Can I hire a porter during gorilla trekking?

While embarking on a gorilla trekking safari tour, carrying luggage  across the tough terrain and thick vegetation in the tropical jungles of Africa is challenging leaving many travelers weary of the load burden. Travelers who wish to get assistance with their baggage during mountain gorilla trekking safari in Uganda & Rwanda are consequently asking; Is it possible to hire a porter at the visitor’s center? Can I hire a porter during gorilla trekking?  Can I hire a porter for the trek? Are porters available on gorilla trekking days? Yes, hiring a porter is possible, who can lend a hand in carrying your luggage plus equipment while trekking for gorillas.

With porters holding the heavy bags and other luggage, walking through the dense habitat of gorillas is made simpler for travelers for primates in Uganda & Rwanda. On the slippery terrains, your hands are free to support you as you hike through the forest to find your gorilla family.

While in Uganda or Rwanda on gorilla trekking safari , hiring a porter will save you the hustle of penetrating through the thick forests, porters act as your support along the difficult trails.  Porters are ever present at the receiving centers for visitors and are allowed by the authorities to move alongside armed rangers and guides to lead visitors to gorillas. Porters are usually local people from the neighboring communities who have adequate knowledge about the national parks.

To experience a convenient gorilla trekking safari in Uganda or Rwanda, get yourself a porter to carry your equipment. For elders and unfit travelers, porters will help you lift your luggage, beat the rough terrain, and also carry you if you are unable to climb uphill. If you are still thinking ‘‘Can I hire a porter during gorilla trekking?’’ The obvious answer is Yes, you can hire a porter during your gorilla trekking safari holiday tour in Uganda and Rwanda.

Cost of hire a porter during gorilla trekking – How much do I need to pay for a porter during gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda?

Knowing the cost of hiring a porter is very vital while budgeting for your gorilla trekking safari holiday tour. This enables travelers to adequately allocate funds to experience a conducive trek into the tropical jungles of Uganda and Rwanda with their luggage and equipment. Hiring a porter for a day during the gorilla trekking tours to Rwanda & Uganda is quit affordable ranging between $10-$15 for the whole experience.

Although, tipping at the end of the trek is a good practice because of the large role played by porters, the tip is on top of the initial paid porter fees. You can also tip the porters according to your level of satisfaction with the service they have rendered. Tipping may be exercised in smaller denominations from $5-$10 after leaving the jungle.

Hiring porters can also be done through your travel agent in while on gorilla safari holidays in Rwanda or Uganda. However, at the headquarters of the prominent Gorilla national Parks, there are many porters waiting to be called to assist trekkers. If you are looking forward to using porters during your gorilla trekking safari tour in Uganda or Rwanda, you can ask your tour operator to make prior arrangements however, porters are usually available at the park headquarters, each day of gorilla trekking.

Why hire a porter during gorilla trekking tours? – Different reasons as to why you should hire a porter during safaris

For comfort and convenience during the trek.  During the hectic adventures for Gorillas, porters are the nearest people to help navigate through the impenetrable forest. They help you carry essential items and equipment to use while in the midst of the forest while on the trek.  This experience will allow you to feel some comfort on the trip and keep you moving to find the endangered mountain gorillas of Uganda and Rwanda. You will definitely avoid being weighed down during the trek.

To ensure Safety and support during gorilla trekking. Porters are the donkeys in the tropical forests of East and Central Africa. They assist you with almost everything on the day of Gorilla trekking from carrying your luggage to offering support during climbing on slippery grounds. Without the assistance of porters during gorilla trekking would have been much difficult for visitors, but thanks to them, you can conclude the activity safety without getting injured in the forest.  Travelers can rely on their knowledge of the forest and trails while navigating through the muddy hiking routes, this is helpful to avoid falling and sliding.

Together with guides, porters can be very good at providing information about mountain gorillas since some of them are former poachers who used to hunt silverbacks. They will help you to gain a deeper understanding of gorillas and their habitat. Hiring a porter while on gorilla trekking tour to Rwanda and Uganda will grant you the opportunity to ask questions about the gorillas and their habitat.

For an opportunity to understand the local culture. Porters hail from the neighboring communities around the Gorilla National Parks of Africa. They have a great understanding about the villages around the parks, way of life of the people. The interaction with them helps travelers to learn about difficult customs, languages and culture of the local people. You can have a good reason to support local communities and engage in cultural trips.

Who should hire a porter during gorilla trekking safari in Uganda and Rwanda?

1. First-time trekkers

Consider hiring a porter on your first visit to Uganda or Rwanda for gorilla trekking safari. Hiring a porter comes handy with a considerable hiking experience in the immense and impenetrable parks. Porters will use their knowledge to give you the best trekking methods and options upon encountering tough terrains and muddy places. However, the primary objective for hiring porters is to help you carry your belongings so that you are not weighed down. For first-time trekkers, you can find a guide at the visitors center who will assist you in the forest while gorilla trekking.

Travelers with heavy gear

In case you are considering trekking with some gear and heavy equipment, it is better to hire porter to help you navigate the forest with these equipments. This is because of the challenging nature of gorilla trekking adventures in Uganda and Rwanda which are associated with difficulty in moving over steep slopes. The Porters will help you carry all your belongings during the trek.

2. Visitors with less physically fitness Always bear in mind that physical fitness is a prerequisite for gorilla trekking in Africa which is done in the area around Virunga Volcanoes of Rwanda and the D.R Congo. Although authorities in the Gorilla Safari Countries have made it open to all people to do the gorilla trekking adventure. Travelers with less physical fitness are also accommodated and can trek to find the gorillas in the heart of the forests. This is possible because of porters who offer support to less physically fit travelers for a remarkable gorilla trekking experience. The Porters are given sedan chairs which are comfortably made to carry visitors from the receiving and briefing center to the middle of the gorilla habitat. to where the gorillas are located and back to the visitors center. If you are less physically privileged, hire porters to take you into the natural habitat for mountain gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.
3. Visitors with safety concerns during gorilla trekking

The porters are very helpful if you have safety concerns that would make it difficult for to trek physically. There are very many gorilla tracking options in Uganda and Rwanda to cater for all kinds of people. This makes porters highly demanded to give visitors the desired mountain gorilla trekking experience.