Do I get to Choose which Gorilla Family to Track?
Choosing the Gorilla Family to Trek in Uganda – The Deciding Factors
Choosing the Gorilla Family to Trek in Uganda – Do I have a Choice? There was a time when you were able to buy Gorilla Permits for a particular family. That kind of reservation system was too difficult to maintain, and it was changed to the present system.
You can still choose the Gorilla Family, but it helps determine the determining or deciding factors that the Uganda Wildlife Authority uses.
Permits are issued based on availability in one of the four areas of the park. The park areas are Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. A gorilla family’s choice to trek comes down to the gorilla families residing in the place where you have a permit.
Choosing the Gorilla Family to Trek in Uganda: The Gorilla Family that you will track is determined during the Trekking Orientation the day of the Trek.
Your age, your level of physical fitness, your input are taken under advisement, and most often, it works out the way you want.
The Deciding Person is a well-trained and experienced Uganda Wildlife Authority Ranger who will do all he can to make your gorilla trek a memorable occasion.
Choosing the Gorilla Family to Trek in Uganda – Here are the Four Deciding Factors:
Here are the four determining factors that Uganda Wildlife Rangers use to place you with a group right for you.
Your Health and Wellbeing on the Day of the Trek:
Your health, well-being on the day has become more critical than ever during post-COVID-19 times. The DNA of gorillas is 98.4% like ours. Gorillas can contract our diseases as we can theirs. A recent study revealed that if sick on the day of the trek, trekkers do not disclose their state of health because they fear losing the opportunity to see the gorillas.
We suggest that If you have the flu, cough, respiratory ailment, intestinal ailments, it is best to cancel your trek.
In such cases, Uganda Wildlife Authority will assist in rescheduling to another day during your time in Uganda. Your well-being and the well-being of the Mountain Gorillas who are susceptible to our ailments come first.
It rarely happens and would be very regrettable, but it does happen from time to time. We had one couple who had a stomach ailment and voluntarily canceled the Trek. Again, this is rare but can, but it has happened before.
Two new measures have been taken to ensure the well-being of the gentle giants during the COVD-19 pandemic. There is now the ten-meter distance rule, and surgical masks are now required.
Your input and wishes are considered:
Your input is requested and is considered along with other determining factors. Often you will find that you will be tracking the Gorilla Family that you wanted. The Ranger might ask you to consider another gorilla family for reasons that he or she might explain to you.
Your driver-guide can assist during this process where your Gorilla Family is selected with and for you.
Your level of fitness and endurance is considered:
A moderate level of fitness is required for most Treks. The length of a Trek is between three to six hours. Gorilla Trekking is not a Sunday afternoon stroll in a park, as some might think. The actual Trek might cover ridges and valleys that you did not expect.
Some form of fitness training would help you a lot. Your state of health determines your level of fitness. You might want to see your doctor before your safari and inform him or her of your plans. Accommodations are made in the selection process according to your fitness, your age, and your input.
Ther Ranger might suggest a gorilla family that would be easier to track than the one that you had been wanting. What matters most is your Gorilla Encounter Experience.
The Behind-the-Scenes Logistics:
At times unexpected logistical realities may become part of the determination process. Weather, the health status of a Gorilla family, also can become part of the equation.
Choosing the Gorilla Family to Trek in Uganda – Here is our Take:
Most often, your request will be met, and you will track your preferred Gorilla Family.
In our experience with Gorilla Safaris for over a decade, we have never had a client that complained about the Gorilla Family that they were trekking. Our opinion is that it is the experience, the encounter with the Gentle Giants of the Forest, that matters and not the group that you have chosen based on, at times, questionable or erroneous internet information.
You are in Uganda for the experience of a lifetime. Enjoy your one hour with a Gorilla Family.
As a Tour Operator, Uganda Wildlife Authority, the porter assists you all to want the same outcome – a once-in-a-lifetime experience for you. We suggest that you might do the same.
