Can I touch a gorilla during gorilla trekking?

 Can I touch a gorilla during gorilla trekking?

Are you thinking of touching a gorilla during your gorilla trekking adventure? No, touching gorillas during the gorilla trekking adventure is strictly prohibited.  For visitors to enjoy a safe and respectful encounter with the gorillas in the wild. Coming face to face with gorillas in their natural habitats is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that offers a chance to get up close and observe these intelligent primates as they interact with their families.

Because of much excitement of getting close to these intelligent creatures in their environment, most visitors on a gorilla trekking safari would want to touch gorillas during the experience. However, this is strictly prohibited, and not only is it dangerous, but it also poses a serious health and conservation risk. In this blog, we explore some of the reasons why touching a gorilla is not allowed, what happens when you touch a gorilla, as well as rules to follow when observing gorillas and other information you need to know about gorilla trekking.

Why is Touching Gorillas Not allowed?

Gorillas are wild animals, not pets.

Despite their gentle and intelligent nature, gorillas remain wild; whether they are habituated or not, they remain unpredictable, and therefore, visitors are strongly warned against touching gorillas during the experience and should be treated with deep respect. If gorillas perceive touching as a threat, they might react aggressively, leading to harm and injuries.

Disease Transmission

Gorillas are man’s next cousins, sharing over 97% of their DNA with that of human beings, which makes them genetically similar to human beings. This simply means gorillas can easily contract human diseases such as the flu or even COVID-19. Disease Transmission is one of the major reasons why touching gorillas is strictly prohibited, and therefore, visitors are always advised to wear their face masks as they are near the gorillas while observing and learning more about them.

Conservation Ethics

For the conservation ethics of these endangered species, touching them is strictly not allowed to ensure that the gorillas remain safe and sustainable. While these animals are going under conservation, touching them can cause stress and disrupt their natural routines, thus increasing the chances of human-wildlife conflict.

What happens if a gorilla touches you during gorilla trekking?

While you are not allowed to touch a gorilla during gorilla trekking, sometimes gorillas can touch humans, especially the juveniles, during gorilla trekking, though such interactions are rare and unpredictable. Are you worried about what happens next if a gorilla touches you? Well, worry not, and here are some ways you should behave when a gorilla touches you.

• Stay still and Calm
• Do not make any sudden movements or loud noises
• Do not touch back, as this could be perceived as a threat
• Follow your guide’s instructions.

This is also usually done by the dominant silverback, who closely monitors the group’s safety, especially when they feel uncomfortable with human presence.

Gorilla Trekking Rules and Guidelines

For a safe and successful gorilla trekking experience, rules and guidelines must be followed as you observe these endangered species in their natural habitats, which contributes to ethical tourism practices. Some of the gorilla trekking rules and guidelines include the following;

• Do not visit the gorillas if you have a cold or other infectious illness
• The minimum age for gorilla trekking is 15 years
• Human waste should be buried 30cm deep
• The maximum number of visitors is 8 persons per gorilla group
• Maintain a 10-meter distance from the gorillas
• Smoking, eating, and drinking are not allowed during gorilla viewing and observation.
• Visits are limited to one hour per gorilla group per day
• Do not use flash photography
• Stay within your group and follow instructions from your ranger/guide

Book your Gorilla Trekking Tour Today

Are you thinking of going on a gorilla trekking tour? Well, gorilla trekking is only done in three countries of the world, including Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is because gorillas are limited to Eastern and Central Africa. Gorillas are divided into 2 main groups, each with 2 subspecies, and the most common are Mountain gorillas, which are found in the countries stated above.

Gorilla Trekking involves trekking to the forests of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Volcanoes National Park, Virunga National Park, Virunga National Park and Mgahinga in search of these endangered species in their natural habitats. Once the gorillas are located, visitors are allowed to spend 1 hour with the gorillas as they watch them interact with family, tear leaves, as well as learning more about their lifestyle and take photo moments, which creates a magical adventure with unforgettable memories.

As you plan a gorilla trekking safari, having a gorilla trekking permit is a mandatory requirement that allows visitors to trek in the environment of these endangered species. Gorilla trekking permits are priced differently in each country, depending on the need for conservation and tourism demand.

In Uganda, a gorilla trekking permit costs USD 800 for foreign non-residents, USD 700 for Foreign Residents, USD 500 for Foreign Residents of Africa and UGX 300,000 for East African Citizens.

In Rwanda, a gorilla trekking permit costs USD 1500 for Foreign Non-Residents, USD 500 for foreign residents, USD 200 for East African citizens and USD 200 for Rwandan citizens.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a gorilla trekking permit costs USD 400 for Foreign Non-Residents, USD 200 for East African citizens, and USD 200 for citizens. For Mountain gorilla trekking, a gorilla trekking permit costs USD 400 for Foreign Non-Residents, USD 200 for East African citizens, and USD 200 for citizens.

In conclusion, although touching a gorilla during the trekking experience is strictly forbidden, visitors can still enjoy the opportunity to be near these animals in their natural habitats. This allows them to observe gorillas interacting with their family members and learn more about their lifestyle, creating a remarkable adventure for both seasoned travellers and first-time safari-goers. Interested in booking your gorilla trekking tour? Reach out to us to inquire or reserve your gorilla trekking permit, and we’ll help you plan an unforgettable adventure.