Level of Fitness needed to Trek Gorillas
How fit do I need to be for mountain gorilla trekking? This is a frequently asked question by intending gorilla trekkers (mostly novices). Well, you need just basic fitness to have an enjoyable gorilla trekking safari. The real planning for gorilla trekking starts from the mind, and not when you have acquired the gorilla trekking permit. The moment you put it in your mind that you desire to fulfill your lifetime dream of meeting the mountain gorillas, the actual planning starts immediately and this involves ensuring that you are emotionally ready as well as being physically fit for the adventure. It is not as if you have to be an athlete to be able to track the mountain gorillas but basic fitness is important to achieve a memorable tracking experience. The good news is that mountain gorilla tracking is not as strenuous as mountaineering/mountain climbing in the Rwenzori Mountains or Mount Kilimanjaro of Tanzania.
The fact that gorilla permits have to be booked 6 months in advance prior to tracking, that period of time (6 months) is enough to keep you physically fit for the gorilla trekking safari. Some elements of gorilla trekking are obvious such as obtaining a passport, knowing the packing list and carrying the right things, but the fitness levels for gorilla trekking are very crucial to achieve a memorable gorilla trekking experience.
Generally, gorilla trekking adventure is not a nature walk like you do in the National Parks and Zoos but is a strenuous activity with no clear trails within the dense Jungles hence paths/trails have to be created during hiking. Unlike Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Volcanoes National Park is not very steep and strenuous to hike through during gorilla trekking. However, venturing into an unknown place like Volcanoes National Park can be so discouraging especially when the terrain of the home range of the group you will be tracking is quite unpredictable, hence it is important to get more information on the gorilla groups. It is therefore undeniable that the level of difficulty depends on the groups you have been allocated to (allocation depends on age, level of fitness and personal desire), hence tourists are always advised to make their desires known to the ranger guides. The Rushegura group and other groups within Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National park and Sabinyo group of Volcanoes National Park are abit easier to track, and you can always insist on those groups if you are older (50 years are above) or are not physically fit. Nevertheless, do not expect easy hikes because mountain gorillas are like other wild animals that are not stationed in one place but keep moving to other locations. A hike that you may expect to be easy may turn into a nightmare when you hike through very steep areas yet you expected an easier hike or was misinformed that the group is easy to hike.
Therefore, it is important to start exercising the moment you confirm and acquire the gorilla permits so as to keep your body conditioned for the activity. Also, on the day of tracking you have to hire a porter to carry your backpack (that contains drinking water, insect repellent and packed lunch) and also to support you during hiking. Unlike you who are new to the elevation of areas inhabited by mountain gorillas, these porters are used to the elevations, hence already possess the required physical fitness and climb easily as if they are moving on a flat ground. Besides the help rendered by porters during hiking, these people are not Park employees, but majority of them are rather ex-poachers trying to earn a decent living to support their families. The most interesting thing is that the porters are good at their jobs and will make your safari memorable; yet hiring them also allows local community members to benefit from tourism.
The walking stick is much recommended to aid tracking especially in the wet season when the hiking trails are muddy and slippery and also for climbing to areas of higher elevations. Some safari lodges provide walking sticks to their clients, and you can buy them from the trailheads or are sometimes provided free of charge from the briefing centers.
In conclusion, gorilla trekking adventure is a memorable yet strenuous adventure that requires trekkers to be physically fit in order to hike through areas of higher elevations. However, you don’t need to be an athlete to be able to track mountain gorillas but basic fitness will do.