Management of Gorilla Tourism: Rules and Protocol

Gorillas are endangered care must be taken

Before setting off to see the gorillas:

• To protect the health of the gorillas, wash your hands before setting out.
• Please use clean tracking clothes for each gorilla visit; please clean your shoes carefully before and after each trekking visit.  
• If you feel sick (with diarrhea, sore throat, fever, and recurrent cough) you should not go visit gorillas. For tourists, please notify the headquarters office. 
• If you have a chronic illness such as heart disease, emphysema, or arthritis, please reconsider your decision to trek. 
• You must be able to approach the gorillas on foot.  If not, you need to purchase extra permits for those who need to assist you, up to a maximum of 8 visitors.
• Please use the restroom before you leave park headquarters

While You Are in the Park:

• Do not enter the park without a guide.
• “Leave No Trace”.  Or Take only Photos.  Leave only Footprints.
• Avoid unnecessarily damaging any plants.
• If you must relieve yourself (number two, long call) bury solid waste (take toilet tissue with you) at least 30 cm (one foot.)
• Leave all backpacks, walking sticks, food and drink, at least 100 meters from gorillas (the length of a football/soccer field) or even outside the park. 
• No smoking.
• Please speak softly.
• No spitting.