Early in the morning at around 6:30 am, mountain gorillas arise together with the morning sun. At this time the male leaders immediately begin to think of what the day will look like. Sometimes they wake up and eventually break the nests in which they slept the previous night; a behavior that is common to most of the big apes (like man’s closest relative the chimpanzees) which do not sleep in the same nest for a second night.

Gorillas won’t waste their time in grabbing a tooth brush to clean their teeth but they immediately begin to ask their alpha where the day’s breakfast will come from. At this time, most of the younger members in the family; who are often impatient to hear what their alpha has to say, begin to cling onto their mothers and trace for the milk-filled breasts; which is actually what they love to do most at this age.

The alpha silverback will then lead the family as they search for delicious green leaves, bamboo shoots, or sometimes tasty tree barks. Once the golden feeding-spot is found, the alpha will take the first bite of the meal and then notify the rest of the family about the sweet taste of the vegetarian cuisine. Leaving nervousness aside, the other members will begin too.
After several hours of consuming, and when all family members have had enough to eat, they prepare to rest. Some gorillas may take a nap while others may just sit still and laze as the digestive system does its work. It is during these resting times that the younger gorillas (especially the juveniles) play their games which often include somersaulting, wresting, and chasing one another; like they were practically saying “you can’t catch me”.

With assurance that the little ones are away, the adult mountain gorillas (males and females) begin to socialize and strengthen bonds or even make new ones. Females who do not have babies to attend to get the opportunity to spend a few moments with the males in the family, and in the process new babies are made. After the food has sunk deep into their bodies, the family begins to forage again and they eat-up until they are full to rest again in the later hours of the afternoon.

When the sun grows weary at around 6:00 or 6:30 pm, mountain gorillas look for a comfortable and secure place to build new nests for the night (this process is called nesting). This is a tedious activity, but unavoidable because according to the mountain gorillas sleeping comfortably is high on the list. Every individual builds his own nest exclusive of the infants who get the privilege of sleeping with their moms.

When the nests are ready (it is pretty dark at this time) gorillas begin to say their “good nights” and then tuck themselves into the nests, which they will actually sleep in for a single night. Most of the members will sleep like babies but the alpha silverback often wakes up throughout the night to ensure that no one is messing around with his family.

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Adult males won’t back down when they are being challenged by younger and immature gorillas. They will make very loud screaming sounds and at the same time they will beat their chest with their hands rapidly. This is a warning signal to the younger gorillas to back off or they will be engaged in a battle. In most times, the younger ones will retreat.

Gorillas make screams, grunts, roars, growls, and even hooting like an owl at times. They certainly can be funny too, laughing in a way that seems like they are making fun of others around them and even the famous sticking their tongue out.

Gorillas use their communication to find food, to offer support or discipline, to express their own distress, for mating, and for developing social relationships within their troop.

In some troops, Gorillas develop forms of slang just like human beings do in their/ our social groups. This is fascinating as it means that their communications are often learned behaviors and not just instinct driven.

In captivity, Gorillas are taught how to communicate on various levels by humans. One very successful story is that of KoKo, a female gorilla. Scientists taught to her how to use sign language which was considered to be quite a breakthrough with these animals. The incident signifies high level of intelligence among Gorillas.

Gorillas can call out each other and they have good hearing. The young Gorillas can definitely learn the voice of their mothers at a very young age. They can pick up low noises that humans can’t hear easily and that is often how they are alerted to dangers. They also rely upon their sense of smell to warn them if humans or other threats are in the area.

Young gorillas have communications that they use which are similar to those of human babies. They include whining and making sharp noises. Their mothers are quick to try to find out what they need to get those forms of communication replaced with those that are more along the lines of contentment.

There are 9 complete steps to what has become termed as the gorilla communication ritual. First they will offer hooting sounds that get faster, feed in a methodical way, jump up and down, throw food, beat their chest with both hands, kick with their legs, run sideways, tear at vegetation out there, and end with their palms hitting the ground and more hooting sounds.

Many researchers continue to try to decode the language that is believed to be there for gorillas. This isn’t an easy task though with so many sounds being produced by them. It is like trying to take a completely foreign language and learning it all on your own. Since many of the different sounds seem to have multiple meanings then that makes the task even more difficult.

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The silver backs are assisted by the females who take care of the young ones the way human mothers do in a family.  Mountain gorillas are found in the virunga conservation area that stretches across the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and the democratic republic of Congo. They are surviving in only four national parks of Bwindi impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla national park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and the virunga national park in the democratic republic of Congo.

In the life of gorillas, it is a must that each gorilla family has to shift every day from one place to another for food and rest. Mountain gorillas put up nests which are built on the ground or in trees in consideration of the variables like security and vegetation and they build nests every evening regardless of whether the previous nest is very close. Every gorilla in the family has to build its own nest and it is only infants that are spared from putting up their nests as they sleep with their mothers. Gorillas settle in their nests approximately half an hour prior to the dark and it on rare occasions that gorillas build nets for midday rest. The gorilla nests are built in trees or on the ground and they resemble those of the chimpanzees, their close relatives.

The whole mountain gorilla family spends 30% of the total day feeding on fruits, leaves and branches, while 30% is spent travelling to the new destinations where they feed and sleep that very day. They feed early in the morning and in the afternoon go back to their nest for a rest before they go back to feed in the evening. Mountain gorillas are in their nests as early as 7:00 pm and they do not feed at night.

The tree nests are constructed in forks of branches and other related materials in such a way that they can carry the weight of the mountain gorillas, the females and the young ones have the advantage to sleep in trees nests due their light weight as compared to the very heavy silverbacks. In addition, female mountain gorillas the silver backs sleep in ground nests down the tree nests up so as to defend the females and the young ones in the tree nests up in the trees.

The ground nests are built by pulling bush branches along with other plants into the middle followed by layering them and anchoring them to one another while other plants are also bent to create a nest rim. These ground and tree nests can be seen during gorilla trekking and mountain gorillas enter their nests approximately 1 hour to the dark and at times construct nests for midday rest before they go or feeding in the early evening and then rush for an overnight in anew constructed nest.

Before the sunset, gorillas start constructing their nest where they sleep during the night. Every adult gorilla has their own nests which are constructed using branches of plants and they are built on the trees or the grounds in the forests. This is so unique on the eyes of the tourists on their gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and the democratic republic of Congo. The infant gorillas stay with their mothers next to them.

Conclusively, encountering the mountain gorillas in their accommodation nests, observing how gorilla’s carryout different roles with silver back defending and leading the family where as the females taking care of the young ones. This is really a unique experience that tourists must see on their gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic republic of Congo for the greater and memorable experiences.

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However recently, Gorilla Trekking Fares in Uganda were increased from $600 to $700 each per person. The new pricing will be taking effect right from 1^st July 2020 and was confirmed by the responsible body for wildlife conservation in the country, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).

The new prices were decided after a meeting held by Uganda Wildlife Authority, Uganda Tourism Board and Association of Uganda Tour Operators and they all agreed that it will still be affordable to even the lowest budget travelers when compared to that of Rwanda, which currently costs $1500 USD per person.

Reasons why the prices were increased

According to sources from UWA and one of the members of AUTO that attended the meeting, the main motive for the increment in the prices for Uganda’s Gorilla trekking permits is to foster conservation efforts and protection of Mountain Gorillas that were once endangered. The current number of Gorillas remaining on earth is approximated to 1004 individuals as of the most recent census that was conducted last year in June.

Part of the funds collected from Gorilla permit sales are used to support numerous conservation organizations like Gorilla doctors that ensure good health of Gorillas.

A small portion is diverted to salaries for park ranger guides or trackers, tourism police and other workers. Purchase of Gorilla permits or the moment you book for one, means a lot to the lives of Gorillas.

What’s more interesting, 20% of the revenue goes back to the local communities that are set adjacent to the Gorilla National Parks. This is meant to shows them how Gorillas are a valuable to their everyday life, thus a drive to ensure the conservation of these creatures right from these local communities around. There are always the first conservationists before other organizations come in.

Meanwhile, Chimpanzee Tracking, one of the other top trending tour activities in Uganda was also increased from $150 to $200 for the ordinary permit and $200 to $250 for the Habituation permit from Kibale Forest National Park.

Benefits expected in the Price Increment

All in all the benefit is that, Uganda will still receive high numbers of Gorilla trekkers despite the increase in the price of the permits. This will generate more funds to support multiple conservation projects, marketing campaigns by Uganda Tourism Board as well as the locals living near the parks.

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Trekking the gorillas involves a hike to the home of these critically endangered apes to watch them carry on their daily activities, but isn’t this intruding on someone’s personal privacy? And does this activity protect the interest of the gorillas and their sustainability?

Mountain gorillas being listed as critically endangered species, habitat loss, poaching, hunting, human wildlife conflict, tourism and transmission of human diseases are their major threats that would lead to their extinction in no time.

And here the question arises again, is gorilla trekking good for conservation? Is exposing the mountain gorilla to more people, so frequently safe to them?

Some would argue that gorilla encounters are, unfortunately, not good for these apes. The fact that mountain gorillas do not have many natural predators, human beings are the major force leading to the extinction of these forest giants.

However on the other hand, if it were not for tourism, most of the forests where mountain gorillas dwell would have been destroyed 10 to 20 years ago. So it’s rightfully wrong to impart only negativity to gorilla tourism in Uganda, Rwanda and D.R. Congo yet tourism has largely led to an increase in the number of gorillas worldwide.

The mega backer of the conservation efforts in gorilla tourism are the gorilla trekking permit fees. Costing $600, $1500 and $400 in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo respectively, the fees seem to be high but a great deal in the protection of the gorilla and their habitats.

The essence of issuing permits is to carefully control gorilla tourism. Only eight trekkers are permitted to visit a gorilla family in a day. All treks are led by the park rangers to ensure that the gorilla trekking etiquette is maintained and also to make sure that all treks follow the drafted set of rules that are well laid out during the pre – trek briefing session before the commencement of every trek.

The permit fees cater for the rangers salaries, these are unsung heroes that need to be rewarded, because they are the first people in protecting the great apes and conserving their homes. The fees also fund gorilla monitoring activities, research, veterinary and health care as well as full management of gorilla destinations.

Part of the profits from gorilla permits is given back to the local communities around the park for village development and completion of infrastructure projects like road construction, schools, health centers, etc.

Gorilla tourism becomes even a more powerful tool in nature conservation when travelers use local tour operators, lodges and porters. This economic value attracts more local people to engage in gorilla ecotourism, creating more awareness on the importance of conservation. And remember anything not understood, is not worth the implementation.

Since gorilla tourism provides employment to the members of the local community in form of rangers, porters and trail maintainers, many of the former poachers have become game rangers and avid anti – poaching agents. The gorillas are now ambitiously protected by the community for tourism, research and related social projects.

Putting all that together, gorilla trekking is not only an exclusive wildlife encounter in Africa, but also an important conservation activity that not only benefits the local communities but also a strong tool for protection of these endangered primates. It is simply a perfect do venture for Eco tourists in Uganda, Rwanda and D.R. Congo.

The most exciting and memorable part of an African safari is getting real up close to the animals in the wild. And when it comes to wildlife encounters, gorilla trekking is the most desired activity that every traveler would wish to experience.

Trekking the gorillas involves a hike to the home of these critically endangered apes to watch them carry on their daily activities, but isn’t this intruding on someone’s personal privacy? And does this activity protect the interest of the gorillas and their sustainability?

Mountain gorillas being listed as critically endangered species, habitat loss, poaching, hunting, human wildlife conflict, tourism and transmission of human diseases are their major threats that would lead to their extinction in no time.

And here the question arises again, is gorilla trekking good for conservation? Is exposing the mountain gorilla to more people, so frequently safe to them?

Some would argue that gorilla encounters are, unfortunately, not good for these apes. The fact that mountain gorillas do not have many natural predators, human beings are the major force leading to the extinction of these forest giants.

However on the other hand, if it were not for tourism, most of the forests where mountain gorillas dwell would have been destroyed 10 to 20 years ago. So it’s rightfully wrong to impart only negativity to gorilla tourism in Uganda, Rwanda and D.R. Congo yet tourism has largely led to an increase in the number of gorillas worldwide.

The mega backer of the conservation efforts in gorilla tourism are the gorilla trekking permit fees. Costing $600, $1500 and $400 in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo respectively, the fees seem to be high but a great deal in the protection of the gorilla and their habitats.

The essence of issuing permits is to carefully control gorilla tourism. Only eight trekkers are permitted to visit a gorilla family in a day. All treks are led by the park rangers to ensure that the gorilla trekking etiquette is maintained and also to make sure that all treks follow the drafted set of rules that are well laid out during the pre – trek briefing session before the commencement of every trek.

The permit fees cater for the rangers salaries, these are unsung heroes that need to be rewarded, because they are the first people in protecting the great apes and conserving their homes. The fees also fund gorilla monitoring activities, research, veterinary and health care as well as full management of gorilla destinations.

Part of the profits from gorilla permits is given back to the local communities around the park for village development and completion of infrastructure projects like road construction, schools, health centers, etc.

Gorilla tourism becomes even a more powerful tool in nature conservation when travelers use local tour operators, lodges and porters. This economic value attracts more local people to engage in gorilla ecotourism, creating more awareness on the importance of conservation. And remember anything not understood, is not worth the implementation.

Since gorilla tourism provides employment to the members of the local community in form of rangers, porters and trail maintainers, many of the former poachers have become game rangers and avid anti – poaching agents. The gorillas are now ambitiously protected by the community for tourism, research and related social projects.

Putting all that together, gorilla trekking is not only an exclusive wildlife encounter in Africa, but also an important conservation activity that not only benefits the local communities but also a strong tool for protection of these endangered primates. It is simply a perfect do venture for Eco tourists in Uganda, Rwanda and D.R. Congo.

The post Is Gorilla Trekking Good For Conservation? first appeared on Mgahinga National Park.

At the park, the gorillas were grouped into two special units for easy identification, the Katendegye group, and the Mubare group. These groups are comprised of many gorillas that keep on multiplying every year. Though there are many Gorillas at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, found in the southwest of Uganda, it is not obvious that one must see the gorilla without knowing how to trek them. Meeting a gorilla in this thick forest requires a tourist to know how these elegant primates behave and how they spend their day.

Gorilla tracking in Bwindi requires one to have some energy because of the long-distance that is moved while searching for the primates. A visitor is advised to have enough breakfast in the morning as he/she prepares for the trip. For treks that take more than a day, visitors are asked to carry food with them before setting off to the forest. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a large park and therefore gorilla tracking takes many hours (a half a day – a full day).

The guides will group you into groups of six people and each group will take a different direction. This is done so as to avoid overcrowding at the paths which can irritate the mammals in the forest. While in the forest, avoid making noise because it can scare away the Gorillas.

Sometimes seeing these gorillas becomes a hustle especially at mid-day (12:00 PM) when they are looking for food. But in order to be the first to see a gorilla while trekking, keep your eyes up in the trees. These gorillas often hide in the leaves while feeding and they only come down when it’s evening. Apart from feeding on leaves, they also play on the trees jumping from one tree to another.

In case you meet the Gorillas on your trek, don’t scare them away. Always keep about 10 meters away. You can take photos with them but make sure that the flash is off. It is advisable that you avoid direct contact with the Gorillas unless if you are sure that it is treated and pest-free. You can friend a gorilla at the park by persuading it to like you. This can be done by giving it food preferably sweet bananas.

Apart from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, mountain gorillas can also be found in Mgahinga National Park but the biggest number is found at Bwindi. While planning for a gorilla safari to Uganda, you can extend the adventure to Rwanda where these primates can also be found. In Rwanda, mountain gorillas are found in Volcanoes National Park. At Volcanoes National Park, there are 11 mountain gorilla families.

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Type: Mammal

Diet: Omnivore

Average life span in the wild:35 years

Size: Standing height, 4 to 6 ft (1.2 to 1.8 m)

Weight: 300 to 485 lbs (135 to 220 kg)

Group name: Troop or band

Protection status: Endangered

Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:

Mountain gorillas are the biggest primates in the apes’ family found only in three countries of Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic republic of Congo. Many travelers take gorilla safaris to these destinations in order to see the mountain gorillas in their natural wild. Here are five facts that you should know about mountain gorillas;

1. Mountain gorillas are listed by the IUCN as critically endangered species. The primate contains about 95% to 98% of the human DNA and thus man’s closet relative. Mountain gorillas live in the thick rainforest of Bwindi Impenetrable national park, Mgahinga, Volcanoes and Virunga national park and it is the major attractions in these national parks tourists enjoy during their safaris to Uganda and Rwanda

2. Mountain gorillas feed on fresh vegetation like leaves, fruits, shoots and pith. They rarely take water because of the high concentration of water in their foods. Gorillas live in groups headed by a male silver back that defends the group from any threat and danger. The male silver back is the strongest of all the gorillas and each gorilla group has its own silverback. Gorilla tracking safaris is the best opportunity to enjoy the sight of these beautiful primates

3. Just like man, gorillas have well-coordinated activities and programs. They used their morning time to gather food to eat and enjoy their mid-day time to relax. Relaxing is very important for gorillas as they use that time to create good relationship among the group. This also explains way gorilla trekking safaris can be done early morning because it is during that time where you have the chance to encounter with them.

4. Gorillas are very aggressive. Their aggressiveness is very high when two silver backs meet but aggression is minimal within a group. When two silver backs meet, they fight to fear death and mostly they fight to win more female gorillas to their group. In spite of their aggression, they also experience fear when they encounter with crocodiles, caterpillars, chameleons and other reptiles.

5. If you would love to see the mountain gorillas in the wild, there are several places where one can go gorilla trekking which include Bwindi national park and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, Virunga National Park in Congo and Volcanoes national park in Rwanda. There are several safaris also offer tourists the opportunity to do bird watching while tracking gorillas in Bwindi National park. Remember this park was voted the best birding sight by African bird club. Enjoy gorilla tracking in Mgahinga national park and have a chance to sight the beautiful golden monkeys

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