The Oldest Person to Trek Gorillas in Bwindi – The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the steep ridges and misty valleys of Kabale, Kisoro, and Kanungu districts. It covers an area of about 331 square kilometers. Bwindi consists mainly of montane and lowland forests that serve as habitats for diverse wildlife species, ranging from 1160m to 2607m above sea level.
Being a tropical rainforest, Bwindi receives heavy rainfall of about 1500mm to 1900mm and acts as a water catchment area for five major rivers that flow into Lake Albert.
Bwindi was established as a national park mainly to protect the endangered mountain gorillas that were going extinct due to poaching, diseases, and habitat loss, among other factors.
Bwindi is home to 120 mammal species, including elephants, 360 species of birds such as the white-tailed blue flycatcher, brown-necked parrot, Fraser’s eagle-owl, and the African green broadbill, among others. It also has 1000 flowering plants, 163 tree species, and 104 fern species.
Bwindi hosts 11 ape species, with mountain gorillas being the main tourist attraction. Other species include colobus monkeys, chimpanzees, baboons, and red-tailed monkeys.
In 1991, Bwindi was declared a national park, and the first gorilla family opened for tourism was the Mubare gorilla family. Currently, Bwindi has 20 gorilla families open for tourism in different sectors of the park, including Rushegura, Bitukura, Habinyanja, Oruzogo, Nshongi, Nkuringo, Bweza, Mishaya, Kahungye, and Busingye, among others.
Bwindi is a popular national park due to its mountain gorillas, making it a major destination for tourists who want to engage in gorilla trekking.
The Oldest Person to Trek Gorillas in Bwindi
The oldest person to trek gorillas in Bwindi was Laura Sonnino, a 94-year-old tourist from Italy. Laura Sonnino trekked gorillas on March 14, 2013, and since then, she holds the record as the oldest person to trek mountain gorillas.
Born on May 20, 1919, Laura successfully trekked the Nkuringo Gorilla family and had a wonderful experience with these magnificent creatures.
In 2002, Laura attempted trekking in Buhoma but found it challenging due to the rugged terrain. In 2013, Laura planned and organized effectively for her gorilla trekking, which was her life dream.
She commissioned 12 strong porters to carry her on a stretcher to and from the gorilla location at a fee of $300, completing the trek in the shortest time possible.
Bwindi is favorable for trekking even for older people, though prior planning is essential for a favorable trekking experience.
