Tips for planning a permit wildlife safari in Rwanda

Rwanda is a small landlocked country located in East Africa and has become one of the most visited countries in Africa because of the effort that the government has put in place to advertise and improve the tourism sector through the Rwanda Development Board.

Most Popular Safaris

2 Day Bwindi Gorilla Safari through Kigali

4 Day Rwanda gorilla trekking & wildlife viewing safari

5 Day Gorilla Trekking Rwanda

3 Days Rwanda Gorilla Tracking Safari

4 day gorilla trekking & Dian Fossey tomb visit

4 Day Uganda Safari via Kigali

14 Day Uganda Safari via Kigali

3 Day Akagera National Park Safari

3 Day Bwindi Double trek via Kigali

Home to the famous endangered Mountain gorillas, Rwanda is the perfect destination for a permitted wildlife safari. Volcanoes National Park and Nyungwe Forest National Park are the best destinations for the permitted wildlife safari. Planning a permit safari can be daunting especially if it is your first time and yet it requires careful planning to ensure that you have a memorable safari. Permit wildlife safaris are some of the best because although few people have access to the wildlife per day, they are one of the ways that wildlife in Rwanda is being conserved.  In this article, we are going to provide you with tips for planning a perfect permit wildlife safari in Rwanda.

Get the right tour operator

Several tour operators in Rwanda and Uganda can help in planning and organizing a permit wildlife safari in Rwanda and the best choice is Encounter Africa safaris. Research the company you wish to use because there are many fraudsters online. A good tour operator will give you advice on what to expect, the best destination, and offer services like purchasing the permits, booking accommodation, and transport to and from the safari destinations, meals and other safari related services. Make sure that you read reviews on TripAdvisor and word of mouth will also help you choose the best tour operator to use.

Choosing the right destination

Rwanda has two safari destinations that require permit purchase for a wildlife safari and these are Volcanoes National Park and Nyungwe Forest National Park. Volcanoes National Park is best known for Mountain gorilla trekking and Nyungwe for chimpanzee tracking and both exercises require the purchase of permits. You can decide to visit both safari destinations depending on your budget but the best option is to discuss with your tour operator to help you make the right and best decision.

Choosing the right season of travel

The best time to travel for a permit wildlife safari in Rwanda is from June to September and December to February. This is also known as the dry/peak season and it is the best because the trails are easier to use in the dry season since they are dry and not slippery nor muddy and the wildlife can easily be seen because of the thinning of the vegetation within the forest. You should however note that the dry season is the busiest tourism season and you will need to book the permit in advance to be able to participate in the wildlife safari.

Purchase of the permits

Permits in Rwanda are issued by the Rwanda Development Board to tourists visiting the country for a permit wildlife safari. They are always in high demand and we advise that you book the permits at least 6 months before the dates for trekking. Rwanda issues 96 gorilla permits per day and them being in high demand makes it hard for them to be purchased last minute.  The permits cost different depending on the category of tourists you belong to and the gorilla permit costs $200 for East African citizens, $1500 for foreign non-residents and $500 for African citizens. The chimpanzee trekking permit on the other hand costs 

Plan ahead: Planning when buying the permits is necessary because they are always in high demand during the dry season and purchasing one is the only way to ensure that your safari is on. When we talk about planning, you need to have an idea about the dates you wish to go on your safari, the number of days spent on the safari, the extra activities you wish to participate in, the number of people you are traveling with and any queries that you might have about permit wildlife safaris in Rwanda.

Provide the right information: When purchasing the permits, you need to provide the right information because it will be used to purchase the permits and any slight change in the information might lead to the cancellation of the permit.

Purchase the permit: Purchase of the permit is easy and follows a few steps and the best way to get one is by purchasing through a tour operator like Encounter safaris. Contact us to help you with the purchase of the permits from the Rwanda Development Board on your behalf. You have to provide details like how many permits you are purchasing, your name and a copy of your passport for the passport number and expiration date. We will check for the availability of the permits and an invoice will be sent so that payments are made. The purchase will be made after confirmation of payment has been made and a copy will be sent for record purchases.

Follow all the rules and regulations: permits were put in place to limit the number of people that have access to the endangered species and after purchasing them, some rules and regulations need to be followed especially when it comes to gorilla and chimpanzee trekking. Some of the rules and regulations that need to be followed include the following.

• Minimum trekking age for gorillas and chimps in Rwanda is 15 years
• Tourists who are sick will not be allowed to participate in the trek
• The national parks have to be kept clean at all times by taking all that you can back with you.
• Human waste has to be kept 30cm deep in the ground and covered well so that wildlife doesn't find it
• You have to keep a distance of 7-10 meters from the gorillas and chimpanzees
• Avoid making noise because it distracts the primates which forces them to retreat further into the forest
• You are not allowed to feed the chimpanzees and gorillas
• You are not allowed to eat in the presence of the gorillas and chimpanzees
• Smoking is prohibited because it affects the primates
• When sneezing and coughing, you have to turn away from the wildlife and cover both your mouth and nose
• You have an hour with the wildlife after tracking
• Flash photography is not to be used at all times when taking photos.

Reserve accommodation for the safari

When you are through with the purchase of the permits, you need to think about the accommodation that you are going to use on your permit wildlife safari in Rwanda. Accommodation is key for your overnight stays in the national park and it is better if you book accommodation that is close to the trekking area that you have been assigned. Accommodation is also in high demand during the dry season and needs to be booked as soon as possible and we are here to help you make the best decision when booking a lodge or hotel putting your preference into consideration. One of the reasons why you should get accommodation that is close to the trekking area is so that you do not miss out on the briefing session because missing the briefing is one of the many reasons you can be disqualified from the trekking exercise.

Booking of the safari

When you are through with the details of when and where to go, it is time to book and pay for the different safari services including accommodation, permits, transport, meals and other safari activities that are paid for independently. Although some tourists might prefer to go on solo and private safaris, it is safe and cheap to book through a trusted tour operator like Encounter Africa Safaris to avoid inconveniences and scammers. Most of the wildlife safaris in Rwanda are located in rural areas and you will need an experienced local to take you there. To be safe and confirm your safari, you need to book at least 6 months to a year for a better experience.

Think about travel insurance

You are traveling to an unfamiliar territory and need to be ready for anything that might happen on the trip and all tourists are encouraged to at least have travel insurance for that reason. Note that when booking for the safari, international flights are not part of the package and the cost will depend on where you are coming from. In cases of bad weather or any other thing that might happen, travel and any other type of insurance you can afford will be needed.

The packing list

Just like any other safari, you need to be prepared when planning a perfect wildlife safari in Rwanda and packing right will ensure that you have the best safari. During your safari, depending on your itinerary you will have different safari activities to engage in and all these require you to be prepared. We have come up with a list of items we know you will need to enjoy your safari and these include the following:

• A camera
• Binoculars
• Hiking boots
• Neutral colored clothes preferably long sleeves shirts and trousers
• Thick socks 
• First Aid Kit
• A day backpack
• Insect repellent
• A rain jacket
• Sunscreen
• Water bottle (refillable and foldable)
• Warm clothes like sweaters, ponchos and blankets
• A sunhat
• Cash
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Garden gloves
• Adjustable gaiters
• Snacks especially energy bars

The cost of the permit wildlife safari in Rwanda

The cost of the permitted wildlife safari is determined by several factors including the season of travel, the accommodation chosen, the size of the group going for the safari and other safari activities. When planning a permitted wildlife safari, you need to look at the cost so that you get to plan for the safari according to your budget. The cost of the permitted wildlife safari depends on the following factors:

When to travel: The cost of the safari is always high during the peak/ dry season because of the high number of tourists visiting the country for a safari (June to September and December to February) and the low/rainy season (October to November and March to May) is a better season to travel if you are on a budget.

The group size: The smaller the group size, the higher the cost of the safari and the bigger the group size the lower the cost of the safari because bigger groups tend to share the costs of the different services including transport and accommodation.

Accommodation: Three types of accommodation are used during permitted wildlife safaris and these are basic, mid-range and luxury accommodation facilities. The type that you choose will determine how much the safari will cost.

Safari activities: Most of the safari activities on a permit wildlife safari are paid for independently and the more activities you plan, the more you will have to pay for the safari and vice versa. Some of the activities that you can engage in while on your permit wildlife safari include bird watching, game drives, boat rides, cultural visits and primate walks among others. 

Be prepared for the weather

Rwanda has two seasons that is the dry and wet seasons but according to the weather analysis that has been done over the years shows that you will not be able to tell when the rains come in. Note that the National parks where the permit wildlife safaris are done are tropical rainforests and the weather can change at any time. So you need to prepare for the weather changes by carrying a waterproof rain jacket, warm sweater and long-sleeved clothes, waterproof hike boots, insect repellent and sunscreen among others. 

Train and be physically fit

Remember that you are going to unfamiliar territory and you need to at least be physically fit before you travel because the treks take some time before you locate the wildlife.  We advise that you at least train so that your body doesn’t wear out during the trek exercise.

For more information about permit wildlife safaris, get in touch with us on our website and our staff will help with any queries that you might have.