Are There Any Private Gorilla Trekking Tours to Volcanoes National Park?
Are There Any Private Gorilla Trekking Tours to Volcanoes National Park: One of the primary worries for those who want to see the endangered primates in their native surroundings is the potential of trekking a gorilla family alone? Over time, several people who come to Africa on gorilla tours have inquired about the possibility of trekking a gorilla family alone. Is it truly possible? Yes, with careful planning, you may be able to hike a gorilla family by yourself. While each gorilla family is assigned to a group of eight individuals every day, you may request to view the entire family alone. Gorilla trekking has long been regarded as the greatest wildlife experience on the planet.
Most visitors to Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo come for the experience. The endangered primates can only be found in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and the Virunga Conservation Area, which is shared by Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga National Park.
Private Gorilla Trekking Tours to Volcanoes National Park.
You will be required to purchase eight gorilla permits to compensate for the other seven that would have been paid for by the other seven tourists. Every day, eight individuals pay a visit to a gorilla family. This means that in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, eight gorilla licenses are available for any one-gorilla group. In order to view this gorilla family alone, one must pay for all eight permits.
A single gorilla permit in Uganda costs $700 for non-residents, $600 for locals, and UGX 250,000 for East African citizens from Uganda, Rwanda, Congo, South Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania. Each gorilla permit in Rwanda costs $1500 for all visitors, however in Congo, each permit costs $450 for international non-residents and $400 for East African citizens. A foreign non-resident looking to travel a gorilla family alone in Uganda will thus pay $5600, whilst in Rwanda, similar private gorilla trekking adventure will cost $12,000 per person.
Private gorilla trekking is certainly exciting and wonderful. You may get up up and personal with the endangered mountain gorillas without being bothered by other tourists. Furthermore, private gorilla trekking allows you to snap magnificent photos and record live recordings of gorillas in their natural habitat. However, even though it is a private trip, you cannot hike into the jungle on your own. The different gorilla national parks’ management provides you two armed rangers to accompany you through the bush. These rangers carry pistols not to shoot at wild creatures, but to scare them away if they exhibit any unusual behavior.
Whether you do a solo trip or a group trek, your time with these endangered mountain gorillas is strictly limited to one hour from the moment you meet them. However, it is possible to spend more than 7 hours in the bush before finding the designated gorilla family. The amount of time you spend looking is determined by the location of the gorillas and your trekking speed.
Frequently asked questions about gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
Aside from the potential of private gorilla trekking, guests have a number of questions concerning their gorilla trekking experience. These cover, among other things, when is the ideal time to see gorillas, the age restriction for gorilla trekking, what to carry while visiting gorillas, the laws and regulations of gorilla trekking, where is the best spot to watch gorillas, and what to do if a gorilla charges.
How to book a private gorilla trekking tour?
Private gorilla trekking tours can be booked directly with the appropriate government authorities, such as the Uganda Wildlife Authority in Uganda and the Rwanda Development Board in Rwanda. On the other hand, after conducting sufficient research on their services, you may book through any recognized travel agent.
About Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
Volcanoes National Park, established in 1925, is located near Musanze Village, northwest of Rwanda, and is well-known for gorilla tours in the Virunga Conservation Area. The Virunga massif is formed by Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda and Virunga national park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The park also includes the volcanic peaks of Mikeno, Karisimbi, and Visoke, which provide visitors with superb mountain trekking experiences. The famed primatologist Dr. Dian Fossey came in this park in 1967 and established the Karisoke Research Centre between Visoke and Karisimbi.
Dian Fossey was later slain by poachers against whom she had battled her entire life, as detailed in her book, Gorillas in the Mist. Her graveyard at the research site has now become a popular tourist destination.
Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is the only place to observe mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, and other species and birds that will satisfy your trip expectations. Rwanda, also known as “the land of a thousand hills,” is not worth seeing unless you go on a gorilla trek!