Wondering how long gorilla trekking lasts? Understanding the duration of gorilla trekking will give you proper insights on the time-frames and expectations.
Though mountain gorillas don’t usually move like chimpanzees, trekking mountain gorillas is somehow easier than trekking chimpanzees, though the time for trekking gorillas cannot be predicted because it depends on how they move and the location of a gorilla family.
Trekking mountain gorillas can take from 30 minutes to 7 hours, and sometimes this can also depend on the physical fitness and ability of the group because they adjust to the slowest person in the group while trekking mountain gorillas.
Training before embarking on a gorilla safari is always recommended, as gorillas live at higher elevations in rain-forests that require hiking.
Some mountain gorilla families live near the park headquarters where you start your gorilla trekking or near the lodges within the park.
These are the easiest gorilla families to trek and usually take a few hours to locate compared to other families that live deep in the forest.
During the allocation of gorilla families on the morning of gorilla trekking and briefing, the elderly and less physically fit people are allocated to easier groups to trek, while the younger and stronger tourists will be allocated to other families.
However, sometimes even the nearest gorilla family groups can move very far, and trekking them will take many hours.
When trekking mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, it’s advisable to book accommodation in the same sector where you have acquired the permit, as booking accommodation and permits in different sectors will cost you more time traveling to the starting point, and you will need to wake up very early.
In conclusion, the exact gorilla trekking time cannot be easily determined but depends on the location of the gorilla family and the hiking pace of the group.
The prices of gorilla permits differ depending on the country where you will trek gorillas.
Gorilla permits should be obtained through the respective governing bodies of that specific country or through a trusted tour operator.
Rwanda charges $1500 per person, Uganda’s gorilla permits cost $700 per person, and Congo offers the lowest prices at $400 per person for the peak season and $200 during the low season.
Uganda also offers a gorilla habituation experience, and permits for this cost $1500.
Permits should always be obtained in advance, ideally 3 months before coming to the country.
