How to book Rwanda gorilla safaris from southwestern Uganda

You must secure the Rwanda gorilla permit to book the Rwanda gorilla safari starting from southwestern Uganda. Gorilla tours in Rwanda happen in Volcanoes National Park, which shares a border with Mgahinga National Park in Uganda. From Southwestern Uganda, the drive time to Volcanoes National Park is about 5 to 6 hours.

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Even If your gorilla safari in Rwanda starts from southwestern Uganda, you must book the Rwanda gorilla permits in advance. To secure the gorilla permit, you must have a time frame for your Rwanda safari. A two-day gorilla tour is the least number of days you can be on the Rwanda gorilla safari. Volcanoes National Park currently has 15 gorilla families open to public booking, yet a maximum of 8 gorilla permits are allowed for every gorilla family.

At Encounter Africa Safaris, we can assist you in booking the Rwanda gorilla permit plus other amenities that support you while on the gorilla safari, like accommodations, vehicle hire, and others. Forward us your gorilla safari details, like the trek date and the number of people traveling with you.

Upon receiving your inquiry, our safari consultant checks the availability of the Rwanda gorilla permits from the Rwanda Development Board list. If availability is favorable, we request you purchase the gorilla permit as soon as possible because high-season gorilla permits sell out. The high Rwanda tourism season usually is June, July, August, September, December, and January. 

Secure accommodation to use during the Rwanda safari, depending on your preferred category: Upscale, mid-range, or Basis facilities. Spending the night before the gorilla trek within or closer to Volcanoes National Park is best. This helps you to get to the briefing point at ORTPN in time, as the briefing starts at about 0800 hours.

 You can cross Rwanda via Gatuna or Cyanika Boarder to Volcanoes National Park from Uganda. If you must have a visa as a document before entering Uganda or Rwanda, securing the East African visa saves you from re-applying for a visa in Rwanda. The East Africa visa allows you entry into at least two East African Community member states.

What To Follow When Booking Rwanda Gorilla Safari From Southwestern Uganda

Choose a date for your gorilla tour in Rwanda

Selecting the date when you hope to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda, and the number of gorilla permits you to wish to secure. When you enquire from us about your Rwanda gorilla safari, our safari consultant checks the availability of the permits per your date.

Upon finding gorilla permit availability, our safari consultant gets back to you, but we request clients to purchase their gorilla permit as soon as possible. During the high tourism season, demand for gorilla permits is high, yet supply is limited to a maximum of 8 per family. To be on the safe side, you need to purchase the gorilla permits for the high season in advance, at least six months to a year prior.

You must forward us personal details like your full name as presented on the passport, date of birth, nationality, and expiration date. These details are used for record-keeping and identification purposes.

Book accommodation for the Rwanda Gorilla safari

Within and outside Volcanoes National Park are a variety of optional accommodations ranging from upmarket to Mid-range to budget facilities. Spending the night before the gorilla trek closer to Volcanoes National Park saves you from driving in the dark to catch up with a briefing at the ORTPN. 

Volcanoes National Park accommodations include Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Gorilla Nest Lodge, Kinigi Guest House, Hotel Muhavura, La Palme Hotel, and Mountain Gorilla View Lodge.

Secure transport from Uganda to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda

Road transport is the primary means to Volcanoes National Park from the southwestern corner of Uganda. We advise you to book a 4x4 wheel drive vehicle in good condition driven by a professional and experienced driver guide. The terrain of the Virunga area is rugged, resulting from volcanic action, so even the roads in this area are winding.

Consider the gas, vehicle hire, driver guide fee, and other transport-related costs to incur during your gorilla safari in Rwanda.

Book additional Rwanda safari activities 

In addition to gorilla safaris in Rwanda, you can also engage in chimpanzee safaris in Nyungwe National Park, golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park, birding in Rwanda, Kigali city tour, Rwandese cultural experience, visit genocide memorials and other Rwanda safari activities.

You need extra days in the country to engage in some of these Rwanda activities. With the help of our safari consultant, you can tailor an itinerary that suits your interest while on the Rwanda safari. 

If you choose chimpanzee or golden monkey trekking in addition to gorilla trekking in Rwanda, you must secure a permit from the Rwanda Development Board.

When is the best time to book Rwanda gorilla safari from southwestern Uganda?

Any time is gorilla safari booking in Rwanda, but the dry season is most preferred—the dry season is usually June, July, August, September, December, and January. The mountain gorillas are full of life in the dry season, and other forest dwellers are quicker to spot.

To book the gorilla permit for this season, you must do it in advance because last-minute permits are hard to find. Even logistics that support the gorilla safaris in Rwanda are challenging to book in the last days to the start of your gorilla safari because options run out.

Low season, which is March, April, May, and November, may come with some discounts from service providers as they try to break even. There usually are fewer demands for Rwanda gorilla safaris in this period, so if you want exclusivity, but at no extra cost, you may get this chance during the low season.

If you have a limited budget but wish to get an upgrade, the low season may offer you this opportunity. During the low season, the Rwanda Development Board offers discounted Rwanda gorilla permits from $1500 to $1050 per person per trek as long as you have two nights in either Akagera National Park or Nyungwe National Park, or both terms and conditions apply.

How Long Is Gorilla Trekking In Volcanoes National Park

The time taken on a gorilla trekking adventure in Volcanoes National Park is still being determined. From the starting point, the ranger guide follows the trails where the mountain gorillas were last seen the previous day.

 Finding the mountain gorillas depends on factors like the death of a family member, the location of their feeding area, the pace of fellow tourists, weather conditions prevailing in the day, and so much more. TouristsTourists are implored to have some level of patience because mountain gorillas are wild animals living in their vast habitat without restriction. Some tourists have got the chance to locate the mountain gorillas in two hours, while others have taken over three-quarters of the day.

Upon locating the mountain gorillas, only one hour is allowed with them. They are habituated to be in human presence for just that time. This is for conservation purposes because human presence interferes with the day-to-day life of the mountain gorillas.

During the day, mountain gorillas have to search for their own food to support their vast bodies throughout the day and night, groom their infants, lounge, feed them, procreate, and do other activities. Some of this is antagonized by human presence in the forest. Time with the mountain gorillas is restricted to one hour of viewership to minimize its after-effects.

Is gorilla trekking in Rwanda tiresome?

Rwanda gorilla trekking is tiresome because of the steep nature of the surrounding highlands resulting from volcanic action in this area. The Volcanoes National Park terrain is influenced by five Virunga volcanoes: Gahinga, Mountain Sayinyo, Mountain Karisimbi, Mountain Bisoke, and Mo, and mountain Muhavura. Sometimes, when the mountain gorillas spend their day on the slopes of these highlands, you have to hike. This is quite challenging and needs someone to bear some level of fitness. 

Before the gorilla safari, do pre-safari exercises to stretch your muscles more than you usually do to prepare for this adventure. Carry some re-energizing treats to munch on during the breaks. 

Hire a porter to carry your gorilla safari gear so you are not dragged behind while searching to find the mountain gorillas in Rwanda. A porter is a local person who can assist you with your bags while you walk to see the mountain gorillas in the jungle. The porter may also give you a push when you are tired.

If you want to give back to the community, hiring a porter is one of the best ways to give back to them directly. Some locals earn a living helping tourists during the gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park.

How sure can I see the Mountain Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park?

There is a 99% chance of seeing the mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. These gorilla families are first habituated for an unknown time till proven ready for human visits. The habituated gorilla families are identified by name and monitored by ranger guides each day before tourists are allowed to visit them.

The early risers establish where the mountain gorillas may have nested and possible hangout spots. These clues are what rangers escorting tourists also use to locate the mountain gorillas. After briefing, the ranger guides allocated to the different groups of trekkers followed the trails to where the mountain gorillas were last seen the previous night.

As you search for the mountain gorillas, you are also asked to trace some clues like the freshly chewed-on foliage, fresh dung, footprints, and others—all these help to trace the mountain gorillas.

Mountain gorillas have bulky bodies, so they cannot move so far. A mature male mountain gorilla weighs about 300 kilograms, while a fully grown female mountain gorilla may weigh back half this weight. This is why searching for mountain gorillas and finding them may be easy or challenging sometimes.

Tracing the mountain gorillas is unlike the game drives, where finding some animals is a probability. 

What can I Pack for Gorilla Trekking Safari in Rwanda?

• Safari boots because the jungle is rough sometimes due to the regular fall rains, yet less sunlight is let into the ground.
• A camera for capturing some memorable moments with the mountain gorillas. Pick nothing and leave only your footprints when in the jungle with the mountain gorillas.
•  A pair of binoculars since the mountain gorillas sometimes move into the deeper ends of the forest
•  a sweater or warmers because Volcanoes National Park receives some cold conditions in the morning and late afternoon
•  Waterproof backpack because rain falls in Volcanoes forest anytime without warning, which may interfere with your ability to carry on.
• Insect repellant as the forest has biting insects that may sting you and cause some skin irritations 
• Bug spray 
• Toiletries in case your lodge doesn't provide or you have skin sensitivity 
• Garden gloves to hold a tighter grip on the vines while you trek to find the mountain gorillas.
• Shoe bag to put in your shoes after they are soiled 
• Duffel bag you can carry with your belongings in case you get no assists 
• Extra fully charged batteries in case one runs low during the gorilla tour
• Safari long-sleeved shirt and trousers in wilderness-friendly colors like brown, forest green, Khaki
• Extra clothes to change into after the gorilla safari
• Travel adapter and charger in case you need to charge your gadgets.
• Sweater, poncho, or fleece for extra warmth as this area experiences cold conditions
• Rainproof gears 
• Flip flops to change into after the long day of wearing safari boots
• First aid kit with emergency medication in case you need support.

Book your permit in advance to be able to spend time with the mountain gorillas in Rwanda. Contact us for more information.