Can you trek mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda without a ranger guide?

As a rule, never enter Volcanoes National Park without the company of a ranger guide and so gorilla trekking is not excluded. Gorilla trekking is the primary safari activity of Volcanoes National Park, which requires you to walk in the jungle. Ranger guides are very important in this adventures because they are trained to protect the mountain gorillas, other forest dwellers, the forest and tourists in their company.

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Volcanoes National Park is a prehistoric forest that has existed since the Ice Age era. The forest hosts a huge number of primates, birds, butterflies, several mammals, reptiles, a large botanical list and much more. Volcanoes forest is biosphere reserve and vast in size plus the five mountain ranges that form its topography.

 At the moment 12 gorilla families are confirmed as residents of Volcanoes National Park some include Kwitonda, Susa, Hirwa, Amahoro, Umubano, Sabyinyo, Agashya and others. Maximum 8 gorilla trekking permits per each of these gorilla families is opened to the public per day a number that is meager for the entire world looking for a chance to do gorilla trekking. 

Ranger guides are in place to take you through briefing where you have guidelines to follow during gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. Mountain gorillas are not ordinary primates too because they are very sensitive with intruders in there vicinity. You need to follow all the rules of gorilla trekking to succeed.

Not all mountain gorilla or other forest dwellers are habituated to human presence so may be harmful to you. In case you are attacked and you make noise while in the jungle, you may cause a stampede in the forest creating chaos. This disrupts even others on the gorilla trek.

As an individual, you may not cope with all the guidelines of gorilla trekking so you need someone to keep reminding you about not violating them. Mountain gorillas get to know about your presence before you locate them so at all times you must operate within all the rules of gorilla trekking.

Ranger guides are employed to Volcanoes National Park by Rwanda Development Board so it is there duty to accompany tourists into the jungle. This is one of the ways the rangers guides get money to support the running of their day today lives. When you takeaway their work then they are jobless.

How to Book Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Permits?

Choose a date or time when you hope to do gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda. Note the number of gorilla trekking permits you wish to purchase before checking availability. This is to avoid going back and forth with checking availability.

When you enquire from us about a Rwanda gorilla trekking safari with the above details, our safari consultant checks availability from the list of Rwanda Development Board. 

Upon confirming the gorilla permits, he or she gets back to you as soon as possible because availability of the gorilla permits changes any time without warning. No Rwanda gorilla permits is booked without payment as per the policy of Rwanda Development Board.

Purchase your gorilla permits as soon as you get this notice to avoid last-minute inconvenience when they sell out. The peak season gorilla permits that is June to September and December to January are most sought after so in case you hope to travel in this season advance booking is necessary. Book your gorilla permits for the high season atleast 6 month to a year upfront.

What is the cost of Rwanda gorilla trekking permits?

Currently the cost of Rwanda gorilla trekking permit is $1500 per person for international nonresidents, $500 for foreign residents and $200 for East Africans. Rwanda Development Board has the mandate to sell and regulate Rwanda gorilla permits.

The price of the Rwanda gorilla permit covers ranger guide fees, security, mountain gorilla conservation, one hour with the mountain gorillas, park entrance fees, certificate after the gorilla trek, government tax and others.

Exclusions in the cost of Rwanda gorilla permit are international flights, porter hire, treats, drinking water, packed lunch and other individual expenses.

What is the cost of Gorilla trekking tour in Rwanda?

At Encounter Africa Safaris, we package our gorilla safari according to high-end, mid-range, and basic. The cost of the gorilla trekking permit for Rwanda tops the list of items to consider when costing Rwanda safari. This doesn't discriminate which gorilla tour package you choose.

Some of the other items we consider when costing Rwanda gorilla safaris include accommodation, transport, additional safari activities, number of people traveling with, number of days on safari, time of booking gorilla safari and others.

Is The Cost Of The Rwanda Gorilla Safari Worth The Money?

The cost of the Rwanda gorilla safari is worth the money as this is once in a lifetime adventure getting you closer to the only mountain gorillas living in the world. At the moment, about 1000 mountain gorillas are recorded living in the world. Mountain gorillas cannot survive in other area other than the Virunga area that is why you cannot find them elsewhere. Imagine being just a few meters from the mountain gorillas.

Each day maximum 8 people get the chance to visit atleast a gorilla family which leaves others with no chances. The number of visitors to the mountain gorillas land is regulated for conservation reasons. Mountain gorillas are very vulnerable primates that only survive on foliage so when many people are allowed in the forest, they may trample on the food for there gentle giants.

More funds to support mountain gorilla conservation are still needed, and one of the ways to get them is by selling gorilla permits. When you purchase a gorilla permit, you contribute to sustainable mountain gorilla existence.

Locals who work as porters during gorilla trekking in Rwanda get a livelihood when you hire them. In case you wish to support the local community, hiring a porter is one of the direct ways to do so.

How long is gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda?

Although some tourists meet the mountain gorillas two hours after starting the trek, the time of finding them is hard to determine because it is determined by factors prevailing in the forest. Some of factors that may determine when to find the mountain gorillas include weather conditions on the day, proximity of feeding area, death of family member, adventurous nature of the gorilla family, and several others.

Gorilla trekking requires you to have some degree of patience so as not to get so tired. Open your mind to seeing other forest dwellers like the black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, several colorful birds and much more.

When you locate the mountain gorillas, only one hour is allowed with them so as to let them go about their day time activities. The presence of humans disrupts the life of the mountain gorillas so should be minimized.

How tough Is gorilla trekking in Rwanda?

The way to the mountain gorillas in Rwanda is quite steep because of the several highlands around Volcanoes National Park. The topography of Volcanoes National Park is composed of several highlands including five mountains that is mountain Bisoke, Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Sabyinyo, Mountain Muhavura and Mountain Karisimbi.

Sometimes the mountain gorillas spend part of there day life on the slopes of the plateaus or ridges within Volcanoes National Park. You may be required to follow them on a route which is quite slippery and soggy. Sometimes there are overgrown vines that obstruct your way so they need to be trimmed to create way for you to locate the mountain gorillas.

Having some level of fitness before travelling for the gorilla safari in Rwanda will help you to navigate the forest. Pack some energy bites to re-energized during the breaks since breakfast is taken too early to last the entire trek.

What Assures Seeing Mountain Gorillas During Rwanda Safari?

Seeing mountain gorillas in Rwanda is a sure safari activity as there are about 99% of finding and staying with them. Before a wild gorilla family is opened to the public, it is first habituated for sometime until proven ready. Much as other wildlife safaris are a probability because you are not sure to see the animals on your wish list, gorilla trekking is not the case.

A team of ranger guides wakes up earlier than anyone to patrol where the mountain gorillas might have nested and possible feeding area for the day. The ranger guides report this to the ranger stations, and part of these clues are what ranger guides with tourists use to trace the mountain gorillas.

After briefing, the ranger guides follow the trailhead toward where the gorilla family was last seen the previous day. Mountain gorillas don't usually move far from this location.

Are Mountain Gorillas In Volcanoes National Park Dangerous?

Mountain gorillas are not dangerous primates despite their scary appearance. The bodies of mountain gorillas are huge and entirely covered with dark fur. They walk by knuckle locomotion and have dark brown sunken eyes that may stimulate some adrenaline at a glance.

The character of mountain gorillas are contrary to there outward look. They are so vulnerable and timid primates that can easily run from there problems when agitated. 

When agitated, the mountain gorillas thump their chests, walk on one foot, pull grass around them, and much more. Do not panic upon seeing such odd behaviors because it may be the mountain gorillas' stunt. Wait for the ranger guide to establish the root cause of the matter and follow his or her example. When you react differently, you may escalate the situation and cause drama in the wilderness.

Try not to stare into the deep brown sunken eyes of the mountain gorillas as this makes them shy and may agitate them, pushing the entire family into hiding.

What Is The Age Limit For Gorilla Trekking In Rwanda?

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda's age limit is 15 years and over as children of this age are expected to be very vigilant with the rules of the gorilla safari adventure. Even the terrain of Volcanoes National Park may be quite tough for children below 15 years.

Gorilla trekking requires some level of patience before finding the mountain gorillas, which children below this age may not withstand. Even the glance at the mountain gorillas may stimulate some adrenaline causing one to react in a way that may be suspicious to the mountain gorillas. Children below 15 years may over react causing the gorilla family to run into hiding. This deprives the rest of the tourists from having that hour with the mountain gorillas.

What are the guidelines for Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park?

• When you locate the mountain gorillas, do not surround them. This makes them feel ambushed.
• Ask the ranger guide to dig a whole of about 30 cm deep in case you wish to do a long call. You need to ever everything beyond recognition.
• The age limit for gorilla trekking in Rwanda is 15 years and over because the nature of the topography of Volcanoes National park is rugged and rough which quite tiring especially when the gorillas are feeding far. 
• Volunteer to stay behind in case you catch any communicable infection like corona virus, flu, cough, cholera. This is because the mountain gorillas can catch human infections easily. They have a DNA of about 96% to that of humans.
• When you locate the mountain gorillas, keep a distance of about 8 meters from them. To reduce the chances of passing a communicable infection to them.
• Never spit on the vegetation because it's food for the mountain gorillas. It is unhealthy and disgusting too.
• Wear a mask and hand sanitize as an after coronavirus period precaution. You must change into a clean mask as you approach the mountain gorillas.
• When with the mountain gorillas, do not make noise and sudden movement because it may scare them. The gorillas are often scared of unfamiliar noise in there presence.

Volcanoes National Park is great for gorilla trekking experience. Contact us for more information.