When going gorilla trekking while pregnant, you should inform the park wardens or the tour operator you are using in advance.
They will arrange for you a suitable driver, allocate a gorilla family, and make other necessary arrangements for your convenience.
Get in touch with us here if you need a smooth gorilla trek during pregnancy.
During the morning briefing, when they provide guidelines for gorilla trekking and begin allocating groups, make sure to inform them of your condition.
During the allocation process, they take into consideration factors such as age, physical abilities, and pregnancy.
Youthful tourists may be assigned to challenging groups for hiking, while older and vulnerable individuals will be placed in easier-to-find groups.
When the trekking becomes very strenuous, you are advised to use sedan seat stretchers.
You will be carried all the way to see the mountain gorillas and back to the starting point, and the cost is $400.
You will only be placed on the ground during the gorilla observation time.
When trekking gorillas while pregnant, you should also communicate with the lodge so that they can offer you special services regarding meals, bed arrangements, and other accommodations.
Alternatively, you can inform your tour operator, and they will relay the information to the lodge.
If you are trekking mountain gorillas while pregnant, it is advisable to take a flight to the park, especially if you are trekking in Uganda.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park are about 10-12 hours away by bumpy roads from Entebbe International Airport, and this is a very long distance for a pregnant woman to travel by road. The flight takes only about 2 hours.
Upon arrival at Kisoro or Kihihi Airstrip, you should consider booking a land cruiser to transport you to the hotel because they are more comfortable, although they may be more costly.
When booking your gorilla permit, it is recommended to do so in the Buhoma or Rushaga sector because they have gorilla families that are easier to find.
Mountain gorilla trekking can be done while pregnant, but one should exercise extreme caution due to the associated risks.
Sufficient planning must be undertaken before engaging in gorilla trekking while pregnant.
2 Major Risks involved in trekking gorillas while pregnant
Below are some of the risks involved in trekking gorillas while pregnant:
- Mountain gorillas live in high elevations, which can be very steep. Trekking mountain gorillas requires physical fitness, which a pregnant woman might not possess. This could potentially lead to a miscarriage due to the strenuous exercise involved in the trek.
- Mountain gorillas inhabit tropical and subtropical rain-forests where the weather can be unpredictable. Heavy rain during trekking could pose a risk to the pregnancy, and slippery trails resulting from rain could increase the chances of accidents.
In conclusion, gorilla trekking while pregnant is not advisable.
It is better to wait until after giving birth.
However, if you insist on trekking while pregnant, it is essential to inform the park authorities or your travel agent in advance so that they can organize better options for gorilla trekking in consideration of your situation.
Get in touch with us here if you need a smooth gorilla trek during pregnancy.
