Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda

A top-notch wildlife adventure available worldwide is gorilla trekking.

This kind of animal encounter is what many tourists to Africa choose. That is why gorilla permits are selling out so quickly. Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda rely heavily on mountain gorilla tourism.

Due to its gorilla trekking costs, well-built roads in national park areas, and, last but not least, its excellent wilderness lodges, which provide views of the a thousand hills and make Rwanda famous for that moniker, luxury travelers consider gorilla trekking in Rwanda to be a luxury activity.

Where are the gorilla tours held?

Mountain gorilla excursions are available only in two places in the world: the impenetrable national park of Bwindi, located in southwest Uganda, and the Virunga Mountains, which cross the borders of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Congo so this is where gorillas are conserved to any who wanted to know.

There are no zoos in the world where mountain gorillas can live other than in the wild. These two regions’ montane rainforests provide the best habitats for the endangered subspecies, making them the only places on Earth where they may be found.

Apart from Bwindi, the Virunga Mountains have three national parks that safeguard mountain gorillas: Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Virunga National Park, and Uganda’s Mghainga Gorilla National Park.

According to the 2018 gorilla census, there were 1,064 mountain gorillas in the wild, though it is possible the number has since grown.

The largest concentration of mountain gorillas is protected by Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which is home to over 450 of them. Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is home to about 350 of them, while Virunga National Park in the Congo is home to roughly 200.

For gorilla tours, which location is the greatest?

No matter where it is conducted, going on a gorilla trekking expedition is an amazing and captivating experience. Ninety-eight percent of human DNA is shared by mountain gorillas, who behave in the same way everywhere they travel.

There are a few variables, though, that influence how favorable a gorilla trekking location is for tourists. These comprise, among other things, the price of the gorilla tour, the travel time between the airport and the park, the caliber of the lodging options, the transportation system, and security.

Rwanda is regarded as having the most expensive gorilla permits, with permits costing $1,500 per individual but they are really worthy it and you will have a wonderful gorilla trekking experience in rwanda

With a number of opulent lodges and hotels already in existence, the nation is likewise working to establish itself as a high-end travel destination.

Foreign non-residents pay $700 per person for a gorilla permit in Uganda; foreign residents in East Africa pay $600, and residents in East Africa pay Uganda Shillings 250,000.

Because of the civil unrest in the eastern region of the nation, where mountain gorillas are located, Congo is less popular for gorilla trips, but its gorilla permits are the cheapest at $400 per person.

With a travel time of less than three hours from Kigali International Airport to Volcanoes National Park in the northwest, Rwanda offers the most convenient access to the gorilla park.

Driving from Entebbe International Airport to Bwindi in Uganda takes about 10 hours, so this is much faster. Notably, as it is easier to reach from Kigali than from Kampala, many visitors from Rwanda hike the gorillas in Uganda’s Bwindi impenetrable national park.

The ideal time of year to go on a gorilla tour

While there is year-round access to mountain gorillas, the dry season, which spans from June to September and December to February, offers the most amazing gorilla trekking experiences.

Due to muddy and slick conditions brought on by heavy rains, trekking in the harsh montane rainforests where mountain gorillas reside may be quite challenging during the wet season.

When it is raining, gorillas can be quite hard to locate since they like to stay in one spot for extended periods of time. However, on sunny days, they can be easily found because they travel freely around their habitat. But tourists who wish to hike among the gorillas are always advised to bring essentials like a rain jacket, no matter the season.

Gorilla Trekking Authorization Document (Gorilla Permit)

Getting a gorilla permit is the main prerequisite for anyone planning to see mountain gorillas.

Because there is a need to improve gorilla conservation in all three nations, the issuing of gorilla permits is heavily restricted. Only eight permits are granted each day to hike with a habituated gorilla family, which means that only eight people are allowed to see a gorilla family in a given day.

Making an online reservation with a reputable travel agency is the simplest method to obtain a gorilla permit. The agent purchases the permit on behalf of the customer from the granting authority after receiving the booking fee.

Since there is a limited supply of gorilla permits, it is advised that travelers schedule their gorilla visits at least six months in advance.

Rules for gorilla trekking

Trekkers receive a briefing on the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking—basically, instructions for the activity—before heading into the jungle to look for mountain gorillas.

These were formulated by conservation authorities to guarantee that the gorillas’ well-being is given first priority, allowing them to persist in flourishing in their natural environment.

This is crucial, especially in light of the fact that a few decades ago, mountain gorillas were in danger of going extinct. Therefore, one method to support animals in living freely and healthily in their natural settings is to reduce human intervention with them.

Limiting the number of tourists per gorilla group to eight each day and limiting the amount of time visitors can spend with the gorillas to an hour are two of the main regulations. Others include, but are not limited to, forbidding people from touching gorillas and encouraging silence when among them.

Trekkers can visit around 20 habituated gorilla families in the Bwindi impenetrable national park every day, and every visitor nearly always has the opportunity to encounter these gentle giants.

There are twelve habituated gorilla families in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, eight in the DR Congo’s Virunga National Park, and one in Uganda’s Mgahinga National Park that makes sporadic trips to the park before leaving again for Rwanda.

Visitors can see a range of other wildlife species in these regions in addition to mountain gorillas while on their gorilla tours. These include forest elephants and baboons in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, as well as the stunning and colorful golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Gorilla Families

Gorillas share nearly the same organizational structure as humans, living in social families of related members. The dominant alpha male known as a silverback, along with a few females, babies, and juveniles, make up a normal gorilla family.

There have been reports of gorilla families with as few as two members, while other gorilla families have up to thirty members.

Ceremony for naming gorillas, Kwita Izina

Rwanda started the gorilla naming ceremony in 2005 to honor newly born gorillas as part of her conservation efforts. Giving a name is the local term for the event, “Kwita Izina.” The historic Rwandan custom of naming newborns in front of family and friends served as the model for adoption.

Every year, in September, Kingi, the Volcanoes National Park headquarters, hosts the celebration. From the start of the ceremony, more than 350 mountain gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park have been named.

As young gorillas explore the park, having a name for them makes it easier for rangers to keep an eye on and safeguard them. Given that the number of mountain gorillas in the park has been steadily rising since the practice’s inception, gorilla conservation has been greatly increased.

Politicians, environmentalists, and celebrities are among the many foreign guests who are always invited to participate in the ritual by naming the baby gorillas.

Mubare, Rushegura, Bitukura, Nshongi, Nkuringo, and Bweza are a few of the habituated gorilla groups that are frequently seen in Bwindi. Gorilla permits are given to tourists who belong to one of the park’s four sectors: Rushaga, Ruhija, Buhoma, and Nkuringo. Gorilla excursions are conducted in these sectors of the park.

This is to guarantee that visitors to the park behave responsibly and to lessen human intervention and pressure on certain gorilla populations more than others.

Since it is closer to the park from Kigali, Rwanda than from Kampala or Entebbe International Airport, Uganda, many tourists choose to travel via Kigali to Bwindi in order to climb mountain gorillas.

Gorilla Habituation

Only in the southern region of Rushaga, within the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, does gorilla habituation occur.

In order to promote tourism and fortify their protection, mountain gorillas in the wild go through a process known as “gorilla habituation,” whereby they become accustomed to human presence.

In the procedure, rangers track the designated gorilla group every day to observe their organization, behavior, and whereabouts. Alongside rangers and trackers, just four visitors are allowed to participate in the habituation process each day.

Unlike the typical gorilla trekking experience, where visitors are only allowed to spend an hour with the gorillas, the tour allows guests to spend longer time in the company of the gorillas.

Travelers are legally permitted to see the habituated gorilla group once the process is finished. For $1,500 per person, visitors who wish to participate in the park’s gorilla habituation experience must reserve their permits ahead of time in order to streamline the integration procedure. Only the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park currently does gorilla habituation with tourists.

Unlike Uganda and Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is incredibly rich in wildlife, including multiple gorilla subspecies.

The other subspecies of lowland gorillas are found in Kahuzi-Biega national park, both of which are located in the east of the country, whereas the mountain gorillas of Congo are found in Virunga National Park.

In both parks, gorilla tours are available, and visitors can select their preferred subspecies to hike with. The Virunga National Park is home to eight habituated gorilla families, including Munyaga, Rugendo, Mapuwa, Kabirizi, and Bageni.