Gorilla trekking in Rwanda
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda : Are you a mountain gorilla lover and have been looking at visiting the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat? Look no further than trekking the mountain gorillas in Rwanda. The mountain gorillas of Rwanda can be visited in only the Volcanoes national park and this is located in the north western part of Rwanda. The gorilla species is divided into three subspecies and that is the western lowland gorillas, eastern lowland gorillas and the mountain gorillas when on a Rwanda Safari.
The gorilla species that you will be able to visit in the Volcanoes national park of Rwanda is the Gorilla Berengei Berengei- the mountain gorillas. These mountain gorillas can also be visited in the Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park and the Mgahinga forest national park of Uganda, and also the Virunga national park of DR Congo. The last census that was carried out in the Volcanoes national park in 2021 showed 10 gorilla families that were habituated and can be visited on a daily.
A gorilla family can only be visited by a maximum number of 8 people and this means there are 80 mountain gorilla permits available for booking on a daily. A mountain gorilla permit of the Volcanoes national park costs 1,500 USD per person taking on this trek. If you are interested in visiting Rwanda for a mountain gorilla trek, your safari will be in the range of 1,700 USD to about 8,000 depending on the choice of accommodation.
Accommodation of the Volcanoes national park
The Volcanoes national park is located in the Ruhengeri district in Musanze town which is a very touristy town and has accustomed to receiving a number of visitors both international and the local visitors thus the wide range of accommodations to pick from. You can choose from the budget options that could charge 100 to 200 USD per night, the midrange options that go from about 200 USD to 400 USD per night or opt for the luxury which range from 600 USD per night to the super luxury that may even reach 2,000 USD per night. It would be better to book your Rwanda gorilla trekking experience with a trusted tour operator as you get the best of the area at an affordable price and you get to sit back and enjoy your Rwanda safari.
The gorilla trekking experience in Volcanoes national park
You will be expected to be up and at the park reception by 7 am for the briefing ahead of your gorilla trekking in the Volcanoes national park. This brief is given by the park rangers on what to expect while in the forest and the expected code of conduct. This briefing is the key reason behind spending the night before near the Volcanoes national park in Musanze so as to make it in time and not be left behind for the activity.
For every 8 individuals assigned to a mountain gorilla group, there is a ranger guide assigned for this briefing and more ranger guides to ensure your safety on the mountain gorilla trekking. These ranger guides are English speaking or French speaking and they are well trained and selectively recruited by the Rwanda Development Board which means the majority are the local people living around the park.
Your gorilla group of the day will be assigned according to your age and your physical strength as the mountain gorillas move to different parts of the forest on a daily. This hiking until you meet your gorilla family of the day usually takes about thirty minutes to 2 hours depending on how far into the forest they are that day.
You will be led and protected by the ranger guides all through from the beginning to the end of the trek. The mountain gorilla family is led by a male silverback that can be identified by the grey hair on their lower back and these families can have individuals from 3 up to 30 gorillas. Once you meet your gorilla family of the day, you and the other trekkers will stop to enjoy one hour with these gentle giants in their natural space but at a 7 meter distance. Watch the young ones playing as the adult gorillas watch out or teach them some things like hunting for food or protection methods.
The cost of a mountain gorilla permit
A mountain gorilla permit in the Volcanoes national park defers according to your place of origin for example the international visitors will pay 1,500 USD for a permit, foreign residents have an offer of purchasing a gorilla permit at 500 USD as well as the Rwandan and East African citizens.
There is a special exclusive Mountain gorilla experience for groups where the group will pay 15,000 USD and for the behind the scenes gorilla experience goes for 30,000 USD per 3 people.
If you are interested in filming and creating professional content, you are given 3 days full access and a permit for this goes for 5,000 USD and if you are a group of 8 or more people, you can pay 12,000 USD as a group for 3 days. A trusted tour operator can help you with this arrangement according to your interests.
More to do in the Volcanoes national park
The Volcanoes national park is a 2 hours and 18 minute road transfer on a traffic clear day and there are other activities that one can engage in while in the park. You can take on a golden monkey trekking experience and a permit goes for only 100 USD. This activity can be topped up on a 3 days mountain gorilla trek if you have time on day 3.
You can take some time to visit the Dian Fossey fund memorial or hike to the Dian Fossey tomb and get to honor the lady who devoted her life for the conservation of the mountain gorillas in the Virunga region.
If you are a hiker, there are a number of mountains you can hike in the Volcanoes national park and these include the Mount Bisoke, Mount Muhabura, Mount Sabinyo and Mount Karisimbi. These are a few of the eight Virunga volcanic mountains that you may hike.
Rwanda is a small landlocked country and you can take 7 days for your Rwanda safari and get to visit Volcanoes national park and the other three national parks that is Nyungwe forest national park, Gishwati Mukura national park for chimpanzees and also visit the wildlife of Akagera.
Take a brief stopover at the Lake Kivu and also visit the cultural centers enroute your transfers between the national parks. Get in touch with your interests and let our team of knowledgeable tour consultants arrange for you a Rwanda safari of a lifetime.
