Organising a one-day gorilla safari from Kigali Rwanda

A one-day gorilla safari from Kigali, Rwanda, is possible with the right tour operator and information. Rwanda is one of the best gorilla trekking safari destinations in Rwanda with 12 habituated gorilla families available for trekking. For one to be able to participate in the one-day gorilla safari from Kigali, Rwanda, you will need to first get the right tour operator, purchase the gorilla trek permit, organise transport and other logistics that come with organising an unforgettable safari. Trekking mountain gorillas in Rwanda is carried out in Volcanoes National Park, found in north eastern Rwanda, about 2 to 3 hours away from Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda

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Detailed itinerary for the 1 Day gorilla trek from Kigali Rwanda

• The 1 Day gorilla trek safari starts and ends in Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda. You will be picked up from the hotel in Kigali after an early morning breakfast. The drive to Volcanoes National Park starts at 5:00 am with our professional and experienced guide for the 2 to 3-hour journey.
• When you get to the national park, you will head to the park headquarters, where you will be met by the ranger guides who will take you through the briefing, where you will be told about the rules to follow when trekking and with the gorillas. After this, the group will be divided into smaller groups of 8 and assigned a gorilla family to trek.
• Accompanied by the lead guide and rangers, you will start the trek through the forests in search of the assigned gorilla family. Note that the trek can take between 1 and 6 hours, depending on the location of the gorillas and your trek speed. After locating the gorillas, you have an hour studying, taking photos, recording videos and watching them play, feed, and groom their young ones.
• After the one hour with the mountain gorillas, you will hike back to the park headquarters to meet with the driver guide, who will then drive you back to Kigali. You will either be driven back to Kigali International Airport for your flight or any other place, depending on your preference and this marks the end of your 1 Day gorilla safari from Kigali Rwanda

Inclusions of the trip: The 1 Day gorilla safari from Kigali, Rwanda includes a gorilla trek permit, a professional and English speaking guide, Transport to and from Kigali using 4x4 safari vehicles, and complimentary bottled drinking water

How to plan for the 1-day gorilla safari from Kigali Rwanda

The 1-day gorilla safari leads tourists to meet the mountain gorillas in the natural habitat of Volcanoes National Park in Musanze village. Below is how to plan a perfect one-day gorilla safari to Volcanoes NP.

1. Get in touch with a tour operator

The first step in organising this type of safari is to get in touch with a trusted tour operator. This should be done in advance because gorilla trekking attracts many tourists. Contact Encounter Africa safaris to help you book and purchase the gorilla trekking permits and organise transport and other logistics for an unforgettable safari experience. Make sure that you research about the company that you are going to use and read reviews because there are so many scammers.

• Purchase of the gorilla permit

Gorilla trek permits are official documents that give you access to the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Trekking permits in Rwanda can be booked and purchased directly from the Rwanda Development Board or from an operator. We advise tourists to purchase their permits from a trusted tour operator because they will get the trek permit for you and also organise the entire one-day gorilla trek safari for a small cost on your behalf.

The cost of the permit: The Rwanda gorilla permit is the most expensive and this is because Rwanda has always marketed itself as a luxurious destination. The cost is $1500 for foreign non-residents, $200 for East African Citizens, $500 for foreign residents and $500 for citizens from other African countries. Although it is considered to be expensive, the cost covers several important fields including contribution to the conservation of the mountain gorillas and their natural habitat, ranger and guide fees, park entrance fees, medical fees for the gorillas and a contribution to the surrounding villages in terms of hospitals, schools and other forms of infrastructure.

How to get the trek permit: Get in touch with us at Encounter Africa Safaris with the dates you plan on tracking mountain gorillas and we will check for the availability of the permits on the provided dates. When we confirm that the permits are available, we will proceed with providing the payment details, and we usually advise our clients to pay for the permits as soon as possible when it comes to the purchase of permits, since they are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Once we confirm that the payments have been made, we will proceed with the purchase of the gorilla permits and send a copy via email.

• Transportation

The best transportation to get to Volcanoes National Park for the one-day gorilla safari is by road. You can either use private transfers or go for a guided tour.

Private tours can easily be arranged and are the best option for tourists who prefer to travel on their own. You can arrange for a private car for transportation and get a driver through a trusted tour operator or drive to and from the park independently.

Guided tours are the most commonly used. There are so many registered tour operators that offer one-day gorilla trekking safaris, and these will cater for transport to Volcanoes National Park and then back to Kigali after the trek, marking the end of the safari.

The gorilla trekking experience in Rwanda

Because the gorilla trek safari is for one day, you have to be up very early in the morning, at least around 4:00 am, to prepare for the drive to the national park. When you get to the national park, you will be welcomed by the lead guides and rangers at the park headquarters.

The lead guides will take you through the rules and regulations to follow during the gorilla trek. Thereafter, you will be assigned a gorilla family that you are to trek for the day.

The trek, depending on where the gorilla family is found, can last between 1 and 6 hours, and it can only be done in the presence of an experienced guide. After finding the gorillas, you will have an hour with the gorillas watching them as they feed, care for the young ones, play and protect each other. When your time with the gorillas is up, you trek back with the guides to the park headquarters for the drive back to Kigali, Rwanda.

Note that all trekkers have to attend the briefing and follow all the rules and regulations. During the trek, you will also be able to see other wildlife species in the park, and these include bird species, golden monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys and baboons, among others.

What to bring for the one-day gorilla safari

There are several essential items that you can bring for your gorilla safari and these include:

• Sturdy, waterproof and knee-length hiking boots to navigate the terrain within Volcanoes National Park
• Trousers and long-sleeved shirts for protection from the sun and insect bites. We advise that all the clothes packed should be in neutral colours to blend in with the forest.
• A waterproof rain jacket or coat to be prepared for the unpredictable weather within the national park.
• A sunhat, sunglasses and sunscreen for protection from the sun.
• A camera that should come with extra batteries, lenses and memory cards
• A pair of binoculars
• Refillable water bottle, bottled drinking water and snacks
• Garden gloves to protect your hands
• Adjustable gaiters to protect your legs and pants from dust and mud
• Waterproof backpack
• First aid kit
• Cash for tipping.

The gorilla trekking rules and regulations

The different trekking rules and regulations for all trekkers in Volcanoes National Park include the following.

• Trekkers have to be 15 years and above to go for gorilla trekking
• A distance of 7 meters has to be kept at all times when you meet the mountain gorillas
• Groups of only 8 are allowed to trek a specific habituated gorilla family per day.
• You have to follow all the rules and guidelines given by the guides. They are familiar with the terrains and the different behaviour of the gorilla families.
•  8 people are allowed to trek a gorilla family per day.
• Avoid taking photos of the mountain gorillas with the camera flash on.
• Do not spit on the vegetation that is found in the national park. The vegetation is food to the mountain gorillas, and to avoid the spread of diseases, spitting has been prohibited.
• Sick trekkers, especially with viral infections, will not be allowed to trek with the mountain gorillas.
• Littering in the national park is not allowed. And if you have any rubbish with you, make sure that you take it with you as you leave the national park
• Never touch the mountain gorillas
• Sharing food or eating close to the mountain gorillas is prohibited
• All human waste has to be buried and covered well so that the mountain gorillas do not dig it up.
• All communication has to be done in low tones so as not to disrupt the mountain gorillas.
• Always stay with the trek group when in the national park. It is home to other wild animals that might feel threatened when they see you.

What is the cost of the 1-day gorilla safari in Rwanda

Several factors can affect the cost of the 1-day gorilla safari, and these include when to go, the cost of the permit, the mode of transport, other safari activities, accommodation and the size of the group of travellers.

The size of the group of travellers: Travelling in large groups lowers the cost of the safari because some costs of the safari are shared, including transport and accommodation, which is not the case when travelling alone, as the costs fall on one person, leading to a higher cost of the safari.

Accommodation: Although this is a one-day safari, you might want to get accommodation within Kigali as you prepare for the drive to the national park, and the type of hotel you go for will determine the cost of the safari. Accommodation ranges from budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation catering for the different types of tourists.

Transport: The mode of transport chosen will also determine whether you have a budget-friendly or luxury safari. You can opt for private drives, which are more expensive than when you share the transport costs with other people.

When to go for the safari: The season of travel determines the cost of the safari. If you are travelling during the dry season, note that it is a peak season and the cost is high due to an increase in the costs of the different services as compared to the wet season, which has discounts, making it a budget-friendly time to travel for the one-day gorilla trek safari in Kigali, Rwanda. Communicate with your tour operator about your preferred season of travel and plan accordingly.

Best time for the 1 Day gorilla trek safari from Kigali, Rwanda

Gorilla trekking can be done at any time of the year, but the best time is from June to September and December to February, the drier months, because they provide the best trekking conditions, including dry trek routes, thinning vegetation for better views of the mountain gorillas and the surrounding areas. It is, however, a peak season and you should expect large crowds.

The wet season from March to May and October to November has heavy rains, muddy and slippery routes, which make trekking to the mountain gorillas hard. It is, however, a good time for a budget-friendly safari.

For more information, contact Encounter Africa Safaris.