If you have mobility issues or are a senior citizen and want to experience the excitement of gorilla trekking in Uganda, you may be concerned about travelling through difficult terrain and dense forests. However, there is some good news: Thanks to a one-of-a-kind technology known as an African Helicopter, gorilla monitoring is now accessible to everyone, including people with impairments and elders.

You’ll need the following items to be properly prepared for this fascinating journey: a packed lunch, plenty of drinking water, sunglasses, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoe protectors, bug repellent, a walking stick and a charged camera. Your day will begin with a visit to the park headquarters for registration and an educational session on gorillas and the Bwindi Forest National Park. You’ll learn what to anticipate on the journey, vital safety precautions, and even experience a cultural performance by local organisations. Then, you’ll be divided into groups of no more than eight trekkers before embarking on the amazing Gorilla Tracking Expedition.

While monitoring gorillas can be physically hard, especially for individuals with impairments or the elderly, there is a solution. Before beginning the walk, you must be physically and emotionally prepared. Although various gorilla families may be followed daily, the time required varies according to location and topography. Some families can walk to the park offices in 30 minutes, while others might spend up to six to eight hours. On the day of tracking, the allocation of gorilla families is chosen. All you need to do if you have mobility issues is inform your guide. They will either place you in an appropriate group or supply you with a sedan chair and porters to help you.

Gorilla Tracking for The Disabled Elderly Senior Citizens: Logistics

Let’s go into the specifics of the sedan chair. This option is accessible at several gorilla tracking locations across Bwindi Forest National Park. The cost per chair per tracking ranges from USD 350 to USD 450. This charge includes both the chair and the porters who will transport you to the mountain gorillas and back to the park headquarters at the end of the journey. Prices may fluctuate depending on demand. Due to the limited quantity of sedan chairs, it’s best to let us know ahead of time if you’ll need one so we can reserve one for you.

How to Get There

Travelling to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park to monitor gorillas is doable. The park is a 10-hour drive or one-hour flight from Entebbe International Airport or Kampala. It’s around a one-and-a-half-hour drive from Kihihi or Kisoro Airstrip to your park lodge. Travel times vary based on the sector if you begin in Kigali, Rwanda.

Gorilla Tracking for The Disabled Elderly Senior Citizens: Visas and Permits

The East African Tourist Visa allows people to enter Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya. This makes combining gorilla tracking excursions in Rwanda and Uganda more convenient. While Rwanda charges USD 1500 per day for gorilla licences, Uganda charges USD 700.

Finally, don’t let your disability or age prevent you from beginning the great experience of gorilla tracking. This magnificent adventure is available to everybody thanks to sedan chairs and competent guides. Prepare for a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with these gorgeous creatures and their natural habitat.