Great Gorilla Run 2018

London, United Kingdom

Gorilla Run: A charitable event that sees hundreds of gorilla costumes and a lot of laughter

Grab your gorilla costume and run through the streets of the UK’s capital city to bring some much-needed awareness and support to this animal welfare and conservation charity. 2018 will be the Great Gorilla Run’s 16^th season where you can be part of a sponsored run through London. This event is a day filled with laughter, community spirit, and some friendly competition.

The Great Gorilla Run is an event that raises funds for mountain gorillas which are on the very edge of extinction with less than 1000 left. Participating in this run and gathering sponsors will help this species thrive again. The charity uses the donations and funds raised to work side by side with local organizations to help mountain gorillas survive and encourage breeding so that this species can live on. The specific route for the run is yet to be confirmed but the run will be an 8km loop through the city.

You don’t have to run if you don’t want to, you can walk, skip, jog, jump, or even dance your way across the finish line, where celebrity ambassadors Bill Oddie and Stanley Johnson will be there to congratulate you and issue you with your well-deserved medal. The route will be a fairly flat one and as it is not a race, any level of runner is welcomed to join. Typically, the track travels through the very center of the city and past many famous landmarks. At the end of the event, there will be a party for all to join at the Tank And Paddle bar. Here, the event organizers will issue special awards and thank everyone for what I’m sure will be, another job well done.

Gorilla Run Dates and Registration

2018’s Great Gorilla Run will be on Sunday the 23^rd of September. To sign up for the run there is a registration fee of £60 which will also include a gorilla costume for you to keep. The costumes are usually posted to you prior to the event but for international participants, yours will be held for collection on the day of the run. Once you have officially signed up, you will then be able to set up an online sponsorship page.

Sponsors

There are many ways to gather sponsors for this worthy cause. Organisers have suggested people set a target of £200 but feel free to completely smash this number. The more sponsors, the better. You could ask friends, family, and co-workers to support you. You could even add your own twist like wearing a fancy-dress costume on top of your gorilla one to encourage donations. Some companies may be happy enough to sponsor you to wear a form of advertisement for them. Anything you can do to get people onboard with this fantastic charity is a bonus. Get those creative juices flowing and prepare for the Great Gorilla Run 2018. 

Places to stay for the Gorilla Run

A capital city as popular and busy as London will provide countless accommodation options. Every major hotel chain has hotels situated in London including Travel Lodge, The Hilton, Premier Inn, The Marriot, and Ibis, just to name a few. Alongside the obvious options, there are also several family-run B&Bs, self-catered apartments, guesthouses, and hostels to choose from. When it comes to booking your stay in London, prices will mostly vary due to major local events and school/public holidays. It is often found that booking further in advance will give you the best deals. Head to the map below for a choice of Airbnb’s and hotels in the city. 

Things to do in London

As with most capital cities, there are an unlimited number of events and activities to keep you entertained during your stay. London provides one of the best shopping experiences throughout the entire country, with chains often having super-sized stores up and down the main retail area of Oxford Street. Alongside the major brands, you can also find independent boutiques and a multitude of gift shops.

Head to Buckingham Palace to watch the soldiers march in The Changing Of The Guard, or grab the family and spend the day with the animals at London Zoo. Events, gigs, and performances are not hard to come by in London where bars and clubs offer regular live music and comedy nights. There are several theatres, arenas, and music halls all around the city that have events and concerts planned throughout the year.