
Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
March 1, 2022
Safari Trip to Kenya to see lions
March 3, 2022Do you stay in Kenya? Are you planning to go on a gorilla safari in Rwanda or booking Rwanda gorilla safari from Kenya? Yes, you can plan your trip starting from any city in Kenya namely Mombasa, Nairobi, Kisumu, Nakuru, Malindi, Eldoret and other Major towns. A Mountain gorilla safari in Rwanda from Kenya is a peerless primate experience, and one of Africa’s indisputable travel highlights. Gorillas in Rwanda are found in Volcanoes National Park.
Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park is also known as Parc Des Vulcan’s in French and Pariki Yigihugu yibirungu in Kinyarwanda (Local language) which is found in North-Eastern in a small town called Musanze, Rwanda in East Africa. Volcanoes National park is one of the major national parks in Rwanda and East Africa and one of the oldest parks in Africa, it is a home to the endangered apes and primates that include the Mountain Gorillas and golden Monkeys, there also many species of birds, Monkeys, trees, forest hogs, bushbucks among others in the forest as well as the unique culture. Volcanoes national park is part of the Virunga Conservation Area including five extinct volcanoes namely; Mountain Muhabura, Mountain Sabyinyo, Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Karisimbi and Mountain Bisoke. Gorilla tourism in Volcanoes National park has earned Rwanda economic development as it has attracted more visitors every year. Gorilla trekking is a life time experience of seeing the endangered gorillas in their natural environment and half of the population of the remaining gorillas is found in East Africa.
How many gorilla permits are available in Volcanoes National Park?
Booking Rwanda gorilla safari from Kenya. Gorilla trekking is an activity that involves visiting the habituated endangered mountain gorillas in their natural environment, as you view the way they feed, move, rest and live in harmony. Volcanoes National Park has 10 habituated gorilla families for trekking every day, only 8 visitors per gorilla family are allowed to trek every day. That means there are 80 permits available each day for trekking, the chances of seeing the mountain gorillas are 99% as you are guided by trackers, guides and park rangers. Gorilla trekking starts every day in Kinigi at 7:00am with briefing on guidelines to follow while on the trek, even though the gorillas have 99% DNA as the humans, they still remain wild and you are advised to follow the dos and don’ts from the guides. The gorilla trek can take 30 minutes to more hours depending on the movement and location of the gorillas in the forest. Gorillas are remarkably peaceful creatures, certainly by comparison with most primates, gorillas try to interact with their visitors, often approaching them, and occasionally touching one of the guides in apparent greeting as they walk past.
What is the cost of gorilla Permits in Rwanda for travelers from Kenya?
Gorilla permits are very essential for gorilla trekking to see the Amazing mountain gorillas, you must have a Rwanda gorilla permit for a particular date secured from Rwanda development board. The gorilla permit costs USD1500 for all nationals as well as travelers from Kenya. Booking a gorilla trek to volcanoes National Park is a life time experience to complete your bucket list, Eco Adventure Safaris will help you book and tailor a gorilla trek tour that is affordable and memorable from Kenya.
How long is the gorilla trekking in Rwanda?
The gorilla trek can take 30 minutes to hours in the forest depending on the movement of the gorillas in the forest. But you will enjoy the magical hour with the gorillas is a lifetime experience and this can be achieved by booking a gorilla safari in Rwanda from Kenya for this experience. The hike up to the mountain gorillas’ preferred habitat of bamboo forest involves a combination of steep slopes, dense vegetation, slippery underfoot conditions after rain and high altitude. You will need at least 2-3 days for gorilla safari to Rwanda from Kenya.
How to book gorilla safari permits in Rwanda from Kenya.
When you contact us at Eco Adventure Safaris about your planned trek and desired dates you plan Booking Rwanda gorilla safari from Kenya, we shall check availability of permits online system of the Rwanda development board and if permits are available, we shall send you an invoice to make payment for the permits as they are top priority and if they are not available, you will choose other dates that have availability of permits (We advise you book months in advance to get you exact date). Once we receive payment, we shall book and secure your permits from Rwanda development board and send you copy of the receipt with booking ID to confirm your trek. The process of acquiring the gorilla permits is easy and transparent
The gorilla trekking permits normally sell out so very quickly during the high season (January, February, July, August, September, and December every year. Booking the permits in advance is ideal for your gorilla trek in Rwanda from Kenya. We as well organize last minute booking of gorilla safaris from Kenya to Rwanda, you may visit Rwanda for a conference, Seminar or Weekend getaway from Kenya, you instead opt to do a gorilla trek on a weekend or any day you are free, once you contact, we shall try our best to get you a gorilla permit from either Rwanda development board or from those reselling the gorilla permits for you not to miss out. Booking the gorilla permits will require you to make payment for the permit to secure a spot for trekking. Once you contact us, we shall send you a quote for the number of days as you require, and then you fix dates which we shall consider when booking you’re your permits and accommodation as they are key priorities.
How to Get to Rwanda from Kenya
Getting to Rwanda for a gorilla safari from Kenya is one of the easiest access points, If you a citizen in Kenya, you will only need your national ID to be allowed in Rwanda, if you are a Kenyan Resident, you only require a work permit, and if you a non-Foreign Resident visitor in Kenya, you are required to secure Rwanda visa at USD50 online, at Kigali international Airport or any of the border points into Rwanda. You will have to fly into Rwanda’s Kigali international Airport from the Kenya by Kenya Airways, Rwanda Air, Ethiopian airways, Qatar Airways, fly Emirates or any other flights available. You will then spend a night in Kigali or drive direct to any of the parks as per itinerary booked depending on availability.
For Volcanoes National Park, the park can be accessed by road and its only 2-3 hours’ drive from Kigali city We use 4×4 vehicles for our all-inclusive packages that are very comfortable for your road trip to Volcanoes national park, we provide drinking water in the vehicles as well. For entry into the park, you will need to have secured gorilla permit for this gorilla safari
There is also a possibility of doing a road trip through Uganda and crossing to Rwanda in case borders are open, this will take you about two days
What is the Age limit of gorilla trekking in Rwanda?
The minimum age/ Age limit for gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is 15 years and travelers’ Passports will be checked at the Park headquarters. In cases of Minors, we always encourage our clients to provide us with copies of their passports, before booking and securing the gorilla permits. Children being underage does not stop you from coming along with them for your gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda from Kenya, as you go on the trek, children can get busy through variety of activities such as nature walk around the hotel, Games, or community visit to keep them busy as they wait for you.
What is the Packing List for Rwanda Gorilla Trek from Kenya?
We always advise our visitors to pack as lightly as you can, you may have to travel in a group and baggage size and weight limits you depending on the car booked. Below are some the things that should not miss on your packing list.
- Hiking Boots, Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park involves trekking/hiking in search for the endangered mountain gorillas. Because of the nature of the forest plus the altitude and terrain, you need light weight hiking boots for this activity. Hiking boots are must as you decide on what to pack for your Rwanda gorilla trek in Rwanda’s volcanoes National Park.
- Garden Gloves, You will be required gloves to protect your hands during your gorilla trek. As you move in this forest, remember that it can get slippery and somehow you need to hold on something just in case such happens.
- Rain Jacket, You will never tell when it is going to rain so you need a rain jacket in order to be protected from rain. Many clients prefer traveling in drier months of June, July, August and beginning of September and try to avoid rainy seasons of March, April and May but being a tropical rain forest, it can rain any time. This should be considered for your Rwanda gorilla trek.
- Long Sleeved Shirts/Blouse/, you are required to have long sleeved trousers/shirts/blouse for your gorilla trekking. Please ensure that you tack in your trousers in your hiking boots to avoid insects such as safari ants entering your trousers. Jeans trousers can do this better.
- Cameras and extra batteries, Photography is an important component of your Rwanda gorilla trek and thus make sure that you have your camera ready, charge your batteries very well and if necessary, carry extra batteries as you will need to take as many photographs in the one hour you will have with the gorillas. Please make sure that you switch off your flash while taking gorilla photographs.
- Hat and Sun Glasses, if it is hot, please carry a hat to protect you from the strong sun rays. You may also need to carry some sun glasses too. These are extra optional.
Where to stay for a gorilla safari from Kenya in Rwanda
You will need to book a hotel in Kigali city depending on your flight arrival time, hotels in Kigali range from Budget to Luxury and you can choose depending on your budget. In volcanoes national park, there are many lodges and hotels in volcanoes national park ranging from budget to luxury, namely; Bisate lodge and Virunga lodge are luxury options, Sabinyo silverback lodge, five volcanoes lodge, Le bamboo Mountain gorilla lodge, Da vinchi gorilla lodge are Midrange options to consider, Kinigi guesthouse, Hotel Muhavura and gorilla volcanoes lodge are some of the budget hotels. The hotel rooms can sell out quickly especially during the high season, your accommodation choice needs to booked in advance for your gorilla trek visit to volcanoes national park.
Booking Rwanda gorilla safari from Kenya with Eco Adventure Safaris
Eco Adventure Safaris offers amazing gorilla safari experiences to Rwanda from Kenya. Contact us here for our discounted packages and also tailor made gorilla trips to the volcanoes national park in Rwanda. Our magic in organizing authentic experience stems from the fact that we have overtime assembled a team mixed with young and energetic staff guided by well experienced Team and passionate about what they do. Eco Adventure Safaris is highly rated and reviewed on trip Advisor to help you learn on the experiences of the other travelers who booked with us Rwanda gorilla safari from Kenya. Contact us here about Booking Rwanda gorilla safari from Kenya