What is special about Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is the country’s the foremost safari activity when you visit Rwanda. Rwanda may be a small country but hosts some of the only leftover mountain gorillas in the entire world. When you get an opportunity to be in Rwanda on safari’s you make travel history just being a few meters from the few mountain gorillas in the world.

Rwanda lit the spark of mountain gorilla conservation from the film “gorillas in the mist” that spread the news and gospel about the urgent need to protect the mountain gorillas after census carried out by American primatologist Dian Fossey in the 1980s. She stages her research about the mountain gorillas in Karisoke Rwanda in 1967 but was brutally massacred in 1985 by unknown assassins.

According to Dian Fossey and team, the population of the mountain gorillas then was about 250 mountain gorillas living then. Thanks to her outcry many internal and foreign bodies listed the mountain gorillas on the highly endangered list and so since then conserving them became a priority plus there habitats. The mountain gorillas cannot live elsewhere other than there home.

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Rwanda provides the best opportunities for doing atleast 2 day gorilla trekking in case you have a stopover in this country before transiting to your final destination. Even 1 day gorilla trekking is possible in Rwanda although it is a rushed program

Volcanoes National Park is the only home to the mountain gorillas in Rwanda a lush forest with stunning view backed by five volcanoes that is Karisimbi, Bisoke, Gahinga, Muhavura and Sabyinyo.

Other than the mountain gorillas, Volcanoes National Park is also home to other species of primates like the golden monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey , blue monkeys, black and white colobus, olive baboons, L’Hoests’ and others

Birders on Rwanda visit have a double opportunity during the gorilla trekking tour safari. You may identify a huge list of birds including Albertine rift endemics. Some of the birds you may spot include Handsome Francolin, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Rwenzori Turaco, Red-throated Alethe, Lagden’s Bush Shtikes, White bellied Robin chat and others.

The scenery of Rwanda is beyond the physical features that you see. Rwanda is a land of a thousand hills coupled with so many stunning sceneries shaded by in opulent green vegetation all year.

After gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, chimpanzee trekking tour in Nyungwe National Park gives you chances to compare the difference between mountain gorilla and chimpanzees. The Rwanda chimpanzees also live in Cyamudondo on the outskirts of Nyungwe National Park. You must have a chimpanzee trekking permit from Rwanda development Board to gain access to these charming primates. Chimpanzees are the closest human cousins in the animal kingdom

What are the requirements for gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda?

The Rwanda gorilla trekking permit

No gorilla tour experience in Rwanda without a gorilla permit. Rwanda currently has about 12 gorilla trekking families with but maximum 8 people are allowed to visit each family per day. The Rwanda Development Board has the mandate to sell and regulate the mountain gorilla permits of Rwanda.

To book a Rwanda gorilla permit, you must be 15 years and over. Have a date when you wish to do gorilla trekking and the number of people you hope to travel with before finding availability.

At Arch Safaris and Tours, we are here to help you book the Rwanda gorilla permits and all accompanying amenities. We are here to lift off your shoulder the burden of doing ground work and coordinating this Rwanda safari as we understand the hassle it may tail on you. Trust us with your gorilla trekking safari and let us make your dream safari a reality.

Upon finding gorilla permit availability, sales consultant gets back to you in the short while because the status of gorilla permits changes without warning.

No gorilla permit is booked without payment as per the policy of Rwanda Development Board.

For identification purposes, forward us some personal details like your full names, nationality, date of birth, passport expiry date and others.

The current cost of Rwanda gorilla trekking permit is $1500 for international nonresidents, $500 for foreign residents and $200 for East Africans.

Accommodation for the Gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda

Book accommodation to use during gorilla safari in Rwanda in advance especially if you hope to travel during the peak season. The Rwanda tourism peak season is normally June to September and December to January.

Demand for accommodation in Volcanoes National Park is high for all categories. Accommodations in Volcanoes National Park are categorized into high-end, mid-range and budget. These determine a lot the type of safari package you travel.

Some of the accommodations of Volcanoes National Park include: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Virunga Volcanoes Lodge, Lebambou hotel, Kinigi Guest House, Hotel Muhavura, Gorilla Nest and others.

Since gorilla trekking in Rwanda starts early morning about 0700hours, it is best to spend the night within or closer to volcanoes national Park. This is the avoid any inconveniences of having to drive in the dark to catch up with briefing time. Missing briefing before the gorilla trek may end in getting disqualified from this adventure.

Book Transport to Volcanoes National Park

Road transport is the main means to get around Rwanda and to Volcanoes National Park. The time take from Kigali to Volcanoes National park is about 3 hours. You need a 4×4 wheel drive vehicle to maneuver the terrain of the countryside roads that get messy sometimes.

Charter flight services can be arranged from Kigali Airport to airstrips close to Volcanoes National Park. All the necessary arrangements need to be done in advance to avoid last minute inconveniences.

Identify other Rwanda safari activities to combine with gorilla trekking tour

Maximize your Rwanda visit by spending time in its other safari destinations. chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park Rwanda is incredible. You get to spend an hour with the closest human cousins in there natural habitant. Because of the limited number of people allowed to visit the chimpanzees, you need to book the Rwanda chimpanzee permit in advance.

At the moment the cost of Rwanda chimpanzee permit is $150 for international nonresidents, $75 for foreign residents and $25 for East Africans.

Game drives in Rwanda are spectacular giving you an opportunity to spend sometime on the tracks and enjoy the scenery of Akagera National Park. During the game drives in Rwanda, you may spot animals like giraffes, waterbucks, bushbucks, cape buffaloes, herds of elephants, zebras, Rhinos, Uganda Kobs and others.

Golden monkey trekking in Rwanda is exciting getting you closer to one of the unique monkey species in the world. The golden monkeys are endangered with about 2000 to 4000 living. They have golden brown hairs on there lower body and larger in size compared to normal monkeys. Although they are first habituated, golden monkeys keep you on your toes and they hope from branch to branch.

Hiking the mountains in Rwanda is exciting giving you a stunning view of the surrounding and green vegetation cover. Some of the mountains you may hike while on Rwanda visit include mountain Muhabura, mountain Karisimbi, mountain Sabyinyo, mountain Gahinga and mountain Bisoke. This can be an excursion hike to these highlands.

Rwanda birding is exceptional providing opportunities to identify a number of birds including Albertine rift endemics. Rwanda hosts over 700 bird species including Albertine rift endemics and the list is expected to expand according to ornithologists. Some of the Rwanda birding destinations include Volocanoes forest, Nyungwe forest and others.

Canopy walk during Rwanda safari is exclusive as you take a walk on a 70 meters high suspension bridged over Nyungwe National Park. This is one of the best moments while a visit to Rwanda as you enjoy the stunning views of Nyungwe forest and surrounding features like plateaus , ridges from the top.

Hike to the Dian Fossey grave a mountain gorilla hero who was laid to rest amongst the mountain gorillas she dedicated her life to. All mountain gorilla trekking safaris are because of Dian Fossey’s dedicated work and research. Her work created so many enemies especially within Rwanda so by 1985, she was murdered in cold blood by unknown assassins. Her remains were buried in one of the slopes in Volcanoes National Park and you can pay a visit.

All the proceeds collected from the visit to the Dian Fossey grave are used for research that she left behind.

Rwanda cultural visit as Rwandese are not ashamed to showcase there unique culture. You may visit the home of crafts in Nyakarimbi. While in Rwanda, you may try out pottery, basketry, geometric array of neutral colors, the cow dung paint. Enjoy the finest exponent of Rwandese varied and dynamic traditional dance the Intore dance. This was a royal dance performed in the place in the past. You can also enjoy the hoe dance from the northern part of Rwanda. Advance booking is required.

Kwita Izina ceremony which is the mountain gorilla naming ceremony. This is a seasonal event where the infants born within the past year are named. People from all walks of life are welcome to this event. The time for Kwita Izina ceremony is normally around July and this is peak season for the Rwanda tourism industry so you need to plan in advance.

When Is The best Time To Visit Rwanda For a Gorilla Trekking Safari?

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is open all year however, the dry season that is normally June, July, August, September, December and January is most preferred. The general atmosphere in the wilderness is drier despite the fact that the Virunga area receives rains any time.

Mountain gorillas feed nearer to the ground providing better opportunities for even the unfit visitors to see them.

The trails in volcanoes forest are drier and quicker to navigate since more sunlight is let in to the ground through the dense canopy. The undergrowth is not protruding through to cover the trails.

Other forest inhabitants may also be seen quickly in the open like other primates, vegetation, birds, butterflies and others. Taking photos in the wilderness is better during the dry season when mote sunlight is let in since flashlight on the cameras is not accepted.

How Sure Can I Be To See The Mountain Gorillas In Rwanda?

Seeing the mountain gorillas is a sure activity in Rwanda. After paying hefty price for the gorilla permit, you donot want not to see the mountain gorillas. These primates are first habituated for unknown time before opening them to the public.

Each day a team of ranger guides wake up early to patrol and follow the gorilla families where they nested and possible location they are heading to for the day. Its some of clues that ranger guides with tourists follow with tourists to locate the mountain gorillas.

Tourists are asked to participate in locating the mountain gorillas by following clues like the freshly made dung, mountain gorilla hairs left behind, footprints, freshly chewed foliage, listening to the murmurs of the mountain gorillas and others.

In case you fail to locate the mountain gorillas, you may be given another chances to do the gorilla trek the following day or use the Rwanda Development Board refund policy to refund your money but this may take sometime because of the bureaucracy involved.

Is Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda Tiresome?

Somehow expect to be quite tired after the gorilla trek because the topography of Volcanoes National Park generally has steep slopes. Sometimes the mountain gorillas spend time at these slopes or deep in the valleys.

Before travelling for gorilla trekking you need to have some level of physical capability in case you have to hike. Sometimes the mountain gorillas spend time on the slopes. On the way, you may encounter some vines that the ranger guide has to trim in order to create a path for you.

The ranger guide follows the pace of the slowest trekker but donot slow down the rest. You need to keep up with the rest so that you donot get frustrated. In case you are physically incapacitated, you can hire a sedan services. This requires advance booking.

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