and location of the accommodation facility. When choosing accommodation for elderly travelers, it is better to choose a lodge or camo that is close to the starting point for gorilla trekking to ease accessibility. Depending on one’s budget, accommodation in Bwindi, Mgahinga, the Volcanoes, and Virunga National Parks ranges from budget to mid-range to luxury to ultra-luxury facilities. Each of these categories features a range of safari lodges, hotels, tented camps, cottages, and campsites, to mention but a few. Most of these accommodation facilities are established well enough to accommodate the elderly and other people with special needs.
Using Sedan Chairs and Hiring Porters
After planning for how transport, accommodation, and gorilla permits for the elderly travelers, the next thing to consider is how they will trek the mountain gorillas. This includes planning for hiring sedan chairs or stretches and porters to transport them to see the mountain gorillas. Following the briefing at the park headquarters, the porters and sedan chairs will be waiting for you. The sedan chairs are very firm with seat belts, a steel foundation, and handlers to enable the porters to carry them. Any elderly traveler is advised to hire at least 10 porters because while four porters can transport the sedan chair, the rest will need to tag along to take turns in case the others tire.
After encountering the gorillas, the porters will take you back to the park headquarters, where your driver guide will be waiting for you. Hiring a sedan chair and porters cost anywhere between $400 and $500. While taking turns, the porters will also help carry all your heavy equipment including cameras, binoculars, and day pack. However, travelers who are not disabled or old but would like to use the services of a porter to carry their luggage and also help them navigate the rough terrain can also hire porters for $15 to $20. Hiring porters is a way of giving back to the community since the parks use locals from the surrounding communities.
Safety and Security During Gorilla Trekking for the Elderly
Most elderly travelers, given their fragility worry about their safety and security in the gorilla national parks. Safety and security in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and Uganda’s Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks are exceptional. During gorilla trekking, travelers are escorted by armed rangers to safeguard them from dangerous wild animals such as buffaloes, elephants, etc.
Generally, there have not been any cases of war or unrest in either Uganda or Rwanda in over 20 years. On the other hand, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s safety and security incidents are unpredictable; nonetheless, when it comes to gorilla trekking, Congo’s government has established immeasurable security checks, and plenty of armed rangers to safeguard travelers. Hence safety and security when gorilla trekking in Congo is guaranteed.
Best Place to go Gorilla Trekking for the Elders
Gorilla trekking tours for the elderly are possible anywhere regardless, of which gorilla country one chooses. Nonetheless, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is regarded as an excellent place to go gorilla trekking option for the elderly or individuals with impairments. Located in the Kabale district, Bwindi is the most popular gorilla park in the world, boasting half of the total population of the remaining mountain gorillas. Furthermore, compared to other gorilla parks, is located at a lower elevation which makes it simpler for the elderly and the physically challenged to trek the mountain gorillas. Out of the 52 gorilla groups in Bwindi, the park offers 20 habituated groups for gorilla trekking, distributed in its four designated sectors for trekking (Rushaga, Ruhija, Nkuringo, and Buhoma).
These sectors differ in terms of natural characteristics, terrain, and the number of mountain gorilla groups in each, yet they share the same ecosystem. Of the four sectors, Ruhija is ideal for the elderly since most of the gorilla families here are located in proximity to the sector starting point for gorilla trekking. As a result, the families are easily accessible making them suitable for the elderly to trek. Gorilla trekking can take anywhere between 30 minutes and 6 hours and on a good day in Ruhija, visitors can locate the gorillas within 30 minutes. However, because gorillas are migratory, this is not assured. It’s difficult to forecast when and where you’ll discover them.
The availability of gorilla permits is determined by the sector you intend to visit. The sooner you book your gorilla permit, the more chances you have at embarking on your gorilla trekking tour. Due to the high demand for gorilla tours, we advise you to book your gorilla permit at least three months in advance. Before booking your gorilla tour, take time to make good research about the several gorilla groups in Bwindi and its sectors. With this information, you can know which gorilla groups are closer to the park headquarters, especially for the Ruhija sector. Then you can notify your operator who will help make all the arrangements.
Best Time to go Gorilla Trekking for the Elderly
Gorilla trekking for the elderly is best done during the dry season from December to February and June to early September when the parks are accessible. During this time, there are rains which makes it easy to navigate the trekking trails and the steep slopes in the gorilla parks. Moreover, the vegetation is short, giving clear views of the mountain gorillas. Nevertheless, gorilla trekking for the elderly can be done at any time of the year. One just ought to come prepared with the necessary gorilla trekking equipment, especially during the wet season (March to May and October to November)
