Gorilla trekking in Congo is an extremely sensitive activity, and for anyone to indulge in it, they should adhere to the recommended gorilla trekking rules and regulations and must be followed carefully to guarantee a trouble free trekking experience and realize sustainability of gorilla tourism in Congo. However, it is important to note that these rules and regulations can as well apply to gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda.

Prior to tracking, visitors must adhere to the following rules;

  1. A maximum number of 8 guests are only allowed to visit a group of habituated gorillas in a given day. This is mainly to minimize behavioral disturbance to the gorillas and the risk of their exposure to human-borne diseases.
  2. Always wash your hands before you move out to the gorillas.
  3. Get a walking stick, if you are not used to move through the muddy jungles.
  4. When you are getting close to these amazing creatures, the guides will inform you to get ready with cameras, and minimize noise.

During trekking gorillas, visitors ought to observe the following minimum instructions as will be made clear by the guide;

  1. A 7m distance should be maintained all the time away from the gorillas. The further you give them space the more they become free and comfortable with your presence.
  2. You must stay in tight groups and your voice kept as low as possible, not to scare the gorillas.
  3. Keep your voices down at all times. However, it is okay to ask the guide questions.
  4. Don’t smoke, drink and eat when you are near the gorillas. Eating or drinking increases the risk of food/drink morsels/droplets falling, which could intensify the chances of spreading diseases.
  5. Sometimes the gorillas can charge, and become furious towards visitors. In this case, follow the ranger’s example (crouch down slowly, gorillas are shy, so do not look them directly in the eyes and do not be tempted to run as this may aggravate the situation).
  6. Flash photography is not allowed as well! Move gently and carefully when taking pictures.
  7. Do not try to touch them, since gorillas are wild and not domestic animals.
  8. The maximum time you can spend with the gorillas is one hour. However, if the gorillas become upset or frightened, the ranger guide may finish the visit early.
  9. After the visit keep your voices down until you are 200 meters away from the gorillas.

Travelers on gorilla safaris in Congo gather at Bukima station at 8am for briefing before setting out to the jungle of Virunga National Park in search of these critically endangered species. For a much more memorable experience, the travelers can incorporate Nyiragongo volcano climbing adventure.