Can children go gorilla trekking? – Gorilla Trekking with Kids/ Can Kids go Gorilla Trekking
Can children go gorilla trekking? Yes, Children can go gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda if they are 15 years and above. A good number of visitors to Uganda and Rwanda are interested in finding out if gorilla trekking with children is possible. According to the authorities in charge in the gorilla trekking countries ( Uganda Wildlife Authority & Rwanda Development Board), gorilla trekking is open to children from the age of 15 . Mountain Gorilla trekking is an exciting adventure whose memories you would wish to share with your family and children while on tours in Africa. In spite of their exhilarating nature, a certain bracket of children is legally permitted by the relevant authorities in the countries of Uganda, Rwanda and the D.R Congo to participate in these adventures.
During your preparation for the gorilla safari holiday, you should bear in mind that only children starting from the age of 15 years will be allowed to go trekking for gorillas in the wild. However much it is the joy of every youngster to experience being surrounded by mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, the least age for gorilla trekkers is fixed at 15 years and above. In case you’re travelling with children who aren’t 15 years (14 years & below), there are many safari options for kids from 14 years and below to keep them busy as you embark on your gorilla trekking safari. In the context of gorilla trekking in Uganda, there are some exceptions for youngsters up to 14 years which are greatly explained in this article.
Minimum Age for gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda, and D.R Congo – Age limit for gorilla trekking
As discussed before, the minimum age for gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda and D.R Congo is fifteen years implying that from 15 and beyond the travelers are eligible to go to the home of mountain gorillas.
This minimum age for gorilla trekking put in place as a concern for the authorities in charge of the habitat of mountain gorillas in the trekking countries ( Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo) to promote safety during the African Gorilla Safaris. Currently, anyone who is under the age of 15 is regarded as a minor, young and is not permitted to indulge in the gorilla trekking in any of the three African countries; Uganda, Rwanda and the D.R Congo.
Why children below 15 years are not allowed to trek gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda?
For large groups of travelers to Uganda or Rwanda to witness the mountain gorillas in the wild, you may be baffled by the fact that youngers under 15 will not be part of the amazing adventures of gorilla trekking yet it is a one in a lifetime experience for everyone around the world. Several reasons can explain the exclusion of children under 15 from the gorilla trekking safari in Uganda or Rwanda as outlined below.
Youngsters may not be mentally ready for the trek. Looking at the unstable nature of children under 15 years, they may not in the right mind-set to face mountain gorillas in the wild. This vigorous exercise involves moving through some of the toughest terrains and thick forest cover with undergrowth implying that hikers must be in the right mental or physical state before embarking on gorilla trekking, a quality that is uncommon among youngsters. Children below 15 years of age can exhibit a high level of exhaustion during the lengthy hikes which last several hours before finding the assigned mountain gorilla family in the wild. Gorilla adventures may not the hobby for youngsters who driven by their parents forceful to provide company to the adults, some children will understand the value embedded in seeing the gorillas in their natural habitat.
Young children can easily get carried away. Overall, the mountain gorilla are peaceful and humble animals whose peace extends to visitors encountering them in the wild. They often move beyond the required distance and come close to visitors whilst keeping their calmness and gentleness. The uncertain reactions of children in such scenario may lead to significant danger or provoke the huge silverback which may charge back creating threats for trekkers.
Young travelers are likely not to follow the guidelines of gorilla trekking.
Adhering to the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking is an essential thing for successful adventuring in Africa. Whereas the mature trekkers ( 15 years & above) may be tolerant and pay utmost heed, children below the minimum age for gorilla trekking (15 years) are likely not to respond positively to the set gorilla trekking guidelines and rules. During the gorilla trekking you are not supposed to liter the park, the travelers should keep their voices low at all times and maintain a reasonable distance from the gorillas, something that may be difficult for children below 15 years to handle.
Children below 15 years may not be physically fit for the trek. Given the vigorous nature of gorilla tours in Africa, the rationale for a moderate level of physical fitness is heavily emphasized among trekkers. This is because the adventures are characterized with hiking in very difficult terrain for many hours which will leave young kids below 15 years drained and very exhausted. The challenging trails will lead travelers to the muddy routes, thick impenetrable vegetation and steep slopes which may be hard for children below 15 to navigate through.
Children below 15 years can easily get infected with communicable diseases. In side the tropical jungles of Africa, there are many disease spreading vectors making children very susceptible to communicable diseases like malaria and cough given their low immunity. There is a big chance of children spreading the diseases to the mountain gorillas who have very similar DNA to that of people and this could retard the conservation efforts of keeping the numbers of the endangered species growing, today there are about 1000 mountain gorillas in the world. Keeping out children from the façade of gorillas is a good practice to protect these humble giants from pandemics and rare epidemics which could wipe them out.
Other top things for children to do during gorilla Safaris – How to do gorilla trekking with Kids
Have you thought about the possibility of going gorilla trekking with your children below the age of 15? Yes, there is a possibility of going with your kids who are under 15 years for the awesome Gorilla trekking Safaris. However much the kids under fifteen will not be permitted to venture into the gorilla trekking safari, there exist other exciting things which suite the taste and preferences of kids on African Wilderness Adventure tours as their parents head for the primate trips. The long list of things for kids below 15 to do may include; Community or Village walks, Cultural tours among others which are so engaging with many activities to keep them busy. The top activities for children while on gorilla trekking Holidays are further explained in this article.
Cultural visit to the neighboring Villages/Communities
In any country you visit for gorillas, get rest assured of your kids taking part in the community walks. When travel to Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, the commonest cultural visit safari leads to the Batwa-Community who were the initial inhibitors of the gorilla conservancies. Today Batwa lived in villages which were gazetted by the authorities in Uganda. During the visit to the Batwa-community, some of the things for kids to enjoy are storytelling from the village elders, making of crafts and entertainment from the traditional music and dances. This is an enriching experience that will unleash your children’s imagination of an African safari. The interactions with the Batwa involve playing the traditional games, telling stories giving deep insights about the way of life of the local people since they rely on hunting and food gathering.
As if this is not enough, around Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, there is the Buhoma Community. This is another frequently visited Community village during the gorilla Safari in Uganda that introduces travelers to the way of life of the local people. This is an interesting site for children below 6 years who get to enjoy the adventures around the Buhoma Community village.
Iby’Iwacu Cultural Experience in Rwanda
Iby’Iwacu Cultural Experience is an amazing trip to participate in during your gorilla trekking safari to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park with kids The Iby’Iwacu cultural village bless your children with an unforgettable community encounter with some of the most welcoming human beings. Kids and adults get to engage in simultaneous adventuring in Rwanda, parents go for the gorilla trek as the children head for a remarkable cultural tour to the Iby’Iwacu cultural village. The children will enjoy visiting the site and have an amazing safari in Rwanda.
The wonderful cultural tours at Iby’Lwacu site introduce youngsters to nature walks to see plants and explore the nature around Rwanda. The children learn much on the educational tours, get time to interact with the nice people of East Africa. The unique architecture of Africa is brought to light in the rare traditional homes. The highlight of the cultural tours in Rwanda are the traditional dances and music to entertain visitors.