Why Gorilla Tracking Is Therapy for depression

Gorilla Trekking is a humbling safari that gets you close to a wild family of mountain gorillas for just one golden hour. Mountain gorillas are residents of wild Bwindi Forest , Volcanoes National Park and Virunga national park

Gorilla Trekking gears

As humans, you may be depressed because of Work, family affairs, relationship issues, friends betrayal name it but trust me when you take a gorilla trekking vacation, you will never be the same again.

How Gorilla trekking is therapy for depression

Gorilla trekking requires to have booked a gorilla permit yet only a few are released each day for booking this means you have to keep trying to secure a gorilla permit.

When you finally secure a gorilla permit, it is like hitting a jack pot since you count yourself lucky to be a winner of the permit for that day. Only 8 gorilla permits are released for tourist to book on each day per gorilla trekking family. Only 14 gorilla trekking families are open for tourist viewing and the entire world has to secure permits for these few. Winning a gorilla tracking permit is also an achievement in life also.

You need to be physically fit so that you can keep up with the rest of the trekkers during gorilla trekking. This has to be done atleast before the day of gorilla tracking. By making some exercises, your mind is kept alert and awakened for some moments. This is the start of your therapeutical experience away from what is causing your depression.

Therapy When You Go For Gorilla trekking

Depression may make you feel worthless but during the gorilla trekking safari, you may start realizing your worth on every step you take into the forest and how capable you are.

Organizing for gorilla tracking the following day makes you feel stronger as this is a daring trip where you really do not know what to expect and your reaction when you are face to face with the wild primates.

On the day of gorilla trekking, you share the briefing point with other trekkers various people have different reasons for taking gorilla tracking experience like you. You may find a new friend to share this moment with.

You are divided into groups of 8 people from different origins. So as you walk with others, you keep interacting and talking. Listening to what others say is also part of your healing process. Working together and helping each other while in the forest is what makes this experience incredible.

Listen to the wild calling and breathe the freshness of the forest away from the usual noise and pollution. How rewarding is this during the moment  that you are going through. Carry on hiking and trekking through the boggy ground.

When you finally get to meet the mountain gorillas, it is an adrenaline stimulating moment yet exciting as you look into the eyes of the mountain gorillas. Everyone who looks at the picture of a mountain gorilla may think they are very violent animals but when you get to meet them,  you will be surprised by there serenity and the family cohesion they have. You will realize that despite there huge dark bodies, they are calm, work together, take care of there infants and the female are loyal to there polygamous male called the silver back.

Trust me you will return to the lodge with a changed mind and better thought for the issues you are going through.

A Gorilla Tracking Tour You Can Book When Depressed

 3 day Gorilla Tracking Tour in Uganda

3 day Gorilla trekking tour in Uganda is composed of two nights and three days to Bwindi Forest National Park.  It includes gorilla trekking but you must have booked a gorilla trekking permit prior. Prepare to enjoy 3 day in Uganda with the mountain gorillas which are wonderful giant among the apes. As free as nature provides, you may have an opportunity to encounter other primates such as black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, grey checked mangabey, red tailed monkeys the list is endless.

Day 1: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

This gorilla trekking safari starts with an early morning drive to Bwindi forest national Park.  Although the journey is quite long, it’s absolutely memorable as you spot wonderful scenery such as incredible highlands, green forest cover, meandering rivers on the valley of highlands and so much more enroute. The renowned Bwindi Forest National park is a thick ancient forest situated in southwestern part of Uganda. This breathtaking Forest is a habitat to the Mountain gorillas that are considered by UNESCO as one of few survivors of the ice age period. The forest is very thick with talk trees that form a very dense canopy at the top. Enjoy your lunch enroute and carry on passing the rolling hills of Kisoro. Arrive late in the evening and enjoy your dinner and overnight at:
Gorilla forest camp/ Gorilla Resort/lake Kitandara camp/Buhoma community Bandas

Day 2: Gorilla Tracking day

After your early morning breakfast, move to the ranger station for briefing. Carry a light backpack with the relevant gorilla tracking gear including packed lunch. For the safety of your skin, dress up in long trousers because there are stinging nettles in the forest. Join others for briefing at the station by the Uganda wildlife Authority ranger guide who will later lead you into the forest to start searching for the gigantic brown eyed mountain gorillas. Although the time you take to find these apes is not definite, the walk is rewarding as you may have an opportunity to meet other primates  like baboons, vervet monkeys, red tailed monkeys, grey tailed mangabey, black and white colobus monkeys the list is endless. After this remarkable encounter crown it up with a visit to the Batwa land probably if you are not so worked up. These are pygmies whose life full depended on Bwindi forest for survival till the early 90s when conservation of the mountain gorilla habitat by the government became reason to relocate them. To keep there ancient cultural candle burning they demonstrate there past way of life to there visitors through amazing stories and unique traditional performances. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Return Home After Gorilla Tracking

Finally after the 3 day gorilla trekking drive to Entebbe Airport to catch up with your flight back. In Uganda, this is the shortest gorilla trekking safari you can book.

Carrying a flashless camera is key because the mountain gorillas are normally scared by flash lights. It may also cause them to get angry and may think you are enemies.

Carry more Gorilla trekking gears like a rain coat, tracking boots, garden gloves