How to plan a gorilla trekking safari for elderly and people with disabilities?
How to plan a gorilla trekking safari for elderly and people with disabilities? Gorilla trekking is an exceptional activity which involves visitors moving on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of the mountain gorillas and once found spend one hour with them in their natural environment. Gorilla trekking is Rwanda is done in Volcanoes national park while in Uganda its done in two national parks that is Mgahinga gorilla national park and Bwindi impenetrable national park which is divided into four sectors namely buhoma sector, rushaga sector, ruhija sector and nkuringo sector.
Planning a gorilla trekking safari for the elderly and people with disabilities requires making prior arrangements as it involves hiring a sedan chair in advance and booking a gorilla trekking permit or accommodation in advance as they get sold off quickly especially during the peak season in the months of June to September and December to February.
Cost of a gorilla trekking permit
A gorilla trekking permit in Volcanoes national park costs 1,500 USD per person for all nationals while a gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park costs 700 USD per person for foreign non residents, 600 USD per person for foreign residents and 250,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.
How to book a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda and Rwanda?
Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda can be booked through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris where you will contact us with the date, month, year and gorilla destination that you wish to visit. After contacting us, we will check for permit availability from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) or Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and if there are permits available on your preferred dates, you will be asked to made a deposit for the permit. Once we receive the money, we will purchase the permit on your behalf and send you a scanned copy of the receipt as confirmation.
Best time to go for gorilla trekking safari
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park and Volcanoes national park can be done all year round though the best time is during the dry season also known as the peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February because during this period there is less rainfall in the national parks therefore access roads and gorilla trekking trails will be dry and passable which makes trekking easy compared to the rainy season when the gorilla trekking trails are muddy and slippery which make trekking difficult.
How to plan a gorilla trekking safari for elderly and people with disabilities?
When planning to book a gorilla trekking safari in either Uganda or Rwanda, you will contact us at Achieve Global Safaris via email or telephone indicating the date, month, year, gorilla destinations and also indicate that you are disabled, a senior or unfit. After contacting us, we will arrange your gorilla trekking package which included accommodation, transportation and the gorilla permit. After confirming the safari, we will arrange for a special sedan chair with porters to carry the chair. The sedan chair has a seat belts and four handlers which make it easy for the porters to carry. Gorilla trekking takes about 2 hours to 6 hours depending on where the mountain gorillas are located. The porters will carry the visitor in a sedan chair to where the gorillas are and once found you will be able to spend one hour with the gorillas, taking pictures, recording videos and then carry you back to the starting point where you will find the driver guide.
Best place to go for gorilla trekking for the elderly and people with disabilities.
Gorilla trekking is majorly done in Uganda and Rwanda that is Bwindi impenetrable national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park and Volcanoes national park and each gorilla destination has sedan chairs that travellers can hire at an affordable cost therefore the best place to go for gorilla trekking depends on your preference.
Where to stay during your gorilla trekking safari
There are various accommodation facilities in Bwindi impenetrable national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park and Volcanoes national park where you can stay during your gorilla trekking safari. The accommodations range from budget, midrange and luxury including Sabinyo Silverback Lodge, Five Volcanoes Lodge, Mt Muhabura Hotel, Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge, Virunga Inn Resort and Spa, Mount Gahinga Lodge, Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge, Ichumbi Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Lodge, Four Gorillas Lodge, Mahogany Springs Lodge, Buhoma Haven Lodge, Ruhija Gorilla Mist Camp, Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Buhoma Lodge, Bwindi Lodge, Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge, Silverback Lodge among others. When booking accommodation for the elderly or a person with disability, inform the lodge to reserve a room that is near or with a ramp that is close to the ground floor.
How to get to the gorilla destinations
Volcanoes national park is located in north western part of Rwanda and can be accessed by road transport means which takes about 2 to 3 hours’ drive from Kigali international airport to the park headquarters.
Both Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park are located in the southern part of Uganda and can be accessed by road transport means where you will drive from Kampala via masaka, Mbarara, Kabale and then to Bwindi impenetrable national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park which takes about 9 to 10 hours’ drive.
Travelers who do not like long distance drives to Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park can book scheduled or charter flights from Entebbe international airport to Kihihi or Kisoro Airstrips and then connect to the park headquarters by road.
Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park can also be accessed from Kigali Rwanda where travellers will fly to Kigali international airport and then connect to the park headquarters via cyanika border in Kisoro or katuna border in Kabale which takes about 4 to 5 hours’ drive.
For more information on how to plan a gorilla trekking safari for elderly and people with disabilities, you can reach out to us on email/ WhatsApp or visit our website for affordable gorilla trekking packages.
