How To Visit Rwanda For Gorilla Trekking Safari  

When on a visit to Rwanda for gorilla trekking safari, you have to layout the requirements and plan appropriately. Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is the gorilla trekking sanctuary with approximately 12 gorilla trekking families open to the public.

The gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda requires having a gorilla permit issued by Rwanda development board and this is one of the documents tourists present at the ranger station for verification. Unfortunately, maximum 8 gorilla permits are open to the public per day per gorilla family as a conservation measure.

Guidelines on How To Plan Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari

Plan in advance to do the gorilla trekking safari and clear necessary logistics to support. It is best to reserve the gorilla permit for Rwanda in advance to avoid getting disappointed at the last minute. Demand for gorilla permits for Rwanda is over the top especially during the peak season.

Select the dates when you wish to do gorilla trekking in Rwanda and the number of permits you hope to reserve. These details help with finding gorilla trekking permit availability.

As soon as you find the gorilla trekking permits availability, purchase the permits to avoid missing them. It is hard to obtain the Rwanda gorilla trekking permits at the last minute because they are limited.

You need to reserve other safari logistics in advance including accommodation, transport and more. To secure the best safari amenities options to make your dream gorilla safari experience, advance booking is recommended.

Maintain some level of fitness to get you through the gorilla trekking adventure that can get lengthy sometimes. The gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park are free to move in the wilderness with nothing to stop them and this makes its hard to determine time of locating them.

What Are The Highlights Of Gorilla Trekking Safari In Rwanda

Book a gorilla trekking permit

Duration of gorilla trekking in Rwanda varies with location of the mountain gorillas

Where to go for gorilla trekking in Rwanda Volcanoes National park

The best time for Rwanda gorilla trekking safari is the dry season that is normally June to September and December to January

Wear the right gorilla trekking gears

Attending briefing before gorilla trekking in Rwanda is compulsory and starts early morning

Maximum 8 tourists are allowed to visit each gorilla trekking family per day

Age limit for gorilla trekking tour in Rwanda is 15 years and beyond

When Is The Return Time From Gorilla Trekking In Rwanda

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda may take 2 hour to more depending on the location of the gorilla family assigned to you. The location of the gorilla families in the wilderness depends on factors including

• Food proximity
• Weather conditions prevailing in the forest
• Mood of the gorilla family
• Pace of fellow tourists

Note that gorilla trekking in Rwanda begins early morning at about 0700 hours then each tourist is allocated a gorilla family to trek.

After finding the mountain gorillas only one hour is allowed with them during gorilla trekking. All tourists are requested to maximise this hour to create memories and take photos of these primates.

Time with the mountain gorillas is restricted to allow they go about their daily work as human presence disrupts their daily routine.

How To Behave On The Way To Find The Mountain Gorillas

Follow the ranger guide and keep closer to the rest of the group during gorilla trekking to avoid getting lost in the middle of nowhere with no or less communication with the people on the main land.

Hire a porter to assist with carrying your gorilla safari gears and lift off your shoulder the burden of this baggage. The porter may give you a push when exhausted during gorilla trekking safari

Use a low tone when talking during gorilla trekking or keep quiet to avoid appearing suspicious to the sensitive and curious gorilla family which is already frightened by strangers in their vicinity.

No toilets structures in Volcanoes National park so request the ranger guide to dig a hole for you atleast 30 meters deep then cover everything beyond recognition.

Tourists take short breaks during gorilla trekking to reenergize so rest with others. Do not walk in the forest without the company of an escorting ranger guide.

How To Behave When With The Mountain Gorillas

Avoid staring at the mountain gorillas during gorilla trekking because they are shy primates and this may push them into hiding when agitated.

Maintain 8 meters from the mountain gorillas to avoid what may come off when close to these primates. At times the mountain gorillas break this rule and bridge the gap out of curiosity, touch your hair, check out your bags and much more.

Avoid chewing or drinking while Infront of the mountain gorillas as this may cause some of the gorillas to reach-out for a piece of it. Do not even share eats with the mountain gorillas because they are wild animals that must depend on the forest and not humans.

When you notice something odd about the mountain gorillas try not to panic but remain calm as the ranger guide will provide new instructions about how to deal with the situation. Abide by the new gorilla trekking safari instructions as this will help calm the situation.

Utilize the 1 hour around the gorilla trekking family to the best of your ability while preserving memories of this once in a lifetime African safari encounter.

Gorilla trekking is for strictly one hour of viewing the mountain gorillas then get away without causing suspensions. Mountain gorillas and highly sensitive to intruders in their vicinity.

Are Mountain Gorillas Aggressive Or Calm during gorilla trekking

By nature mountain gorillas are calm however they can charge when provoked. The physical out look of the mountain gorillas is mistaken for being aggressive primates because of their dark hairy coat, huge body size and more.

Some animations and films portray mountain gorillas as ruthless primates which is not true. When agitated, the mountain gorillas are likely to run into hiding rather than stage an attack at humans.

Through gorilla habituation process, the wild mountain gorilla family is helped to get used to human presence without altering their nature. This is why mountain gorillas are able to withstand humans atleast for one hour.

Is Gorilla Trekking In Rwanda Hard Or Simple To Get Through

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is quite steep because of the nature of the landscape of Volcanoes national Park. The terrain of Volcanoes National Park is influenced by some highlands some include Mountain Gahinga, Muhavura, Sabyinyo, Bisoke and others. Volcanic actions affected the terrain of Northwestern Rwanda and beyond.

The gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park move freely with nothing to stop them so at times they spend the night deep in the valleys or slopes so you have to follow them by hiking. Gorilla trekking is tiresome but meeting the mountain gorillas may cause you to forget the challenges encountered along the way.

We encourage tourists to do some pre-gorilla trekking safari excises to keep their bodies ready for hiking. On ground, you may request for a supporting stick to help you cross some complicated spots.

Hiring a porter is recommended who will assist carry your gorilla trekking gears and give you a push or hand when exhausted or unable to cross the rivers or streams.

Which Accommodation To Book For Gorilla Trekking Safari In Rwanda

Volcanoes National park which is Rwanda’s only home for gorilla trekking tours has a variety of accommodations options to select from. Volcanoes National Park accommodations are categorized into three that is luxury, mid-range and basic.

Some accommodations of Volcanoes National Park include Bisate Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Kinigi guest house, Gorilla Nest Lodge, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge and more.

Before reserving accommodation to use during gorilla trekking in Rwanda, find out the details of the inclusions and exclusions of the cost so as to plan in advance.

How Long Does Gorilla Trekking In Rwanda Last

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda may last 2 hour or more because locating them depends on factors prevailing in the wilderness. The location of the gorilla family may depend on factors like:

Food proximity

Mood of the gorilla family

Weather conditions of the day

Pace of fellow trekkers and more

Tourists take breaks during gorilla trekking to recuperate from the long distance covered and this time is part of the total duration taken while searching for these primates.

Upon locating the mountain gorillas, only one hour of viewing, photographing or filming is allowed during gorilla trekking.

Wear the right gorilla trekking gears to enable you traverse Volcanoes forest and withstand conditions likely to encounter along the way.

What To Pack For Gorilla Trekking Safari In Rwanda

When packing for gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda, some of the items you may add to your luggage include:

Garden gloves

Safari hat

Safari long sleeved shirt and convertible trousers

Back Pack

Warmers

Rain proof gears

Foldable water bottle

Safari boots

Camera

Eats

Flats

Toiletries

Torch

Tripod

Extra cash

Insect repellant

First aid box with essentials to use on safari

Extra full charged batteries

What Other Rwanda Safari Activities To Do With Gorilla Trekking

Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda

Nyungwe National Park is the only chimpanzee trekking destination of Rwanda. Currently two chimpanzee troops have been fully habituated and opened to the public with one living in Cyamudondo on the outskirts of Nyungwe forest.

To participate in chimpanzee trekking safari in Rwanda one must book a Rwanda chimpanzee permit for either the morning or afternoon session.

Other than the chimpanzees in Nyungwe forest, is endowed with a variety of wildlife including black and white colobus. Red tailed monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, a variety of birds including Albertine endemics, other living organisms

Birding in Rwanda

Rwanda has some of the endowed birding destinations hosting a variety of species. Rwanda hosts more than 700 bird species living in different destinations within the country. Some of the Rwanda birding destinations include Volcanoes Forest, Nyungwe forest, Lake Ihema and more.

Game Safaris in Rwanda

Taking a game drive in Akagera National Park takes you to enjoy wildlife and amazing surroundings. While on a game drive you get to see animals including lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, waterbucks, bush bucks, zebras, rhinos, kobs, buffaloes and more.

The boat ride addition on lake Ihema gives you more chances of viewing spotting animals you may have missed during game drive as they move a shore to quench thirst, take a bath or pick food from the marshes.

Mountain climbing in Rwanda

Rwanda is the land of a thousand hills with several highlands open for hiking. Some of the mountaineering destinations in Rwanda include Mountain Gahinga, Muhavura, Bisoke, Karisimbi and more.

Some of the highlands to hike in Rwanda can be completed and back in one day so enjoy the amazing views surrounding as you ascend and descend the mountain.

Wear suitable gears to help you during the hiking safari in Rwanda

Canopy walk in Nyungwe forest

Enjoy the view of Nyungwe forest from a more elevated point by hiking the suspension bridge which is about 160 meters long and 70 meters high. No experience is required but follow the instructor’s advise. From the suspension bridge you get to observe several primates, birds flock the forest, amazing natural views of ever green shaded features surrounding

Water activities on Rwanda safari

White on Rwanda safari, you may choose to do a boat ride on lake Kivu, Lake Ihema and others. White water rafting can also be arranged while on safari in Rwanda.

Golden monkey trekking in Rwanda

Golden monkeys are another endangered primate specie in Rwanda. They have golden brown hairs on the lower bottom and a body larger than most monkeys. Even through the golden monkeys are first habituated to get accustomed to human presence, they do not lose their natural characteristics.

One needs to secure a golden monkey trekking permit to have access to participate in this adventure.

Cultural Tour in Rwanda

Rwanda has a rich culture which they proudly share with the world through dances, songs, poems, art and crafts. There are some outstanding cultural centers in Rwanda where you can visit to get a deeper understanding of their culture. Some of the destinations include Ethnological Museum of Rwanda in Huye where preserves of items used by Rwandese in the past are.

You may get the chance of watching the local dance performances like Intore royal dance moves accompanied by rhythmic drums playing along with folk songs.

Kigali city tour

The capital of Rwanda is Kigali and a city tour here may get you to some of the most outstanding stations in Rwanda. Visit the business centers, enjoy a sip of Rwanda coffee, visit a genocide memorial and more. A well planned Kigali city tour gets you to some amazing spots around the city. This is where the heart of Rwanda beats so you must not leave the country without feeling its rhythm.

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