Have you ever wanted to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda?
In the heart of East Africa, lies Rwanda- the Land of a Thousand Hills.
The home to some of the only remaining 1063 endangered mountain gorillas in the whole world, golden monkeys, and several other wildlife species of visitors’ interest on African safaris.
When you think of Rwanda safaris, gorilla trekking is what the majority of tourists come to enjoy.
To take it a notch higher, Rwanda has massively invested in security, infrastructure development, and humanitarian activities that have largely distinguished it from other African gorilla destinations.
8 Tips for Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
Where to go Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda?
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is every visitor’s dream adventure on an African safari holiday.
For trekkers who have been to Rwanda before, experiences do vary; but in general, gorilla trekking is a breathtaking experience that comes once in a lifetime.
Tracking mountain gorillas is done in the Virunga Massifs of Volcanoes National Park, located on the Northwestern side of the country – 2 and half hour drive from the Kigali capital.
In Rwanda, there is only one location to visit for mountain gorilla trekking – that is the Volcanoes National Park (also known as ParcNationale des Volcanoes in most guidebooks) which is found in the North-western part of the country.
The Volcanoes National Park has become a preferred high-end gorilla safari destination for a good reason.
At the park, there are a number of park rangers who tirelessly work to ensure the safety of wildlife including mountain gorillas plus other organizations.
During actual gorilla trekking in the volcanoes, tourists are allocated to experienced and armed park guides to lead them through a 2- 6 hours trek to see gorillas.
The park guide (ranger) is mainly to ensure visitor safety and that of gorillas in their habitat.
Besides, actual treks to see gorillas are all done in already habituated gorilla family groups and amazingly, tourists have 12 gorilla families to visit.
Each of these Rwanda gorilla groups is visited by a maximum of eight visitors per day and they include among others – Susa A, Karisimbi, Sabyinyo, Agashya, Hirwa, and Umubano, Amahoro, Titus, Kwitonda, etc.
Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Guidelines
There are a number of guidelines to follow and these are aimed at ensuring a smooth gorilla trekking experience. It should be noted that gorillas are endangered and have a lot in common with humans.
Their DNA is 98% similar to that of humans.
At Kinigi, the park official will take you through the guidelines or gorilla trekking rules; they include but are not limited to spending a maximum of one hour on close encounters upon finding a mountain gorilla family in the wild.
For those interested in mountain gorilla photography, you are required to turn off the flashlight or use the flashlight-free camera for taking pictures.
Within the Volcanoes National Park Rwanda, only eight tourists can go to track a gorilla family. This is done to ensure that there is little impact from human visits to the habitats.
Researchers set this carrying capacity in the early 2000s, a time when gorilla tourism was regulated in the park.
Gorilla trekking is open to tourists but to be eligible, you are required to be at least 15 years or above.
Besides the age restrictions, there are also health requirements to be met. Only visitors without communicable diseases are allowed to go visit a gorilla group family.
However, for safety and health reasons; keeping a distance of 10 meters from the mountain gorillas is recommended mandatory.