Gorilla Trekking Safaris in Volcanoes National Park.

Gorilla trekking safaris in Volcanoes National Park offer one of the most powerful encounters with mountain gorillas in their natural habitats in Africa. It is located in the northwestern region of Rwanda, bordering Uganda and the DR Congo. This is one of the four parks in Africa that host mountain gorillas. There are over 1000 remaining individuals of the endangered mountain gorillas, volcanoes National Park hosts 30%, 20 % in Virunga National Park and 50% in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla Park in Uganda.

Volcanoes National Park is one of the best destinations for gorilla trekking, which provides exceptional safari experiences for nature lovers and primatologists. Gorilla trekking involves moving through dense forest with an armed ranger guide who protects participants and provides more insight into the park’s inhabitants encountered. The park is not only a home for endangered mountain gorillas, but it also hosts other primates like golden monkeys, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys and other animals like forest elephants, bushbucks, buffaloes, and spotted hyenas. Travellers visiting the park for gorilla trekking can also engage in other activities such as golden monkey tracking, nature walks, hiking, cultural encounters and bird watching, all of which provide unforgettable safari experiences in the park.

Gorilla Trekking Safaris Experience in Volcanoes National Park.

Gorilla trekking in the park is one of the most thrilling safari activities, which allows travellers to come up close with these magnificent creatures. Trekking starts very early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations, and participants are divided into groups of eight. Each group is assigned an armed ranger guide who protects the participants from wildlife and provides more information about the park’s inhabitants. The minimum age for gorilla trekking is 15 years, since the activity involves hiking through steep slopes and dense forest while searching for gorillas. Participants should assess their level of fitness before booking their gorilla permits.

Participants will move through the dense forest in search of the mountain gorillas, and expect to encounter various birds and animal species like buffaloes, bushbucks, duikers and more. Gorilla trekking takes between 1- 6 hours, depending on where the gorillas last slept. Once located, participants will spend one hour watching them as they play, feed, mothers taking care of the young ones, and how the Silverback protects its family, just like humans. Gorillas are our closest relatives on earth, sharing 98% DNA of humans. Having a close encounter with these awesome creatures is a lifetime experience.

What is the Cost of a Gorilla Trekking Permit.

A gorilla trekking permit is an official document that allows travellers to have a close encounter with mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. All participants should obtain a gorilla trekking permit from the Rwanda Development Board. Permits can be obtained through a licensed travel company or directly from the Rwanda Development Board. A gorilla permit costs $1500 for foreign non-residents, $500 for foreign residents and $200 for East African Citizens.

Things to Pack on Gorilla Trekking Safaris in Volcanoes National Park.

 Travellers visiting the park for a gorilla trekking safari should pack essentials, which will allow them to have a successful safari. They should pack comfortable waterproof hiking shoes, long cotton socks, a pair of gaiters, long-sleeved clothes, a face mask, a hat, sunglasses, trekking poles, insect repellents, sunscreen, a camera with extra batteries, a pair of binoculars, a rain jacket, a drinking water bottle, and energy giving snacks.

Best Time to Visit the Park.

Gorilla trekking safaris in Volcanoes National Park can be done at any time of the and the best time depends on an individual’s travel plans. Just like any other African Park, it experiences two seasons: the dry season and the wet season, which both provide unforgettable safari experiences. The dry season is the most loved season by travellers, which runs from June to September and December to February. During this period, the park receives little to no rainfall, and the forest is less muddy and slippery, which makes it easy to penetrate the park. Travellers can also do gorilla trekking in the wet season, which runs from March to May and October to November. During this period, the park receives enough rainfall, making it challenging to penetrate it. However, this season favours budget travellers as most lodges and tour companies offer discounts in this period.