Watching the gorillas in their natural environment is now the trending expedition in the travel world. Everyone out there is yearning to see the gorillas in the wild. Those who have watch these amazing huge beasts have had a good time which they will never forget in their entire life. Many people every summertime are always planning to go gorilla trekking in Africa and this is why Rwanda has become a top notch destination in the world.
Rwanda is one of those lucky countries in the world with these amazing endangered animals. More so it is the best country to watch the gorillas in their wild. There four subspecies of gorillas in the world which include the western lowland gorillas, eastern lowland gorillas, cross river gorillas and the mountain gorillas. The three species of gorillas the western lowland, cross river and eastern lowland gorillas are found in so zoos in the western world but the mountain gorillas which are found in Rwanda are not found in any zoo, they are only found in their natural environment. The natural environment is the best place to meet their amazing animals as they give the visitor 100% full excitement.
The gorillas in Rwanda inhabit in the montane forests of Virunga ranges straddled by Rwanda, Uganda and Congo. On the Rwanda side, there is volcanoes national park in Musanze district where 320 mountain gorillas are protected. This is a quarter of the total population of mountain gorillas in the world of about 900 individuals. It is a 2 hours drive from Kigali the capital city of Rwanda. it is the most convenient place to watch the gorillas in the wild as it is not so far from the international get way of Kigali international airport where the international vacationers interested in watching the gorillas land to enter Rwanda. There is nothing like driving a long distance to see the gorillas which is hectic.
Gorilla tracking usually involves walking in the jungles of volcanoes national park in search of mountain gorillas in a group of 8 persons under the stewardship of a gorilla patron. it takes around 2-6 hours to find the gorillas due to the fact that the gorillas keeping moving from one place to another looking for food and shelter which makes it somehow hard to track them at firsthand. Good enough the chances of meeting the gorillas in their natural setting while on a safari are 98%. This is implies that one is guaranteed of watching the gorillas at all time but the 2% is left for the benefit of the doubt where some serious hardship like war or any other natural hazards like hail storms can pop out that may make the trackers not see the gorillas. it is an exhilarating moment the gorillas in the wild as the trackers watch the gorillas forage, play around and also relate intelligently amongst each other. The trackers also have a photography session of taking interesting pictures of gorillas in the wild.
There are many exciting Rwanda gorilla safaris that are up for grabs! Just checkout some of the local tour operators who offer gorilla tracking safaris in the land of a thousand hills. Are you planning to take a budget trip? Many tour operators are offering affordable gorilla tour packages. The Rwanda gorilla safari is a dream vacation to every eco tourist and he/she has the opportunity to come very close to nature and appreciate it to the fullest. Interacting with the gorillas in their natural environment is the closest mankind gets involved with wild animals. Gorillas are terrestrial animals and very gentle animals that tolerate hanging out with mankind at a close range in the wild.
The price of a gorilla permit
With effect from 6th May 2017, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) increased the price of Rwanda Gorilla permits from $750 to $1500 per person. According to Claire Akamanzi the CEO of RDB, the new prices aim at ensuring sustainability of Conservation Initiatives, Intensifying Visitors’ Experience and supporting the development of local communities that live around the Volcanoes National Park Rwanda. This price also has some advantages because tourists who spend a minimum of 3 nights in either Akagera National Park or Nyungwe National Park are offered a 30% discount. Much as it is also assumed to be high, tourists are entitled to several services before tracking including a cup of coffee/tea and free entertainment which are not offered in Uganda and DRC.
Best time to visit Volcanoes National Park.
Volcanoes National Park can be visited anytime of the year. Any season (dry or wet) can be ideal for gorilla trekking. However the dry season (from early-December to late-January and June to mid-September) is more favorable for this remarkable adventure. Hiking is less arduous in the dry seasons. In This season, the possibility of rainy is greatly reduced and the trails are most likely to be less muddy and slippery. But don’t get your hopes too high because Volcanoes National Park being within a Tropical rainforest makes the possibility of raining higher. Besides that, areas above 2000m above sea level can receive rain anytime of the year. The rainy season (April to May and in November) is not preferred by most tourists because hiking itself can be difficult and the trails can be muddy and slippery.
Accommodation in Volcanoes National Park
If you wish to spend your night within Kigali, it is not a bad idea but if you desire to be within or around the Park so that you arrive earlier for the adventurous activity, then you can choose from these classic accommodation facilities near Volcanoes National Park. They include Le Palme Hotel, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Virunga Lodge, Gorillas Volcanoes Hotel, Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge, Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel and Jack and Hannah Cottages among others.
Therefore, Volcanoes National Park being just a two hours’ drive from Kigali is a perfect location for gorilla trekking safaris. With the classic accommodation facilities and the less tedious tracking conditions in this park, tourists can visit it for a memorable gorilla trekking experience.