Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda

Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda, Rwanda offers some of the best primate tracking on the planet. Set against the backdrop of its rolling green hills and soaring mountain sides.

With over half of the World’s remaining population of mountain gorillas, it’s no surprise that the majority of guests visit Rwanda. To track and view this highly endangered species. Rwanda is superb for primates in general including; the Golden monkeys, the fun-loving Sykes monkeys and the boisterous chimpanzees in the Nyungwe Forest.

Volcanoes National Park covers an area of about 16,000 hectares and found in the Northwestern part of Rwanda. It consists of bamboo forests, afro-montane forests, savanna grassland, vast swamps. And 5 volcanoes which are; Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga, Sabyinyo and Karisimbi with Mount Karisimbi being one of the four tallest Mountains in Africa. The Volcanoes national park is home to, elephants, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, bush bucks, duikers, golden monkeys and many other mammals.

Gorilla Adventures in Rwanda attracts many Travellers to the Country and in addition to that. Chances of seeing these endangered species is very high. Rwanda has 12 gorilla families available for Trekking. Gorilla Trekking starts with a briefing at the park headquarters. Where you join all the other tourists looking to do a Gorilla trek. After this experience you allocated a gorilla family to trek and a ranger guide to lead you.

Some families are near the briefing area whereas other groups require driving to the trail head from where you enter the park. Regardless of the gorilla group allocated to you, you will all be able to see the gorillas which are often found feeding and the little ones playing. Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park involves hiking. Through the dense bamboo forests and Steep Mountain slopes in search for one of the gorilla families you have been assigned to.

The final encounter with the primates considered one of the most exciting and memorable Wildlife encounters in Africa. To have the best of both worlds, Travellers can also cross the border to see Mountain Gorillas in Uganda in what is known as “Double Gorilla Trekking.” However, some tourists also opt for triple gorilla trekking where they visit the gorillas in Virunga National Park in Congo. A more exciting experience is seeing mountain gorillas and Eastern Lowland Gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park of Congo. Tracking gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park challenging but the final meeting with the gorillas considered by many to be the ultimate wildlife experience.

In addition, the Volcanoes National Park is undoubtedly Rwanda’s most popular park and it has a lot of activities to offer. You can combine Gorilla trekking with a few other activities for diversity and excitement like; Golden monkey tracing, volcano climbing and hiking, birding, cave exploration, nature walks among others.

Best time for Gorilla Trekking

The Best time for Gorilla Trekking is in the months of June to Mid-September and also December to January. These are the dry months and therefore hiking through the forest is easier due to dry paths. However, since the forest is unpredictable, expect lower chances of rain.

What to Carry for Gorilla Trekking

Rain Court or Poncho
Insect repellent to avoid insect stings.
Long trousers and long sleeved sweaters or shirts
Garden Gloves to protect your hands in case of thorny trees and also germs.
A Walking stick to help you during the hike and also in case of the muddy and trails.
Energy snacks and warm water to keep you hydrated during the trek.
Sturdy hiking boots to ease your hiking Adventure
Warm mineral Water to keep you hydrated during the trek
A Camera
Porters