Age recommended for Gorilla Trekking
Gorilla trekking age limit in Uganda is just like all other gorilla trekking countries in Africa. Uganda has a gorilla trekking minimum age limit that has to be followed to be allowed to trek mountain gorillas in Bwindi or Mgahinga National Park. Uganda’s trekking age limit is recently at 15 years and any child below 15 might be forbidden to visit gorillas in their natural habitats as it’s for Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks. The good thing with Uganda is that children below 15 years can trek the gorillas especially if they trek with their family members. Uganda is so flexible as compared to Rwanda when it comes to the minimum age for gorilla trekking.
Gorilla trekking minimum age is at 15 years and anyone below is considered a minor or child and thus not fit to trek the endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi and Mgahinga national park. It’s believed that the behavior of children or minors is usually unpredictable and in order to avoid such, children are not allowed to trek the gorillas in Uganda. In extents where gorillas fumes at you, a child might decide to make noise or run which might result in gorillas attacking you. To control these scenarios, the Uganda gorilla trekking age limit or the minimum age of 15 years and above have to be imposed by Uganda Wildlife Authority in order to avoid such anticipated instances.
The other reason why children below 15 years are not allowed to trek mountain gorillas in Bwindi and Mgahinga National park is due to the fact that children tend to have communicable diseases that can be easily transmitted to mountain gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga national park since the humans and mountain gorillas share the same genes. The mountain gorillas have passed from being endangered and been removed from the world’s list of endangered species and great efforts by Uganda, Rwanda, and DRC, and the entire stakeholders in conservation.
Uganda gorilla trekking age limit and the minimum age of 5 years and above is seen as an average and suitable age for gorilla trekking as an activity. Gorilla trekking in these parks can sometimes be active and might require all trekkers to be physically fit for this activity. Children below the age of 15 years are generally considered to be physically weak and thus prohibited from trekking mountain gorillas in Bwindi and Mgahinga national park.