What are the Rules of Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trekking in Rwanda?
When trekking to find mountain gorillas or chimpanzees, it’s important to be quiet so as not to startle them. It’s also essential to volunteer to stay behind if you’re sick with a contagious illness like the flu, cough, or Covid-19. Dumping garbage in the forest should be avoided, as it disrupts the natural environment where these primates live.
Maintain a distance of about 7 meters from mountain gorillas or chimpanzees to reduce the risk of spreading infections to these vulnerable animals. Never enter the forest without a ranger guide to protect you from potentially dangerous encounters with other animals or getting lost.
If you need to make a long call, ask the ranger guide to dig a hole at least 30 centimeters deep for proper waste disposal. Avoid touching or flashing lights at the mountain gorillas or chimpanzees, as this can disturb them and cause stress.
Feeding the animals is prohibited as they need to forage for their own food in their natural habitat. Likewise, spitting on vegetation should be avoided to prevent the spread of germs to the primates.
The minimum age for Rwanda gorilla trekking is 15 years, while for chimpanzee trekking it’s 12 years. This is because individuals of these ages are better able to endure the challenges of the jungle compared to younger children.
Visitors are only allowed to spend one hour with fully habituated mountain gorillas and chimpanzees for conservation purposes. Flash photography is also prohibited as it can frighten the animals and disrupt their natural behavior.
