Minimum age for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park
Minimum age for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park: Mgahinga is a small national park in the southwestern part of Uganda is one of the areas where mountain gorilla trekking can be done. Other areas where mountain gorilla trekking can be done are Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, Virunga national park, and Mgahinga national park. For all national parks where mountain gorilla trekking does take place, the official gorilla trekking age limit is 15 years.
Minimum age for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park
There are so many tourists who move with their children on gorilla trekking safaris and wonder if the kids are allowed to trek or not. Well from today onwards, you need to know that the gorilla trekking age limit in all national parks Mgahinga national park inclusive is 15 years. It’s only in a few special cases that a teenager below the age of 15 years is allowed to trek mountain gorillas in Mgahinga national park.
The age of teenagers that are interested in trekking mountain gorillas is normally confirmed using their passport details or other official identity cards. The confirmation of age is done by the reservationist at Uganda Wildlife Authority which is a government body responsible for issuing gorilla permits since it manages and controls park activities.
Mountain gorilla trekking is a once in a lifetime experience for so many travelers and there are parents who save to take their families with them on to gorilla trekking safaris. Among the families could be those that are teenagers but as long as the child is 15 years and above they will be allowed to trek because UWA says they are old enough to follow the rules and regulations.
Why is the minimum age for gorilla trekking set at 15 years?
Children 15 years and above are believed to be mature enough to follow the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking activity. There are rules of gorilla trekking set for the safety of mountain gorillas and the people who trek. Among the rules which minors can’t follow is keeping voices low while around the apes, staying in the group, and keeping a distance or crouching down when the mountain gorilla comes so close.
Children below the age of 15 years have communicable diseases in most cases. Flu and cough are so common in children that are below the age of 15 years. Mountain gorillas are close relatives to human beings and can be vulnerable to human diseases. In case the young ones with transmittable diseases come into contact with the apes they will spread diseases like flu and cough.
Children below the age of 15 years might not be fit enough. Mountain gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park requires a good level of fitness because going through the trails for 2 to 7 hours is not as easy as you think. There are difficult places to go through and the minors might get tired asking to trek down the jungle or might delay the speed of trekking making the trekking hours longer.
Mountain gorillas are still wild animals although they are fully habituated and used to human presence around them. Kids might threaten the mountain gorillas by looking directly into their eyes or making noise and when the mountain gorillas feel insecure, they might charge which children can’t handle the situation.
Young children are playful so there is fear that they might carry the same to the jungle. Children above the age of 15 years are believed to be mature enough therefore they can follow the rules and regulations of the trekking activity compared to young ones below the age of 15 years. Children below 15 years of age might play in the jungle and get lost or even slow down the speed of trekkers.
Even after seeing the reasons as to why minors are not allowed, there are people that still as if there is a chance for a child below the age of 15 years to trek gorillas. Well, it’s nowadays very possible for a child below the age of 15 years to trek mountain gorillas in Mgahinga national park but in special cases which include the following.
A child might not have the required age for gorilla trekking by the time of booking gorilla permits but will be 15 years at the time of trekking. By providing the passport details of the child or the birth certificate for the child, UWA will book the gorilla permit and your child will be able to be part of the gorilla trekking activity.
A child below the age of 15 years is also able to go gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park when he or she looks mature enough and physically fit to complete the trekking. The parents will be asked to send photos of the child and the physical weight that must be current. The parents must sign a document assuring UWA that their child will be able to complete trekking.
Tourists who want to travel with their children to Mgahinga national park on their gorilla trekking safari can do so and to the unlucky ones there are always child activities at the lodge or park offices. There are children’s activities in Mgahinga national park that children can be doing while you are in the jungle trekking.
