Gorilla Trekking Adventures for the Seniors, Elderly & the Disabled

Wondering if there are Gorilla Trekking Adventures for the Seniors, Elderly and the Disabled? Are you a born of 1940s to 1970s and looking for an opportunity to trek the mountain gorillas in their natural habitats and don’t know how to go about it?

Worry not because Hail Tours Uganda has got your back. While we say gorilla trekking is for the youthful, energetic, and physically fit travelers, it will surprise you that even the seniors can take part in the adventure.

The experience of trekking through the dense jungles to see the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat is second to none but doesn’t come easy.

When we say trekking, we mean something more than walking through the Park and involves jumping streams, hiking mountainous slopes, maneuvering through rugged terrains and thick vegetation, walking for over 2-6 hours, and getting stuck in mud which you have to be prepared for.

These conditions all seem like an impossibility for someone who is 60, 70, or 80 years. The following are the simple ways to make gorilla trekking possible and more exciting for the seniors;

Tips for a Successful Gorilla Trekking for Seniors

Being allocated to the nearer gorilla families

In the past, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park gorilla permits were directly allocated to visitors during purchase but now, travelers are allocated to a particular sector (Ruhija, Rushaga, Nkuringo, and Buhoma). For this reason, travelers will be assigned a gorilla group immediately after briefing and it is based on age, level of physical fitness, or personal interests.

Of all the sectors in Bwindi, Buhoma has the easiest-to-track gorilla groups and for the seniors, it is advisable to assign groups like Mubare, Habinyanja and Rushegura. If your gorilla safari is based in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, you will be assigned to groups like Sabyinyo and Muhoza because they are considered easier to track.

Hiring porters to offer support during trekking and carrying backpacks

Gorilla trekking for seniors can be made easier and less strenuous by hiring porters (between $30 and $50) per person to hold your hand while hiking or carry backpacks. The majority of these porters are born and raised in the areas around National Parks hence used and familiar with the terrains.

For such a small fee, he will provide support in the form of holding hands, pulling your hands while you climb to higher altitudes, and carrying your bags, camera equipment and water/snacks.

While hiring them is a way of easing your trek, it is also a way of providing income and improving their standard of living. It is from these payments and tips that porters (who are mostly reformed poachers) support their families.

Hiring sedan chairs

Did you know it is now possible for an 80- or 90-year-old person to trek the mountain gorillas with Sedan chairs? For $350 to $400 per person, you can hire a sedan chair and be lifted by four able-bodied porters throughout your gorilla trekking adventure.

In so doing, you can achieve your lifetime dream of trekking and meeting face-to-face with the Giant Apes in their natural habitats as they go about foraging, playing, resting, and grooming each other, to mention but a few.

Book for a nearer and more comfortable accommodation

While your dream is to meet with the mountain gorillas in their natural habitats, it can be ruined by a horrible accommodation experience. For this reason, gorilla trekking for seniors will call for booking accommodation that is nearer to the Park Headquarters/briefing point to avoid waking up so early to be at the Park Headquarters by 7:00 am.

Mountain gorilla trekking is an exceptional wildlife encounter that you can only experience in three countries- Uganda (enjoyed in Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks), Rwanda (offered in Volcanoes National Park) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (in Virunga National Park).

With a World population of only 1080 mountain gorillas in the wild, it is always a dream come true for many travelers to trek and meet face to face with these Giant Apes, including seniors.

Top Gorilla Safari Packages for Seniors

4 Days Bwindi Gorillas and Lake Bunyonyi Safari

Primate and Nature lovers, this safari is perfect for you! Walk through the jungles of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park searching for the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat… View Tour

5 Days Uganda Gorilla & Wildlife Safari

On our refreshing safari, travelers will explore the stunning Bwindi Impenetrable and Queen Elizabeth National Parks with an opportunity to trek the endangered mountain gorillas in their… View Tour

4 Days Flying Gorilla Safari Uganda

On this safari, you will visit the outstanding Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in south-western Uganda for the chance to trek and get up-close with the endangered mountain gorillas that call this… View Tour