FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT GORILLAS
There is so much that travelers normally ask bout Gorillas before they travel, during their tours and after their safaris to Uganda. The Gorillas are very gentle giants living in the forests in the high mountains in Uganda, Rwanda and the DR Congo. The most asked questions include the following;
- What is Gorilla tracking
Gorilla tracking is an activity that involves hiking into the thick forests in search for habituated mountain Gorilla families in their natural home. The gorillas have been habituated and are used to the presence of human beings and can be visited with no much trouble.
- How many Gorilla families are in Uganda?
Uganda is apparently leading all other countries with the highest number of gorilla families. 20 Gorilla groups have been habituated 19 living in the Bwindi National Park and 1 Gorilla group in the Mgahinga Gorilla National Par. Some of the habituated Gorilla groups include; Bitukura, Kutu, Oruzogo, Christmas, Nyakagezi, Habiyanja, kyaguriro A and Kyaguriro B among others.
- How many people are allowed to track a Gorilla group?
A group of 8 visitors is allowed to visit a gorilla family each day. The limited number of visitors is meant to reduce on the stress on these Gorillas. This policy came after a long research process that revealed that Gorillas have to be visited by a small group of people to avoid threatening the group.
- What do Gorillas feed on?
Gorillas are generally vegetarian in nature, they feed on bamboo shoot and roots which is their delicacy in the high mountains. They also feed on the leaves and roots of the other available vegetation. The Gorillas also feed on seasonal wild fruits and ants that are found in the forests where they live.
- Is it safe to track the Gorillas?
The Gorillas in forests have been habituated and are safe for tracking in their natural forest. They are trained by a team of researchers from Uganda Wildlife Authority until they are fully used to the presence of human beings and can be visited by travelers.
- What is the age limit for gorilla tracking?
The age limit for gorilla tracking is 15 years and above, all kids below that age are not allowed to visit the Gorillas. The main reason for this is because they may not have proper judgement in the presence of wild animals. The exception to this is when the child’s birthday to make 15 is on the tracking date. Children may also be accepted to track Gorillas if they prove their maturity and are authorized by their parents after signing a letter of consent taking responsibility of whatever may happen to the child.
- What is the best time to visit the Gorillas?
The gorillas can be visited all year round in Uganda and all other destinations in the world. There is however an argument that the Gorillas are best visited in the dry months of the months with less disturbances of the rains. There’s a high chance that it could rain anytime of the day since the gorillas live in the rain forests. This however does not hinder tracking of Gorillas because there’s a high chance that even after a heavy down pour, you can resume tracking without much trouble.
- What should I carry for Gorilla tracking?
Tracking the Gorillas requires some level of preparedness for you to be able to enjoy a gorilla safari in Bwindi and other Gorilla destinations. Some of the requirements include; rain court, long sleeved shirt/blouse, woolen stockings, hat, sun glasses, hiking boots and energy giving snacks to keep you strong through the visit. The requirements are not limited to the above but the major necessities are the above as mentioned.
- What is the cost of Gorilla tracking?
A gorilla tracking permit costs 700 USD for nonresidents, 600 USD for foreign residents and 250,000Ugx for all the East African citizens. The permits are issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority in Kampala at their head offices and can be acquired through us at Gorillaland Safari Holidays. Rwanda charges 1500 USD per permit for all that era interested in visiting the Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. The higher cost in Rwanda is to enable the high level of conservation of Gorillas in Rwanda.
NB: There’s more to know about Gorillas and we will keep sharing with you in our subsequent posts.
