The unique opportunity to see gorillas in their natural habitat in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is worth visiting. It is now over 30 years after the horrific genocide in which close to a million people were killed. The wounds were still raw, but even then, Rwanda had started to rebuild its tourism industry from scratch. Today the country is flourishing, and tourism is playing a big role to raising the lives of the people.
Rwanda’s biggest highlight is the moment to trek mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. It is one of only three countries where these gentle giants live while, the others being Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rwanda is perhaps the most famous gorilla country as it was here that Dian Fossey first habituated these great apes. If you have read about her and the work she has done, you might be interested in hiking up to her old research station and the gorilla cemetery.
I and my wife visited Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. This tour included a city tour in Kigali, a visit to see the mountain gorillas and Golden monkeys and cultural visits. Wild Gorilla Tours booked our gorilla permits which costed US$1500 per person day. We hired a car and driver.
On this safari, we had time to discover and view Rwandan landscapes plus plains. We arrived in time, took lunch, relaxed and we enjoyed the property amenities, evening at leisure. Optional evening visit to the twin lakes. The community visitation to the Twin lakes Burera and Ruhondo. The twin lakes area is very scenic, with steep and intensively farmed hills surrounding the pristine dark blue waters. They offer magnificent views over the whole of the Virunga Volcanoes. Walking and bird watching are possible in the hills and at some points around the lakes.
Following breakfast proceed visitors gather at Volcanoes National Park headquarters in Kinigi at 7am for a short briefing about the gorillas and the forest. From there, we were grouped into eight groups and each group is allocated a gorilla family according to fitness levels. The families include Kwitonda, Sabyinyo, Ugyenda, Susa, Karisimbi, Igisha, Agashya, Umubano, Hirwa, Muhoza and Bwenga.
Proceed to the starting point to search for the gentle appes in their living room. There are twelve gorilla families living in the Volcanoes National Park, which are fully habituated, with a few others habituated for scientific research. The groups or troops, consists of at least one silverback with several females and youngsters. Hikes can last anything from 30 minutes to 8 hours depending where the gorilla spent their previous night. Porters are available to carry backpacks and cameras as well.
The thrilling one hour per day was spent in their company watching the group playing, sulking, teasing each other, eating, dozing which is extraordinary. With only 96 permits available each day in Rwanda, it is highly recommended to book in advance, either online or via a tour operator. After this exciting experience, return to your lodge for relaxation and lunch.
So, the 10% of the revenue from the permit goes towards local communities, to build schools and health centres as well as roads. Gorilla trekking also provides employment for many locals from rangers and trackers to porters, drivers and staff at tourist lodges.
The afternoon at the Gorilla Guardians former IbyI’wacu culture village center, got us entertaining history, music and stories of Rwanda and their ways of life. Feel free to dance along with the village people, it is fun. Retire back to the hotel for our dinner and rest.
Apart from trekking mountains gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, there are other park activities to do like trekking the golden monkeys. With the golden monkeys, we had to follow the same as gorilla trekking. You wake up early in the morning headquarters for briefing about the primates. We meet the monkey and enjoyed their activities for a full hour.
For those interested in tracing the footsteps of Dian Fossey, her tomb is 30 minutes’ drive from Volcanoes National Park headquarters and then between 2 to 3 hours hike through the forest to above 3,000m altitude.
Many tourists visit Rwanda for gorilla safari tours only as an add-on to a wildlife safari in Kenya or Tanzania. There is, however, a lot more to explore in this beautiful country, referred to as the Remarkable Rwanda. While gorilla tours are definitely Rwanda’s top safari attraction, Akagera and Nyungwe national parks are great additions to your Rwandan safari experience.
