Planning Rwanda gorilla trekking safari from Arusha, Tanzania

When planning a Rwanda gorilla safari from Arusha in Tanzania, you must have a gorilla permit from Rwanda Developments Board. Rwanda shares a border with Tanzania as Rwanda lies on the northwestern side of Tanzania.

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Put into a plan the best and quickest means of transport from Arusha in Tanzania to Kigali in Rwanda, as you can use air transport or Road transport, depending on your preference. You can get on international flights from Kilimanjaro International Airport to Kigali Airport. Public transportation is also available from Arusha to Kigali; however, be mindful of your bags. From Tanzania, you can cross into Rwanda via Rusumo Border Point or Mutukura in Uganda to Gatuna or Cyanika borders to Rwanda.

Secure the accommodation while on a gorilla trekking safari in Volcanoes National Park, as you need to spend the night before the gorilla trekking within or closer to the park. Briefing for the gorilla trekking adventure in Rwanda starts early morning at about 0800 hours, so you must be at the ORTPN earlier.

Identify the dates for your Rwanda gorilla safari and the duration you may take on this safari. Knowing the number of people you travel with for the gorilla safari is very important as this helps with checking the availability of gorilla permits and finding accommodations.

During your planning, select additional Rwanda safari activities to combine with gorilla trekking to have the best feel of this land of a thousand hills.

For visa arrangements, if you must possess one before entering either Rwanda or Tanzania, you can book the East African Visa. The East African visa allows you entry into at least two East African countries to which both Rwanda and Tanzania belong. This visa saves you the burden of reapplying for one on arrival in Rwanda.

How To Organise Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari from Arusha in Tanzania

Book Rwanda gorilla trekking permit

While you plan your gorilla safari to Rwanda commencing from Arusha in Tanzania, the gorilla permit is the first confirmation that this safari will happen. Gorilla permits are limited to control the effects of human presence. However, demand for these permits is extremely high worldwide. Currently, Rwanda opens 96 gorilla trekking permits to the public each day.

At Encounter Africa Safaris, we can assist you in booking the Rwanda gorilla permits when you provide us details like a date for the gorilla safari, several permits required, and the ages of the participants you have.

Upon receiving your inquiry, our safari sales consultant checks for availability from the list of Rwanda Development Board and gets back to you as soon as possible.

When we get favorable gorilla permit availability, we advise clients to purchase their gorilla permits as soon as possible to avoid last-minute panic. Searching for last-minute gorilla permits is challenging, especially during the peak season.

What is the cost of Rwanda's gorilla permit?

Currently, a Rwanda gorilla permit costs $1500 for foreign nonresidents, $1000 for foreign residents, and $300 for East Africans.

The cost of a Rwanda gorilla permit covers the park entrance fees for the day and, which lasts 24 hours, security, ranger guide fee, one hour with the mountain gorillas, mountain gorilla conservation, government tax, briefing, certificate after the gorilla trek.

Some Rwanda gorilla permit exclusions include tips, snacks, packed lunches, and any other items of a personal nature.

Secure accommodations closer to or within Volcanoes National Park

Booking accommodations before the gorilla safari is crucial as you plan for this adventure. Briefing to start the Rwanda gorilla trekking safari starts early morning at about 0800 hours, which means you must be at the ORTPN earlier. To avoid panic, in case you spend the night far from Volcanoes National Park, you may have to drive in the dark.

To avoid such drama on a long-awaited day to face the mysterious mountain gorillas, you must book accommodation within or closer to Volcanoes National Park. Accommodation of Volcanoes National Park is categorized into luxury, mid-range, and budget facilities.

• Volcanoes National Park accommodations: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, La Palme Hotel, Kinigi Guest House, Hotel Muhavura 

Book Transport to Volcanoes National Park

Road transport is the standard means to Volcanoes National Park. The drive time from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park is about 3 hours, going through winding roads. You need to hire a 4x4 wheel drive vehicle as the roads in the countryside may get messy, especially during the wet seasons.

To get the best excitement of your gorilla safari in Rwanda, you need a knowledgeable and experienced driver guide who will go that extra mile to provide you with facts about Rwanda. 

Charter flight services are available from Kigali International Airport to Volcanoes National Park for those who wish to have exclusive transport.

Pack the right gorilla trekking gear.

While you plan the gorilla safari to Rwanda, crosscheck with the list of gorilla trekking gear to pack. You do not need to carry so many bags for your gorilla trekking safari as these may turn out to be an inconvenience to you. You need to pack light but relevant items for the gorilla safari.

 Some of the items to pack for the gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda include safari gear, a long-sleeved shirt and trousers, a safari foldable hat, insect repellants, a first aid kit with emergency medication, safari boots comfortable for jungle walks, and others.

Select additional Rwanda safari activities to combine with gorilla trekking.

Other than gorilla trekking, Rwanda has more activities you can engage in, like game drives in Akagera National Park, Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk in Nyungwe National Park, a visit to the genocide memorials, a Kigali city tour, Birding in Rwanda, an exclusive Rwanda cultural experience to mention but a few.

At Encounter Africa Safaris, we organize Rwanda gorilla safaris and can tailor an itinerary to suit your needs. If you have extra time on holiday, we can include more Rwanda safari activities within your timeline with your input and budget plan so that you can get the best feel of the land of a thousand hills.

Do pre-gorilla trekking exercises 

The gorilla trekking adventure happens in the jungle, where volcanic actions in this area condition the terrain. Every person is required to bear some level of fitness to complete the gorilla trek because of the different highlands in this area and the tangled vegetation that drapes off. 

Because no park boundaries restrict the mountain gorillas, they move freely and sometimes spend part of their day on the slopes or deep in the valleys. Tourists must hike to find them, which is quite strenuous for someone unfit. 

When Is the Best Time To Plan the Rwanda Gorilla Safari?

Rwanda gorilla safaris are open all year. However, most tourists prefer the dry season for their visits. The dry season is usually June, July, August, September, December, and January. Planning the Rwanda gorilla trekking safari saves you from last-minute panic. To be safe, start planning the gorilla safari six months to a year upfront.

When you secure a Rwanda gorilla permit, you are sure that you will be doing gorilla trekking in Rwanda.

Demand for gorilla permits gets high in the peak season, creating scarcity, yet supply is restricted to a maximum of 8 per gorilla family.

When you plan the gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda, you get time to choose the best accommodation option during this safari. Last-minute safari bookings typically create tension, and amenities may not be the best choices.

Is Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda Tiresome?

Rwanda gorilla trekking is quite tedious. Generally, Rwanda is a land of a thousand hills, so expect the gorilla trekking adventure on steep slopes any time. Mountain gorillas sometimes love lounging in the valley or slopes.

To be on the safe side, you need to have some level of fitness before the gorilla trek, but you do not have to be in the gym all the time. Do exercises that can stretch your muscles more than usual. 

Hiring a porter to carry your belongings saves you from getting tired while trekking to find the mountain gorillas. A porter is a local person who helps you with your gorilla trekking gear at an affordable fee. Hiring a porter is one of the noble acts you can do on gorilla safari to give back to the local community directly.

Request a walking stick from the ranger guide to help support you while you trek to find the mountain gorillas.

Are mountain gorillas aggressive?

No, mountain gorillas are calm primates whose outlook is intimidating, but during the one hour allowed with them, you realize how vulnerable they are. On the outside, mountain gorillas have dark-furred bodies and sunken brown eyes. 

Physically, the body size of the mountain gorillas is enormous, and the knuckle locomotion style makes them look fiercer. 

Mountain gorillas also get furious when agitated, but you do not always notice that it's your fault. When you see odd behavior with the mountain gorillas, wait for the ranger guide to establish the root cause of the matter.

Sometimes, the mountain gorillas are angry because of a family feud, an attack from another gorilla family, and so much more that happens in the forest. You need to wait for the ranger guide to give you instructions on going about this situation and religiously follow the instructions provided.

How Much Is A Rwanda Gorilla trekking safari?

While you plan for the Rwanda gorilla trekking safari, you need a quotation. At Encounter Africa Safaris, we categorize our safari packages into Luxury, Mid-Range, and budget. The general cost among these is the gorilla permit.

The Rwanda gorilla permit costs $1500, regardless of your safari package. To make a quotation for the gorilla trekking tour, we consider some of the below

• Number of people traveling with for the gorilla safari
• Time of booking the gorilla safari
• Additional activities to combine with gorilla trekking
• Number of days on gorilla safari
• And others.

Is The Cost of a Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Permit worth the money?

Rwanda's gorilla permit cost may look hefty, but it is worth every penny. Seeing the mountain gorillas is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure where you meet just a few leftover mountain gorillas worldwide. 

The existence of mountain gorillas is supported by some of the funds collected from selling gorilla permits. Mountain gorillas were on the verge of extinction as per the census by the Dian Fossey team in the 1980s, when results showed that 300 mountain gorillas lived worldwide.

This brought the plight of mountain gorillas to the list of highly endangered world primate species. Still, because of the continued support from the funds collected after selling the gorilla permits, the current mountain gorilla population is about 1000 worldwide.

Some of the gorilla permit funds collected annually are given back to the community to support its projects. This is one way to reach out to the community and include them in the campaign to conserve mountain gorillas and their habitat. Sometimes, the mountain gorillas stray into the community that may pounce on them. Still, because they are included in the mountain gorilla conservation, they are enticed to inform the Authorities concerned.

What is the age Limit For gorilla Trekking in Rwanda?

Fifteen years and over is the age limit for gorilla trekking because of the nature of this adventure. The topography of Volcanoes National Park is mountainous. You may be required to hike, which a child below 15 years may not withstand. 

Mountain gorillas are scary at a glance, yet you should refrain from showing signs of fear while standing before them. It's easy for a child below 15 years to be anxious before the mountain gorillas, which may agitate them, so pushing them into hiding for only one hour is allowed with the mountain gorillas. 

Contact our safari consultants to plan your safari today.