When Is The Best Time To Do Chimpanzee And Gorilla Trekking Safari In Rwanda
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Rwanda has chimpanzee and gorilla trekking safaris all year but the dry season sales like hot cake. The dry season is normally June, July, August, September, December and January when the demand for Rwanda safaris is at its peak.
For gorilla trekking and chimpanzee safaris in Rwanda, you must secure the permits necessary in advance especially for the high season. This is because they sell out fast and on first come first served basis because they are limited to minimize the effects of huge crowds to the forest.
Each day maximum 8 gorilla permits per gorilla family are open for the entire world to book and none of these permits is reserved without payment.
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On Rwanda, gorilla trekking safaris happen in Volcanoes National Park with so far 12 gorilla families open for trekking. Nyungwe National Park is the only home for chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda. There are two chimpanzee trekking sessions in Rwanda that is the morning and afternoon while gorilla trekking in Rwanda happens once in the day starting early morning with briefing.
The wet season that is also the low season normally receives less demand for gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits. The wet season also serves as the low tourism season of Rwanda. If you have a limited budget you may use the low season to do gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari in Rwanda. Rwanda Development Board sometimes offers discounted Rwanda gorilla permits in the low season. Some service providers like accommodations too sometimes offer discounted costs so your safari total cost can be subsidized.
The low Rwanda tourism season is normally March, April, May and November.
How To Book Rwanda Gorilla Trekking And Chimpanzee Safari Permits?
Note that both chimpanzee and gorilla trekking in Rwanda cannot happen on the same day. To book the gorilla or chimpanzee permits for Rwanda, you must have dates for each and the number of permits.
When you send us an enquiry, out safari consultants check availability of gorilla and chimpanzee permits per your chosen dates from the list of Rwanda Development Board.
As soon as positive gorilla and chimpanzee permit availability is received, the safari consultant gets back to you but we advise clients to reserve there permits as soon as possible. The status of gorilla permit availability changes any time without notice.
For identification, forward us some personal details like your full names as presented on the passport, date of birth, nationality.
At Arch Safari and Tours, we can assist you book other necessary logistics that support your gorilla safari in Rwanda like accommodation, vehicle hire and others. We aim to provide great service and value for money during your Rwanda safari and help you make everlasting memories.
You can also apply for your Rwanda gorilla permit online.
What Is The Cost Of Rwanda Gorilla Permit?
The cost of Rwanda gorilla permit is currently $1500 for foreign nonresidents, $500 for foreign residents and $200 for East Africans. The cost of the Rwanda gorilla permits may be discounted during the low season based on Rwanda Development Board policy.
What is included in the cost of Rwanda gorilla trekking permit?
In the cost of Rwanda gorilla trekking permit park fees, mountain gorilla conservation, one hour with the mountain gorillas, community support fee, certificate after the gorilla trek are covered.
Exclusions in the cost of Rwanda gorilla permit also include porter hire, tips, snacks and so much more.
What is cost of the chimpanzee permit for Rwanda?
As of today, the chimpanzee trekking permit for Rwanda cost $ 150 per person for foreign nonresidents, $75 for foreign residents and $25 for East Africans.
You must pay park entrance fees for Nyungwe National Park during the chimpanzee trekking safari.
The cost of park fees for Nyungwe National Park are a charge according to age, time to spend in the forest.
For foreign nonresidents adults, spending one night in Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda, park entrance fees you pay is $100 per person, 2 days park entrance fees is $150 per person, and $ 200 per person spending 3 nights in Nyungwe National Park. The age limit for chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda is 12 years and over so this park entrance fees is paid from 12 years and over.
Foreign residents pay $60 park entrance fees in Nyungwe National Park one day, $90 for two nights and 3 nights $120 park entrance fees for 3 nights in Nyungwe National Park.
East Africans pay $10 per person for one night, $15 for 2 nights and 3 nights pay $20 per person in Nyungwe National Park.
Where to do gorilla trekking in Rwanda?
Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National park is the home of gorilla trekking in Rwanda with so far 12 gorilla families open to the public. Volcanoes National Park is among the four African destinations that give home to the only left over mountain gorillas in the world. Other homes of the mountain gorillas include Bwindi Impenetrable National park and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda. Virunga National Park in D.R.Congo.
Each day maximum 8 gorilla permits for each gorilla family are open to the public to book.
Other than the mountain gorillas, you can engage in golden monkey trekking, Diane Fossey grave hike, primate walks, excursion hiking on the five Virunga Volcanoes and so much more.
Where to do chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda?
Nyungwe National Park
Nyungwe National Park is a pristine rain forest in Rwanda a host to a community of chimpanzees in Rwanda. On the outskirts of this park is Cyamudondo where another chimpanzee community lives and is available for chimpanzee trekking.
You need a chimpanzee trekking permit for Rwanda to gain access to this adventure. Two chimpanzee trekking sessions happen in Rwanda that is early morning and afternoon.
Each morning or afternoon, tourists gather at the Uwinka visitor center for briefing before heading for the different trails in this thick forest. Some of the trails you follow in Nyungwe National Park include Igishigishigi trail and 14 more trails
Other than chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park, you may engage in a walk to the Isumo sparkling waterfalls, do a canopy walk over Nyungwe National Park on the suspension bridge of about 16o meters long and approximately 70 meters above the forest. Birding in Nyungwe national Park is rewarding with over 322 bird species including more that 27 albertine rift endemics available for keen birders.
Stunning views of the tea plantations occupy the fridges of the park and you have opportunities of spotting the Rwenzori colobus of Gisakura forest are possible.
Is gorilla trekking or chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda difficult?
Yes and no because the moment you meet the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees exciting as many tend to forget the hassle they may have gone through searching for these primates.
The nature of the topography of Rwanda is generally mountainous with ridges and plateaus making up the biggest part of the land of Rwanda. This is where the country gets its nickname the land of a thousand hills.
During the gorilla trekking adventure in Rwanda, expect to hike especially when the mountain gorillas are spending there day on the slopes of any of the five volcanoes in the park. These volcanoes include mountain Gahinga, Mountain Bisoke, Mountain Muhavura, Mountain Karisimbi and Mountain Muhabura.
The hike to find the mountain gorillas in Rwanda is quite tiresome and requires you to bear some level of fitness.
During the chimpanzee trekking adventure in Nyungwe National Park, the story does change so expect to hike because of the terrain of this park
You must park and wear the right gorilla and chimpanzee trekking gears of Rwanda.
How Long is Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda?
The time taken to do gorilla and chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda depends on the factors prevailing in the wilderness. To find the mountain gorillas or chimpanzees some of the determining factors include proximity of there feeding point, in case of a fight with another family, weather conditions of the day, pace of other tourists and so much more.
When you locate the mountain gorilla or chimpanzees only one hour is allowed with them. This is to reduce on the chances of causing stress to these primates or trampling on there food.
The presence of humans disrupts the running of the daily life of these primates like feeding, grooming, procreation and so much more.
As you get away from the presence of the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees , do it steal thinly so as not to appear suspicious before these sensitive primates.
What is the cost of gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari in Rwanda?
The cost of the gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari on Rwanda star t with the gorilla trekking permit cost and chimpanzee trekking permit cost which are compulsory no matter which safari package you choose.
At the moment, the cost of the gorilla permit for Rwanda is $1500 per person but may be discounted to $1050 per person during the low season terms and conditions apply .
Currently the cost of Rwanda chimpanzee trekking permit is $150 per person per trek.
For children aged 6 years to less than 12 years visiting Nyungwe Nation Park, they have to also pay park entrance fees but those aged 5 years and below are exempted from the park entrance fees.
The cost of park entrance fees for children 6 years to less than 12 years visiting Nyungwe National Park
Foreign nonresidents children in company of adults pay park entrance fees of $50 per child for 1 day visit to Nyungwe National Park, $75 per child for two nights, 3 nights $100 per child in Nyungwe National Park.
Foreign residents children visiting Nyungwe National park for one night or day pay $ 30 per child, 2 nights children pay $45 per child, 3 nights children pay $60 for Nyungwe National Park.
At Arch Safaris And Tours, we package our Rwanda safaris according luxury, mid-range and budget. We understand that our clients love value for money and wish to create memories while on safari which we aim for when you Book With Us
To cost our gorilla and chimpanzee safaris for Rwanda, we consider the number of days on safari, what activities you combine with this adventure, number of people traveling with an others.
What guidelines to follow during gorilla and chimpanzee safari in Rwanda
In case you catch a communicable infections like flu, cough, covid 19, volunteer to stay behind so that you donot spread this infection to the highly susceptible mountain gorillas.
Donot dump garbage in the wilderness as this is where the mountain gorillas or chimpanzee thrive.
Avoid provoking or mimicking the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees as you donot know what you may be communicating.
In case you wish to defecate as the ranger guide to dig a hole for you about 30 cm deep and burry well beyond recognition.
For gorilla trekking in Rwanda, the age limit is 15 years and over while chimpanzee trekking age limit for Rwanda is 12years and beyond.
Never go into the park for gorilla or chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda without a ranger guide.
Wear a clean mask and hand sanitise before entering Volcanos National Park or Nyungwe National Park a measure adopted after the Covid-19 pandemic to prevent chances of passing the virus to the vulnerable primates. Do immunize for covid-19 before travelling for gorilla trekking or chimpanzee safari in Rwanda.
Feeding the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees in Rwanda is forbidden because they are wild animals that must seek there own food and not depend on human supply.
As you take photos, donot use a flash light as you may scare these primates that are very sensitive to new occurrences in there presence.
Only one hour is allowed with the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees so that you can let them go about there daily affairs.
The age limit for gorilla safaris in Rwanda is 15 years and over while chimpanzee trekking age limit is 12 years and beyond.
Before entering the forest ensure you are in the company of atleast a ranger guide. The forest has other inhabitants that may not be friendly with your presence
