Gorilla Trekking for the Elderly and the Disabled are gorilla safaris organized for people with special needs who require porters and sedan chairs during the trek or being assigned to gorilla groups closer to park headquarters to enable then track the gorillas easily.
Gorilla trekking is an increasingly popular activity, with tourists coming from all around the globe to catch a glimpse of these magnificent creatures. However, those with physical limitations may find the journey more difficult but that doesn’t necessarily mean they have to miss out. Special gorilla trekking for the elderly and disabled are now available, ensuring that everyone can experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet the incredible gentle giants.
Guaranteed gorilla tours for seniors and people with special needs on a Uganda and Rwanda safari
To see mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, one needs to hike through the mountainous forests and since gorillas are mobile, it may take some hours of trekking of which the old and people with disabilities may fail to withstand especially since it may involve hiking in some cases.
This is the reason why there are organized special gorilla packages with wellness and health of our older clients in mind. Gorilla Trekking for the Elderly and the Disabled focuses on the means to save these special group from the difficult trekking.
Gorilla trekking is a once in a lifetime experience that any traveler must include in their bucket list. Gorilla Trekking in Uganda will grant you with a great opportunity to witness these massive primates as they roam in the thick rain forests, which are their habitats.
Not any one should be limited by their physical ability since we organize special trekking safaris for seniors, Elderly and the disabled. To us, disability does not really mean inability since we can prepare special packages that can fit your best interest.
Who is Considered an Elderly / Senior Travelers?
Are you wondering who the seniors could be? Well, these are individuals at their advanced age usually retired at 60 or above. The gorilla trekking safaris arranged for them are different from our normal packages as the trips involves special care features.
We have guides who specialize and have experience in handling seniors who drive them in customized cars that are gives them more comfort. The gorilla trekking safari packages for the elderly are also designed in a way that allows our senior clients to experience gorillas in a more relaxed environment.
Mountain gorilla trekking for disabled
Just like the elderly, people with disabilities also require special attention in one way or the other. Gorilla trekking being a challenging activity does not mean it is exclusively reserved for the able-bodied travelers only.
No one aware of the existence of mountain gorillas would like to vacate this planet without encountering and support their conservation process and by so, we craft inclusive gorilla trekking packages.
The disability we are discussing are those that are physical, people with mental disability are not allowed to trek gorillas as they act in way that may provoke the gentle giants.
Much emphasis is put on the accessibility of lodges we use on our gorilla safaris for people with disabilities, the cars used and the gorilla group trekked. We also employ sedan chairs on those who move by wheelchairs.
For the seniors that prefer to walk to the gorillas, we usually buy tracking permits for the Buhoma Sector which is easiest sector to track the gorillas. It also does not take too long before the visitors meet these gentle giants during the trek.
All you need to know about special gorilla tours
We guarantee instant response to your long-awaited question and you will have to enjoy instant updates within your comfort. Senior and elderly gorilla trekkers are advised to disclose their actual age and hiking /physical abilities to the tour operator arranging their gorilla tour.
Declare any Medical/Health Condition
We greatly recommend our clients to declare their medical record and the contact of personal doctor. This information will be highly protected and private that is only provided to a private personal guide. This information is just needed in case of an emergency which enables us to know how to handle the client.
Workouts
If you are going to trek, take some time off your to do some physical exercise so that your body is familiarized. We advise you to do some jogging or walking before your travel time. Mountain gorillas live in mountains and trekking to meet them is only possible through walking or people carrying you. Please do not forget the Bwindi is an impenetrable forest that do not have walk ways.
Carry a Walking Stick
You might be able to stand upright while walking on flat grounds but, hiking in forests of Bwindi, Mgahinga, Virunga national park or Volcanoes may require to bend a little bit hence the need for support from a walking stick. Walking sticks saves you from falling on slippery grass or mud in case it rains. The are provided at the beginning of the trail in all the countries depending on where you choose to see the gorillas.
Hire a Porter
Carrying a bag full of packed food, drinking water and other necessities on your back while trekking is very tiresome especially for the seniors and the disabled. Therefore, hiring a porter to carry your items and give you a hand on the trek is ideal and highly recommended. This is also another way of giving back to the community which encourages them to protect the gorillas.
Choose gorilla families that are easily trekked
Choosing a short gorilla trek may be tricky however that is what all Uganda safaris do. Ensure you book early enough to get a mountain gorilla family that lives in low altitude areas or near the park headquarters and easy to trek.
It is during the briefing that elders are assigned to these gorilla families and if you booked early enough, we get to book gorilla permits to sectors with easily trekked mountain gorillas. Parks like Bwindi are separated into sectors of which some sectors are of higher altitudes compared to others.
However, you are still advised and encouraged to disclose any healthy related condition that may require special attention from the rangers. Your safety is our priority.
Hire sedan chairs
For travelers who are too weak to walk and those who ride in wheelchairs, the simplest way to trek mountain gorillas is renting a sedan chair with porters. A group of porters will carry you to the forest for the tracking and will carry you back to your car after the tracking.
The sedan chairs are also comfortable enough so, you won’t get back pain. You don’t need to walk at any moment during the trekking process as the porters are powerful enough and keep on exchanging. This is the most pleasant gorilla trekking for the elderly and the disabled but, costs an extra 400USD.
Carry enough drinking water and packed food
Although we promise to book for you an easier gorilla trek and more less tedious means, we strongly encourage you to carry packed food (snacks) and enough drinking water. Higher altitudes tend to drain our bodies through respiration faster than sea level.
Trekking time is unpredictable and therefore, you may get hungry on the way and loose morale for the adventure. So, carry food or energy giving snacks to avoid disappointments.
A more relaxed trip
For all our senior clients, it is more comforting and relaxing to spend an extra day at the lodge before you take your first gorilla trek. This will basically help them adapt to the altitude and go to the park headquarters to inquire the days experience and explaining to the park officials their needs and also relax before engaging their second trek.
In conclusion
Don’t let disabilities or age stop you from embarking on the incredible adventure of Gorilla tracking. With the support of sedan chairs and knowledgeable guides, this remarkable journey is accessible to all. Get ready for a once-in-a-lifetime experience where you can connect with these magnificent creatures and the wild surroundings.
