How difficult gorilla trekking is mostly a personal analysis and story told. This is a much asked question however it can be answered on an individual basis. There are a few questions you will need to ask yourself before you conclude on the difficulty of this activity. You will need to know the estimated period in which guests who go for gorilla trekking usually take on the activity; how long does gorilla trekking take?

Your physical capability should also be questioned like am I physically fit to take on this activity and on top of your physical fitness, you will need to emotionally fit and ready for this activity mentally. Gorilla trekking is chance for tourists to visit the gorillas in the wild in their home and on foot and this can only be done in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda in the entire world.

The gorilla trekking is on of the most sought after wild or nature experiences especially in Eastern Africa. It has a more natural and thrilling experience as compared to the game drives or the birding experiences in the game parks. This is majorly because the entire safari after the briefing is done on foot as you look for where the gorillas may be settled for the day. Guests get to make their way through the forest’s thick vegetation, small rivers, hike up hill and down hill in a forest in its most natural state.

With all these hurdles, the experience is as natural as can be but maybe a bit demanding and chances of leaving the forest exhausted are high. Muscle sprains and sore knees maybe felt after for those guests who may have not prepared physically and are not accustomed to walking long hours. The mountain gorilla trekking is done in forested and mountainous areas and walking through these maybe associated with rain showers and altitude sickness at any time so ensure to pack your rain jacket, dress in water proof clothes and also carry your medicine if you are afraid of heights.

This is a physically demanding activity but this does not mean the rest will not be able to take it on as 98% of the previously unfit people have completed their mountain gorilla trek but like they say, better safe than sorry. The gorilla trekking is a rewarding activity as you get to spot some forest animals, some other primates and also spot some bird life of the forest, the different flora of the forest more like a nature walk with a rewarding sight of the mountain gorillas.

The four mountain gorilla trekking destinations are close by one another but all these offer different experiences and these are influenced by the topography of the destination, the gorilla families of the park, the price of the permit, the accessibility of the park, the accommodations available, the security of the area and many more. The times spent in the forest searching are also estimated within an hour to 8 hours but some destinations, guests have found the gorillas in under and hour even.

 Factors to determine how difficult the gorilla trekking will be

Gorilla group allocated; Guests on a daily are allocated a family to set out and search for and these gorilla families have been watched by the trackers who also helped in the habituation process. The gorillas stay in a social setting of a family with one dominant silverback leading the rest of the group. These gorilla families are fond of choosing a preffered home and once you are allocated a gorilla family that is close, you will spend less time on the trek, How difficult is gorilla trekking?.

The closer gorilla families are usually offered to the weak and the elder people. If you do not mind spending longer hours in the forest, you can be allocated any of the other gorilla families. There are about 12 plus gorilla families in all the parks apart from the Mgahinga gorilla national park that is a home to one gorilla family.

Topography of the gorilla home; We offer tours to 5 of the gorilla homes and these are the Mgahinga gorilla national park, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national park, the Virunga national park and the Volcanoes national park for the mountain gorilla trekking while the Kahuzi Biega national park tours are for the lowland gorilla trekking.

All these destinations have different terrain and vegetation which also adds on your trekking experience for example the Volcanoes national park of Rwanda has the easiest landscape and usually guests meet the gorillas in under an hour. For the more adventurous and longer hours in the forest, the Bwindi Forest and the Mgahinga gorilla park are ideal destinations.

Trekking the lowland gorillas in the Kahuzi Biega national park maybe less strenuous as these gorillas opt to stay on the lowlands but move faster so you may spend longer hours walking in the forest in search for these gorillas.

Physical fitness; This is as earlier mentioned will be a personal effort and a major determinant to if you will enjoy your safari and get the most out of it or it will be a failed attempt.

There are many other factors however these are the major ones, get in touch with us and let us discuss further. We look forward to helping you book your Rwanda safari or gorilla trekking experience to any of the above mentioned places.