Volcanoes National Park : If you want to register a 90% chance of encountering mountain gorillas in the wilderness, Volcanoes National Park will make your dream come true no matter the time of your visit. Found within two hours drive from Kigali International Airport, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is named after its composition of five free standing volcanoes (that straddle Rwanda’s borders with Uganda and Congo). Like its neighbours across the border (Virunga National Park and Mgahinga National Park), the park is made of forested saddles, and enormous groves of bamboo that double as food for the 10 habituated gorillas families living in it. Encountering them is quite revealing and euphoric. It will give you a good understanding why man is believed to have evolved from apes. From head to toe, they look so much like you except that they are more hairy.
Number of gorillas per family
Each of these families is composed of 4-36 members of different age brackets. They range from babies that are few months old, to silverbacks that have walked the earth for over four decades now. This balanced mix presents an opportunity for one to compare and contrast how gorillas look and behave as they go through different stages of growth. That is partly why the park which is also known as Parc National des volcans is the most popular gorilla destination worldwide.
Whether you have prior hiking experience or not, you will love every minute of the 1-4 hour gorilla trek that takes place here. The adventure is fun packed. As you search for the gorillas through an untamed jungle, you will feel a strong connection with nature.
Maximum number of tourists per group
In an effort to afford you a quality experience and at the same time avoid stressing out the apes, there is a limit to the number of tourists who can see a particular family in a day, 8. Not only does this enable the ranger guide entrusted with looking after you to answer all questions without feeling overwhelmed, it enables you to take so many pictures without any interruptions. While at it though, avoid using your flash. It irritates the gorillas, making them restless and sometimes violent. By the same token, avoid wearing clothes with bright colours especially yellow and red. Gorillas find it quite disturbing to see as it is synonymous with the colour of blood.
DOs and DON’Ts of gorilla safaris
Due to their critically endangered state, tourists are advised to keep a seven meter distance from gorillas so as to minimize the possibility of transmitting any possible air borne diseases. However, its quite common for their babies to draw so close to visitors out of curiosity. If this happens, don’t panic. Rather, live in the moment and seize the opportunity to take that lifetime selfie. While at it though, try to minimize unnecessary contact as these are wild animals. While the baby might not mind you playing about, its untrusting mother is suspicious of everything ongoing.
Pace of gorilla tracking
To ensure you are not outstretched, you will be asked to set the walking pace, especially if you are the slowest. Considering this isn’t an express run through the forest but rather nature walk, the ranger guides will take things slow so as to enable you feel the pulse of every flora and fauna that comes your way.
Cost of gorilla trekking
Compared to Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where gorilla trekking is $600, here it is $1,500. This follows the rebranding of Rwanda as a high end destination. Nonetheless, it is still worth the pursuit as you stand over 90% chances of meeting the gorillas despite the fact that they are wild animals that roam randomly and extensively. This is thanks to a system in which a team of trackers heads out into the forest prior to your arrival at the starting point. Their main task is to locate the spot where the gorillas are grazing and monitor the direction towards which they are moving. They then give this feedback to the ranger guide tasked with leading your group via phone, constantly guiding him on trails to follow. This saves you the burden of moving in circles for hours.
Mode of payment
Given that gorilla tracking is one of the top 3 adventures in Africa, it attracts lots of big numbers. As such, you are safer pre-booking the adventure than arriving at the park only to discover the few meant for the day have sold out.
Travel Tip
Given that some stretches of the forest floor are slippery, you are advised to wear good hiking boots. You are also advised to wear long trousers and gaiters to avoid being stung by stinging nestles which causes a strong itchy effect.
Golden Monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park
You will love every minute of trekking the golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park. They are more vibrant and entertaining due to their curios nature. Forget about spider man, they are so good at climbing trees and swinging from bamboo to bamboo at blinding speeds. The trek to their territory is much shorter compared to gorilla trekking. You will see a whole host of different species close up. If it is your lucky day, you might bump into a gorilla or two along the tracks. The best part of the story is that you won’t be charged for it.
At the start of your tour, you will be provided walking sticks for stability as you walk through the forest, sometimes over rough sections. The maximum number of tourists per group is 8, and it takes about one hour to encounter the monkeys. In comparison with the males, the females are more shy and reserved. However, the rest are super playful and comfortable around tourists. This makes it easy to take photos during the time you are allowed to spend with them. There is a good chance that some monkeys will come to you if you are sitting down. It is important to not have any food on display when this moment comes.
We shall improvise you with safe bottled drinking water to keep you rehydrated as you hike. Hiring a porter is not a must as the hike is not intense.
