Gorilla trekking age limit
Gorilla trekking age limit is one of the great rule that is highly observed if one has to do Gorilla trekking in any of the three countries that have Mountain Gorillas. All countries observe the minimum age if one has to do Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest or Mgahinga national park in Uganda, Volcanoes National park in Rwanda and Virunga national park in Democratic Republic of Congo. All the above countries have set the age of 15 years as a minimum age for all guest who wants to do gorilla trekking.
Gorilla trekking age limit is observed in all the three countries and all guests who want to do Gorilla trekking must follow. All children below these years are not allowed to trek gorillas from anywhere in African countries that homes Mountain Gorillas. However, Uganda is fair country which can allowed some children if they come with their family for gorilla trekking and they are aged 12 years and above with the signing of the consent form by the parents.
The park authorities always require for the guests to present their valid passports during the booking of the gorilla permits. This helps the authorities to know the details of individuals like age, country of origin and other personal details. However there are some circumstances under which children below 5 years but not below 11 years are allowed to trek the gorillas. Its because of the Gorilla trekking age limit that all the three countries refused Gorilla permits booking on ground so as to check the validity of the trekkers whether they are on of the rightful ages.
After the booking of the gorilla permits using scanned copy of the guest’s passport, before trekking the gorilla’s clearance is done at the park headquarters with briefing. All the guests are requested to present their original passports before your cleared.
Why is Gorilla trekking age limit important?
This is one of the common question guests ask especially families who wish to travel with their children who are below the age of 5. This is a key question because the major tourist activity in Uganda or Rwanda or Democratic Republic of Congo is Gorilla trekking. The Gorilla trekking age limit is very important in that:
The children mostly feel scared if they see the Gorillas. The ample giants are our natives who remained in the bush and failed to complete the man revolution. Their faces are strange to children
Secondly the playful acts of the young mountain Gorillas can give children some heart attacks hence affecting them psychologically. The individuals below 15 years are considered as minors and this make it unfit for tiresome Gorilla trekking that is done in the rainforests. The grounds are very much slippery and hard to hike hence making it hard for the minors.
The Mountain Gorilla trekking is not fit for the minors who are always unpredictable with their behaviors. Children or minors are hard to control and cannot bear with the park rules and regulations like maximum silence, the distance of 7 meters and others. Breaking such rules may cause the mountain gorillas always to fume hence bringing danger. With such a background the different Authorities that are incharge of wildlife in different countries agreed never to allow the minors or any one below 5 year to trek the mountain Gorillas.
On the other hand, children below 15 years are not allowed to trek mountain Gorillas in either Bwindi impenetrable forest, Mgahinga national park, Virunga national park or Volcanoes national park is that children in most cases have communicable disease. The gorillas can easily be affected by communicable disease that are easily transmitted by children. Mountain Gorillas share almost 99% of the DNA with humans making it easy for them to catch any air born disease
The efforts of both countries to see that rare mountain Gorillas are conserved and protected follow all the necessary conservation guidelines. Through hardening on this Gorilla trekking age limit the responsible authorities are targeting prevention to be better than cure.
All the mountain Gorilla trekking national parks are located in high elevation that requires certain level of physical fitness. This may not be good news to most of the minors who are below 5 years of age. The physical weakness of children makes it good for the responsible authorities to do great work and research of the average age which was found to be 15 years of age. How ever some times this can be adjusted after seeing the physical size of the minor before your given a go ahead to trek gorillas.
Instances in which Children below 15 years may be allowed to trek Mountain Gorilla trekking
As discussed earlier, sometimes the country may allow the minors to trek Mountain Gorillas but under some conditions. Below are the few conditions that qualifies the children below 15 years but not below 13 years of age to trek mountain Gorillas
The parents must prove the physical fitness of their children who are above 13 years of age but below 15 years of age. This is done through provision of the current photo of the children so as for the respective Authorities to check on the physical fitness of the minors.
The children are also subjected to Examination by Uganda wildlife Authority so as to prove on the request by the parents by the Mountain Gorilla issuing Authority. Once the examination is done and passed by the child, you will now be allowed to book the Gorilla permit for your child, pay money and the gorilla permit issued.
On another occasions Mountain Gorilla permits can also be issued to children below 5 years but are about to celebrate their 15th birth day. Children who are in their late 14th year can be allowed to trek the Gorillas with their parents. This is done following simple steps like parents writing a written document to the Gorilla permit issuing authority. However the Authority may request for the detailed information on the physical fitness of the child before the gorilla permits are issued.
On the last note, children below 15 years of age can also be allowed to trek Gorillas if the parents accept to sign the consent documents. This declares and frees the Gorilla trekking permits or the park authorities from any negative thing that will be encountered by the child during Gorilla trekking. The consent form is picked from the headquarters of the booking offices and must be signed by both parents of the child. These forms are only applicable for children above 11 years of age.
When the above are all fulfilled by the parents of the minor there are high chances that the minor will do the Gorilla trekking in any of the three countries where Gorilla trekking is done. Donot be much worried of the age of your daughter or son when preparing your best dream safari of Gorilla trekking in Africa.
