Age Limit for Gorilla Trekking
Gorilla trekking is a favorite primate adventure and always features on most African safaris. But what many may not know is that participating in the trek to see gorillas requires you to be of the right age. As per the park authorities’ standards across the three major gorilla trekking destinations, the acceptable age limit stands at 15 years.
Before partaking in the trek for gorillas, First, you should take note that a certain level of fitness is needed to enable you enjoy a complete gorilla trekking session in Uganda, Rwanda, or if you are in Congo. Persons above 15 years are believed to be older, and there are many considerations why this is the acceptable age limit for gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo.
Why is there an age limit for gorilla trekking? Here are the top reasons why the park authorities have set the acceptable age limit for gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo;
Safety purposes
Persons above 15 are believed to be physically fit and have the ability to make a round gorilla trekking journey. Those below 15 years in most cases are children and tend not to be fit enough, and also maturity levels are low. Gorilla trekking is generally a challenging adventure and involves exploring the tough terrains or altitudes. Besides, those above 15 can react differently towards the unpredictable gorilla behaviors, especially when a gorilla charges at them. This may not be the case with those below fifteen years
To reduce the chances of visitor-gorilla disease transmission
Gorillas share the highest percentage of their DNA with humans, and setting an age limit is one of the attempts to reduce any possibility of these apes contracting the infectious respiratory diseases. Anyone below 15 years is classified as a child, and it is believed that children are carriers of most infectious illnesses. Not to spread the same diseases, the park authorities target mainly visitors above 15 years or those near to 15th birthday.
The gorilla trekking is an exceptional wilderness experience/adventure
Gorilla trekking isn’t a usual experience. Leave alone the normal guided game drives. With gorilla trekking, certain strict regulations apply and must be followed by visitors. The set gorilla trekking regulations are challenging to be followed by young children. They can easily forget, and also managing the tough terrains in search for gorillas won’t be easy for children below 15 years.
The beauty of gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo is that the young children have alternatives. The available options are best considered as part of the gorilla trekking –on activities. Young children can be led through the guided nature walks, community tours, children’s initiatives, paying a visit to the research sites/center.
The Gorilla trekking destinations
There are two national parks in Uganda to see mountain gorillas in particular which include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga in. Other special destinations to find the endangered mountain gorillas include the Congo’s Virunga and Volcanoes National Park in the Ruhengeri region, Rwanda. Tourists with plans to participate in the lowland gorilla trek can visit Kahuzi-Biega National Park.
Can a child below 15 years go for gorillas trekking?
Certain conditions may apply for you to get a chance to go to trek gorillas when you are a child/young. First, a child must prove his/her physical fitness to track gorillas. It should be noted that it takes hours before you come across a family of mountain gorillas or lowland gorillas. Bwindi and Mgahinga are even lying at a higher altitude and require you to be fit enough. Volcanoes National Park, to a certain extent, lies in a slightly low altitude and isn’t steep, but you should be fit to enjoy the long trekking session.
The parents of the child must be present on the actual date of gorilla trekking. When booking a gorilla permit, a child’s photo must be sent to help our team secure a slot. To remove any doubts, the parent should present a valid passport copy.
When allocating gorilla groups, the park warden may consider assigning you a family that favors the fitness levels of the child. Besides, visitors with physical challenges can hire a stretcher or a sedan chair. A visitor is lifted using the stretcher/sedan chair, which is especially for elderly persons.
Who is eligible for Booking a gorilla trekking permit?
Gorilla permits are only issued to persons eligible for gorilla trekking. Any person above 15 years can secure a permit for gorilla trekking in Uganda, Congo, and Rwanda. As of 2025, permits in Uganda cost USD 800 per person –applying to foreign non-residents/international visitors, East African citizens UGX 300,000, and USD 700 for foreign residents. Permits for trekking the Rwanda gorillas currently cost USD 1500 per person, while in the Congo, you can have a permit secured at USD 400 per person.
Permits can be booked at the same stage of planning the entire gorilla trip. You can contact our company to help you to book a permit. The demand for these permits is very high you should have yours booked at least 3-4 months before the planned date of submerging through the forest to see gorillas.
How long does gorilla trekking last?
Gorilla trekking is entirely unpredictable, but with conditions kept constant, it is possible to spend about 2-6 hours. Spending 2-6 hours in search of gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda, or Congo presents you a chance to explore other species as well. And when you finally meet with the gorillas, the authorities allow you to take an hour to observe how these large primates behaviors.
The gorilla trekking sessions can be shorter or longer depending on your fitness levels, and the terrain of the ground or habitat of the gorillas. Pre-trekking exercises must be conducted to have yourself familiarized to the varying elevations in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo. Early preparation, including exercises, can help keep you fit for the actual gorilla trekking session in Uganda, Rwanda, or Congo.
Is gorilla trekking safe?
Gorilla trekking is safe for all primate enthusiasts to enjoy in Uganda, Rwanda, and the D.R. Congo. Visitor and gorilla safety is guaranteed, considering the set of rules and regulations that are available. Visitors are taken through the guidelines; –these are codes of conduct or precautions that are followed during any gorilla trekking session. They are standard and apply to all three 3 countries where gorilla treks are carried out. visitors are also advised to be keen enough when trekking with gorillas and ensure that the rules are observed by all trekkers to reduce any dangers. The park ranger guides are usually assigned to escort a group of visitors on every trek.
How is gorilla trekking conducted in Africa?
Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo offer amazing gorilla trekking experiences. Gorilla trekking in these three countries involves walking through the forest and the length of time you take before getting to meet the gorillas differs. There is no use of a safari vehicle to penetrate the deeper jungle to see gorillas as it is for game drives in the savannah national parks.
Visitors are also encouraged to pack essentials like a camera, a pair of binoculars, waterproof walking boots, long-sleeved shirts, a safari hat.
If you are interested in doing gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda or Congo, making bookings, getting tour guides, and drafting a gorilla trekking safari itinerary, do not hesitate to inquire from our company we shall be happy to help.
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