Gorilla Trekking Age Limit in Rwanda and Uganda

To go gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda, the authorities responsible for this awe-inspiring adventure set aside certain regulations to be observed for a successful trekking encounter. The gorilla trekking age limit in Uganda and Rwanda, therefore, is 15 years despite your physical appearance and size.

Mountain gorillas live in live only in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda,  in the Volcanoes National Park, Ruhengeri – Northwest of Rwanda as well the Virunga NationalPark of Congo.

Listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a critically endangered species, the age limit for gorilla trekking is enforced to forbid children below 15 years from getting closer to these primates. This is because they (gorillas) are assumed to be vulnerable to human diseases and this is very common with infants below the age of 15 and can easily spread such diseases to these endangered species while in an encounter with them.

Another reason why there is a gorilla trekking age limit in Rwanda and Uganda is that children below 15 years are very unpredictable and may behave weirdly while in a face-to-face encounter with large apes. Children can opt to run away rather than scouting or bowing down in case the gorillas become irritated due to human presence in their habitat which can make these species follow trekkers as they are wild animals although they are habituated.

Gorilla trekking is not safe throughout and the fact that they are wildlife species their behavior can easily change depending on the varied mood and surrounding atmosphere. People above 15 years are believed that can assist themselves in case of any occurrence in the forest and they are grown up to abide by the whole gorilla trekking rules in the destination.