Also known as ‘the land of a thousand hills’, Rwanda is a landlocked country of lovely and various landscapes. Rwanda’s landscapes in this ever green country are truly incredible. When you visit Rwanda you will realize that the physical beauty of the country is unique on the African continent.
Rwanda is becoming one of the top destinations to visit in Africa. The country is one of the only three countries where mountain gorillas live! This has made Rwanda, a favorite destination for travelers looking for mountain gorilla tours in Africa! Given the improved accessibility to this land locked country, Rwanda has become an ultimate add on to tourists taking safaris in Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, Botswana and Uganda.
Go Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
Gorilla trekking is the number on tourism activity in Rwanda. Many tourists yearn to encounter Gorillas in the bamboo Forests of Volcanoes National park due to the following reasons:
The relief of Volcanoes National Park – the mountainous nature in the park attracts hundreds and thousands of tourists to visit the park for Gorilla trekking.
The intensive marketing of Rwanda Gorillas – Rwanda Development Board (RDB) in conjunction with the government of Rwanda have played a bigger role to advertise Gorillas through mass media, World travel markets (WTM) and so on.
The shorter distance from Kigali Airport to Volcanoes national park has attracted many tourists to visit Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. The 2 hours drive enables one day Gorilla trekking making it cheaper and time saving to encounter Gorillas in Rwanda.
Rwanda is politically stable – since the end of 1994 Genocide movement, Rwanda has never experienced any other war and they vow never to cause any other unrest in Rwanda. Peace in Rwanda has boosted Gorilla tourism.
Reliability of Gorillas – there are 99% chances of seeing Gorillas in Rwanda. Trekking is easy since the bamboo forests are not as thick as Bwindi Impenetrable forest in Uganda. The trekkers easily meet Gorillas and take clear photos/ films among others.
The country presents professional guides and rangers who are knowledgeable about the history and the present situation of Rwanda Tourism Sector. The Guides make Gorilla trekking informative and enjoyable hence attracting more trekkers.
The hospitality of Rwandans – they are willing to welcome and host foreign visitors. This is evidenced by the welcoming music performed daily at Kinigi Gorilla trekking starting point.
The local communities around Volcanoes National Park have played a bigger role in the preservation and conservation of Gorillas and their habitat. That’s why Rwanda is currently presenting ten habituated Gorilla Groups.
Rwanda gas good infrastructures like roads, lodges/ Hotels, health centers and so on. The good infrastructures have attracted many foreign and domestic tourists to go gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. The hotels, Lodges and roads meet the international standards to attract more tourists.
Presence of a variety of Gorillas – there is ten habituated Gorillas families in Volcanoes National Park. It means that, there are higher chances of getting Gorilla permits to trek any Gorillas family. However, its advisable to book your Gorilla permits in advance to be sure of meeting Gorillas – the demand for Gorilla permits become extreme in peak season.
Possibility of taking clear pictures – Volcanoes National Park is composed of bamboo forest. Such forests are clear for photographs and easy to see gorillas.
Things to See
Rwanda, the land of one thousand hills and hundreds attractions is an extraordinary place where serene scenery and placid people greet you at every juncture. The Virunga volcanic mountains have high altitude forests, world-famous mountain gorillas, and Lake Kivu offers beautiful beaches, jutting peninsulas and an archipelago of islands.
National Parks in Rwanda
Rwanda today has three main conservation areas: the Volcanoes Park, Akagera National Park and Nyungwe Forest National Park. Each of these protects a very different ecosystem and combination of large mammals.
Volcanoes National Park
This 160km² national park protects the Rwandan sector of the Virunga Mountains, range of six extinct and three active volcanoes which straddles the borders with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is the best destination for gorilla watching in Africa. A Rwanda gorilla trek is rewarding with easier hikes into the bamboo forest to track the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.
Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe is a true rain forest, typically receiving in excess of 2, 000 mm of precipitation annuary. It is also one of the oldest forests in Africa, which is one of the reason it boasts such a high level of diversity. Scientific opinion is that Nyungwe. Read More
Akagera National Park
Named after the river which runs along its eastern boundary, Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s answer to the famous Savanna reserves of Kenya, Tanzania and the like. In contrast to the rest of the country, the area is relatively warm. Read More
Top Things to Do
There are lots of things to do while on safari in Rwanda. Discover in Rwanda and What to Do in Rwanda, Africa?
GORILLA TRACKING
Tracking mountain gorillas in the Virungas is a peerless wildlife experience, and one of Africa’s indisputable travel highlights. It is difficult to describe the simple exhilaration. From Rwanda you can also easily enjoy gorilla treks in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda and the Virunga National Park in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Gorilla trekking is done on daily basis and starts at around 7:30am to the mid day but sometimes take a full day when Gorillas moved far.
It should be noted that on 6th May 2017, Rwanda increased the cost of Gorilla permit from US$ 750 to US$ 1,500. The most famous destination in Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park has become synonymous with mountain gorilla tracking safaris and no visit to the country would be complete without visiting these majestic primates.
Itinerary Planning
Gather information and get your gorilla-viewing permits from the ORTPN. It is sensible not to rush off to the gorillas immediately; take a few days to get the feel of the country and to acclimatize.
Features of Rwanda Safari
Rwanda is also known as Republic of Rwanda. It is located a few south of the Equator. It is bordered by countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, Congo and Burundi. The capital of Rwanda is Kigali. A Rwanda safari is very famous among the tourists who visit Rwanda. This is the best way to experience scenic beauty of Rwanda.
If you’re thinking about going on a gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda, then you will find there are many options available for you to choose from. One of the most popular tours is one where you watch gorillas out in the wild in their own natural habitat. Rwanda safari is the most captivating safari one can experience in their life time in the great country of Africa. It is the precious homeland of one of the most endangered species in the world, the mountain gorillas.
Rwanda is also called as the Land of a thousand hills! A gorilla safari which enables you to sit with a wonderful gorilla for sometime can become the best highlight for any trip to Africa. Given the opportunity to trek the endangered Mountain Gorilla, and there is no doubt to have a direct encounter with these great apes. In order to participate in a gorilla trek, viewing permits must be obtained in advance, and they are extremely limited in number, so advance booking is essential to ensure permits can be obtained. The mountain gorilla is perhaps the World’s most endangered ape, with approximately 700 animals, and they are only found in small portions of protected afro-montane forests in north-west
Rwanda, south-west Uganda and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Gorilla trekking is tightly controlled and regulated for the safety of the visitor and importantly for the safety of the Mountain Gorillas. A maximum of 8 visitors may visit a group of habituated Gorillas on any given day; this minimizes behavioral disturbance and the risk of their exposure to human-borne diseases. When you go on this type of tour you will get the chance to see different groups of gorillas that are extremely rare.
The skilled guide will teach you all about the different kinds of gorillas and what is unique about the jungle they are in. Whether you are on a three day, five day, or two week safari, you will not be staying close to the gorillas. The animals are always moving so they must be tracked. Once found a tourist can only get as close as twenty feet and can only take photos without flash.There are safaris available for all types of different budgets, so everyone can find one they can afford to go on! One can also visit many cultural centres, genocide memorial and the beautiful twin lakes of Ruhundo, Bulero and the great Nyungwe Forest National Park. You can view the grand herds of buffalos and elephants in the wonderful Akagera National Park.