Gorilla Trek VR Experience
Now Open!
Located in the VR Zone of the San Francisco Zoo & Gardens, this virtual reality experience will literally change the way you view animal conservation. Tickets will be available at the experience and are separate from Zoo admission tickets.
“Gorilla Trek” Experience
Travel to the extinct volcanoes of Rwanda in central Africa. Trek with world-renowned primatologist Dr. Tara Stoinski, CEO of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, up 10,000 feet to visit a remarkable family of mountain gorillas. Witness for the first time in 3D virtual reality the unique family dynamics that pit one silverback mountain gorilla against another for control of the gorilla family. There are just over one thousand mountain gorillas left in the world and it is vitally important to study the behavior of these amazing animals so that we can help save them from extinction.
“Gorilla Trek” Story Summary
Meet Charles, a silverback mountain gorilla who leads his family known as the Umubano family. This family is unique because there are five other silverbacks who would like to be the alpha, but only one silverback makes the decisions for the family. And for many years it has been Charles. One silverback, Zirikana challenges Charles for control of the family. At first, his challenges are subtle. As time goes on his threatening behavior leads to a physical confrontation with Charles. In the end, Charles remains the dominant silverback and Ziracana is left with a choice: stay with the group and continue to be submissive to Charles or leave the only family he has known to forge his own path in the Rwanda rainforest.
Gorilla Trek VR Theater Description
The Gorilla Trek Virtual Reality (VR) Theater is a ground-breaking, new interactive experience that transports guests from The San Francisco Zoo’s VR Zone to the high-elevation forests of Rwanda. This 360-degree VR documentary, combined with motion-platform seating, offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience of trekking with mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. During the experience, guests will join primatologist Dr. Tara Stoinski of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund on a trip into the dense and unforgiving Volcanoes National Park. Dr. Stoinski leads the VR experience while documenting the family dynamics of a majestic and critically endangered group of mountain gorillas. The immersive film takes guests deep into the forest where they experience frolicking baby gorillas playing under their mother’s watchful eyes while the alpha silverback protects his family and subordinate males vie for leadership.
