Rwanda, the land of a thousand hills is a great place to see the endangered mountain gorillas. Rwanda is not only the land of a thousand hills but also a foremost travel destination in Africa offering the undefeated kind of experience to travelers.
Rwanda is the favorite destination for those looking to short gorilla treks in Africa. This tiny country is located in Central Africa. It hosts the Virunga population of the mountain gorillas in its Volcanoes National Park. For the past decade, the Volcanoes National Park has become a favorite destination for primate safaris in Africa. Within just 3 hours drive along a neat road from Kigali, you will be within the gorillaland! Day trips are possible to the Volcanoes National Park and several tour operators sell an all inclusive day tour at affordable prices.
Today, thousands of travelers from all parts of the world flock into Rwanda to experience the unique, natural, cultural, historical and man-made features that make up a travel package in the country. Despite the bad history of 100 days of genocide that hit the country in 1994, Rwanda has greatly recovered over the past 20 years into a great destination.
The country has now stabilized and tourism is developing at a promising rate. Today, Rwanda is the forefront destination to visit for gorilla trekking given that it is the champion of nature conservation in East Africa. A safari in Rwanda is a greatly rewarding experience given that you will travel through amazing places.
Where to Go – National Parks
These are the most visited tourism sites in Rwanda. Rwanda has three gazetted national parks that can be visited by tourists.
Among the national parks not to miss is the Volcanoes National Park, a home to the endangered mountain gorillas. The park is situated in the Virunga Conservation Area and is a home to the highest population of mountain gorillas compared to the neighboring Mgahinga National Park in Uganda and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Still in Volcanoes National Park, travelers take part in golden monkey trekking, which experience they live to remember.
The Nyungwe Forest National Park is another interesting park that every traveler must visit in Rwanda. The park is a home to chimpanzees; the closest relatives to human beings making it interesting to spend time with such human like species. A dreamlike canopy walk should also not be missed while in Nyungwe forest national park and is the only site where such a walk can be experienced in the whole of East Africa.
Visiting Rwanda for Gorilla Trekking
Rwanda is home to mountain gorillas and is one of the most popular spots for gorilla safaris in Africa. The Volcanoes National park is the leading destination for gorilla trekking in Africa. With over 10 gorilla families that offer exciting experiences to the travellers during the process of encountering the mountain gorillas in their natural environment. Volcanoes National park is located in north western Rwanda in Musanze district formerly known as Ruhengeri covering an area of 160 square kilometers, it is characterized with a rain forest, bamboo, montane, grasslands and thicket kind of vegetation which favors the habitation and feeding of difference wild animals including mountain gorillas the major primates.
Volcanoes National park is the oldest National park in Africa which shelters mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, birds, monkeys and other wild animals bordered by Virunga National park in Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga National park in south western Uganda.
Volcanoes National park also shelters the five of the eight Virunga ranges including mount Karisimbi, mount Bisoke, mount Sabinyo, mount Muhabura and mount Gahinga. The park also acted as a base for the American primatologist Dian Fossey who conserved and protected mountain gorillas and carried out her study from Karisoke research centre found between mount Karisimbi and mount Bisoke but was later killed in 1985 by the angry poachers and buried close to the research centre.
Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National park starts early in the morning with briefing at the kinigi park headquarters by the ranger guides about the dos and don’ts of trekking mountain gorillas and family allocation, embark on the memorable experience by following trails in the forest in search for the endangered primates, visitors are allowed to spend one hour in the presence of the gorillas for observation and photography before you leave the forest and return to your lodge for the next activities.
Volcanoes National park has only 10 gorilla families including Karisimbi, Susa, Sabinyo, Umubano, Amahoro, Ugyenda, Kwitonda, Agashya, Bwengye and Titus, there was Hirwa family also but recently migrated to Mgahinga National park in south western Uganda. Each gorilla family offers unique trekking experience which involves hiking high in the mountains, trekking humble and peaceful gorilla families among others.
Gorilla permits for Rwanda costs 1500 US dollars per person for all residents obtained from Rwanda Development Boarder (RDB), it is advised to book trekking permits 6 months prior to the trekking date. Gorilla trekking only allows a maximum of 8 members per gorilla group who are 15 years and above. There is availability of 80 permits on a daily basis.
The Rwanda gorilla trekking permit is expensive compared to Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo as away of reduce overcrowding in the park which saves the mountain gorillas from tracking human diseases.