Where to do mountain gorilla trekking in Rwanda
Where to do mountain gorilla trekking in Rwanda : Mountain gorilla trekking is the popular activities visitors on Rwanda safaris commonly carry out while at the Volcanoes national park. The highlight of any trip to Volcanoes National Park is unquestionably gorilla trekking. Gorilla trekking is an adventurous activity in volcanoes national park where visitors gets an opportunity to move on foot into the tropical rainforest in hunt for habituated mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park starts very early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations to be followed during trekking. After the briefing, you will start the trekking in the forest which takes about 2 hours to 6 hours depending on where the mountain gorillas are located since naturally they move from one place to another in hunt for food. During trekking, you will be able to spot other primates species, birds and once the gorillas are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural environment where you will be able to learn about their habits, behaviors, how the carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, playing, record videos .and take pictures to show people back home
Volcanoes national park is famously known park among the three national parks in Rwanda. The park is the dwell of the two largest remaining population of Mountain Gorillas of over 11 habituated gorilla families such as , Karisimbi, Amahora, Susa A, Umubano, Kirwa, Kwitonda, Bwenge , Ugenda Titua Agashya , Sabyinyo groups that can be trekked by a tourists long the Virunga mountains such as Sabyinyo, Gahinga, Muhabura, Bisoke and Karisimbi . This wonderful creatures thrive in their natural habitat within the Rwanda Park of the Virunga Mountains, a range of six extinct and three active volcanoes that also extend in to Uganda and democratic republic of Congo. The park also boast attractive vegetation types, animal species for example buffaloes, bush backs, elephants, giant forest hogs, golden Monkeys, hyenas, black-fronted duiker among other.
Where this fascinating mountain gorillas cam be trekked
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is an amazing experience which offers a tourist an opportunity to view the primates in the thick forest on Volcanoes. These rare primates are only tracked in habituated gorilla groups and in Rwanda. There are 12 habituated gorilla groups in the Volcanoes National Park. There are other groups habituated fir research and these can only be accessed by researchers or scientists and they have the largest members of the family and they are Beetsme and Pablo’s Shida’s. and there are only 10 gorilla families that are tracked by visitors or opened for tourism every day and they include the Susa gorilla family, Sabyinyo family, Amahoro, Group 13 also known as Agasha family, Kwitonda family, Umubano gorilla family, Bwengye, Hirwa family, Ugenda gorilla family and Karisimbi gorilla family. With the maximum of 8 persons and trackers are allowed to view the gentle giants for a maximum of one hour. This means that 80 visitors can possibly enjoy a gorilla trek each day within the Volcanoes National Park.
How difficult to trek gorillas?
As I have already defined it earlier that, gorilla trekking is the process or activity that involves walking in the dense forests to search for the wild gorillas! It is difficult to determine how difficult or easy gorilla trekking can be in the national park. The walk can vary in difficulty depending on the location of the gorilla family you are trekking, as some families are easier to find while others are more challenging to reach due to their higher elevations. And the fact that Rwanda’s hike to the habituated gorilla families can take about 2-6 hours which involves you hiking through the thick and impenetrable slippery vegetation and for first time hikers it is quite difficult and the ease to locate the gorillas depends on a number of factors which may include food availability this is because gorillas limit their movements when there is plenty of food.
Other Wildlife and Activities to do decides gorilla trekking
Besides gorilla trekking, you can also encounter the rare Golden monkey tracking in the park, Volcanoes National Park offers excellent opportunities for bird watching with over 200 bird species exists. You will also get opportunity to explore the legacy of renowned primalogists in Dian Fossey Memorial who dedicated her life to studying gorillas, also engage in Volcano Climbing such as Mount Bisoke mount Karisimbi, mount Muhavura visiting Buhanga Eco-park ,vising Musanze cave , Vising Twin Lakes, visiting Dian Fossey’s Tomb and finally touring Iby’iwacu cultural village and other communities among others.
Mount gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda
Gorilla permits in Rwanda are 1,500 dollars per person. You can buy the permits from the Rwanda Development. Their headquarters is in Kigali or you can get a permit from an authorized agent. Another option may be a better choice through the travel agency will often include the permit in your travel/tour package. And permits are recommended to book in advance and only limited to 15 years and above.
Where to say during gorilla trekking
Volcanoes national park offers trekkers with affordable accommodations ranging from budget to luxury options such as Luxury Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback, Rwanda, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge, Kinigi Guest House, Muhabura Hotel, Rushel Kivu Lodge, Amata n’Ubuki Boutique Hotel, Nirvana Heights Resort and Spa, Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge among others
How to get to Volcanoes national park
Volcanoes national park is located in northwestern part of Rwanda and can be accessed by road transport means where you will drive from Kigali international airport to the park headquarters which takes about 2 to 3 hours’ drive. Volcanoes national park can also be accessed by public means of transport from Kigali to Musanze and then hire a private taxi to the park headquarters.
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