Hiring Sedan Chairs or Bamboo Stretchers in Bwindi

Can the disabled and physically unfit persons trek mountain gorillas in Uganda? YES, hiring sedan chairs/bamboo stretchers in Bwindi is a better alternative for persons with disabilities or physically unfit to also visit mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.

Gorilla trekking by far is the world’s most looked-for wildlife encounter. Trekking gorillas in Bwindi, Uganda is all about visiting the rare and massive mountain gorillas. They are among very few large apes in the world sheltered mainly within the rugged and misty jungles of Virunga Region in Uganda, Congo, and Rwanda.

Mountain gorillas inhabit the mountainous forest area with an elevation range of 2300 to 4000 meters. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park provides a lifetime opportunity to nature lovers to visit and interact with these massive apes while in their natural habitat. Visiting them in the wild includes navigating via the forest and comes with strenuous trek lasting for about 2-6 hours.

Who needs a Sedan Chair in Bwindi?

A sedan seat chair is vital for persons who can’t penetrate into the dense Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to search for mountain gorillas. These include persons with disabilities, the elderly, pregnant, or anyone who feels very weak to trek through the steep slopes and dense vegetation.

What are Sedan Chairs or Bamboo stretcher carriers?

Sedan chairs are made of 2 metallic handles with a long seat fitted in between them. They are made uniquely to provide ultimate comfort to trekker on tour to view mountain gorillas in the wild. It serves best as alternative transportation means for persons who can’t walk to also see gorillas.

The bamboo stretcher carriers are made of bamboo sticks. They are carefully woven and still give comfort to trekkers. The difference it has with sedan chairs is that they are locally made with local material. With availability of the sedan chairs and bamboo stretcher carrier, even persons with disabilities or physically unfit can be in position to visit mountain gorillas without undertaking an on-foot-walk through the forest.

On actual date of gorilla trekking, the park official will try as much as he can to assign to you an easier-to-track gorilla family. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a celebrated gorilla safari park with over 20 habituated gorilla groups, distributed in the 4 regions. That is Buhoma, Nkuringo, Rushaga and Ruhija- each of these gorilla regions reward trekkers differently.

Tourists carried on sedan chairs or bamboo stretchers will be escorted by other trekkers. It should be noted that every habituated gorilla group family is trekked by a maximum of only 8 visitors. During photography and observing mountain gorillas, the visitor can be placed down in a sedan or bamboo carrier and in an area that gives clear view and where you can capture incredible pictures.

Therefore, the dry season is preferably the best time to go gorilla trekking in Bwindi National Park. That is from June, July, August, September and December, January, February-when there is no or little rainfall received.

How much is a sedan seat chair?

Hiring a sedan chair for your gorilla safari in Bwindi is vital. But, some of the key factors to put into consideration and often influence the cost of hiring sedan seat chairs to include the distance from park headquarters to the location of an assigned gorilla group. The weather and visitor weight size are all some of the essential factors one must put into consideration.

The average cost for hiring a sedan chair and bamboo stretcher is USD300 to USD500 and this is exclusive of gorilla permit prices. Gorilla permits for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park can be obtained independently and cost USD700 for foreign non-residents, USD600 for foreign residents than citizens in East Africa Shs. 250,000.

Getting to Bwindi for gorilla trekking- Uganda

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park BIMP is geographically lying in far South-western Uganda. Accessing Bwindi from Kampala takes an 8-10 hours drive and by air, tourists can schedule or charter flights to Kihihi and Kisoro airstrips.

Where else can I see mountain gorillas?

Mountain gorillas don’t live only in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, but they also range in other parts of East African states. The other key mountain gorilla trekking spots include Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, Virunga National Park Congo and Volcanoes Rwanda- these are all located within the Virunga Conservation Area.