Category Archives: Gorilla Information

Like any other primates such as the chimpanzees, and the golden monkeys, the age limit of gorilla trekking also applies. Many tourists as they plan to travel with their kids, they always have a specific question “What is the age limit for gorilla trekking or golden monkey trekking?” The age limit for gorilla tracking and golden monkey trekking is 15 years. The authorities are very strict on this, so kindly make sure all clients and children are 15 or older in order to avoid any sad incidents like guest(s) kids being refused to track!

To avoid this, we always encourage our clients to provide us with copies of their passport, before booking and securing the gorilla permits. The age limit for trekking chimpanzees in Uganda is 12 years old and children 10 years and older are allowed to trek golden monkeys in Rwanda as long as they are accompanied by an adult. Children under 15 years are allowed to Dian Fossey’s tomb – although the latter hike is a stiff one, so we do not recommend that either to children under 12-13 years.

All provide Rwanda Eco Company and Safaris with your passport copies so that they can advise you on the issue of the age limit to avoid any form embarrassment of refusal to after pounding hug sum of money.  Our professionals at reservation office will always advise you on the possible solution on what to do. Children being underage does not stop you from coming along with them for your gorilla trekking, as you engage in the trek, we can get them busy through variety of activities that shoot them, nannies are also available to look after them. They can as well engage on nature walk around, or community visit to keep them busy as they wait for you.

On a gorilla safari in Rwanda or Uganda, you will get to know these gentle giants truly. with your trekking gear for savannah gorillas. The word “gorilla” comes from the history of Hanno the Navigator, (c. 500 BC) a Carthaginian explorer on an expedition on the west African coast to the area that later became Sierra Leone. Members of the expedition encountered “savage people, the greater part of whom were women, whose bodies were hairy, and whom our interpreters called Gorillae”.

Fact about a gorilla word

The word was then later used as the species name, though it is unknown whether what these ancient Carthaginians encountered were truly gorillas, another species of ape or monkeys, or humans. Gorillas are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Sub-Saharan Africa. The genus Gorilla is divided into two species: the eastern gorillas and the western gorillas (both critically endangered), and either four or five subspecies. They are the largest living primates.

The DNA of gorillas is highly similar to that of humans, from 95–99% depending on what is included, and they are the next closest living relatives to humans after the chimpanzees and bonobos. Gorillas are some of the most powerful and striking animals, not only for their size and force, but also for their gentle human like behavior. They play a crucial role in local biodiversity, roaming through large territories and helping, for example, to spread the seeds of the fruit they consume.

A gorilla permit is like an entry visa to allow you to attract the gorillas, which must be represented at the park headquarters before heading for tracking. It is a must to carry your permit along with you for the trekking. You tour operator may have these on his files with his guide so as to aid you through all formalities at the park headquarters so as to put you at ease as you proceed for briefing on the day of trekking. No matter where you are trekking from, whether Rwanda or Uganda, a permit is need for this activity which you must have obtain, before the day for trekking, mostly advisable 3 – 4 months earlier due to high competition for these permits as they are totally limited to a restricted number of trackers per day.

Company to help in purchasing a Gorilla permit.

Rwanda Eco Company and Safaris or Beyond Kigali City Tours team can help you access all these arrangements of permit and your gorilla safari booking in time and well organized for you to have a memorable lifetime gorilla safari in Africa.

Tracking Time Limit

Assembling for briefing from one of the park rangers at the Kinigi Park or Bwindi headquarters starts is limited to 7:00 – 7:30 at latest. Gorilla tracking time is limited from 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All visitors are expected back at the campground by 7:00 p.m.

Visitor’s Passport Information

After full confirmation of the booking, passport details of the trackers will be required at the RDB to enable writing out the gorilla permits. Please ensure the full names, passport number and countries of passport issuance are sent to your tour operator for these formalities. Please note: You must be 15 years of age and above to obtain a gorilla viewing permit.

What does gorilla eat; Mountain gorillas are folivores, feeding on leaves, stems, pith, and shoots of terrestrial herbaceous vegetation. At some sites, western lowland gorillas have been known to break open termite nests and feed on the larvae. On your gorilla safari, you will watch them move around plugging leave and plant shoots, as they feed on them. However, they do not feed on whatever come their way, they preferentially choose high quality, high protein, low fiber, and low tannin foods from a small number of species and incorporate little fruit into their diets.

What does gorilla eat in the Jungle?

Gorillas spend much of their time foraging and resting, with the group traveling a few hundred meters between several daily feeding bouts. Each group wanders through a home range of about 2–40 square km (0.77–16 square miles), though several different groups may share the same part of the forest. Though they only utilize a few species in each habitat, mountain gorillas show wide dietary flexibility which enables them to occupy a wide variety of habitats within their range.

Because they depend on a readily available, easily accessed food source, there is little competition for resources between groups, their home ranges are small. The diet of eastern lowland gorillas is more diverse than the mountain gorillas‘ and changes seasonally. While leaves and pith are staple parts of their diets, eastern lowland gorillas depend heavily on fruit (25 percent of their total diet), especially during the times of year when fruits are abundant. When they include insects in their diet, eastern lowland gorillas prefer ants. Eastern lowland gorillas generally use a small area for a few days and then travel long distances to another area.

Eastern lowland gorillas that depend more heavily on fruit must travel farther in a day to find fruiting trees and have larger home ranges because of a relative scarcity of fruit. Their home ranges vary from 2.7 to 6.5 km² while their day range is between 154 and 2280 m. Western lowland gorillas have little dependable access to high quality terrestrial herbs across their range, but some areas are rich in aquatic herbs, and they do eat herbaceous vegetation.

Social Behavior among the Gorillas; Gorillas live in family groups called troops. Troops tend to be made of one adult male or silverback, multiple adult females and their offspring. However, multiple-male troops also exist. A silverback is typically more than 12 years of age and is named for the distinctive patch of silver hair on his back, which comes with maturity. Silverbacks also have large canine teeth that also come with maturity. Both males and females tend to emigrate from their natal groups. For mountain gorillas, females disperse from their natal troops more than males. Mountain gorillas and western lowland gorillas also commonly transfer to second new groups.

Mature males also tend to leave their groups and establish their own troops by attracting emigrating females. However, male mountain gorillas sometimes stay in their natal troops and become subordinate to the silverback. If the silverback dies, these males may be able to become dominant or mate with the females. This behavior has not been observed in eastern lowland gorillas. In a single male group, when the silverback dies, the females and their offspring disperse and find a new troop.

Importance of silverback among the Gorillas

Without a silverback to protect them, the infants will likely fall victim to infanticide. Joining a new group is likely to be a tactic against this. However, when gorilla troops usually disband after the silverback dies, female eastern lowlands gorillas and their offspring have been recorded staying together until a new silverback transfer into the group. This likely serves as protection from leopards. The silverback is the center of the troop’s attention, making all the decisions, mediating conflicts, determining the movements of the group, leading the others to feeding sites, and taking responsibility for the safety and well-being of the troop. Younger males subordinate to the silverback, known as blackbacks, may serve as backup protection.

Blackbacks are aged between 8 and 12 years and lack the silver back hair. The bond that a silverback has with his females forms the core of gorilla social life. Bonds between them are maintained by grooming and staying close together. Females form strong relationships with males to gain mating opportunities and protection from predators and infanticidal outside males. However, aggressive behaviors between males and females do occur, but rarely lead to serious injury. Relationships between females may vary. Maternally related females in a troop tend to be friendly towards each other and associate closely. Otherwise, females have few friendly encounters and commonly act aggressively towards each other.

Social Behavior among the Gorillas as females

Females may fight for social access to males and a male may intervene. Male gorillas have weak social bonds, particularly in multiple-male groups with apparent dominance hierarchies and strong competition for mates. Males in all-male groups, though, tend to have friendly interactions and socialize through play, grooming, and staying together, and occasionally they even engage in homosexual interactions. Severe aggression is rare in stable groups, but when two mountain gorilla groups meet, the two silverbacks can sometimes engage in a fight to the death, using their canines to cause deep, gaping injuries. Like humans, gorillas are too very social and bond to one another; they do share feelings, and care for one another. During your gorilla safari, you will be able to witness the kind of bond and relationship which do exist among the gorillas.

Gorilla Permits cost and booking Information: you need gorilla permit for Volcanoes National or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park to trek mountain gorillas. Your tour operator can provide relevant gorilla permit booking information for Rwanda and Uganda to enable you plan your gorilla safari smoothly and in advance without any worries and hustle. Usually highly recommend all our clients to obtain gorilla permits in advance. We always advise at least 6 months in advance or prior to your visit. While booking a safari tour with a gorilla trekking inclusive, always pay your gorilla permit fee in advance to enable us to acquire it for you.

This will ease any inconveniency with your planned travel dates, as an advance booking has high higher chance of guarantee of availability on your requested travel dates. Gorilla trekking is 100 percent guaranteed when you acquire a permit. Uganda and Rwanda gorilla permits are very competitive and scarce most especially during peak seasons of June, July, August, September, December and February. Sometimes gorilla tracking permits get sold out four months in advance, so any traveler needs to book a gorilla permits 3-6 month in advance. Kindly follow our gorilla permit booking information for details.

What is a gorilla permit?

A gorilla permit is a document or card issued by ORTPN, Rwanda Development Board for gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda Wildlife Authority for gorilla trekking in Uganda that allows any traveler above 15 years of age to trek mountain gorillas in any of the three habitats – Bwindi Impenetrable national Park (Uganda), Mgahinga National Park (Uganda) and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. A permit allows you to view gorillas for only one hour but the normal gorilla trekking itself can take a minimum of 30 minutes or up to six hours while looking for gorillas in the forest. On finding the gorillas, your given an hour to interact with them.

Our Gorilla Permit Booking Information is aimed at providing you details to prepare well for your gorilla safari, so as to enable you book in time that sending entire money for your safari late, and you find that there is no availability of the permits.

Can I trek without a permit?

This I am mythical, you cannot trek without a permit in any park, a permit is like a ticket to a football match to allow you entry, you have to present a permit, on our Rwanda eco company & Safaris, our guide take hold of the permits and ground handling, as a client you only wait for the briefing and trekking. You cannot trek without a valid gorilla trekking permit.

How much does gorilla permit cost?

A gorilla permit in Uganda costs USD $700 per person per day of the trekking which entitles you to an hour with the gorillas and USD1500.00 for gorilla habituation experience permits which goes for four hours with the gorillas. A single gorilla permit can only be used once (single day), by a single person and to trek Uganda gorillas in only two destinations, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Buy your gorilla permits or secure your gorilla permit in Kampala (the capital of Uganda) at the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) headquarters by paying USD $700.00 per person for foreign nonresidents, USD600.00 for foreign residents with working permits and sh250,000 for East African Citizens. Rwanda Eco Company & Safaris organizes all-inclusive safaris to see gorillas including our popular 3-day budget gorilla safari to Bwindi & Volcanoes or 2 days gorilla trekking in Bwindi with a transfer from Kigali.

In Rwanda you can get permits through the Rwanda Development Board offices (ORTPN) in Kigali or Ruhengeri (near the PNV) after paying $1500.00 through a trusted tour operator

Is a gorilla permit reusable?

A gorilla permit is used, once and for good. The permit expires and the end of the trekking date. If trekking gorillas in Uganda, one need to mind about the gorilla permit you will be holding as it will determine the Region in which you will trek gorillas and the accommodation lodge. Unlike other mountain gorilla National Parks, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park has several sections and thus each section/region has its own gorilla families and accommodation properties.

Bwindi gorilla trekking regions include:

• Buhoma in the North,
• Ruhija in the East,
• Rushaga in South
• Nkuring in the South.

Please follow our Gorilla Permit Booking Information before confirming any accommodation property as this should be determined by the gorilla permit you will be holding. Each region has its own gorilla groups or families and for those interested in trekking given region should let your tour oprator know so that they act accordingly while booking your gorilla permit. The permit is later taken by the officials and kept, never to see it again.

Note that gorilla family allocation happens on the day of trekking where tourists are grouped depending on their physical abilities and interest. You will need to express your interest so that they allocate you a gorilla group that will help you achieve it. For more information and gorilla permit booking and allocation, do contact us at Rwanda Eco Company & Safaris.

Can gorilla permits of Uganda be used in Rwanda?

No gorilla permit is transferable across both countries. Ugandan permits are meant for Ugandan parks vice versa.

Can one arrive from either country or trek?

Yes, you can book your flight through Kigali – Rwanda and trek the next day in Uganda or vice versa so long as you have the East African visa. Many of our safaris do start from Kigali and transferred the same day to Bwindi for the next day trekking return to Kigali for city tour and flight back to your home country.

How to acquire gorilla permits

Please contact us with date/month and year when you want to trek gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda, we will check availability of gorilla permits and inform you. We will send you an invoice and once you have transferred you funds on to our account, we will pre purchase your permits and send you scanned copies. You may try this online, but you will not be successful as the gorilla permits are mostly sold to tour operator.

The tour operator is also able to monitor for you the availability, through receiving constant emails and information that the booking offices do communicate with the tour operator. To help us do this, you need to send us your passport details which are needed by Uganda Wildlife Authority and Rwanda Development Board offices (ORTPN) in order to print and issue your gorilla permits.

Can gorilla permits be refunded?

Once you have purchased the gorilla permit, your date of travel is confirmed, the gorilla permits are nonrefundable, and are sold on first come first serve basis. Now that you have all the Gorilla Permit Booking Information at your fingertips, we would like to interest you in some of our tailor-made gorilla trekking tour packages that many of our travelers have rated highly. Because hundreds of our travelers have rated our tours highly, we’re able to get you low rates on many high-end Lodges, transportation and getting a gorilla permit is so easy for our team.

As you plan your gorilla trekking safari, the following Gorilla Trekking Rules and Regulations will apply and must be observed for the safety of you and the gorillas. You will also be briefed about before heading for your gorilla trekking activity. For both Rwanda and Uganda gorilla trekking, the rules are almost the same. The guidelines will help to navigate through your trekking smoothly. Simple Do’s and don’ts that are easily followed.

Before gorilla trekking:

• The maximum number of 8 tourists will view a given group of habituated mountain gorillas in given day as this minimizes the risk of behavioral changes and exposure to diseases.
• Only people of 15 and above will be allowed to track the gorillas. There are porters to help the elderly and the frail.
• Ensure that you have clean hands as you go into the gorillas, wash them before if need be.

During gorillas trekking:

• Always keep you voices low to watch out for other forest wildlife and not to scare the gorillas.
• Don’t drop any garbage inside the forest park. Ensure that you carry all the trash you move with like the water bottles.
• You will be led to where the ranger guides last spotted the gorillas the day before. It is from there that you will follow the trail to find the gorillas. The guides will inform you when you approach the gorillas.

Trekking rules and regulations while with the gorillas:

• Keep a distance of about 7 meters (21 feet away in all times from the creators. The further you are from them, the more relaxed they are and hence the best experience with them.
• Stay in the company of your group members.
• Lower your voices at all times. But it is okay to ask the guide questions.
• Kind of obvious, do not eat or smoke near the gorillas as this may result into disease transmission.
• When gorillas become aggressive, you are advised to follow the ranger guides’ example like crouching down slowly, never look directly into the gorillas’ eyes, stay still as you wait for them to pass that is do not risk running away as this causes them to attack.
• Do not take photographs with a flashlight on. Flash photography is not allowed in the park!
• Do not risk going closer to touch the gorillas. Though habituated, they are still wild.
• The maximum time to spend in the presence of the gorillas is an hour however if they become agitated, the guide will advise to leave earlier, please adhere to this.
• When heading away from the gorillas, maintain the lower voices until you are 200 meters away from the gorillas.

Gorilla trekking rules and regulation Health wise:

Putting in mind that the gorillas are prone to human related diseases, the following precautions must be put into consideration.

• Respect the limit number of visitor imposed by authority per day as this reduces the chances of disease outspread, hence saving for the future.
• In case of an illness or suffering with a contagious disease like a cold, please endeavor to stay behind and your money will be refunded, or an alternative visit will be organized for you.
• In cases where you want to cough or sneeze while close to the gorillas, please you are advised to turn away as you cover your nose and mouth to avoid spreading bacteria or viruses to the gorillas.
• Ensure you are 7 meters (21 feet) away from the gorillas. This will help in preventing them from getting infected with human related diseases.
• In case you feel like using the toilet, talk to the ranger guide and he or she will advise accordingly.

 What to come along on Gorilla Safari:

• Wear well to do hiking shoes that will enable you hike up and down the jungle. Put on something very comfortable with you; try them before the trekking to avoid discomfort during the trekking.
• Cover your ears with ear plugs if you are not comfortable with forest sounds but I don’t think it is that scary because you will be in a group, and you may also need to listen to instructions.
• Carry packed food and enough drinking water for yourself; you’re not sure how long the trekking may last.
• Carry rain gear, sunscreen lotion, a hat (as the weather is unpredictable) and insect repellent.
• You will also need to carry a camera to take photos keeping in mind that flashes turned off, and end ever to carry an extra battery.

After briefing by the park ranger guide, your group of 8 trekkers will follow the ranger guide into the dense jungle following various trails in search of the allocated gorilla family.  There is no actual time to spend in the jungle but varies from as early as 30 minutes or else extends to a couple of hours depending on how far or near the group is. The gorillas are mobile, are always moving up and down in search of food, however their movement is always monitored by the park officials. However, despite the unpredictable time, trekkers are 99% assured of meeting the gorillas at the end of the trek. Gorilla trekking is not a walkway venture but rather a tiresome adventure that require physical fitness.

What time is Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

No one knows the actual time to spend in the forest, but you are greatly assured of meeting the gorillas, it may last from 2 – 6 hours depending on gorilla movements. Just like their name, mountain gorillas live in mountainous regions with steep slopes, which make it quite tiresome to trek. Expect muddy, slippery and wet grounds in the rainy seasons and early mornings. Remember to pack some bits and drinks to keep biting and sweeping as the trek get tiresome.

Why walking stick while trekking in Rwanda.

Use a walking stick for support along the way during your gorilla trekking safari. You may request for a potter through your agent, so as a potter to be arrange for you in advance who will carry your luggage as well as give you company as you trek. The journey to the gorilla family is tiresome, but enjoyable; it’s part of doing a physical exercise, as you fulfill your heart desire of trekking. For gorilla trekking packages, kindly get in touch with Rwanda Eco Company and Safaris or Beyond Kigali City Tours, they will help you, to arrange a lifetime gorilla trekking safari, at your own interest and budget.

A gorilla trekking safari is an inclusive safari which may have other safaris combined with gorilla trekking partly or a fully only gorilla trekking as the major activity plus other activities such as cultural walk inclusive. The safari includes all accommodation, transportation, gorilla permit, meals and guide inclusive on the entire package. All is wrapped up in one.

What time does the gorilla trekking start?

The gorilla trekking starts at 8:00am with a briefing at every park but your expected to reach the park by 7:00 am so that you may prepare yourself in time and know some of the members in your group before the briefing kicks off.

Do I know the group I will be trekking?

You only get to know the group you will be trekking when you have a valid permit. Your company will notify you about the group on your permit upon securing for you your gorilla permit, depending on the availability as well.

How do I access the briefing center?

Your company driver guide will pick you up, early in the morning after your early morning breakfast and transfer you to the briefing point.

How long does the trekking last?

Depending on the family you’re trekking how close they are to the park headquarters or the trekking point, because sometimes you will drive to a point. Also depending to the gorilla movement, were they stayed the previous night. The trekking can last from 30 minutes to six hours in search for the gorillas. It may also depend on the people in your group since the guides/rangers move following the slowest person in the group.

Can one do a double gorilla trekking?

You can trek as much as you want, or as many times as you wish, so long as you have paid in time and have the permits with you. Kindly get in touch your tour operators in regard to your interest of double gorilla trekking so as all can be arranged for you in time.

Is it possible to trek Uganda gorilla with a transfer via Kigali – Rwanda?

It is now possible to trek Uganda or Bwindi gorillas through Rwanda by flying through Kigali International airport. By flying through Kigali International Airport, one is able to reduce the drive time to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to 5-6 hours compared to if one uses Entebbe International Airport where the drive time is 8-9 and sometimes 10 hours from Entebbe to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

With the introduction of the East African tourist visa, one can now visit both Uganda and Rwanda without hassle. The good news also is that one can now apply for Rwanda Visa upon arrival something that is making the process of obtaining Rwanda visa easy. East African tourist visa costs USD100.00 and allows you to visit three east African countries of Uganda, Rwanda and Uganda. Contact Rwanda Eco Company &safaris for details about Bwindi gorilla safaris through Kigali Airport.

For any question, do not hesitate to reach us, we are right there 24/7 to serve you, within a short period. For more information, do not hesitate to get in touch with Rwanda Eco Company and Safaris or Beyond Kigali City Tours

Like humans, gorilla reproduction is slowly, and give birth to only one baby at a time and then raising that infant for several years before giving birth again. This slow reproduction rate makes gorillas especially vulnerable to any population declines. Wild female gorillas give birth about once every four years; there is no fixed breeding season. The gestation period is about eight and a half months, and births are usually single, though twins occur on rare occasions. A newborn gorilla weighs only about 2 kg and is utterly helpless for the first three months of life, during which it is carried in its mother’s arms.

The young gorilla sleeps in the mother’s nest at night and rides on her back during the day. Female gorillas begin to reach reproductive maturity at about 10 years of age and then transfer to another group or to a lone silverback. Males reach sexual maturity at about age 9, but they do not reproduce until they become more physically mature silverbacks at about 12–15 years of age. Most male gorillas leave the group in which they were born and try to gather females to form their own family group. This may involve some aggression, since a young male may invade an established group and try to “kidnap” females, sometimes killing infants in the process.

Fact about Gorilla Reproduction Cycle and parenting

Occasionally a male will stay in his birth group and become its second silverback, breeding with some of the females and ultimately taking over its leadership when his father ages or dies. A female’s first ovulatory cycle occurs when she is six years of age and is followed by a two-year period of adolescent infertility. The estrous cycle lasts 30–33 days, with outward ovulation signs subtle compared to those of chimpanzees. The gestation period lasts 8.5 months. Female Mountain gorillas first give birth at 10 years of age and have four-year inter birth intervals. Males can be fertile before reaching adulthood. Gorillas mate year-round.

Females will pursue their lips and slowly approach a male while making eye contact. This serves to urge the male to mount her. If the male does not respond, then she will try to attract his attention by reaching towards him or slapping the ground. In multiple-male groups, solicitation indicates female preference, but females can be forced to mate with multiple males. Males incite copulation by approaching a female and displaying at her or touching her and giving a “train grunt”. Recently, gorillas have been observed engaging in face-to-face sex, a trait once considered unique to humans and bonobos.

Gorilla infants are vulnerable and dependent, thus mothers, their primary caregivers, are important to their survival. Male gorillas are not active in caring for the young, but they do play a role in socializing them to other youngsters. The silverback has a largely supportive relationship with the infants in his troop and shields them from aggression within the group. Infants remain in contact with their mothers for the first five months and mothers stay near the silverback for protection. Infants suckle at least once per hour and sleep with their mothers in the same nest.

Infants begin to break contact with their mothers after five months, but only for a brief period each time. By 12 months old, infants move up to five meters (16 feet) from their mothers. At around 18–21 months, the distance between mother and offspring increases and they regularly spend time away from each other. In addition, nursing decreases to once every two hours. Infants spend only half of their time with their mothers by 30 months. They enter their juvenile period at their third year, and this lasts until their sixth year. At this time, gorillas are weaned, and they sleep in a separate nest from their mothers. After their offspring are weaned, females begin to ovulate and soon become pregnant again. The presence of play partners, including the silverback, minimizes conflicts in weaning between mother and offspring.

Inconclusion; Gorilla reproduction and life expectancy of wild gorillas is about 35 and 40 years, though captive gorillas have lived into their 50s, a female western gorilla at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium was the oldest known gorilla, at 60 years of age when she died on January 17, 2017. On your gorilla safari, you will quite range of ages among gorilla; of course, you will be able to see the silverback itself.