Primate Safaris in Volcanoes National Park

Primate Safaris in Volcanoes National Park are some of the finest safari tours that a traveler can engage in when they visit the park for an experience. Volcanoes national park is known for its Virunga Mountains which are habitats to a number of attractions like different animal species, primate and bird species that can be seen within the park. There are different activities that can be carried out by tourists within the park in order to have an amazing trip while on a Rwanda tour.

In the park there are a number of safaris that can be carried out include birding safaris, hiking safaris where they can hike the different virunga mountains within the park namely Mount Gahinga, Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Muhabura, Mount Karisimbi and Mount Bisoke which once hiked will offer amazing experiences including numerous attractions like the water bodies, numerous bird species, different primates, Musanze caves among other attractions within the park.

Primate Safaris in Volcanoes National Park

In the park, you will find a number of different animal species including the forest elephants, bushbucks; warthogs that can be seen during the numerous tours within the park but among other species that can be seen within the park include the primate species. The park is home to a number of endangered primate species, for instance, the famous mountain gorillas and the golden monkeys that are only endemic to the Albertine Rift and these can be seen when you visit the park.

Mountain Gorillas

The park is a home to a number of gorilla families that are divided among the different habituated gorilla groups. In the park, there are over fifteen habituated groups that can be seen during the primate Safaris in Volcanoes National Park. In the park, when you obtain a gorilla trekking permit at only 1500USD, you will have the opportunity to have the ultimate Rwanda Gorilla tours experience where you will get to visit one of the gorilla habituated groups within the park.

Some of the interesting gorilla families that can be visited included the Amahoro gorilla group which is the most peaceful gorilla family in the park whose members live harmoniously with one another without getting in any trouble with other gorilla family groups, Susa gorilla family, kwitonda gorilla family with the rich history where the dominant silverback by then Kwitonda allowed other silver backs in the family to mate with the females in the family which is quite unlike when it comes to gorillas where only the dominant male in the group is the only one allowed to mate with the females. There are very many gorilla groups in the park that have a rich history but regardless of the group you are assigned to for trekking you will have amazing adventures.

The different gorilla groups can be found along the slopes of the different virunga mountains and some of the gorilla groups that can be visited in the park and the different mountains where they can be found include; mount karisimbi you can see the Susa gorilla group mount Gahinga where you can find the Hirwa gorilla group and the Ugenda gorilla group, mount Bisoke you will find, mount Muhabura where you will see the Agashya gorilla group, on mount sabyinyo you will find the sabyinyo gorilla group.

Gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park

Gorilla trekking in the park starts early morning and all the gorilla trekking activities start at the reception area where tourists gather around to be briefed about the activity, briefing is carried out by the guide tells you about your Primate Safaris in Volcanoes which in this case is gorilla trekking where you are briefed about the do’s and don’ts how to act around the gorillas for example

You should not thump your chest un the presence of the gorillas,
You should avoid unnecessary movements around the gorillas
You should limit noises while in contact with the gorillas
Photographing the gorillas while using a flash should be avoided
Tourists should keep a distance away from the gorillas top avoid inconveniencing their daily duties.
Eating in the presence of the gorillas should be avoided.

After knowing the necessary guidelines to follow while trekking the different Rwanda gorilla families, you will then embark on your journey to the different mountains depending on the different gorilla families you’re assigned to trek. It should be noted that you are accompanied by an armed ranger who can protect you in case of any attacks from the different animals within the park. You will hike through the dense forests of the mountains where you will see a number of attractions like different vegetation covers that offer beautiful views for photography, other attractions include the different monkey species like the black and white colobus monkey, vervet monkey, red tailed monkey among other attractions.

On reaching the gentle giants you will get the chance to spend an hour with them understanding their habits in their natural habitats, how they co-exist with one another. You will have a chance to see their feed patterns, what food they eat, how they feed their young ones, how they set up their nests for their night time. It should be noted that the gorillas build different nests every night, therefore, you will have the opportunity to see them setting them after meeting up with the gorillas, you will then hike down back to the reception area where their trip started.

Golden Monkeys

Golden monkeys are other primate species that can be seen in the park which are also another endangered primate species that are endemic to the Albertine rift that can be seen in the park the golden monkeys are interesting primate species that can also be tracked within the park. Located within the bamboo trees on the different mountains, the golden monkeys will offer amazing experiences to you to ensure that you have fun filled experiences.

Golden monkey trekking

This is another of the Primate Safaris in Volcanoes National Park. Golden monkey trekking is easier and cheaper than gorilla trekking since the monkeys don’t move around looking for areas to set up new nests they always slept in their different nests. Just like gorilla trekking, before you hike up to start on your golden monkey trekking trip, you will have to first participate in a briefing where you are briefed on your golden monkey trekking activity.

During the activity, you will have to hike to the different virunga mountains where you will find the primate species. On reaching the primates you will spend time with them by understanding their behavior in the wild. And because golden monkey trekking takes relatively a short period of time, you can add on your experience in the park by carrying out colobus monkey trekking where you can see the black and white colobus monkeys another interesting primate species within the park. Other primate species that can be seen include the vervet monkey, Mona monkey, red tailed monkeys and many other primate species making your primate safaris in the park memorable.