Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is done in Volcanoes National Park located in the north west of the country. Volcanoes national park is best known for gorilla trekking tours. Having a chance to trek mountain gorillas is one of the most thrilling and a once in lifetime adventure. Having lived in Africa for 10 years, I have been privileged to take many game safaris, but I have never had an experience like this gorilla trek in Rwanda.
Rwanda is a beautiful country ranked among the world’s most exciting emergent ecotourism destination. Few would have expected it 28 years ago, when a long civil war erupted into traffic genocide in which up to a million people died. But two decades of subsequent political stability have seen Rwanda emerge as one of the most economically vibrant and socially progressive countries in Africa.
For most travelers, Musanze is preferred staging post on their way to the magnificent Volcanoes National Park, one of the best places in East Africa to track the mountain gorilla. Since permit holders are required to check in at the park headquarters in nearby Kinigi at 7am on the day of tracking, staying in Musanze is a much safer option than leaving from Kigali at the crack of dawn.
The outskirts of Musanze are home to Lake Ruhondo and Lake Burera, two large lakes dotted with small villages and accessed via a network of undeveloped dirt roads. The scenery here is breath-taking as the shores of the lakes are heavily terrace and cultivated with crop and the Virunga Volcanoes 100m ominously in the distance.
To see a gorilla family up close and personal. Just to sit with a silver back and contemplate the jungle, do you know why many describe this as a life changing. The integrity and care with which the Rwandan Development Board manages this national treasure give confidence that the high cost of a permit $1500 for a visitor is fully justified as well as completely worthwhile. Gorilla Safaris Tours can provide more details online.
The Rwanda Development Board has done an amazing job developing and taking care of Volcanoes National Park. It has been a lot of work protecting it and improving it. The rangers are incredibly knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. We got very lucky and only had to hike for about 1 hour to get to our gorilla family. Just to get to the edge of the park it is 30 minutes hike. Uphill after entering the walls of the park, you will have to hike anywhere from 15 minutes to 3 hours to get to your gorilla family.
We hired porters from the community surrounding the national park and carried our bags and made sure we did not fall. I would definitely get a porter. An amazing national park that needs continued support for conservation and protection. Trekking to see the gorillas as a truly once in a lifetime experience and not just the cost which I have to say is well worth it. The one hour that you get to spend with them just nut the memories will last forever.
We saw the Sabyinyo family which included a young one who had just been named that year and we also saw the largest silver back mountain gorilla in the world called Guhonda. You must plan in advance and get a gorilla permit like three months ahead of you as only 8 people are allowed per group per day and bring your camera, take your pictures and leave your footprints.
But I also recommend taking a village tour with the Iby’Iwacu cultural village as it’s a great source of Rwandan cultural immersion, it is good to do a morning trek for the Golden Monkeys, Trekking the volcanoes and one of the best parts of climbing and trekking the volcanoes is that you will be awarded ample opportunities to view wildlife (gorillas and golden monkeys). The most common herbivores in the park are bush bucks and black-fronted duikers; buffaloes, bush pigs and giant forest hogs.
The richest bird watching zone is in the Hagenia forest, where you can expert to see turaco, francolins, sun birds, wax bills, crimson –wings and various hawks and buzzards. We did the safari with Gorilla Safaris Tours. If you have the chance to go then this is an experience you will never forget if you book with the company above.
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