A GUIDE TO GORILLA TREKKING IN VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK

A GUIDE TO GORILLA TREKKING IN VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK

Travelling to a strange destination would be another daunting task that travelers rarely imagine of, especially while on safaris in Africa. Countries that are so wild, with lonely long distance roads, vast weird landscapes, impenetrable forests and several other amazing features.

Yes, travelers have heard that Rwanda is one of the smallest countries in Africa, and they probably think that travelling to such a pocket-sized country is just a walk over. Travelers easily think that even one road trip would be enough to discover the whole country.

But Rwanda has a lot to offer to tourists on safaris in Rwanda. Besides being the land of a thousand hills, Rwanda is also a proud home of the endangered mountain gorillas that are only found in three countries of Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.

Talking of Rwanda’s gorillas, Volcanoes National park is the prime dwelling for the gorillas in Rwanda furnishing exclusive gorilla trekking experiences. Most travelers flock the country for these once in lifetime moments and end up with flopped trips. However, if not all, then almost all the would be gorilla trekkers in Rwanda should get to this guide to gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park.

Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National park involves walking through the forest on the foothills of the Virunga ranges, a chain of volcanoes shared by Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo. Trekkers walk through the thick forest, on the slippery slopes without even clear routes, having to pave their way out, but all these, sum into one lifelong gorilla trekking memory.

All the trekkers in Volcanoes national park should be with a gorilla permit. No tourist is allowed to join the trekking team without a gorilla permit. It costs 1500 USD in the high season and 1050 USD in the low season. The gorilla permit includes the trekkers’ name, date of trekking and the group to trek.

Without any exception, all gorilla trekking trips in Volcanoes national park start with a simple gorilla trekking briefing at the park headquarters. No trekker can enter into the jungle without attending the briefing. It is all about telling the trekkers the dos and don’ts while in the forest, the rules and regulations, permit confirmations and division into groups of eight trekkers.

Note that all tourists below the age of 15 years are not allowed to trek the gorillas in Volcanoes national park. Even sick trekkers are restricted from trekking just because the endangered mountain apes are so susceptible to human diseases like cough, flu and diarrhea which could easily cause death to the gorillas.

Gorilla trekking starts from the park headquarters at 7 am. This is why most trekkers are advised to sleep in lodges within the park or those very close to the park so that they can catch up with the early morning trekking.

Volcanoes national park is a wide span covering over 169 square kilometers, located in Musanze, a town that is very accessible even with public means from Kigali or Gisenyi. It is just a two hour drive from the capital to the park, so it is very possible for one day treks and back home.

Trekkers can also engage in other activities other than gorilla trekking. Hiking Karisimbi volcano, mount Bisoke hike, visiting the twin lakes and visiting Dian Fossey’s grave are all alternative activities that all trekkers in volcanoes National park can engage in.

If it’s got to be an African safari, then it should be the one in Rwanda's volcanoes national park. A safari that exposes travelers to several wonders of this small landlocked country.