Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park with Park rangers

Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park with Park rangers, these play a crucial role in guiding visitors through the dense forest, helping them navigate the terrain and locate the gorilla families. Their knowledge of the park’s geography and wildlife behavior is invaluable in ensuring a successful and safe trekking experience. Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, located in the northwest of Rwanda, is a unique and exhilarating experience that offers the opportunity to observe mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Here’s an overview of what to expect during Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park with Park rangers:

Preparing for the Trek

1. Permits: You need to secure a permit to go gorilla trekking. The number of permits is limited to ensure minimal impact on the gorillas and their environment. As of now, each permit costs $1,500 per person per trek. It’s advisable to book these well in advance due to high demand.
2. Physical Fitness: Trekking to see the gorillas can be challenging, requiring a good level of fitness. Trails can be steep, muddy, and involve several hours of hiking.
3. Gear: Essential items include sturdy hiking boots, long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, a rain jacket, insect repellent, and a hat. A walking stick, often provided by the park, can also be very helpful.

The Trekking Experience

1. Briefing: The day begins early with a briefing at the park headquarters in Kinigi. Here, you’ll be grouped into small parties, each accompanied by a knowledgeable guide and park rangers. The guides will provide information on gorilla behavior and the rules to follow during the trek.
2. Trekking: The actual trek to find the gorillas can take anywhere from 1 to 4 hours, depending on the location of the gorilla families. Rangers use their knowledge of the gorillas’ movements and signs like nests, dung, and broken vegetation to track them.
3. Encounter: Once the gorillas are located, you will spend approximately one hour with them. This is to minimize disturbance to the animals. During this time, you can observe their interactions, behavior, and even hear their vocalizations up close. It’s an intimate and humbling experience, bringing you face to face with one of our closest relatives.
4. Guidelines: Maintaining a safe distance of about 7 meters (23 feet) from the gorillas is crucial. Follow the rangers’ instructions at all times, and avoid making sudden movements or loud noises. Flash photography is prohibited to avoid startling the animals.

Conservation and Community Impact

Gorilla trekking is a significant part of conservation efforts in the region. The revenue generated from permits helps fund the protection of the gorillas and their habitat. It also supports local communities through employment opportunities and community projects.

Tips for a Successful Trek

• Health Precautions: Ensure you are free from infectious diseases like the flu, as gorillas are susceptible to human illnesses.
• Pace Yourself: Trek at a comfortable pace and stay hydrated.
• Respect Wildlife: Always respect the wildlife and their environment. Do not attempt to touch the gorillas.

Best Time to Visit Rwanda for Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park.

The dry seasons, from June to September and December to February, are generally the best times to visit, as the trails are less muddy and more manageable.

Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park

The mountain gorillas are the famous attraction in Volcanoes National Park with gorilla trekking happening every day throughout the year. 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 more than 12 habituated gorilla families for trekking every day, only 8 visitors per gorilla family are allowed to trek every day. 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.

To do gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, you must have a Rwanda gorilla permit for a particular date secured from the Rwanda Development Board. The gorilla permit costs USD1500 for all nationals and you are allowed one hour of viewing the gorillas and taking photographs. Booking a gorilla trek to Volcanoes National Park is a lifetime experience to complete your bucket list, Eco Adventure Safaris will help you book and tailor a gorilla trek tour that is affordable and memorable.

Other things to do in Volcanoes National Park.

Golden Monkey Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

Golden Monkey Trek in Volcanoes National Park is amazing experience to do on your trip in Rwanda. Golden Monkey tracking refers to visiting the rare and very beautiful golden monkeys in their natural environment. Volcanoes National Park has two habituated golden monkey communities for trekking every day, these communities have about 80 members each and the number of visitors is not limited. The golden monkey trekking permit costs USD100 for all nationals and can be obtained from the Rwanda Development Board to allow you visit the endangered golden monkeys. The activity starts at the park headquarters at 7:00am with briefing on dos and don’ts by the park wardens and later the park guides and rangers lead you to the forest to find them, you can walk for 30 minutes to hours depending on the location and movement of the golden monkeys, once you find them you are allowed to view and stay with them for only one hour and after you return.

Visiting Dian Fossey Tomb and Hike

Dain Fossey tomb tour is one the most famous activities done in volcanoes national park by visitors. It is one hour hike to the tomb from Karisoke research camp. The Dian Fossey Memorial hike which is derived from the famous primatologist and Zoologist Dian Fossey from America who spent all her life in the volcanoes protecting the endangered gorillas from extinction and created awareness. She was killed by the alleged poachers and was buried in the park and a memorial was built. She is also famous for participating in the film “gorillas in the mist”. The hike is about 2,500m to 3,000m, this trail leads to the tomb of the late Dian who fought and rescued the endangered mountain gorillas and sensitization on conservation promoted gorilla tourism. Celebrating her charisma, love for the Mountain gorillas, her research and the history makes this experience incredible.

Iby’Iwacu cultural experience

African cultures are very unique and interesting and worth experiencing in Volcanoes national Park when you start your trip from Cyanika boarder. The Rwanda culture is one that is most enjoyable and to Participate in, The locals used to stay in the forest and even participated in poaching of the endangered species, the were later evacuated and organized  into a village, the Iby’Iwacu village is found in volcanoes national park in Nyabigoma, Kinigi, Musanze district, Northern Province of Rwanda. We always tailor trips with cultural experience to volcanoes national park for you to have an incredible time, visiting the Iby’Iwacu people, you will share with local people home and heritage treasures including lifestyles, activities, artifacts, dances and ways of living of local people. Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village showcases the ways of life, traditional practices and dances to Visitors.

Bird Watching

Bird watching is another activity to do in Volcanoes national Park, for bird watchers, Volcanoes forest is a habitat to variety of bird species. There are over 300 bird species living in the volcanoes, some of the birds are Grauer’s rush warbler a vulnerable which is a local bird species commonly seen in the swamps, francolin, the Rwenzori turaco, the Archer’s ground robin,the red-faced woodland warbler , the dusky crimson-wing, Rwenzori double collared sunbird, there is the collared apalis and the Rwenzori batis as well as the strange weaver and many others. We do offer birding packages to volcanoes national park, Rwanda and Uganda. The professional birding guides will help you spot the birds and identify their names.

Where to stay during Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

There are several options of lodges and hotels in Volcanoes National Park ranging from budget to luxury, namely; Bisate lodge, Gorilla Nest and Virunga lodge are luxury options, Sabinyo silverback lodge, five volcanoes lodge, Le bamboo Mountain 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 visit to volcanoes national park. You will also be able to get a discount on accommodation when you stay more nights.

Why book a Trip to Volcanoes National Park Through Eco Adventure Safaris

Eco Adventure Safaris offers amazing experiences to Volcanoes National Park. Contact us for our discounted packages and also tailor-made gorilla trips, birding, cultural experiences and golden monkey tracking to the Volcanoes National Park. 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 have traveled with us to Volcanoes National Park Rwanda including Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park with Park rangers.