Things to consider when booking gorilla tours to Volcanoes National Park

You must have booked the Rwanda gorilla permit to confirm a tour to Volcanoes National Park. A gorilla permit is like a ticket issued by the Rwanda Development Board allowing you to participate in gorilla trekking on a particular day. To secure a gorilla permit, select a date and the number of permit permits you wish to book and check for gorilla permit availability.

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Note that a maximum of 8 gorilla trekking permits are open daily per gorilla family in Rwanda. This is to minimize the effects of mass tourism on the mountain gorillas and their habitat. 

Select the accommodation for the Rwanda gorilla safari as it is best to overnight within or closer to Volcanoes National Park, even though it is about a 3-hour drive from Kigali. Volcanoes National Park accommodations are categorized into luxury, mid-range, and basic facilities.

Consider the time of booking and doing the gorilla tour in Rwanda as the peak season bookings face high competition for the gorilla permits and accompanying logistics. The low Rwanda tourism season may bring discounts on Rwanda gorilla permits and other supporting safari services.

The ages of fellow tourists on gorilla tours must be considered as the age limit for gorilla trekking in Rwanda is 15 years and over. This is because of the nature of the rugged terrain and brutal Volcanoes National Park jungle, which may need to be more gentle on children below 15 years.

Arrange and book transport to Volcanoes National Park in advance as options run low with the approach of high season. You can use the road but need a 4x4 wheel drive vehicle or charter to Volcanoes National Park. 

Brief Details about Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park lies in the northwestern part of Rwanda, which is neighbored by Mgahinga National Park in Uganda and Virunga National Park in D.R.Congo. This park is the only home to mountain gorillas in Rwanda, currently hosting about 15 gorilla families, including Karisimbi, Agashya, Umubano, Amahoro, Hirwa, Susa, Sabyinyo, and others, to do gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, you must attend a briefing at the ORTPN. 

Other than the mountain gorillas, Volcanoes National Park hosts other primate species, including golden monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, black and white colobus, red-tailed monkeys, and olive baboons, to mention but a few.

Birding in Rwanda can only be completed by visiting the Volcanoes forest, where over 300 bird species are residents, including Albertine rift endemics. Some birds you may spot in Volcanoes National Park include Rwenzori Turacos, Handsome Francolin, Shelley and Dusky Crimsonwing, and others.

Volcanoes National Park gorilla trekking is considered more challenging because of the five mountains that make up its topography: Mountain Bisoke, Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhabura, Mountain Karisimbi, and Mountain Sabyinyo. 

Other activities you can do in Volcanoes National Park include a visit to the Dian Fossey grave, an excursion hiking to any of the five Virunga Volcanoes in this park, and nature walks, to mention but a few.

What To Consider When Booking Safaris To Volcanoes National Park?

Book the Rwanda gorilla permit in advance.

Securing your gorilla permit is the number one guarantee to a Rwanda gorilla tour on a selected date. Check for availability of the gorilla permit as per the dates of your choice and the number of permits. This helps with staying on track as you try to find availability.

Suppose you do a gorilla tour in Rwanda during June, July, August, September, December, and January. Note that this is peak tourism season. The demand for gorilla permits this season is high, and it is best to secure your gorilla permit in advance at least six months to a year to ensure availability.

Finding gorilla permit availability at the last minute during the high Rwanda tourism season is hard.

The low Rwanda tourism season, which is March, April, May, and November, may allow you to have less interference from other tourists during the gorilla trek. There are usually few people booking gorilla safaris in the low season. The low season may be the most appropriate time if you want a more intimate moment with the mountain gorillas.

When you enquire from us about your gorilla safari, our tour consultant checks availability from the list of the Rwanda Development Board. Upon finding the gorilla permits per your dates of preference, they get back to you. We advise clients to purchase their gorilla permits as soon as possible to avoid losing them because a first-come-first-served basis is used to book them.

 The gorilla permit is booked with payment.

What is the cost of a Rwanda gorilla permit?

Rwanda gorilla permit costs $1500 for foreign non-residents, $500 for foreign residents, and $300 for East African residents.

Within the cost of the Rwanda gorilla permits are the ranger guide fee, security, mountain gorilla conservation support, government tax, one hour with the mountain gorillas, a portion for local community support, a certificate after completing the gorilla trek

Exclusions in Rwanda's gora illa permit cost include tips, porter hire, treats, and other personal expenses.

Number of people Travelling with for the gorilla tour to Rwanda

Other than the gorilla permit cost per person, you may share other safari expenses if you travel with other people. You can share costs like vehicle hire, gas, driver guide fees, and accommodation if you book twin or double rooms, and other safari expenses.

The more people on the gorilla tour in Rwanda, the less the per-person cost.

Choose accommodation to use during the Rwanda gorilla tour

Accommodation plays a big part in determining the category of gorilla tour you choose, whether luxury, mid-range, or essential. Volcanoes National Park accommodations are limited, but you need to secure where to overnight in advance. It is necessary to spend the night before the gorilla tour in Rwanda within or closer to Volcanoes National Park.

 This will give you quicker access to ORTPN, where briefing before gorilla trekking in Rwanda happens early in the morning. Each gorilla trekking adventure in Rwanda typically starts at least by 0800 hours each day.

If you are overnight far, you may have to drive in the dark to catch up with briefings in Volcanoes National Park, but the chances of finding obstacles along the way are high.

Accommodations in Volcanoes National Park: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Kihihi Guest House, Hotel Muhabura, La Palme Hotel, Hotel Mille Collins, Gorilla Resort.

Select The Number Of Days For The Rwanda Gorilla Tour

For a better experience on the Rwanda gorilla tour, the least number of days is a two-day gorilla safari in Rwanda. Within two days, you can do the gorilla tour because the drive from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park is about 3 hours, and it is also possible to trek and depart for your flight on the same day.

You can do more days on the gorilla tour if you have extra Rwanda safari activities you wish to be part of in Rwanda. You can do chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park, game drives in Akagera National Park, birding in Rwanda, Kigali city tour, and cultural expenses in Rwanda.

Our safari consultants are ready to work with you to customize and tailor a Rwanda gorilla safari itinerary to meet your needs and interests.

You may need extra days on your Rwanda safari to engage in these Activities.

Choose Mean Of Transport To Volcanoes National Park

Road transport is the primary means to get to Volcanoes National Park, but you need a 4x4 wheel drive vehicle in good condition as the terrain is rough. Do not expect a smooth ride to Volcanoes National Park. Include vehicle hire costs in the transport cost, car hire, drive guide fees, car maintenance, and other expenses.

You can also charter a flight from Kigali airport to Volcanoes National Park, but you must book.

Book Additional Activities to combine with Your Rwanda Gorilla Tour

Suppose you have extra days on a gorilla tour in Rwanda. In that case, you can do other Rwanda safari activities like chimpanzee trekking, game drives in Akagera National Park, birding in Rwanda, Rwandese cultural safari, canopy walk in Nyungwe National Park, Kwita Izina, the gorilla naming ceremony of Rwanda, and others.

Time of booking the gorilla tour to Rwanda

Consider when to book your gorilla tour during the peak season. Many people demand gorilla permits, and competition for them is very high, too. The peak Rwanda tourism season usually is June, July, August, September, December, and January. To be on the safe side, you need to book the gorilla safari to Rwanda for the peak season at least six months to a year in advance. 

 Finding last-minute gorilla permits, accommodations, and other Rwanda safari logistics during peak season is challenging.

The low-season gorilla safari in Rwanda may come with opportunities for discounted Rwanda gorilla permits. Still, you must have booked at least two nights in either Akagera National Park or Nyungwe National Park.

If you wish to have extra privacy during the Rwanda gorilla safari, the low season may give you that opportunity because there are usually few people booked for some days. You may have an entire gorilla safari day to yourself and the ranger guides. This season typically happens during heavy rain, so expect rain to fall any time during the trek, slippery trails,s, and icy conditions in the forest while on the gorilla trek.

Exercise before the gorilla tour in Rwanda

You must bear some level of fitness before the gorilla tour in Rwanda because of Volcanoes National Park's rugged and rough terrain. Mountain gorillas love spending part of their day on the slopes, so you may be required to hike to locate them, which is quite strenuous for someone unfit.

There is no need to be in the gym constantly, but you can start with simple exercises to keep your muscles stretched and ready if you must hike during the Rwanda tour. 

You can also hire a porter to carry your belongings so that you are let down by the gears on your back.

Carrying a walking stick for extra support during the gorilla safari is a great solution, too.

What to Pack for gorilla trekking in Rwanda?

• Extract fully charged batteries to exchange with if one runs low. You need a charger, too, because most lodges may not have the correct chargers for your gadgets. Even consider power-saving batteries because most up-country lodges use solar energy, which may only sometimes be reliable, especially when the sun doesn't shine bright.
• Garden gloves to cover your hands in case you need to secure a tighter grip.
• Safari Boots that can withstand water-logged conditions in the forest in case the rivers overflow.
• A foldable safari hat with a large brim that can protect your hair from water dripping off the tree leaves
• Safari long shirt and trousers that can withstand forest conditions. They must be in colors like Tan or Khaki to camouflage dirt.
• A raincoat is needed if it falls in the jungle as this area is known to receive rain at any time without warning.
• First Aid kit with emergency items, especially if you have a non-communicable infection that may require urgent medical care.
• Medicated Insect repellent to keep away stinging insects in the wilderness
• A camera to capture highlights of the gorilla trekking tour for memories of your safari.
• A pair of binoculars to bring close the far-ranging items of your interest
• Toiletries, especially if your skin is sensitive to certain body chemicals.
• Energy bites to snack on when hungry and keep you going.
•  Shoe bags to keep in your dirty shoes, especially when you have no time to clean them up after the trek.
• Hard cash to change into local currency if you need to purchase specific items like souvenirs. Credit cards are rarely used in Africa because of the lengthy process of obtaining money from them.

Contact us to plan your safari to Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda.