Luxury Rwanda Gorilla Tours are one of the most exhilarating safari activities one may partake in while on a Rwanda vacation is gorilla trekking. Because more people are travelling to the country to witness the “gentle giants,” as Dian Fossey called to them, gorilla trekking has increased the country’s tourism. The American primatologist and conservationist Dian Fossey battled to preserve and protect the gorillas in Rwanda while conducting research in the country’s Volcanoes National Park, where they can be found. She has developed into a pillar in the expansion of Rwanda’s gorilla trekking industry.
Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda.
Volcanoes National Park, a park situated within the districts of Burera, Musanze, Rubavu, and Nyabihu, offers gorilla trekking opportunities in Rwanda. In contrast to Uganda, where visitors can visit either Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to conduct gorilla trekking, travellers interested in Rwanda must visit the park because it is the only location where gorilla trekking is conducted.
A visitor to Volcanoes National Park must travel 130 kilometers-or around 2 hours-from Kigali City in order to get there. The park is 76 kilometres from Gisenyi, a large town in Rwanda, and it takes tourists about 1 hour and 30 minutes to get there. Because of the country’s excellent transportation infrastructure, getting there is relatively safe and less stressful.
Tourists can visit five of the eight Virunga Mountains in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, which is well-known for its Virunga Mountains. These mountains are Karisimbi, Gahinga, Bisoke, Muhabura, and Sabyinyo. They provide stunning views and are great places to go bird watching. Among the bird species there are the Archer’s ground robin, red-faced woodland warbler, Ruwenzori double collared sun
Numerous other animal species call the mountains home, including bushbucks, warthogs, spotted hyenas, and elephants, which are uncommon but occasionally spotted by tourists on hikes through the Virunga Mountains. They also host the critically endangered Rwanda gorillas, which are found in the park on various mountain slopes. These gorillas are divided into different gorilla groups, much like people, and they also have different families, each of which is led by a silverback who serves as the family’s head.
How to Obtain a Gorilla Trekking Permit in Rwanda during Luxury Rwanda Gorilla Tours?
To have a chance to partake in the Luxury Rwanda Gorilla tours activity, tourists who are interested in going gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda must make plans and reserve gorilla trekking permits in advance. There are 10 habituated gorilla groups that can be trekked in the park, and there is a cap of just 8 people per group, therefore the park offers the opportunity for 80 people to do gorilla trekking safari there. To take advantage of one of Rwanda’s unusual luxury Rwanda gorilla tours experiences, it is advised for travellers to make their reservations well in advance.
You can purchase gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda from a variety of reputable tour operators or agents from the various tour businesses in Rwanda. Visitors may also reserve a permit through the Rwanda Development Board, which also serves as the country’s tourism bureau, by going to its website. Every person in Rwanda, whether they are citizens or foreigners, must pay a gorilla permit fee of 1500 USD, which is more luxurious than the cost of a gorilla in Uganda, which is currently 800 USD.
Where to do Luxury Rwanda Gorilla Tours?
Along the slopes of the various Virunga Mountains in Rwanda, you can find various mountain gorilla families. Since the bamboo trees in the mountains provide shelter and food for the gorillas, these are typically found there. These can be found on a variety of mountains, including Sabyinyo Mountain. When going gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda to see the Sabyinyo gorilla family, one of the most interesting mountains to hike is the dormant mountain.
The Sabyinyo Gorilla Group has the heaviest and largest silverback Guhonda in the entire park, who can be seen when participants in the luxury Rwanda gorilla tours activity, making it interesting about gorilla trekking. At the Peak of Sabyinyo Mountain, the tourist is believed to be in three countries at the same time, namely Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
One of the well-known mountains in the Virunga range is Mount Karisimbi, where Dian Fossey built the Karisoke studies Centre, where she conducted her gorilla studies and used to defend the animals from poachers. The region is also home to the gorilla cemetery, where Dian Fossey buried gorillas killed by poachers, as well as the grave of the primatologist who worked to protect mountain gorillas in Rwanda and whose efforts allowed for gorilla trekking, which can be profitable. Another safari activity that tourists adore is the hike to the Dian Fossey Grave.
The mountain is home to the Amahoro gorilla family, the karisimbi gorilla group, and the Susa gorilla family, which are all fascinating gorilla families. For instance, the Amahoro group, the Susa gorilla group, which was depicted in the movie “Gorillas in the Mist,” which was based on the life of Dian Fossey in Africa and Rwanda, where she fought valiantly to protect the gorillas from poaching.
Mountain Bisoke is another mountain in the Virunga mountain ranges where visitors can go gorilla trekking safari. The Ugenda gorilla family lives on the mountain’s slopes, and it’s an interesting gorilla family because it travels to Rwanda and Ugenda in search of food. The Agashya, Hirwa, kwitonda, Umubano, Titus, and Bwenge gorilla families are among the other gorilla groups that can be located on the highlands of Gahinga and Muhabura. Once travelled, each of these gorilla families offers a once in a lifetime a luxury Rwanda gorilla tour experience.
Gorilla Trekking Process on a Luxury Rwanda gorilla tour.
In Rwanda, mountain gorilla trekking safari is done in Volcanoes National Park, which entails climbing the Virunga Mountains in search of the gorillas. Visitors must show their gorilla trekking permits at the reception prior to the activity, and once they have been verified, a pre-briefing is conducted at the Kinigi Park’s reception. During this time, visitors will receive instructions on how to behave around gorillas and how to walk through mountains to reach them.
Depending on the mountain gorilla group and the location, gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda might last up to 8 hours. The eight hours include the walk to the mountain gorilla habitat, the descent to the reception, and the hour-long encounter with the gorilla. The tourists start their gorilla trekking adventure after receiving a briefing on the activity and what to expect. They are then outfitted with walking sticks to help them as they up the mountain.
Gorilla Trekking Guidelines.
Once in contact with the gorilla, keep your distance at 7 metres.
Gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda should not be done by anyone under the age of 18.
To prevent spreading infections to the primates, guests that are infected with diseases like flue, cough and many others shouldn’t engage in the activity.
Eight people at most are permitted to view the gorillas.
Tourists are permitted to spend no more than an hour with the gorillas at a time.
Tourists should refrain from making unnecessary noises or movements when in close proximity to primates to prevent startling or frightening them.
Tourists are instructed not to stare at the gorillas because doing so could be perceived as a challenge by them, which could be lethal.
Thumping one’s chest in front of gorillas is disrespectful and can be taken as a challenge.
Once a gorilla feels challenged, it may start to view the visitor as an enemy, which could result in a battle that is lethal for the visitor. Because of this, it’s crucial for tourists to pay attention during the briefing before going gorilla trekking in Rwanda.
When, what to wear during Luxury Rwanda Gorilla Tour?
The Virunga Mountains must be hiked in order to see mountain gorillas, therefore people engaging in gorilla trekking safari should keep this in mind. This implies that travellers should have protective gear to ensure a safe and enjoyable safari experience. A traveler interested in going for luxury Rwanda gorilla tour during gorilla trekking safari should include the following goods in their backpack:
- Long sleeved shirts and trousers.
- Hiking boots.
- Rain gear Gloves for the garden Hat.
- Insect repellents.
A camera (though tourists shouldn’t use the flash when taking pictures of the gorillas), drinking water, an energy drink because the hike can be strenuous, and binoculars because there are numerous bird species that can be found in the bamboo trees where the gorillas are typically found are additional items that they can pack in their backpack.
Safety measures for gorilla trekking on a Luxury Rwanda Gorilla Tour.
Because of the well-trained tour guides and rangers who accompany the tourists to ensure their safety during the contact with the gorillas, gorilla trekking safari is a very safe activity that visitors should enjoy and feel no fear participating in. The ranger is equipped with a firearm which can keep away animals in case of trying to attack you, but this has never happened in Rwanda, making it a really safe environment for gorilla trekking safari and especially during a luxury Rwanda Gorilla Tour.
Tourists are informed about what to expect while gorilla trekking safari and what to expect along the route before the activity even starts, allowing them to have a better understanding of potential problems and the required countermeasures. A guide is provided with a first aid kit box that might be helpful if a visitor has an accident while going on a gorilla trek, such as getting stung by nettles or experiencing other injuries.
Best Time for Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda.
It is crucial for visitors to be aware of Rwanda’s two distinct seasons, the dry and the wet, and it is advised that they engage in the safari activity between December and March and June and October, which falls during the dry season. This will make it easier for them to hike the mountains. However, during the wet season, hiking the Virunga Mountains, where mountain gorillas are found, can be challenging.
Where to stay during a Luxury Rwanda gorilla tour.
Travellers who come on a luxury Rwanda gorilla tour are provided with the stunning and incredible accommodation facilities that range from budget, mid-range and the luxury accommodations that well locates that includes One and only gorillas nest lodge, Mountain gorilla view lodge, Bisate lodge, Virunga lodge, Five volcanoes boutique hotel, Sabyinyo silverback lodge and among others.