Gorillas are very intriguing creatures and an encounter with them is considered to be one of the greatest wildlife experiences. There are four subspecies of gorillas including mountain gorillas. Mountain gorillas are only found in three countries namely Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 
total, only about 1000 mountain gorillas remain in the wild making them one of the most endangered of the gorilla subspecies.
Because of their endangered status, tourists come in the thousands to see them. It is every wildlife traveler’s dream to see mountain gorillas in their natural setting. Not even the high price of gorilla permits will discourage them. In Rwanda gorilla permits cost $1500 per person, in Uganda $700 and in Congo $450.
Gorilla Trekking for the elderly and people with disabilities
Gorilla trekking can be physically and mentally challenging. In order to get to the primates, trackers have to go through thick forest, steep and muddy trails for long hours. If you’re not fit or prepared enough, you could easily fail to catch up with your group. The elderly, disabled and unfit may find the difficult conditions in the jungle even more challenging.
Before gorilla trekking, there is briefing conducted by the park Warden and other Rangers. Immediately after the briefing, all travelers will be required to show their passports. Older travelers and those who are unfit are assigned to gorilla groups which are closer to the park offices. Anyone who feels unfit can request the wardens to go for an easier hike. If a traveler is disabled or cannot walk for long distances, they can use a sedan chair and porters to carry them right up to where the gorillas are located.
Some travelers may find the easier hike boring and prefer to go after gorilla groups living far away from the starting point. If that is the case, they can also request to be allocated a gorilla group further away from the briefing point. The advantages of going after a distant gorilla family is that you get to explore the forest more including different types of vegetation, free flowing streams, smaller primates, colorful birds and butterflies. You may even encounter forest elephants or buffaloes if you are lucky.
It is important for travelers to disclose any fitness concerns they may have to their tour operators at the time of booking. The Tour operator can then prepare in advance or inform park authorities about a travelers fitness concerns. In such scenarios, you also need to book your gorilla tour in advance so that plans are made to ensure that you have the most memorable trek. Remember that only 8 people can visit a particular gorilla family in a day. Travelers with any special needs must book their tour early to avoid missing out especially during the peak season.
How is gorilla trekking for people with disabilities arranged?
After confirming a tour and indicating that you are disabled, unfit or an elder, the tour operator will begin arranging things on the ground. The tour operator will arrange for a special sedan chair with porters to carry it. The tour operator will also arrange a special safari van to take you up to the starting point of the trek. Once there, you will find the porters and sedan chairs ready. The sedan seats have seat belts, a steel-base and handlers which make it easy for the porters to lift up. Four porters carry the sedan chair at any given point. The other 6 porters follow the group and wait for their turn to takeover. The porters will carry the traveler until the gorillas are found. After you have spotted the gorillas, taken photos and enjoyed the fun, the porters will take you back to the starting point where you will find the company Driver/Guide waiting.
What is the cost of gorilla trekking for older travelers needing a Sedan chair? The cost of gorilla trekking for elderly travelers is the same as those of any other traveler. The only difference is that they need to top-up between $400 to $500 for hiring the stretcher or sedan seat and about 10 porters. The porters carry the elder in turns while the rest carry their cameras, bags, sanitary items, foods and drinks. Hiring these porters is one way of supporting the local people financially. They are less likely to attack the primates if they know what they would be missing. For information about the standard cost of gorilla trekking, read this article.
Best place to go for gorilla trekking as an elder or person with disability
The ideal gorilla trekking destination for the elderly or people with disabilities is Bwindi Impenetrable National park in Uganda. Unlike other mountain gorilla destinations, Bwindi Impenetrable National park is located on a lower attitude. The relatively flatter terrain, makes it easier for older travelers and those who are unfit to find the gorillas. Bwindi impenetrable national park is also arguably the most popular gorilla trekking destination. It is a home to almost half of the total population of mountain gorillas in the world. Of the 52 gorilla groups in Bwindi, 20 are habituated.
Given the sheer size of Bwindi forest, the gorillas are found in four sectors. These include Buhoma, Nkuringo, Ruhija and Rushaga. These sectors differ in natural features and landscape but with the same 
ecosystem. The availability of gorilla permits depends on the sector you would be visiting. Once a traveler discloses his/her limitations in advance, the tour operator will have enough time to book with a sector that is more convenient.
Among the four sectors in Bwindi, Ruhija is the perfect place to go to for people with disabilities and the elderly. This is because Ruhija has more gorilla families residing close to the starting point of the trek. This makes them easy to find and thus more suitable for the unfit or people with other limitations. On a fortunate day, trackers can find the gorillas within 30 minutes. However, this is not guaranteed because gorillas are nomadic. It is very hard to predict when and where to find them. Never 
the less, most of the gorilla groups in Ruhija stay close to the starting point.
Before booking your tour, it is important to spend time reading about the different gorilla groups in Bwindi – especially Ruhija and Buhoma sector. The information will enable you know which gorilla families are closer to the starting point of the trek. After knowing your preferred gorilla group, you can then inform your tour operator about your choice. The tour operator will book gorilla permits in the sector you want and inform the park authorities about your choice.
Additional information about gorilla trekking for those with disabilities
Whereas Bwindi is considered to be the best park for gorilla trekking, driving to the park takes about 8 hours. In order to avoid this long distance drive, an elder is advised to book a flight from Entebbe 
International Airport to one of the 2 airfields close to Bwindi. AeroLink has domestic flights from Entebbe to Kisoro and also Kihihi airstrip. They charge about $283 for a one-way flight. Though expensive, charter flights cuts traveling time by 8 hours.
Some budget travelers may not afford the domestic flight to Bwindi. In this case, they should request for a comfortable car which is customized for people with disabilities if applicable. The driver should make stopovers so that the elder has a chance to rest, take lunch and visit the toilet. In order to reduce on driving time, the elder can book trips to other national parks along the way. In this way, the tour operator can make stops in the other national parks for safaris before proceeding to Bwindi or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
There are countless lodges within and outside Bwindi impenetrable forest offering budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation facilities. Elderly travelers or those with disabilities must ensure that the lodge chosen has the right facilities or is built to allow comfortable movement.
What about the packing list? Ensure that you travel with all your medical equipment and medicines. Do not forget to come with a rain jacket, cap and sunglasses. Expect to get hungry or thirsty while out tracking the primates. Request your hotel to pack for you bottled water and light snack before heading out to the park offices. Other import items to include on your gorilla trekking packing list include sanitizers, face masks, insect repellents and toiletries. Finally, do not forget to pack the right hiking boots and clothes that cover as much part of your body as possible.
