Cost of Hiring a Sedan Chair for Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi

What is the cost of Hiring a Sedan Chair or Traditional Stretcher In Bwindi? A traditional Stretcher for gorilla trekking in Bwindi costs between $300 – $500 per chair per day. The cost covers a day’s wage for a team of local porters. These will carry you back & forth to where the Gorillas are found.

Important: There are very few Sedan chairs available at the various Gorilla trekking locations/sectors in Bwindi. We, therefore, advise that you plan to pre-book this with your local tour operator to avoid any inconveniences.

The Process of hiring a Sedan Chair or traditional stretcher for Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi

If you think you might need to use a sedan chair to get to see the mountain gorillas in Bwindi, you’ll need to let your tour operator know at the initial stage of Planning your gorilla trekking holiday. When making reservations for your Gorilla Trekking Permit, your tour operator will then ensure that they secure a permit. He’ll make sure you get the permit at the location where a sedan chair is available.

Top Tip: The best way to ensure you reserve the sedan chair is by making a payment/deposit. This will allow your tour operator to book a sedan chair for the day/date of your trek. This way you are sure to have your sedan chair /traditional stretcher ride to where the Mountain gorillas will be.

Safari Vacations and Travel Services will fully assist you in booking the gorilla safari. Our reviews show that we have done that before and we continue doing it for our clients.

Frequently Asked Questions about Gorilla Trekking on a Sedan Chair or Traditional Stretcher

How safe is going gorilla trekking in a Sedan chair or traditional stretcher?

Gorilla trekking on a Sedan chair or traditional stretcher is very safe. The team of local porters that carries you to where the Gorillas are on the day of your trek is very energetic. (Don’t judge them by their slim size, age, height, etc). These guys will carry you in turns – four at a time. Hence, you’ll have a team of at least 12 able-bodied African men. These men have trekked the expanses of this impenetrable forest before – this is no experiment. They have done this before. Simply sit back and relax.

Is it ethical to have people carry you around on a Sedan chair or traditional stretcher?

The answer to this might vary from an individual perspective. Some may look at it as though taking us back to the Colonial times when African slaves carried their masters. Forget it and let us look at it as the only best alternative for people who want to see gorillas but are limited by age, or physical ability. Let’s be fair, it’s probably either they see the gorillas aided by the use of a sedan chair or traditional handwoven bamboo stretcher, or never. You only live once, do what you have got to do especially if you can afford it.

Is there a weight limit for the person booking/using the Sedan chair or traditional stretcher?

There is currently no set weight limit for the person being carried in a Sedan chair or traditional stretcher to see the gorillas. Simply show up and these guys will carry you up to the gorillas.

Note: We have in the past witnessed a Person of at least 150 kgs easily carried up to the mountain gorillas in Bwindi. Therefore, we have so much faith in these local porters. However, the price of hiring a Sedan chair or traditional stretcher might change. The change may be due to the weight/size of the person the stretcher will carry.

Is the payment ($300 – $500) valid for my additional gorilla treks in Bwindi?

The charge we have mentioned herein in this article is a daily charge. If you have more than one gorilla permit and would like to be carried in a Sedan chair or traditional stretcher for both trips, then ask your tour operator to try and negotiate a special discount well -in advance. Please remember to pre-pay for Sedan chairs or traditional stretchers. This is because it is the only way you’ll be sure it is booked/saved for you. Last-minute Sedan chair or traditional stretcher bookings are possible by might even cost a lot more. Sometimes, you might find when they are all booked, in case you didn’t book in advance.

What to expect on the day that you’ll be going gorilla trekking on a Sedan chair or traditional stretcher

On the day of your gorilla trek, you will go for a briefing about the dos & don’ts of gorilla trekking. You might be requested to wait a couple of minutes/hours up until the gorillas have been located. The team of local porters under the supervision of a Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Ranger will then discuss among themselves and will agree on the best, and shortest route to get to the location where the gorillas have been sighted. Getting there might involve driving to a location, and then being carried to the gorilla location. This process is entirely at their discretion, and all you’ll need to do is follow their advice. They know best how to succeed on your gorilla trek, so please cooperate.

When is the best time to go gorilla trekking on a Sedan chair or traditional stretcher?

While it’s possible to go gorilla trekking in a Sedan chair or traditional stretcher all year round, we recommend planning to do this in the drier season months of June – August, or December – February. During this time, the grounds are fairly drier. This makes it a lot less challenging to navigate for the team of porters carrying you up into the mountains.

Safari Vacations and Travel Services has generated experience with wildlife and gorillas over the years. This is evident when you see what others experienced while on a safari with us. You can find these reviews on TripAdvisor and Safari Bookings. Start now by filling out the form below.