Travel advice for gorilla trekking and safari in Rwanda

Travel advice for going gorilla trekking and safari in Rwanda starts with obtaining the Rwanda gorilla permit from the Rwanda Development Board or a tour operator like Encounter Africa Safaris. Rwanda currently has 15 gorilla families living in Volcanoes National Park. You need to book your gorilla permits in advance to reduce the chances of missing them at the last minute when they sell out. The supply of Rwanda, gorilla, permits per day is limited to 8 per gorilla family per day.

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Book accommodation for your nights during the Rwanda gorilla trekking safari early, as these sell out in advance, too, because of the high demand, especially during the high season, which is June to September and December to January.

Obtain all your necessary Rwanda travel documents, like the visa, if you must possess them before entering Rwanda. You need to pre-apply for your Rwanda visa to reduce your time at immigration. You can also obtain your visa on arrival at the Kigali Airport or any other entry point into Rwanda, like Cyanika, Gatuna, and others.

Ask your travel agency for more details about the documents you must possess before traveling for a Rwanda visit.

Do immunize for COVID-19 or any other diseases for which you must have vaccination before traveling to Rwanda.

Before traveling for gorilla trekking and having children, note that only children aged 15 years and over can attend this adventure.

Rwanda is very strict with carrying unprescribed drugs and narcotics, so desist from including them in the items to carry during a visit to Rwanda. If you commit this offense, you may end up in the Rwanda prison cells or pay a hefty price according to the Rwanda Law.

Rwanda is also a pro-eco tourism country, so you must abide by the rules set to protect its environment, and in case you violate them, you get a heavy punishment.

What to do on a Visit to Rwanda?

Gorilla Trekking safari in Rwanda

For a visit to Rwanda, gorilla trekking tops the list of activities you can engage in. To do gorilla trekking in Rwanda, you need a gorilla permit from the Rwanda Development Board. To book the gorilla permit, you can do it yourself online or through a tour operator like Encounter Africa Safaris.

Volcanoes National Park is Rwanda's only gorilla tour home, with about 15 gorilla families open for gorilla trekking. Some Rwanda gorilla families include Karisimbi, Agashya, Amahoro, Umubano, Hirwa, Susa, and others. 

Before booking the gorilla permit for Rwanda, you must select the date you hope to attend this adventure and the number of permits you wish to book. This prevents chances of moving back and forth when checking gorilla permit availability.

Our safari consultant will get back to you upon finding the gorilla permit availability. Still, we advise clients to purchase their gorilla permits as soon as possible to avoid losing the permits. The status of the Rwanda gorilla permits changes at any time without warning.

How much is a Rwanda gorilla trekking permit?

A Rwanda gorilla trekking permit costs $1500 per person for foreign nonresidents, $500 for international residents, and $300 for East African citizens. 

Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda

Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda happens in Nyungwe National Park. This pristine forest is also home to other primate species, like black and white colobus, blue monkeys cheeked mangabey, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, and Ruwenzori colobus monkeys.

To do chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda, you must purchase a chimpanzee permit from the Rwanda Development Board. You can choose the morning or afternoon session for chimpanzee walking in Rwanda.

Each day, chimpanzee trekkers gather at the Uwinka visitor center for a briefing about the guidelines to flow during a chimpanzee safari. Another chimpanzee community also inhabits Cyamudondo, where a semi-habituated community lives.

Canopy walk above Nyungwe National Park.

Over Nyungwe National Park is the 160-meter-long suspension bridge unique to Rwanda in the East African community. From the top of Nyungwe National Park, you can enjoy the canopy's stunning view and features, watch birds flying from within the dense forest, and so much more. You can mark life's special moments from the suspension bridge.

A chimpanzee trekking permit for Rwanda is currently $250 for international nonresidents, $75 for foreign residents, and $25 for East Africans.

Golden Monkey is trekking in Volcanoes National Park.

Golden monkeys are a special kind of monkeys that live in Nyungwe National Park. They bear golden brown hairs and a larger body structure than other primates. Golden monkeys may be habituated, but they still possess their charming nature.

You need to secure a Golden Monkey trekking permit from the Rwanda Development Board to gain access to this adventure. The Rwanda Golden Monkey trekking permits are about $100 per person for foreign nonresidents, $80 for foreign residents, and $65 for East Africans.

You must wear the right gear during the golden monkey trekking adventure in Rwanda.

Birding in Rwanda

Rwanda provides favorable habitats for different bird species to thrive. The country hosts over 800 bird species, including Albertine rift endemics. You can use the assistance of our safari consultant to customize an itinerary of your choice based on your interests.

Some of the renowned birding destinations of Rwanda include Nyungwe Forest, Volcanoes Forest, Akagera National Park, Cyamudondo, and others. A few of the birds you may encounter during your birding safari in Rwanda include the Red-collared Babbler, Rwenzori Turaco, Handsome Francolin, African Hill Babbler, Mountain Masked Apalises, Shelley's Crimsonwing, and several others.

 The cost of the Rwanda birding adventure depends on the destinations included in your birding itinerary, the number of days on safari, the number of people traveling with you, and so much more.

Dian Fossey grave Hike

Dian Fossey was the mountain gorilla hero who introduced the plight of these vulnerable primates to the world. She staged her work in Karisoke in Rwanda in 1968, where she did a lot of research about mountain gorillas and other inhabitants.

During the 1980s, Dian Fossey and team conducted a mountain gorilla population census where the results indicated that about 300 mountain gorillas were living by then. The mountain gorillas were placed among the highly endangered primates in the world that required protection.

In 1985, Dian Fossey met a gruesome death at the hands of unknown assassins. After the death, her remains were buried amongst the mountain gorillas that she defended till death. When you hike to where she was laid to rest, you get to walk in the last steps of the mountain gorilla Hero. The funds collected from the Diane Fossey grave hike support the continued research about the mountain gorillas.

Game Drives in Akagera National Park

Akagera National Park is the only game park in Rwanda. This park suffered the effects of the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Still, the animals fled into the neighboring hideouts for safety. Akagera National Park is being rehabilitated as more animals are being reintroduced into the park. Some animals you may spot during a game drive in Akagera National Park include herds of elephants, waterbucks, bushbucks, giraffes, hyenas, zebras, Uganda kobs, and so many others.

Enjoying a boat trip on Lake Ihema is exceptional. While you sail, you spot several animals that 

love feasting on the freebies of the lake. Look over for water birds, hippos, crocodiles, and other exciting features around the lake. The best views of Akagera National Park are experienced during the boat trips.

Kigali City tour.

The Kigali city tour brings out the activities within the heartbeat of Rwanda. You can visit the Kandt house, the trading center, businesses in the city, genocide memorials, and so much more. Kigali is one of Africa's cleanest cities, and its order stands out too. You need not dump wraps or any other garbage in the city, or you will be punished.

Rwanda Cultural Experience

The Rwandese have a unique culture, which leaves you questing for more. Visiting the Historical Museum of Rwanda gives you a glimpse into the country's history. At Nyanza, the traditional royal palace, visitors can enjoy the Inyambo (Royal Traditional Cows) and the residence of King Mutara III Rudahigwa, built-in 1932.

For a cow dung painting ( Imigongo) experience, a visit to Nyakarimbi is worth the experience. This is the source of the most stunning Rwanda traditional crafts, including basketry, pottery, traditional wood carvings, and much more.

You may attend the Intore dance, a traditional dance mainly presented in the royal palace of the Rwanda Kings. During the dance moves, the performers sway their bodies to resemble the nuptial dances of the crested cane.

These are escorted by loudly beaten long drums, and traditional songs accompany them. You need to make the dance troop performance order in advance so that necessary arrangements can be made. This arrangement can be done from the National Museum in Butare ( Huye).

Mountaineering in Rwanda

Rwanda is a country of a thousand hills, but you can do mountaineering on some of the highlands around the country on arrangement. During a visit to Volcanoes National Park, you may also test your physical fitness by hiking the park's mountains, like Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhabura, Mountain Sabyinyo, Mountain Karisimbi, and Mountain Bisoke. While on top of the Sabyinyo mountain, you can simultaneously see the boundaries of Uganda, Rwanda, and D.R.Congo.

Visit Rwanda Genocide memorials.

After the 1994 Rwanda genocide, the only thing left to remind Rwandese not to take the direction of the 100 days of terror that claimed over 800000 people in Rwanda are the genocide memorials. On the walls of these centers are still the signs of dry blood that splashed from the victims, their remains are preserved and property too. Children remain separated from the adults in some centers. 

 Some of the genocide memorials of Rwanda are the Gisozi genocide memorial, St Familie Church, Blue Barete memorial, and others.

What to Pack For the Rwanda Visit?

Depending on what you wish to do in Rwanda, you can pack some of these attires. There is no need to pack a lot, but what is relevant for your stay in Rwanda?

Packing list for gorilla and chimpanzee safari in Rwanda. Rwanda is generally a cold country all the year, so you need to carry more warmers.

• Pack some snacks to munch on to re-energize when you get breaks during the adventures in the jungle.
• Garden gloves to protect your palms from touching stinging nettles and other rough surfaces.
• A pair of Binoculars to bring a closer view of far-ranging objects.
• Sunscreen to smear your entire body and protect your skin from sun rays 
• A foldable hat to protect your hair from dripping water off the tree leaves
• Extra fully charged batteries to exchange with in case one runs low.
• A fleece or sweater because it gets cold during the morning and late evenings. 
• Travel with an adapter and charger in case you need them for your electronic equipment.
• A torch to use in the nights when lights go out.
• Raincoat in case it rains during gorilla habituation experience 
• Comfortable shoes to use when searching in the jungle and for the safety of your feet while in the wilderness.  
• Sunglasses to use for protecting your eyes from dripping water from the leaves and buzzing insects
• Medicated Insect repellant for covering your skin from stinging insects 
• Bug spray to use in case bugs invade you
• Safari convertible trousers and shirt for protecting your body against rough jungle surfaces like biting nettles.
• The camera to use when taking photos of the gorilla habituation experience and other activities you combine with. 
•  First aid kit with emergency medication in case you need it.

Our safari consultants are ready to plan your safari to Rwanda today. Contact us for more information.