Each gorilla trekking day starts with a briefing at the respective national park headquarters in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo. A pre gorilla trekking briefing is all about the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking, to ensure a peaceful and enjoyable gorilla encounter. Gorilla trekking briefing is done at 7:00 am, and all travelers are expected to be at the scene by this time. Whoever misses a pre gorilla trekking briefing risks to miss gorillas. In most cases, travelers making gorilla trek inquiries often ask what’s the day of gorilla trekking be like? African Apes Tours & Travel gives you a guide about gorilla trekking briefing, what is it all about and why it’s a must-attend for every traveler trekking to see gorillas.
Introduction to the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking
While in the pre gorilla trekking briefing, travelers are introduced to rules, regulations, dos, and don’ts while with mountain gorillas. These include among others:
• Keep a distance of seven meters way from gorillas
• Keep within your group, do not move alone in the jungle
• Do not trek gorillas when sick
• Turn back your faces when coughing or sneezing
• Speak at a low tone
• Do not litter in the park
• Do not feed the gorillas
• Do not use the flashlight cameras
• Do not look directly into the eyes of a gorillas
• Spend strictly an hour with gorillas
• Do not touch the baby gorillas
• Do not run when gorillas charge at you, keep calm
Allocation of gorilla families
Still in the briefing, travelers are allocated specific gorillas to trek. Firstly, travelers are put together in groups of 8 and each allocated a gorilla family to visit. Mountain gorilla family allocation depends on travelers physical fitness, age and hiking abilities. The elderly and pregnant women are usually given the easy to trek gorilla families while the young and energetic given the hard to trek families. Travelers with any challenges especially in hiking are reminded to disclose their inabilities to the park rangers so as to get suitable gorilla families and avoid any difficulties while hiking.
Presentation of gorilla permits
In briefing, each traveler is asked to present his/her gorilla trekking permit to the respective park management. Whoever does not have a permit is not allowed to trek gorillas. Permits are given back to park wardens and they remain the property of the government of Uganda, Rwanda or Congo depending on where you are trekking gorillas. A traveler does not own a gorilla permit even after paying for it.
Where does gorilla trekking briefing take place?
As said already, gorilla trekking briefing takes place at the park headquarters of Bwindi, Mgahinga, Volcanoes and Virunga National Parks. For the case of Bwindi, the briefing is done a any of the four park headquarters in Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo or Rushaga depending on which sector a traveler is trekking gorillas from. Travelers are advised to stay at lodges close to the briefing point to avoid long hours of driving which can make them exhausted and late for the briefing.
What if am trekking Uganda gorillas from Kigali?
For the case of Kigali to Bwindi gorilla trekking, travelers set off from Kigali at 3:30am, so as to catch up with the briefing in Bwindi/Mgahinga at 7:00am. A 1 day Uganda gorilla trek, therefore, requires you to wake up very early, to cover up the five hours drive and catch up with the briefing. If you are doing a 1 day Rwanda gorilla tour, you will leave Kigali at 4:30 am to reach Kinigi park headquarters of volcanoes National park at 7:00 am.
Cup of coffee and traditional performances
In Rwanda, travelers are served with a cup of coffee and a traditional performance by local dances. This offers them the best pre gorilla trekking experience making the whole trip exceptional and memorable. The cup of coffee is free of charge courtesy of Rwanda Development Board
Porters and walking stick
Still, at the briefing point, travelers hire porters (local people)to help carry the baggage to and from gorilla trekking. Also, travelers are given walking sticks and those without hiking shoes and given plastic gumboots at a lesser fee.
In general, gorilla trekking briefing is very essential for every successful mountain gorilla encounter in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
