Organising a one-day gorilla tour to see gorillas in Volcanoes National Park

Organizing a one-day gorilla safari to see gorillas in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda. Are you planning on visiting Rwanda for a one-day gorilla safari? This blog guides you on adequately preparing for the one-day gorilla safari in the Volcanoes National Park. The one-day gorilla safari can be organized as you plan a safari to other safari destinations in Rwanda or Uganda. 

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Gorilla trekking is a lifetime experience where you spot the endangered gorillas in their natural habitat, and all tourists need at least one day to trek the primates.

Volcanoes National Park is found in the northwest part of Rwanda and is home to the endangered mountain gorillas. It is the only place where gorilla trekking is done in Rwanda. Volcanoes National Park is part of the Virunga region and home to five volcanic Mountains, which include Bisoke, Gahinga, Karisimbi, Sabinyo, and Mount Muhabura, Golden monkeys, over 178 registered bird species, animals like bushbucks, forest hogs, baboons, and forest elephants among others. On your one-day gorilla tracking experience, you will have a chance to participate in other activities within the national park, including golden monkey trekking, climbing one of the volcanic mountains, primate walks, a walk to the twin lakes, and a cultural tour.

The one-day gorilla tracking trip in Volcanoes National Park is designed for tourists who wish to see the fully habituated mountain gorillas and have limited time on their safari. If you are in Uganda for a meeting or conference, you can still spot the gorillas in one day for as long as you booked in advance. Limited-time visitors can opt for the one-day gorilla trekking safari in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.

Itinerary

Overview

This itinerary is for tourists with limited time on their safari. The safari includes transport in a 4x4 safari vehicle, an English-speaking guide, Lunch, bottled drinking water, and gorilla trek permits that cost $1500 per person. The safari cost does not include International flights, optional activities, visa fees, air tickets and tips, and gratuities.

Day 1: Tracking Mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park

We set off for the Volcanoes National Park from Kigali at around 5:00 am, and it will take 2 to 3 hours to get there. After getting to the national park, you will be checked at the gate for any illegalities, and all that is not allowed into the park will be left at the gate. After that, you head to the park headquarters, where a briefing from the lead guide is carried out. During the briefing, the guide reminds you about the rules and regulations and puts you into groups of 8. The trek starts immediately after that.

The time spent on treks usually depends on the gorillas' location; after finding them, you have an hour with the primates. You have an hour with the gorillas studying their behavior, lead guides introducing the different family members of the gorilla family as you take photos and record videos. The hour can still be cut short, but only if the gorillas are not settled, and staying with them at night causes harm to them.

After trekking the gorillas, we head back to the park headquarters, where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking.

You can do other activities after gorilla trekking including golden monkey trekking, cultural trips to the Ibyiwacu village, bird watching, and primate walks, among others.

Cost of gorilla trek permit in Rwanda

Rwanda is a luxury gorilla safari destination compared to Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and this is because Rwanda, as a country, is marketing itself as a luxury destination, which is why the gorilla trek permit in Rwanda is priced higher. The cost of a gorilla permit in Rwanda depends on the type of tourist visiting the country, and it costs $1500 for foreign non-residents, $300 for East African citizens (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan), and $500 for African residents per person per trek. Rwanda offers a trek permit discount to tourists who have booked to also visit Nyungwe Forest National Park and Akagera National Park with a 10% discount and to tourists who have come for a conference in Rwanda and buy the gorilla permits in advance.

How to purchase a gorilla permit

The gorilla trek permit must be purchased six months before the safari date because they are scarce and sell out fast. You can buy a gorilla permit from the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) or through a local tour operator, but the best option is to purchase through a registered tour operator.

When you contact the tour operator, you will be asked for your information (names and birthdays as they appear on the passport) and the date you want to trek the gorillas. All this is to check for the availability of the permits. After confirming that the permits are available, you are required to make full payments of the gorilla permit fee so that it is purchased on your behalf. A copy is sent to show you that the permit has been purchased. When making payments, ensure that this is done at the payments are not made on an individual account but use a company account.

Preparing for the one-day gorilla safari in Volcanoes National Park

You need to know about the rules and regulations that are to be followed when trekking gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, and these include the following:

• Tourists only have an hour with the gorillas after tracking them, and this time only includes some of the time spent trekking and searching for them.
• The age limit for trekking gorillas in Rwanda is 15 years, and anyone above 15 can trek the gorillas as long as they are physically fit.
• To limit the number of people trekking the gorillas daily, only 8 people are allowed to trek a gorilla family.
• Tourists who feel sick are not allowed to trek the gorillas, especially if they have infections like flu and cough, which greatly affect the Mountain gorillas.
• When you feel a cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose and turn away from the gorillas to protect them.
• Leave a distance of 7 meters between you and the gorilla. This prevents infections, and gorillas keep to their space to move around easily.
• When trekking gorillas, minimize your noise and do not stray away from the group. This acts as a safety measure for both the gorillas and the trekkers because other wild animals are in the national park.
• Please take all the rubbish and anything that you came with from the national park because it needs to be kept clean throughout.
• Eating is not allowed when close to the gorillas.
• Smoke significantly affects the gorillas, so avoid smoking.
• The flash on your camera should be turned off when taking photos of the gorillas.

You will also have to know the suitable clothing to bring on your one-day gorilla safari, which has to be appropriate for you to enjoy your safari. For example, extra clothing should be in neutral colors, avoiding white, camouflage, and blue. The safari clothes that are recommended for a one-day gorilla trek in Rwanda include the following:

• Ankle-length hike boots that are waterproof, comfortable, and light.
• long-sleeved shirts
• Trousers
• Gardening gloves. These help keep your hands safe from thorns or any other danger you might get while trekking gorillas.
• Gaiters
• Waterproof rain jacket and warm sweater because of the ever changing weather in the country.

Your gorilla safari to Rwanda packing list should include the following essential items.

• A day backpack to keep your items
• Sunscreen
• A sunhat
• First aid kit with all the essentials and prescribed medicine from your doctors.
• snacks, refillable water bottles, and energy bars
• Insect repellent because of the many bugs in the national park.
• A camera, extra batteries, and binoculars.

The cost of the gorilla trek safari for one day in Volcanoes National Park

Tourists also need to know the best travel season as they plan a one-day gorilla safari to Rwanda. There are two seasons of travel, which are dry: June to September and December to February. These are the best times to travel; however, they are also considered the most expensive time for gorilla trekking. Trek routes are not a nightmare during the dry season and can be easily used. The wet season: March to May and October to November are not bad times to go for gorilla trekking because the routes are harder, slippery, and muddy, and if you do not mind the rain, It is, however, an excellent time to organize your one-day gorilla trek.

The size of the group you are traveling in for the one-day gorilla safari in Rwanda affects how much you will spend on the safari. If you want to trek the gorillas in Uganda for one day as a group, it will cost you less because of cost-sharing compared to traveling privately.

Tipping might not be mandatory, but it benefits the people helping you on your gorilla trek safari, from the guides to the porter. Tipping is a form of appreciation for the work well done by the service providers, and any amount given helps the locals in a big way.

Safety of gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park

Some measures have been implemented to ensure that gorilla trekking is safe for all tourists. These rules and regulations were put in place and must be followed throughout the trek when with the gorillas. Security cameras are around Volcanoes National Park. There are also security checks at the park entrance for all tourists, and anything deemed dangerous is left at the park gate.

Planning a one-day gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park by yourself

There are instances where you would wish to plan the safari on your own without the help of a tour guide, and this guide will help you with the information you need to have a wonderful experience. Planning the gorilla trek on your own can be an overwhelming experience, and you need to do constant follow-ups to ensure that your safari is with little or no hurdles. Before planning, consider whether you wish to do the planning or contact a trusted tour operator to help with the process. If you are to plan for the safari on your own, there are a few things that you need to follow, and these are:

Find out if the gorilla permits are available through the Rwanda Development Board online, and this should be done at least 3 to 6 months before your desired trek date. You need to constantly communicate with RDB to ensure the permit is printed and a copy sent to you after payment.

The next step after purchasing the permit is to arrange transport for the trip. Volcanoes National Park is a 2 to 3 hours drive from Kigali International Airport. If you are doing a solo safari, you must hire a 4x4 safari vehicle to take you to the park. Research where to hire vehicles from and test drive them so you can use a car in good condition.

To avoid the hustle of going through all the norms of organizing the one-day gorilla safari that comes with frustrations, contact us to help you manage your trip, from purchasing the gorilla permits to organizing transport and, if you need, extra accommodation.