Gorilla trekking And Wildlife Safari In Rwanda, How to Book Rwanda Safari

Travelling to do gorilla trekking and wildlife safaris in Rwanda takes you to pristine Volcanoes National Park and Akagera National Park. For Gorilla trekking safaris in Rwanda you must book a gorilla permit a ticket that allows you to be part of gorilla trekking for the day. Before entry into Akagera National Park, you must pay park entrance fees.

Rwanda is a country generally bestowed with unique natural beauties that is one of the reasons why it is referred to as the Switzerland of Africa. The topography of Rwanda was influenced by serious volcanic action that ended in the formation of several highlands.

The tourism season of Rwanda has two main seasons that is the peak season that is to say June to September, December to January and low season that is March to May and November. Both seasons have unique and interesting safari moments depending on your reason for visiting Rwanda.

For gorilla trekking in Rwanda, the country currently has about 12 gorilla trekking families open to the public yet maximum 8 gorilla permits are open to the public. This number was minimized to reduce on the effects of mass tourism because mountain gorillas depend on supplies from the forest mainly.

During wildlife safaris in Rwanda, note that Akagera National Park is a recovering game park but has a lot to see beyond the wild animals.

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What to expect on Rwanda gorilla trekking and wildlife safari

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda

The gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda takes you to the home of the few leftover mountain gorillas there is in the world. Volcanoes National Park is one of the only four noted habitants for the mountain gorillas including Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, Virunga National Park in D.R.Congo and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda.

Expect to attend early morning briefing to before gorilla trekking where details about the most recent traits of the mountain gorillas are communicated, how to behave before or when with the gorillas.

The trails to follow in Volcanoes National Park are usually wet, soggy and slippery from the rains that regularly fall yet the dense canopy of volcanoes National Park doesn’t allow more sunray penetration.

Expect to by pass other primates during the gorilla trekking activity including black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, grey checked mangabey, blue monkeys, olive baboons and more.

Gorilla trekking experience in Rwanda is quite steep as the topography of the park is composed of several highlands. Five of the six Virunga Volcanoes are part of the features in this park that is Mountain Gahinga, Muhavura, Bisoke, Sabyinyo and Karisimbi. Sometimes the mountain gorillas spend time deep in the valley or on the slopes yet you have to locate them.

When with the mountain gorillas, ensure to abide by the gorilla trekking rules because these were set after deep research on the behavior of these primates. Only one hour of gorilla trekking is allowed to minimize on the effects of mass tourism to the environment where these primates thrive.

Wild Game safari in Akagera National Park Rwanda

The game safaris in Akagera National Park take you to the only home of wild animals in Rwanda. Akagera National Park is home to the big five but a recovering game park too. The biggest population of wild animals in Akagera National Park was affect by the past civil wars, poaching, massive land encroachment that happened in Rwanda.

Currently, the restoration of Akagera National Park is in high gear and so far great progress has been registered as the population of wild animals is increasing all the time though there are less carnivores.

During the game drive in Akagera National Park expect to see giraffes, waterbucks, bushbucks, zebras, herds of buffaloes, elephants, a few sightings of lions, leopards, hyenas and others.

A number of birds are residents of Akagera National Park too.

A boat cruise on Lake Ihema is relaxing especially after the game drive under the scotching sun.

5 day Gorilla trekking and Game Safari in Rwanda

Day 1 : Drive to Volcanoes National Park

Our driver guide will pick you from your overnight facility and drive to Volcanos National Park. From Kigali, the drive time to Volcanoes National Park is about 3 hours covering a distance of about 179 km.

Along the way, enjoy the rolling hills of the countryside, lush evergreen vegetation, cool breeze, deep valleys, the happy local along the way that may wave at you and much more.

Do not expect a smooth ride all through because the roads in the countryside are quite bumpy.

Alternatively, you can travel by air from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park.

Accommodation Volcanoes National Park: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Mountain Gorilla View, Kinigi Guest House

Day 2 Gorilla Trekking In Volcanoes National Park

Get up for breakfast, carry your packed lunch and gorilla trekking gears to report to the ranger station. Your documents and gorilla trekking permit will be verified and then head for briefing. In case you need a porter, you may request to hire one at this point which is about $20 to $30 depending on your baggage.

After briefing, each tourist is allocated a gorilla trekking family to trek but the criteria used is quite hard to determine. Finally, when you start searching for the mountain gorillas, you may encounter of forest dwellers including different monkey species, a number of other mammals, several bird species and others.

When you locate the mountain gorillas only one hour is allowed with them but you need to maximize it to the best of your interests without crossing the gorilla trekking experience boundaries.

Get way from the mountain gorillas after one hour in a manner that is advised by the ranger guides. Without causing any distress to the mountain gorillas.

Return to the lodge to relax

Day 3 Drive to Akagera National Park

 After breakfast, drive to Akagera National park in western part of Rwanda. Enjoy the amazing features that compose the terrain of Rwanda. The drive time from Volcanoes National Park to Akagera National Park is about 4 hours to 5 hours.

Accommodation in Akagera National Park

Day 4 Game drive and Boat trip in Akagera National Park

The most rewarding game drive time in Akagera National Park is early morning or late afternoon. During the game drives on the trucks of this park you may spot herds of Uganda kobs, waterbucks, bushbucks, reedbucks, zebras, buffaloes, elephants, lions, leopards and others. Keen birders have so much to enjoy from the presence of several bird species that form part of the park.

After lunch, return to the lodge for lunch then proceed to do a boat trip on lake Ihema. From the comfort of the boat, enjoy the stunning view of the surrounding, several birds that flock the park and more.

Get back to the lodge to relax.

Day 5 Departure

After enjoying the Rwanda safari to do gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park and game drive in Akagera National Park get back your lodge to relax.

How To Get To Volcanoes National Park And Akagera National Park

From Kigali, the distance to volcanoes National Park is about 179 kilometers taking about 3 hours’ drive. The roads in the countryside of Rwanda may sometimes get messy and are bumpy but you need a 4×4 wheel drive vehicle to navigate. Having a professional and knowledgeable driver guide is an added advantage as you get to know the most current information about the mountain gorillas.

Charter flights are available from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park however advance arrangement is required to make necessary clearance

The distance from Volcanoes National Park to Akagera National Park is about 236 kilometers and drive time is about four to five hours. There two routes from Akagera National Park from volcanoes National Park that is via Kigali or NR19.

Best Time To Do Gorilla Trekking And Game Safari In Rwanda

The dry season when the area within and around Volcanoes National Park is less moist. Volcanoes rain forest in Rwanda is known to receive untimely rains yet it has a dense canopy that allows less sunray penetration.

The dry season that is normally June to September and December to early February is characterized with drier trails, the mountain gorillas spend more time closer to the ground and others. As you explore Volcanoes forest, you get to spot more forest inhabitants including other mammals, an array of birds, multitudes of natural tree species and others.

Note that the demand for gorilla permits is over the top in Rwanda during the dry season and this is the peak tourism season too. As the demand for Rwanda gorilla trekking permits gets more demanding in the dry season, this leave no room for last minute bookings.

In the wet season gorilla trekking in Rwanda still goes on even though the way is quite challenging to maneuver. Most of the time the mountain gorillas spend time at more elevated points that is ion the slopes, deep in the valleys, up in trees and other sheltered points. You need to have patience to trace the mountain gorillas.

What Assurance Can I Have To See The Mountain Gorillas During Gorilla Trekking In Rwanda

The presence of mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park is undoubtedly a sure deal with about 99% chances of finding them.

After briefing and allocating you the gorilla trekking family, the ranger guide leads all tourists via the trail heading where the gorilla family was last seen the previous day.

Mountain gorillas occupy a particular feeding area for sometime which makes it possible to trace them and can only relocate when the food supply is insufficient. The gorilla trekking family may move from this location but normally not far from the previous feeding spot.

Each day a team of ranger guides follows the mountain gorillas before tourists make their way into the forest. Some of the clues the early risers give are what ranger guides with tourists use to trace the mountain gorillas’ possible way about.

By listening carefully and following the clues left behind by the gorilla trekking family with the help of the tourists, you may get to find the mountain gorillas. Some of the clues the gorilla families leave behind include fresh dung, foot prints, freshly chewed foliage and others.

How Secure Is Gorilla Trekking Safari In Rwanda

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is secure so even though this adventure happens in the wilderness, be assured of security.

Each gorilla trekking group of tourists is always in company of a ranger guide and a tourism police personnel. The ranger guide carries a machete were as the tourism police person carries a rifle in case of an emergency. Never enter the gorilla trekking safari habitants without an escorting ranger guide.

The ranger guide follows the pace of the slowest trekker during gorilla trekking so that none is forgotten in the forest however do not delay the rest. This is because you are not sure of when to locate the mountain gorillas.

Each tourists must attend briefing before gorilla trekking in Rwanda no matter how many times you may have participated in the this adventure in the past. This is to re-eco the rules of gorilla trekking explain the most recent updates about gorilla trekking based on the most recent findings from researchers.

Keep up with the rules of gorilla trekking when with the mountain gorillas as explained by the ranger guides especially when with these primates. Try not to provoke the gorilla family because they may retaliate.

When you observe some odd behavior amongst the mountain gorillas, do not panic but remain calm as you wait for the ranger guide to find the cause of the matter. You need to flexible to the new instructions as these may be some of the ways to calm the situation.

Why Book Gorilla Trekking And Wildlife Safaris In Rwanda

Arch Safaris And tours is a professional safari company with the aim of providing the best African safari experience. We are ready to lift off your shoulder the burden of having to plan and find the funds to support the gorilla trekking and wildlife tour in Uganda. At Arch Safaris we have over 8 years experience in planning African safaris including gorilla tours in both Uganda and Rwanda.

Contact us on matters concerning booking gorilla permits, accommodations, additional safari activities to combine with gorilla trekking and game safari in Rwanda.

Our Email is Info@archsafarisandtours.com or +256 752685997