Gorilla Trekking for elderly, Seniors & people with disabilities

Gorilla Trekking for the elderly. Are you planning to trek gorillas with your mother, dad, a sister who is old, senior, or who is disabled, this is very possible with Eco Adventure Safaris, gorilla trekking is made easy for those who are not fit enough, old, and unable to hike up to see the gorillas? There is no maximum age for gorilla trekking provided on can travel to the Park, though there are options to help the elderly to get to see the gorillas.

You can opt to pay for a Porter who helps you carry your bag pack and also gives you a hand as you hike through the forest, there is also a sedan chair which helps to carry the elderly to see the gorillas, and this goes for about $300 per person be carried to and from the forest. We have had visitors aged 70’s and 80’s be able to trek and see the gorillas. Gorilla trekking is a lifetime experience that you shouldn’t miss out on.

Important things to consider during organizing Gorilla Trekking for the elderly, Seniors & people with disabilities

You should consider reducing the drive time to avoid making the elderly get tired by sitting in the vehicle for a long time driving from Entebbe to Bwindi is 8-9 hours, options to reduce the drive time to Bwindi include booking a domestic flight from Entebbe or starting and ending this tour in Kigali. Another option is to have breaks along the way. Your driver-guide will then wait for you at the airstrip to take you to the park. The local flights are expensive but the reward one to reach the park in only one hour have time to rest to the next day’s gorilla trek in the Forest.

Apart from the ability to complete the trek for gorillas, elderly travelers may worry about security in the park during their stay and during gorilla trekking considering that they are already fragile and even vulnerable. Security and safety during gorilla trekking in Uganda Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is excellent. Gorilla trekking is led by armed rangers whose role is to protect tourists from forest animals like elephants and buffaloes. There have been no cases of militias in Uganda and Rwanda in over two decades but the park authorities leave nothing to chance. The situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo can be unpredictable given the different security incidences in the past. Even then, security is tighter than even in Rwanda and Uganda. Gorilla trekking in Congo involves having to get used to countless security checks and more escorts.

What about accommodation for gorilla trekking best for the elders to stay in

The accommodation facilities within and around the gorilla parks are of high quality and are all able to accommodate the elderly. They range from ultra-luxury hotels, luxury hotels, mid-range offerings and budget options. All depends on your budget. The facilities are in form of standard cottages with grass-thatched roofs, self-contained tented camps, dormitories and basic campsites. Most of these hotels are built to allow people with disabilities to move about easily.

In case you are of middle age but relatively unfit, it is important to prepare in advance by hiking around your house. If you live in a forest, mountainous or hilly area, use the chance to move about to prepare your body for your tour. Other activities that can help you prepare for gorilla trekking include strolling, climbing, light running and walking for long distances.

Consider using a sedan chair for gorilla trekking for the elderly.

Apart from securing an easier group and being carried in the sedan chairs, elderly people need to know what to pack for gorilla trekking for the best gorilla experience. Our recommended gorilla trekking packing list should include hiking boots, hand gloves, rain jackets, sweaters, sunglasses, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, walking stick, insect repellents, and first aid kits.

Best Time for Gorilla Trekking for Elderly

Gorilla Trekking for the elderly in Uganda is done throughout the year and the best time to do gorilla trekking in Uganda is during the drier months of January, February, June to early September, this makes it easier to travel to the park and gives a clear view of gorillas given the vegetation cover is not too much high grown.

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi for Elderly

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is located in the southern part of Uganda sharing a border with Congo, it is one of the only two national parks in Uganda where you can trek and see the magnificent Mountain Gorillas in their natural habitat in the world, it is home to more than half of the only remaining Mountain Gorillas in the wild making it famous and best place to trek the Mountain Gorillas. Bwindi Forest National park is divided into different sections/sectors where you can do the Gorilla tracking experience namely Rushaga, Buhoma, and Ruhija and Nkuringo sector.

Bwindi Forest National Park has different habituated gorilla families open for gorilla tracking experience, each gorilla family has different gorilla individuals, and each gorilla family is headed and controlled by the dominant male gorilla the Silverback. For you to go on the trek, you are required to have a Gorilla permit valid for trekking that day. Gorilla permits are limited in number per day given it is only 8 people allowed to trek per gorilla family per day in Bwindi Forest National Park. Book your gorilla lifetime safari with Eco Adventure Safaris.

Gorilla tracking is the primary activity to do and see the gorillas while visiting Bwindi. Bwindi Forest National park is home to half of the world’s remaining Mountain Gorillas in the world meaning your visit here you have 98% chance of seeing the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Mountain gorillas in Bwindi Forest National park are found in four different sections of the park that is Rushaga and Nkuringo in the south and Ruhija and Buhoma in the North East and East part of Bwindi National park respectively. Having a gorilla permit is the key priority for you to have a gorilla trek in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park from Entebbe. The gorilla permit has to be purchased in advance to secure a spot for your trek for any date depending on your travel dates and availability of the permits that day. Gorilla tracking is done in a group of eight people per gorilla family meaning eight permits only are available for each gorilla family, for you to secure a place for a day’s gorilla trek you will need to secure your gorilla permit in advance months or days prior visiting Bwindi Forest National park.

When you book an all-inclusive Gorilla road trip to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park from Entebbe with Eco Adventure Safaris, all you need to do is to send us your actual dates when you prefer trekking gorillas and we will check the availability of permits online. We will reserve your permit tentatively and send you a permit payment invoice. Once you make payment, we will go ahead and secure your permit and thereafter send you scanned copies of receipts from the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

Where best to stay for the Elderly in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Since Bwindi impenetrable National Park has four sectors for gorilla trekking namely; Buhoma, Nkuringo, Ruhija and Rushaga, You will choose accommodation/Hotel depending on the sector you will trek gorillas from. When you check the availability of permits with us, we shall let you know which sector has permits available and also suggest the hotel in that sector. All these sectors have hotels/Lodges ranging from budget to midrange to luxury and to upmarket hotel with low season rates and high season rates. For example, In Buhoma sector you can stay at Buhoma community camp as budget hotel, Buhoma Havens lodge as Midrange hotel, Bwindi lodge, Mahogany springs lodge, Buhoma lodge, as Luxury lodge and Gorilla forest camp as the Up market hotel. In Rushaga, you can stay at Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla camp and four gorillas Lodge, in Nkuringo you can stay at Nkuringo Bwindi lodge, Clouds Mountain gorilla lodge.