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How to photograph Gorillas in Rwanda. Photographing gorillas in Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park, is a unique and rewarding experience. Here are key tips to help you capture stunning images while respecting the gorillas and their environment:
1. Camera Gear & Settings
- Camera: A DSLR or mirrorless camera with a zoom lens (70-200mm or 100-400mm) is ideal.
- Lens: A fast lens (f/2.8–f/5.6) helps in low-light conditions inside the dense forest.
- ISO: Start at ISO 800-1600 to compensate for the dim light under the forest canopy.
- Shutter Speed: 1/250s or faster to freeze movements.
- Aperture: Wide aperture (f/4 or lower) for better depth of field and light.
- Autofocus: Use continuous autofocus (AI Servo/AF-C) to track movements.
- Image Stabilization: Helps if shooting handheld in low light.
2. Best Time for Photography
- Dry Season (June to September, December to February): Best for clear skies and better visibility.
- Morning Treks: Softer light conditions are ideal for photography.
3. Composition & Framing
- Eye Contact: Focus on the gorilla’s eyes for an emotional connection.
- Rule of Thirds: Position the gorilla off-center for a more dynamic composition.
- Background: Use a shallow depth of field (f/4 or lower) to blur distractions.
- Behavior Shots: Capture interactions, grooming, and feeding for storytelling.
4. Ethical & Practical Considerations
- Keep a Distance: Maintain the 7-meter rule to protect gorillas from human diseases.
- No Flash: Flash photography is prohibited as it can startle gorillas.
- Low Noise Approach: Move slowly and avoid sudden movements.
- Weather Protection: Carry a rain cover for your camera as the rainforest can be unpredictable.
- Extra Batteries & Memory Cards: Cold and high humidity can drain batteries quickly.
5. Gorilla Photography Permits
- Rwanda’s gorilla trekking permit costs $1,500 per person, so plan.
- Book through the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) or a registered tour operator.
Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park is located in the far northwest of Rwanda, home to the endangered mountain gorillas and rich montane vegetation of bamboo forests and open grasslands. Gorilla tracking at this park is done once daily with 8 individuals visiting a gorilla group per day. The visitors are expected to arrive at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) offices at 7 am where they are briefed about expectations and the dos and don’ts when tracking gorillas and later distributed among the different gorilla groups. Once the briefing is concluded and you are allocated a gorilla group, you will follow your armed ranger guide to start your trek in search of these gentle giants. Your trek can take anything from a few minutes to 6 hours depending on the location of the group that you are tracking. How to photograph Gorillas in Rwanda. Once the insight into the group, you will be able to stay in their presence for only one hour. Remember the details shared in the briefing and endeavor to follow them for not only your own safety but that of the gorillas.
How to book a Gorilla Trekking Safari in Rwanda
You will need to have your gorilla permit secured in advance from the Rwanda Development Board to confirm that you are booked for gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park for a given date. Once you have your planned dates of travel confirmed we will need you to send us an email at Eco Adventure Safaris so that we can check for the availability of gorilla permits online with the Rwanda Development Board once we confirm permits are available for your planned dates we will let you know so that we can send you an invoice for you to make payment for the permits. Once the payment is done and we have received it on our account we will go ahead and purchase your permits immediately and send you a scanned copy of the permits for your records and perusal, this will confirm you are booked for Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes Gorilla National Park
How Much is Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
The Gorilla permit price shares a much more cost for any Gorilla Trekking Safari in Rwanda on top of other services like transport, accommodation and guiding. A gorilla permit costs USD1500 for the Foreign nonresident, USD500 for the foreign resident and USD200 for the East African Citizen per person per trek, this gorilla permit gives you an opportunity to spend one hour encountering with the mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. On top of the gorilla permit you will also pay other services for a successful gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda which include transport, accommodation and guiding.
What is the Best Time to trek Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda?
Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda is best done in June to October and December to March during this time it is a dry season in Rwanda with mild rainfall making it easy for the treks in Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking, as well during this time the vegetation is not fully grown and it is easy for creating trails and viewing the mountain gorillas offering great sights for photographs. During the other months of April, May and November which is normally a wet season this makes the vegetations grow high making the sightings unclear however during this time the treks tend to be shorter given the fact mountain gorillas don’t move further distances looking for food, food is readily available. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda can be done throughout the year given the fact it is a very well-organized activity and you have 99% chances of seeing the mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park.
Where to stay during Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Accommodation in Volcanoes National Park range from Budget, mid-range to luxury options, Luxury options include Sabinyo Silverback Lodge, Bisate Lodge, Virunga Volcanoes Lodge, Five Volcanoes Hotels and Mountain Gorillas’ Nest Lodge. The price ranges from USD300 to USD1000 per person per night.
The Midrange lodge options at Volcanoes National Park include Mountain Gorilla View Lodge and Lebambou Gorilla Lodge, Davinci Lodge. For budget accommodation in Volcanoes National Park the options are many from basic accommodation to camping which include Kinigi Hotel, Hotel Muhabura, Gorilla Solution Lodge, Villa Gorilla, Virunga Hotel, Faraji Hotel and La Palme Hotel or Home Inn.
How to photograph Gorillas in Rwanda Through Eco Adventure Safaris.
Eco Adventure Safaris is a local tour operator that conducts Uganda and Rwanda tours. Our team has expertise in adventure Tour/Safaris Operations in Uganda Tour African Safaris, Tanzania African safaris, Kenya Tours Safaris, Rwanda African Safaris, Congo DRC African Safaris, and Zanzibar Safaris that run in the respective destinations hence detailing about us. Meanwhile, we operate in the other popular East African destinations of Kenya and Tanzania through partnerships that we have established with highly regarded and like-minded local tour operators.
We organize private tours for individuals and also offer ground handling for travel companies and agents from around the world. We are very passionate about Eco-tourism and preserving nature and so our tours are organized in a way that respects the environment and local cultures. Contact us here for more information about How to photograph Gorillas in Rwanda.