How Long does Gorilla trekking take in Rwanda?
How Long does Gorilla trekking take in Rwanda- Volcanoes National Park?
How Long does Gorilla trekking take in Rwanda? Sometimes tourists may be lucky to find the gorillas in two hours or more. However, you may need some level of patience to complete the trek. Several factors affect how long gorilla trekking takes in Rwanda. These include the weather conditions of the day, the location of their feeding point, family mood, and much more. Even the pace of fellow tourists determines when to locate these gorillas.
Having some level of fitness before the gorilla trek helps you to persist even when the time to find the gorillas is hard to predict. Instead of just focusing on locating the eastern lowland gorillas, open your mind to other interesting forest dwellers like the different primate species, the long list of plants, an array of birds, butterflies, waterfalls, stunning rivers, and much more in the park.
You may hear the gorillas before they come into view but this time prepare yourself to face these huge primates. Ensure you follow the guidelines of gorilla trekking religiously because the gorillas are very sensitive to intruders in their vicinity.
Only one hour is allowed with the mountain gorillas when you locate them as a way to minimize human disturbance.
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Can I See Gorillas In Rwanda Without A Gorilla Permit
Can I See Gorillas In Rwanda Without A Gorilla Permit? You can not see gorillas in Rwanda without a gorilla permit. You must have a gorilla trekking permit from the Rwanda Development Board to be allowed into Volcanoes National Park. Having the gorilla permit is like an entry ticket into a movie theater. The number of gorilla trekking permits per gorilla family in Rwanda is a maximum of 8 per gorilla family. At the moment, Rwanda has 12 gorilla tracking families. Some of the gorilla families in Rwanda include Karisimbi, Kwitonda, Umubano, Amahoro, Agashya, Hirwa, Susa, and others.
You present your gorilla permits when you arrive at Volcanoes National Park’s ranger station ( ORTPN). You also present other necessary documents for verification before you go for the gorilla tracking adventure.
After a briefing at Volcanoes National Park, the rangers allocate the gorilla families to trek. The criteria for allocating the gorilla families always changes. Sometimes rangers allocate gorilla families according to age range, physical capability, interests, and so much more.
Each group of tourists on a gorilla safari in Rwanda has at least two ranger guides. One carries a machete while another carries a rifle. The ranger guides carry a radio call to keep in constant communication with those on the ground in case of an emergency.
Other than the gorilla permit, you need to book accommodation within or closer to Volcanoes National Park. This is because you must report for briefing at Volcanoes National Park very early morning. Gorilla tracking in Rwanda starts as early as 0700hrs and is compulsory for all tourists. To get to the headquarters in time, you need to spend the previous night closer to Volcanoes National Park.
When Is The Best Time To Book A Gorilla Trekking Permit For Volcanoes National Park?
It is best to book the gorilla tracking permit at least 180 days to a year in advance of the date of the gorilla safari. This is because gorilla permits are limited to a maximum of 8 per gorilla family. Yet, the demand is high, this small number makes it challenging to find gorilla permits available at the last minute.
If you hope to do gorilla tracking in the peak season which is June to September and December to January, finding gorilla permits at the last minute is tough. Even the low-season gorilla permits sometimes sell out. So, you need to reserve the gorilla permit upfront to the date of the adventure.
How to Book Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Permits?
Rwanda sells gorilla permits daily. So, you need to select a date or starting and ending time for your gorilla tour before enquiring about this adventure. This eases checking availability by stating the number of gorilla permits you wish to book.
When you contact us about your gorilla tour, our safari consultant checks availability from the list of Rwanda Development Board. Notably, Safari Vacations and Travel Services is one of the few companies with permission to the gorilla permits list.
Our tour consultant will contact you as soon as they find gorilla permit availability per your dates. We advise our clients to purchase their gorilla permits as soon as possible to avoid losing them. Booking Rwanda gorilla trekking permits is only possible when you purchase them. You reserve Gorilla permits with payment on a first-come, first-serve basis.
You can pay for your gorilla permit in full or purchase the permit in installments of 30% and 70% as per the Rwanda Development Board policy.
For record keeping and identification purposes, you forward us some personal details to be added to your gorilla permits. These include your full name, nationality, date of birth, and passport expiry date.
Who is allowed to book A Rwanda Gorilla Trekking permit?
Can I See Gorillas In Rwanda Without A Gorilla Permit? Gorilla tracking permits are open to anyone aged 15 years and over. The age limit for gorilla safaris is restricted to this age because of the nature of the topography of this area. Volcanic action affected Volcanoes National Park, forming ridges and plateaus. They have accumulated over so many years and the dense vegetation covers them. While hiking to find the mountain gorillas, expect to climb some steep slopes. Mountain gorillas feed from here, lounge, or snap sometimes. Volcanoes National Park topography is influenced by five Virunga volcanoes: Mountain Bisoke, Mountain Karisimbi, Mountain Muhavura, Mountain Gahinga, and Mountain Sabyinyo.
Sedan chair services during gorilla trekking are available to those with physical challenges. However, you also need to book them in advance.
Gorilla trekking, you must abide by the rules of gorilla safari set by the Rwanda Development Board but children below 15 years may only be in a position to follow some of them. Even the time of locating the mountain gorillas is hard to determine which requires some level of patience. Children below 15 years may only be in position to be patient once they find the mountain gorillas.
Which Is The Easiest Gorilla Trekking Family To Trek In Rwanda?
It is hard to determine the easiest gorilla family to trek in Rwanda from the 12 gorilla families living in Volcanoes National Park. All gorilla families in Rwanda are exciting to find because each possesses different qualities that make it unique. Some of the Rwanda gorilla families include Amahoro, Umubano, Kwitonda, and Hirwa. Others include Susa, Sabyinyo, Agashya, Muhoza, Karisimbi, and others.
The gorilla family that was closer the previous day may be the furthest the next day. The movement of these gorillas depends on factors prevailing in the forest. These include the location of the mountain gorilla feeding area, the death of a family member, and a family feud. It also depends on the adventurous nature of the gorilla family and much more.
Finding the gorilla families of Rwanda requires you to bear some level of fitness and patience. To keep the gorilla trekking candle burning open your mind to seeing other forest occupants. These include primate species, butterflies, several bird species, sparkling waterfalls, mammals in the forest and so much more. This helps to pass time before finding the mountain gorillas.
Are Gorilla Safaris In Rwanda safe?
Gorilla safaris in Rwanda are safe since they are conducted by well-trained ranger guides with experience in how to do these safaris. They have accumulated better knowledge about the mountain gorillas and better information on dealing with these primates.
At least two ranger guides lead Every gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda. They carry some protection gear like rifles and machetes. The ranger guides also carry a radio call to keep in constant communication with the security team the ground in case backup is needed.
How Much Is The Cost Of Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Permit?
The current cost of a Rwanda gorilla trekking permit is $1500 for international nonresidents. It’s also $500 for international Residents and $200 for East Africans.
The cost of a Rwanda gorilla permit covers park entrance fees, ranger guide fees, security, and mountain gorilla conservation. It also includes a certificate, local community support, one hour with the mountain gorillas, government tax, and other personal expenses.
Exclusions in the cost of the Rwanda gorilla permit include porter hire, accommodation, and other personal expenses.
Is The Cost Of Rwanda Gorilla Permits Worth The Money?
The Rwanda gorilla permit cost is worth the money. This is because you get a chance to be just a few meters from the mountain gorillas. Mountain gorillas are some of the few survivors of the ice age period that affected Africa, where most forests in Africa disappeared during the arid conditions between 12000 and 18000 years ago.
When you purchase the gorilla permits, you also support the existence of these primates that were on the verge of extinction by the 1980s, according to the census carried out then. By then, about 250 mountain gorillas were living in the world. From the funds the park collects from selling gorilla permits and other sources, the current population of mountain gorillas is about 1000.
Can I Reschedule A Rwanda Gorilla Permit?
You can reschedule the Rwanda gorilla permits, but must be fully paid for. The Rwanda Development Board accepts gorilla permits reschedule in case you are not in a position to make it on the scheduled date. The procedure for rescheduling Rwanda gorilla permits includes the following:
Write to the Rwanda Development Board Reservation office requesting to reschedule the gorilla permit to a new date. State the date to which you wish to move your gorilla permit. You may state the reason why you wish to move your gorilla permit to back up your request.
When your request to reschedule the Rwanda gorilla permits is acknowledged, your permit is moved per your new date. However, this move is done according to the prevailing gorilla permit status.
The Rwanda Development Board has a surcharge on the gorilla permit reschedule.
Why Hire A porter while Trekking Gorillas in Rwanda?
One of the ways to directly give back to the local community is by hiring a porter. Porters are local people from the community who help tourists carry their bags. Some of the porters are former poachers who now understand the purpose of having mountain gorillas in their midst. You can hire a porter at a friendly cost.
The funds the porters collect support the running of their day-to-day lives.
The community needs to constantly be sensitized about not encroaching on the mountain gorilla habitat and the cheapest way is using one of their own. When you hire a porter, they go back to tell the rest of the community members about the relevancy of the mountain gorillas and other forest dwellers in the community.
When you are very tired, the porter may give you a push so that you can carry on with your gorilla trek.
Are Mountain Gorillas In Rwanda Aggressive?
Mountain gorillas are calm and serene primates in nature although on the outlook they look aggressive. They have dark-furred bodies, are huge, and walk by knuckle style. At a glance, the mountain gorillas are scary and intimidating. However, they are cowards who run into hiding when agitated.
When you finally meet the mountain gorillas, they may look busy munching on foliage; however, be very careful with what you do because the mountain gorillas still keep a keen eye on you.
Although mountain gorillas are calm, they can charge too when you provoke them. They thump their chests hard, pull grass around them, walk on one leg, and much more drama.
Do not panic when you witness such odd behavior, as sometimes it may not be ignited by you.
Please wait for the ranger guide to establish the root cause of the matter, as sometimes the mountain gorillas may try to tease their visitors, have hierarchy fights, or fight with another gorilla family and others. Watch out for the advice given by the ranger guide and follow because you have limited time with the mountain gorillas.
What are the Rules Of Gorilla Safari in Rwanda?
Eating or smoking before the mountain gorillas is forbidden. Do this at least 200 meters away from them so that they are not enticed to pull what you are eating from you. They are wild animals that must search for their food.
Only children 15 and above do gorilla trekking because of the nature of the gorilla trekking environment. It’s not easy to determine The time of locating the mountain gorillas because of their movement.
Spitting on the soil or vegetation may spread germs to the mountain gorillas, so the park forbids it. Mountain gorillas can easily catch human infectious diseases like COVID-19, cough, flu, and cholera.
In case you have a communicable infection, volunteer to stay behind and protect the mountain gorillas from such infectious diseases. The extent to which this disease may spread and kill the mountain gorillas is mysterious.
Wearing a clean mask before the mountain gorillas is one of the preventive measures to prevent spreading covid-19 virus to the mountain gorillas and other germs.
Keep a gap of at least 8 meters from the mountain gorillas when you locate them to prevent the spreading of any infection.
You should not make Loud noise in the forest because this may scare the mountain gorillas. They are very sensitive to unfamiliar noise in their presence.
The park also forbids using flash photography because the mountain gorillas may go into hiding because of unfamiliar light.
Contact us for more information about your dream gorilla safari in Rwanda, Congo, and Uganda.
