Best offer for gorilla trekking in Rwanda

Rwanda's best gorilla trekking safari offer depends on what you wish to achieve by the end of this African safari adventure. For every Rwanda gorilla trekking safari, the only confirmation you must have is after booking the gorilla permit from the Rwanda Development Board.

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The best gorilla trekking safari offers in Rwanda may be getting discounts on safari, the best time you can visit the mountain gorillas, additional Rwanda safari activities you can combine with the gorilla safari in Rwanda and others.

Rwanda has her gorilla trekking safaris in Volcanoes National Park. This pristine forest hosts Rwanda's unique primates, such as mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. Other primates in this forest include olive baboons, blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed monkeys, and others. A massive list of bird species flock to the forest and spend time in it, including Albertine rift endemics.

For promotional purposes, the Rwanda Development Board discounts Rwanda gorilla permits yearly, about 10% off the original gorilla permit cost. The normal Rwanda gorilla permit costs $1500 but is discounted to $1050 during the low season. This is applicable as long as you have at least two nights within Nyungwe National Park and Akagera National Park. The low tourism season in Rwanda is usually from March to May and November.

During the dry season, mountain gorillas feed closer to the ground, and trails of this ever-wet Volcanoes forest are quicker to navigate. If you are afraid of walking in a dumpy environment filled with an overflowing, dense network of rivers, booking in the dry season is excellent.

For excellent mountain gorilla photoshoots, as more sunlight is let in through the dense canopy, the dry season offers you more opportunities to do this.

If you want less obstruction while you do the gorilla trekking adventure in Rwanda, the low season with fewer bookings is the perfect timing. The chances of going solo to find the gorilla family are more open without spending any extra penny.

How to book Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Permits

To confirm a gorilla safari in Rwanda, you must have a booked gorilla permit from the Rwanda Development Board. At Encounter Africa Safaris, we can assist you in securing the Rwanda gorilla permit when you contact us. We also help plan the gorilla safari itinerary customized to your interest and within your safari timeline.

When you inquire from us about doing the gorilla trekking adventure in Rwanda, our tour consultant checks for availability from the Rwanda Development Board list. 

Ensure you provide us with the period of your gorilla safari or when you wish to do gorilla trekking in Rwanda.

As soon as we find availability per your preferred dates, our tour consultant will get back to you as quickly as possible. Note that no gorilla permit is ever reserved without payment. The status of the gorilla trekking permits may change at times without warning.

We advise clients to secure the Rwanda gorilla trekking permits before booking anything else to support this safari.

After booking the Rwanda gorilla trekking permit, give us the necessary details like your full name as presented on the passport, nationality, date of birth, and others.

When is the Best Time To Book Gorilla Trekking Safari in Rwanda?

Booking the gorilla trekking safari for Rwanda at least six months to a year in advance saves you from last-minute panic. The mountain gorilla permits for Rwanda sell out fast, especially during the peak season: June to September and December to January. Yet, they are limited to a maximum of 8 per gorilla family.

Rwanda so far has 15 gorilla trekking families open to public booking each day. During peak season, they sell out, so last-minute gorilla safari bookings may take a lot of work to make.

During the low season, that is, March, April, May, and November, there are fewer gorilla safari bookings in Rwanda, opening an opportunity for those who wish to have less disturbance while on a gorilla safari. You may go on a solo gorilla trekking day in Rwanda without paying extra to close off other gorilla permits.

The low season may be suitable for a gorilla trekking adventure in Rwanda if you have a limited budget. This is because discounts on Rwanda gorilla permits may be available on terms as conditions apply. Some service providers may lower their costs to break even, like accommodations, vehicle hire, and others so that you can use this opportunity.

How long is gorilla trekking in Rwanda?

It is hard to state the duration of the gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda as some tourists have seen the mountain gorillas in two hours while others have spent more time. Note that the trek to find Rwanda mountain gorillas is generally steeper because of the influence of the five Virunga volcanoes in this Park.

Mountain Bisoke, Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhavura, Mountain Sabyinyo, and Mountain Karisimbi influence Volcanoes National Park topography. The volcanic action in Volcanoes National Park leads to the formation of ridges and Plateaus on whose slopes mountain gorillas spend some time.

As you walk in the wilderness, locating the mountain gorillas depends on factors like the weather conditions of the day, the feeding point of the mountain gorillas, the death of a family member, in case of an attack from another gorilla family, and much more.

Having some fitness and patience helps you get through with this adventure. You can also hire a porter to help you carry your belongings so as not to get weighed down. Wear the right gorilla trekking gear to protect your skin from getting hurt. During the stops, you can munch on the energy bites you carry to keep going because breakfast is taken too early to last the entire time you are in the jungle.

What is the cost of a gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda?

The cost of the Rwanda gorilla trekking safaris is proceeded by the cost of the gorilla permit. At the moment, the Rwanda gorilla trekking permit cost is:

$1500 for international nonresidents 

$500 for foreign residents in Rwanda

$250 for East African citizens.

What are the inclusions and exclusions of the Rwanda gorilla permit cost

The gorilla permit costs for Rwanda cover park entrance fees, ranger guide fees, mountain gorilla conservation, local community support, security, one hour of gorilla trekking, government ax, and a certificate after completing the gorilla trek.

Exclusions include tips, porter hire costs, sedan chair costs for those who need them, and other personal expenses.

When considering the gorilla trekking safari of Rwanda, we consider the timing of the gorilla safari, the number of people traveling with additional activities to combine with gorilla trekking and others. 

 At Encounter Africa Safaris, we package our gorilla trekking safaris according to luxury, mid-range, and budget. Each of these Rwanda gorilla safari packages has different inclusions and exclusions.

Is the cost of the gorilla trekking permit for Rwanda worth the money?

Gorilla trekking adventure in Rwanda is a dream come true adventure that gets you closer to the only mountain gorillas in the world. You get to be just a few meters away from these primates.

More funds are still needed to support the continuous conservation of mountain gorillas as, according to the recent population census, about 1000 live in the world. This is a significant improvement from the 300 mountain gorillas living in the world as per the population census of the 1980s.

The funds collected from selling gorilla permits support more research about the mountain gorillas, purchase some medications if required, pay ranger salaries, and match more.

 Community sensitization is significant if sustainable gorilla existence is to be achieved. A portion of the annual proceeds collected from selling gorilla permits is given back to the community to help them run their projects.

Some of the porters are former poachers who have reformed from this habit, and so they now earn money from helping tourists carry their gear. They also go back to the community to tell them about the relevancy of the mountain gorillas in their midst.

Is Rwanda safe for gorilla trekking?

Rwanda is safe for any safari experience, including gorilla trekking in the Volcanoes forest jungle. The country is trying to emerge from the rumbles of the 1994 genocide and create a better image beyond this atrocity.

The Rwanda Development Board ranger guides are well trained and always present in part to escort tourists while they search for the mountain gorilla families. Each tourist group is accompanied by at least two ranger guides, one holding a machete and another carrying a rifle just in case the need arises. They keep on constant radio call communication with those on the ground in case backup is needed.

Briefing for every tourist is a must-attend before doing gorilla trekking. This is to get them acquitted with the dos and don'ts of the jungle. Mountain gorillas are susceptible to intruders in their vicinity, so you must follow the rules not to push them into hiding.

You must be in the company of a ranger guide before walking into Volcanoes National Park, or else you may encounter the unhabituated inhabitants.

Although the ranger guide follows the pace of the slowest trekker, do not sneak away from the rest of the people you are trekking with because you will be lost in the jungle.

Are mountain gorillas in Rwanda aggressive?

Mountain gorillas are shy and rare primates, although you should not provoke them because they can charge. At a glance, mountain gorillas look scary because of their dark-furred body that covers their entire bodies. Despite their intimidating appearance, mountain gorillas are shy and very fragile primates.

They command their respect from their vast body structure, and if they get angry, they thump their chests so hard to intimidate anyone. When they fail to put up a show, they run into hiding, so for you to have the full hour allowed with the mountain gorillas, follow the rules of gorilla trekking.

Rules of Gorilla Trekking Safari In Rwanda

• Keep a distance of about 8 meters from the mountain gorillas when you locate them. This is to prevent chances of passing an infection to these primates, as they are highly susceptible to infectious diseases like flu, cough, COVID-19, and others.
• If you are sick with a contagious infection, volunteer to stay behind so as not to pass it to the endangered mountain gorillas.
• If you want to eat or drink before the mountain gorillas, do it at least 250 meters away from them. They are wild animals that must search for their own food.
• The age limit for Rwanda gorilla safari is 15 years and over. This is because the way to locate the mountain gorillas has rugged topography, which sometimes requires hiking to find them.
• Never go into the forest without an escorting ranger guide. Although the mountain gorillas are fully habituated to human presence, some forest dwellers are not and may be dangerous to you alone.
• When defecating, ask the ranger guide to dig a hole at least 30 centimeters deep and cover well beyond recognition.
• Stay in a tight group with the mountain gorillas because surrounding them may cause them to feel ambushed.
• Don't attempt to provoke the mountain gorillas because they are wild animals habituated to human presence. They still possess wild behaviors. 
• When taking photos, do it with a flash-less camera to not scare the mountain gorillas; they are often frightened by unfamiliar occurrences in their presence.
• When tracking the mountain gorillas, keep your voice low not to scare them and other forest dwellers, which may be interesting to add to your wildlife photo collection.
• Never dump garbage in the wilderness, as this alters the nature of the forest where mountain gorillas live.

Contact our team to plan your gorilla trekking safari to Rwanda today.