Gorilla Trekking in the Volcanoes National Park is popular because Rwanda is considered by some to be the best place to see gorillas in Africa. The park is home to the intriguing but endangered mountain gorillas. Mountain gorillas are found in only 3 countries – Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Volcanoes National Park covers an area of about 16,000 hectares and is found in the northwestern part of Rwanda. It consists of afro-montane forests, bamboo forests, savanna grassland, vast swamps and 5 volcanoes (Bisoke, Gahinga, Muhabura, Sabyinyo and Karisimbi). Mount Karisimbi is one of the four tallest mountains in Africa. The Volcanoes national park is home to the spotted hyena, buffaloes, elephants, bush bucks, duikers and golden monkeys among many other mammals
Gorilla trekking is the most popular tourism activity in the Volcanoes National Park and the chances of seeing mountain gorillas is very high. Gorilla trekking at the Volcanoes National Park involves hiking through dense bamboo forests and steep mountain slopes in search of one of the gorilla families in Rwanda. The final encounter with the primates is considered one of the most exciting and memorable
Cost of gorilla tour in the Volcanoes National Park
How is gorilla trekking in the Volcanoes National Park like?
Gorilla trekking in the Volcanoes National Park starts with a briefing from the park authorities and Rangers at around 7:30am. During the briefing, participants are divided into groups and assigned to a particular gorilla
How to prepare for Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
- Prepare in advance physically and mentally by taking long walks in nearby forests.
- Acquire suitable footwear to navigate through the sometimes challenging terrain.
- Come knowing it may rain heavily.
- Pack enough drinking water and light snack.
- Give tip to the park Rangers and guides whenever you can – They do a lot to make your gorilla tracking adventure worthwhile. The recommended tipping rate is between $10 and $15 or its equivalent in the local currency.
Note: Many visitors to Rwanda love combining gorilla trekking with 2 days golden monkey tracking, cultural visits and a hike to one of the volcanoes within the volcanoes national park – especially mount Karisimbi and Bisoke. Combining Mount Karisimbi hiking with gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park would require considerable determination and fitness to complete. The best time for gorilla trekking in Rwanda is during the months of June, July and August.
Other activities apart from gorilla trekking
Apart from gorilla trekking, there are other activities that one can take part in while at the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and in other parts of the country. Throughout your travel, you will notice that the country has beautiful landscape consisting of hills and mountains. You can combine gorilla trekking at the Volcanoes National Park with the following activities:-
Visiting the grave of Dian Fossey: Dian Fossey is considered to be one of the greatest primatologists of all time because of her extensive research and work with mountain gorillas from 1969 till her death in
When trafficking of baby gorillas went out of control, Dian Fossey stopped focusing solely on research and also took up gorilla conservation. This is where her problems started eventually leading to her murder. Hiking to the grave of Dian Fossey is one way of paying homage and learning about the work of this great primatologist. Gorilla conservation initiatives were pioneered by Dian Fossey to save the critically endangered mountain gorillas. You can learn more about how to visit the Dian Fossey grave by checking out our 3 Days Gorilla tour in Rwanda and Dian Fossey Hike package.
Hiking one of the Volcanoes: If you are fit and ready for a challenge then you should look no further than the Virunga Volcanoes. The most popular volcanoes are Bisoke and Karisimbi. Karisimbi Volcano Hiking takes two days and provides for a truly great experience. Mount Bisoke Hiking takes only one day for a chance to view the massive crater lake at the summit. Both these mountains will offer you great views of the Virunga ranges, national parks, the Rwenzori Mountains and the borders of three countries. Hiking mount Bisoke and Karisimbi starts at 7:00 am with briefing from the park offices. After the briefing a Guide is assigned to lead the team.
Visiting the Genocide Memorial center in Rwanda: Rwanda has several genocide memorial sites spread across the country but the one in Kigali is the most visited. The Museum will enable you get a complete understanding of the events that happened in Rwanda before and immediately after the 1994 genocide were about one million people were killed. If you are not satisfied with this museum, you can also visit the former Kings palace and the National Museum in Butale to get more facts about the tragic event.
Visit Lake Kivu: In between your Rwanda safari, you want to relax and enjoy the beautiful African sun in an amazing atmosphere. Lake Kivu provides the answer. It is one of Africa’s great lakes and shared between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Lake Kivu is excellent for fishing, island hopping and swimming. There are stories of methane gas that could explode underneath the waters but that shouldn’t worry you considering how beautiful the lake is.
Game drives at Akagera National Park: For a complete wildlife experience in Rwanda, visiting Akagera National Park is an excellent decision. It is Rwanda’s only safari park and its 3 hours’ drive away from Kigali. It might not be as large as the national parks in Kenya or Tanzania but you will come out having since all of Africa’s big five mammals.
Other activities: Apart from the main activities already discussed, there are also the less known ones like visiting the main market in Ruhengeri for local Rwandan fabric, visiting local village projects, visiting local homes to taste some local food or drink locally made beer. Those who want a quiet place with amazing scenery can visit the twin lakes Burera and Ruhondo. I shouldn’t forget to mention the Congo Nile trail. You can even combine gorilla trekking in Rwanda and a safari in Masai Mara in Kenya.
Accommodation facilities during gorilla trekking at the Volcanoes National Park
There are several high quality lodges close to the Volcanoes national park that can be used by tourists during their time in the park. The lodges offer ultra-luxury, luxury, mid-range and budget facilities. The final decision depends entirely on ones budget. The most popular Luxury hotels include Bisate Lodge, Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel, One and Only Gorilla Nest Lodge, Sabinyo Silverback Lodge and Virunga Volcanoes Lodge. Five Volcanoes Lodge is arguably the most pocket friendly of the luxury hotels in the Volcanoes National Park. They have a VIP room which can be offered to guests as surprise during certain months of the year. Sabyinyo Silverback lodge offers excellent views of the Virunga Volcanoes. If you want the ultimate luxury lodge, then you should consider Bisate or One and Only Gorilla Nest.
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