Gorilla trekking Age restrictions

If one must go gorilla trekking in any of the three nations where mountain gorillas are found, one of the most important rules that must be strictly adhered to is the age limit. Every country respects the minimum age requirement for going on a gorilla trekking expedition in the Virunga national park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, the Mgahinga national park in Uganda, or the Bwindi impenetrable forest. All of the aforementioned nations have minimum age requirements of 15 years old for visitors who wish to go gorilla trekking.

The age limit for gorilla trekking is followed in all three nations, and visitors who wish to participate in the activity must adhere to it. Anywhere in Africa that is home to mountain gorillas, children younger than these are prohibited from going on gorilla treks. Uganda is a fair country, though, and some youngsters are permitted to go gorilla trekking with their family if they are 12 years of age or older and their parents have signed a consent form.

When scheduling a gorilla permit, visitors are always required by the park authorities to provide a valid passport. This makes it easier for the authorities to obtain personal information about a person, such as age and place of origin. Nonetheless, there are several situations in which kids younger than five but older than eleven are permitted to participate on gorilla treks. The age restriction on gorilla trekking is the reason why all three countries have refused to allow bookings for gorilla permits in order to verify that trekkers are, in fact, of legal age.

Following the use of a scanned copy of the guest’s passport to secure gorilla permits, a gorilla clearance process and briefing are completed at the park headquarters prior to gorilla trekking. Before being approved, each person is asked to provide their original passport.

Why is the age limit for gorilla trekking important?

This is a frequently asked question by visitors, particularly by families that want to bring their younger family members on the trip. Given that gorilla trekking is the main tourist attraction in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this is an important subject. The age restriction for gorilla trekking is crucial because of this:

When the kids see the gorillas, they are usually afraid. Our indigenous people, who stayed in the jungle and were unable to finish the man-revolution, are known as the abundant giants. Children find their faces weird.

Second, youngsters may experience a heart attack due to the amusing antics of the juvenile mountain gorillas, which could have a psychological impact. People under the age of fifteen are regarded as minors, which makes them unsuitable for the arduous gorilla trekking that takes place in rainforests. The terrain is extremely slick and difficult to walk, which makes it challenging for younger people.

Children that exhibit erratic behavior should not go on a mountain gorilla hiking expedition. Youngsters and minors are difficult to manage and are unable to follow park laws and regulations such as the seven-meter distance limit and maximum silence. Breaking these regulations could make the mountain gorillas constantly agitated and dangerous. In light of this, the various authorities responsible for overseeing wildlife in various nations have decided not to permit minors or anyone less than five years old to go on gorilla treks.

However, as youngsters typically have contagious diseases, they are not permitted to trek mountain gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Mgahinga National Park, Virunga National Park, or Volcanoes National Park if they are younger than 15 years old. Communicable diseases that are easily spread by youngsters can readily afflict gorillas. Since humans and mountain gorillas share about 99% of the same DNA, it is easy for them to contract any airborne illness.

Both nations are working to ensure that the critically endangered mountain gorillas are preserved and protected, adhering to all applicable conservation regulations. By tightening the age restriction for gorilla trekking, the relevant authorities are emphasizing that prevention is preferable to treatment.

Due to their great height, all mountain gorilla trekking national parks demand a certain level of physical condition. Most minors under the age of five may not find this to be good news. Because youngsters are physically weaker than adults, it is beneficial for the relevant authorities to do excellent research on average age, which was determined to be fifteen years old. However, occasionally this can be changed after assessing the minor’s physical stature before granting permission to go on a gorilla trekking expedition.

Situations where children under the age of fifteen may be permitted to Trek mountain gorillas

As was previously said, the nation occasionally permits minors to go on mountain gorilla treks, but only under certain restrictions. The few requirements listed below allow youngsters under the age of 15 but not under 13 to trek with mountain gorillas.

Children who are older than 13 but less than 15 must have their parents’ proof of physical fitness. This is accomplished by giving the relevant authorities the children’s most recent photo so they may assess the youngsters’ physical health.

In order to substantiate the parents’ request, the youngsters are also examined by the Uganda Wildlife Authority on behalf of the Mountain Gorilla Issuing Authority. You can now schedule your child’s gorilla permit, pay for it, and have the permission granted after the youngster completes and passes the exam.

On rare circumstances, children under five who are about to celebrate their fifteenth birthday may also be granted permits to go mountain gorillas. It is possible for children who are 14 years old or older to go on a gorilla hike with their parents. Simple procedures are followed, such as parents submitting written paperwork to the organization responsible for awarding gorilla permits. However, prior to issuing gorilla permits, the Authority may require comprehensive information regarding the child’s physical fitness.

Finally, if the parents agree to sign the consent forms, youngsters under the age of 15 may also be permitted to hike with the gorillas. This declares and releases the park authorities or the gorilla trekking permits from any harm that the youngster may experience while going on a gorilla trek. The consent document, which can be obtained at the booking office’s headquarters, needs to be signed by the child’s parents. These forms are exclusively for youngsters who turn 11 years old or older.

There is a good likelihood that a minor will go gorilla trekking in one of the three nations where the activity is conducted if the parents of the child complete all of the requirements listed above. While planning your ideal fantasy vacation that includes gorilla trekking in Africa, don’t let your son or daughter’s age concern you too much.