Gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda – The country of a thousand Hills has one gorilla park called the Volcanoes National Park situated on the southern side of the chain of the Virunga Mountains. The park is comprised of domant Volcanoes like Karismbi, Bisoke, Sabyinyo, Muhabura and Gahinga lying on the stretch boarderline of Uganda, Rwanda and Congo while the active ones lie within the democratic republic of congo. The park has over 10 habituated gorilla families and each family are quite many in number ranging between 10 – 30 family members. On a good day of mountain Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda, You would stamp on luck and witness all the Gorilla family members in the bamboo and forest covered vegetation. Same as it is in Uganda, It is important to note that all Gorilla family members are entitled to be visited by 8 Visitors per day for purposes of conservation and sustainability.
Location & Accessibility Of Mountain Gorillas In Rwanda
Volcano National Park is about 2 hours drive from the Kanombe Kigali international airport which is the major and big advantage over Uganda. Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Trekking Itineraries can be crafted from 1 day gorilla Tracking to 4 days of Gorilla Trekking experience. Realistically, You can opt to flying into Rwanda, enjoy mountain Gorilla Trekking and flyback the same day. This is for those that have less or limited time to travel and are okay with a rush type of journey.
We would recommend 3 days and 2 nights so you are able to do gorilla Trekking and take it slow later at one of those beautiful safari lodges on the slopes of the volcanoes national Park. That means any person who comes for other business can also spare time and enjoy the mountain gorillas in the mist.
Volcanoes National Park can be accessed either from different ways from Katuna Boarder, The cyanika Boarder into Musanze and to Kinigi, From Kigali to Musanze or from the Goma boarder to Musanze the northern province. The park can also be accessed by a private helicopter into the Musanze and kinigi lodges. Most of the Luxury establishments in Kinigi Have helipads to land helicopters.
Our Top Luxury Gorilla Short Trips In Rwanda
3 Days Luxury Gorilla Trip
Trek Mountain Gorillas In Rwanda Volcanoes National Park on a 3 Days Luxury trip. Stay at Top Notch Safari Lodge
4 Days Gorillas & Golden Monkeys
Trek Mountain Gorillas and Golden Monkeys In Rwanda while staying at Luxury Safari Lodges on 4 days of Primate experience
4 Days Double Gorilla Trek
Trek twice mountain Gorillas in Rwanda on a 4 days double trekking trip. Spend two days trekking mountain Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park while staying at Top notch safari Lodges.
Price Tag for Gorilla Permits In Rwanda
The cost of Rwanda gorilla permit in Rwanda is a whooping USD 1500 per person. This is quite high compared to other gorilla parks like in Bwindi Forest Uganda and The Congo. It is very clear that the Gorilla price is a little more than doubles the Uganda’s gorilla permit fee which is just USD 700 per person. For budget conscious, Uganda would come in handy for mountain Gorilla Trekking. This is the major reason many guests opt for a gorilla trek in Uganda rather than Rwanda but also take advantage of the Rwanda Kigali – Kanombe airport to arrive and flyout for the gorilla trekking trip in Uganda- Absolutely very possible.
On a positive note, Rwanda Gorilla permits are partly playing a big Role in conservation and sustainability of Communities living around the Gorilla national parks. It is very heartwarming knowing that part of the USD 1500 goes to improving of livelihoods of the peoples around the Volcanoes national Park in Rwanda. The same acts are extended for the mountain Gorillas in Uganda and Congo.
Related Story: Uganda Or Rwanda: Where is the Best Place to Go Mountain Gorilla Trekking
Vegetation, Photography And Terrain In Volcanoes National park
Volcanoes National park is characterized of bamboo woodlands that is not so thick like Bwindi impenetrable national park, makes it quite easy to penetrate into and also to get enough light to take nice pictures. Considering Golden Monkeys are also found in the same location as Mountain Gorillas, adding the rare Golden monkey trekking on your Itinerary makes it worthwhile, it makes the Primate trekking experience more enjoyable.
Most of the time during Mountain gorilla trekking leads you uphill on the foothills of the Virunga Mountains in search for the mountain Gorillas. As said it is bamboo type of vegetation and forested park. It will require you some strength with the rangers in hiking up through the volcanic mountains. Most of all the Gorilla families to be visited will require a drive of about 20 – 45 minutes to the main starting point just beneath the Volcanoes.
Travel Tip: It is important that you are traveling in a well maintained 4×4 Safari vehicle that can maneuver some of the volcanic rocks on the path ways to the starting point.
Best time to visit Rwanda for Gorilla Trekking Experience
Rwanda and Uganda is best visited all year around however it also experiences two weather seasons – The dry Season and the Rainy season. The best months over others are the dry seasons June to September and December until February. The rainy seasons which are also the low season months are good too however volcanoe areas experience heavy rains in April and May and few seasonal rains in October and November. The climate conditions are most cases very unpredictable and it sometimes rains in the outside particular climate seasons
More activities to do in Volcano National Park
Among other activities to do in this park other than Mountain Gorilla Trekking include, Volcano Hiking (Bisoke, Karisimbi, Gahinga and Muhabura), Golden monkey Tracking, Dian Fossey grave visit at Karisoke, Cultural Tours and local encounters.
Rwanda has a few more National Parks to visit other than the volcanoes national Park. They include Nyungwe national park for the Chimpanzees with canopy walks and Akagera National Park for the wildlife sightings. The Kigali city has a number of sightseeing activities which include and majorly the genocide atrocity museums more summerised at the Gisozi genocide museum and other genocide countrywide museums
Where To Stay in Volcanoes National Park.
Rwanda has in the last years branded itself as a luxury destination and so are international wilderness brands of lodges in the Volcanoes national park.
A few minutes’ drive from the Kinigi Gorilla trekking headquarters are luxury brands of Gorilla safari Lodges like Singita Kwitonda a reknown wilderness brand, Bisaate lodge, One and Only Gorillas nest Lodge, Sabinyo Silverback Lodge, Mountain View Gorilla Lodge, Five Volcanoes and lots more.
As you Plan your Mountain Gorilla Trekking Trip, very important to know the best times to travel to particular countries, The security of the country, The terrains, accessibility and major things for first hand information.
Top Rwanda Trending Gorilla Safaris
Here are some well-crafted Itineraries as guidelines on trekking Mountain Gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda.
Luxury Rwanda Safari In Style: 8 Days | 7 Nights
Travel & Slumber in style on A luxury Rwanda tour. Be rewarded with the best safari experience visiting the best highlights and staying in Rwandas finest safari Lodges.
Best of Rwanda Safari Highlights: 12 Days |11 Nights
Discover Rwandas best kept secrets and dine in Rwandas famous Lodges. Embark on an 12 days visiting Rwandas top Impressions Highlights Including the Virungas
Luxury Gorilla Safari: 4 Days | 3 Nights
Get up close & personal with human’s closest relatives in The famous Virunga ranges as You slumber in Rwanda’s finest safari lodges.
Gorilla & Cultural Safari: 7 Days | 6 Nights
Enjoy a well blended 7 days Rwanda safari with the unique Culture including kinyarwanda Intore Cultural Dance and wind it tracking the mountain Gorillas in Virunga.
Watch a Short Gorilla Trekking Video
Our Related Travel Sories
MOUNTAIN GORILLA AND THE BIG FIVE IN UGANDA.
They all located in western Uganda. The parks are Bwindi impenetrable and Mgahinga gorilla National parks. Visitors choose where they prefer to track or they are given advise by the consultants according to the flow of the Itinerary.
ARE AFRICAN SAFARIS VERY EXPENSIVE?
Choosing for more budget-friendly accommodations such as tented camps or self-catering lodges can help reduce costs compared to luxury lodges
ATTRACTIONS IN VIRUNGA MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
Virunga mountains is shared between 3 countries, Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic republic of Congo. It’s a chain of Volcanoes in East Africa.
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