Getting close to Mountain Gorilla (a moment with the gorillas)
Getting close to Mountain Gorilla (a moment with the gorillas), A big number of travelers who have not yet got a chance to come one on one with the endangered mountain gorillas. Have no good ideas about how this magical experience goes. A chance to get closer to mountain gorilla is so supreme. Never compared to any other safari activities across the world. Not like many other wildlife species spotted in zoos or under captivity. These endangered mountain gorillas can only be seen in their national habitat. Hence making the encounter a unique experience and it has placed gorilla trekking a vanilla adventure activity many people across the world are eagerly waiting to encounter.
Mountain gorillas known as endangered species which tested on the edge of extinction. Great thanks to conservation efforts which have worked so hard to ensure the feature of the species. In 2019 International Union on Nature Conservation (IUNC) deleted mountain gorillas. From the red list of critically endangered which followed the gorilla census. Which confirmed that the global population of mountain gorillas was becoming rich with over 1060 gorillas in the wild.
History of Gorillas
Since 1902 when a German army man captain Robert Von Beringe the first none African. To discover the unknown species of gorillas on the slopes of Mt. Sabinyo on borders of Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo and killed two of them. He retrieved one of the apes and sent the remains to the Museum of Natural History in Berlin. Which were later classified and named Gorilla Beringei (Mountain Gorillas). A moment with the gorilla ever since continued to American researcher Carl Akeley and later fueled by Diana Fossey. Who engaged in deeper research of the about the conservation and behaviors of the gorillas.
Many thanks to the works of Diana Fossy who introduced the habituation idea. Which worked on making the shy gorillas used to Human Presence. The habituation process has continued with any gorilla group. Before opened for trekking adventures. Currently in the gorilla zone of both Bwindi Impenetrable forests and the Virunga Massif have over 30 habituated gorilla families. Ready for trekking and hundreds of traveler’s reserves at least 1-2 days in the wild with these endangered apes.
Today travelers worldwide have resorted on getting close to mountain gorillas. There are 4 gorilla parks in three gorilla trekking countries. Including Deciding on where to your trekking forest, procure a permit and next drive or fly to any gorilla park of your choice. The adventure starts earlier at 7:30 with a short briefing about the dos and don’ts while with the gorillas. Then trekkers grouped in numbers of 8 people to trek a single habituated gorilla family. The trek starts short with an armed ranger guide who leads in paving a way through the impassable forests searching for the apes. The trek continues while trekkers follow the fresh plant breaks, fresh dungs, right from where they had their previous night.
About Gorilla Trekking
Gorilla trekking time is unpredictable since meeting them depends on where they last spent their night from. However, the trek can go from 30 minutes to over 6 hours searching for the apes. Through the thorny, muddy, moist, slippery slopes, bamboos. And the mountain gorillas dwell deep into the volcanic impenetrable rainforests. Finding the gorilla needs more energy to penetrate deeper into their natural habitat.
Gorilla trekking sincerely writing is very hectic but finding the gentle giants. Then all the tediousness forgotten and concentrate on a moment with the giant apes. This is a moment of asking whatever about the gorillas. Taking photos and a selfie with the gorillas gives a very perfect memorizing moment. No eating at the presence of the gorillas, no smoking, no shouting, no cameras with flashlights. Gazing at the entertaining moment from the apes is the reason to keep watching as the silverback charge. With roars and chest beating, the juveniles jump next to you and hurrying in tree branches this is a lifetime moment to remember.
After a long journey then have to recharge for a trek back to the starting point. Have some sugary energizing drinks is a great score. If traveled along with packed eats can either eat them or wait. To reach back at the starting moment. And then it’s a moment with the gorilla narration memorized in your mind.
Where to trek mountain gorillas? Getting close to Mountain Gorilla (a moment with the gorillas)
Though people co-lived with the gorillas before any none black person discovered them. Ever since mountain gorillas have maintained their habitats. That they can’t just be found anywhere in the world. But only the central African volcanic rainforests of the Virunga Massif and Bwindi forests. Not like other gorilla species encountered in the number of countries. Mountain gorillas only luckily encountered in the three countries that’s Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo.
In Uganda these endangered apes only seen in two national park. That’s Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park and Mgahinga gorilla forest national park. Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park hosts the highest number of these apes. Almost half of the world’s population of mountain gorillas live here in bwindi. The park is also known as the world’s best option of encountering the apes. With higher number of permits presented to trek daily. It has over 15 gorilla families well habituated and in each. 8 members are allowed to visit the apes per day. And Mgahinga Gorilla National Park Uganda’s smallest park but richly blessed biodiversity with gorillas being the main eye catch here.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is part of the great Virunga Conservation Area shared among the 3 mentioned countries also accommodating Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda and the Virunga National Park of Congo. Rather than these parks and countries there no mountain gorillas and getting closer only chances are here. And Gorillas in all parks well habituated to ensure a perfect encounter. Gorilla trekking experience remains the same in each country, who ever visited the gorillas remain with memories that never dies for ages.
How much is mountain gorilla trekking?#Getting close to Mountain Gorilla (a moment with the gorillas)
No one is allowed to trek the endangered mountain gorillas without owning a gorilla permit respectively in all countries. The experience in trekking gorillas only seen with the cost of the permit which vary with countries, gorilla permits of Rwanda are known globally as the most upmarket as permit double and triples accordingly compared to other countries including Uganda and Rwanda. A permit of Volcanoes national park ( Rwanda) cost US$1500/ person per trekking, in Bwindi and Mgahinga national park (Uganda) a single gorilla permit cost $700 and in in Virunga national park (DR. Congo) US$450.
When is the best time to meet mountain gorilla?#Getting close to Mountain Gorilla (a moment with the gorillas)
You can visit at any time in Uganda, Rwanda and DRC and trek the endangered mountain gorillas. However, two seasons are known including the dry and wet seasons experiencing very little rainfall and shining most of the time. For a perfect moment with the giants the dry season is more delightful for the adventure which closely happen in the months of June to mid-September and December to February. The dry season gives perfect moments with the endangered apes since the paths leading to the gorillas are passable making the trekking so easy.
The dry seasons are the peak traveling seasons where a travelers almost crowd in every tourist destination, facilities such as the lodges get fully occupied to capacity and permits are always fully booked on a daily basis so if planning to travel in these months, are advised to book your gorilla and accommodation in advance at least 2-3 months prior to your travel dates to avoid last minutes booking which is sometimes disappointing, but should know this is the finest season to trek gorilla.
Low seasons are mainly experience a wet weather conditions of reasonable raining with low turn up of travelers. The low season comes in the months of March to May and then from Mid-September to November. These months are characterized with heavy down pours with lower temperatures which tend to fall to about 17OC, forests are misty and moist, muddy and slippery. This season comes with challenges of trekking experiences, the forest becomes muddy and sleepy as also some facilities like lodging lower the costs as they can’t even have the half to capacity occupation. Although this does not limit one who is interested in trekking to come and visit.
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