Why should you travel to Rwanda for gorilla trekking and not any other country in the world? Across the world, there are exceptionally distinct countries that if you tried to search about them, they will always feature on top. Equally, Rwanda for time and again has positioned itself not as the best tourist destination for gorilla trekking alone but also as one of the cleanest countries in Africa. With countless misty hills for you to experience endless smiles, a trip to Rwanda to view mountain gorillas is the most tremendous and unforgettable travel experience that you must not miss out in life! Your experience means that you get a glimpse of Rwanda’s splendid mountain gorillas in the wild, twin Lakes, authentic culture, tropical rainforests, Virunga volcanoes, genocide memorial sites, bird species and big game. Why not spend your holiday in this hilarious country? Rwanda holds a million reasons for you to visit its remotest national parks not just for the world’s magnificent mountain gorillas but also to view its more extraordinary wildlife species that are of travel significance to you.
Reasons Why you must trek gorillas in Rwanda
Gorilla trekking is one of the most sought after adventures by trekkers and that is why Volcanoes National Park, is one of the most rewarding destinations for visitors who make it up to remarkable Rwanda. The park protects about 62% of all the critically endangered mountain gorillas that live in the Virunga complex making it one of the leading destinations for gorilla trekking in Africa. A trek to Rwanda’s remarkable park is indisputably the most thrilling experience of a life time. It all comes with varied habituated gorilla families that are set for visitors to achieve their dreams. Volcanoes National Park is a home to 10 (ten) habituated gorilla families; Susa gorilla group, Karisimbi gorilla group, Sabyinyo gorilla family, Amahoro gorilla family, Umubano gorilla group, the 13 group (Agasha family), Hirwa gorilla family, Bwenge gorilla family and Ugenda gorilla family. A face to face encounter with these wild creatures in any of these groups is the most thrilling experience and that is Rwanda is a must to visit. With $1500 for you to obtain your gorilla trekking permit, why not discover the reality about these incredible creatures? If you need to enhance your experiences, you can choose to trek a gorilla family privately with exclusive tour guide services at $15000.
Safety in a destination is a major influential factor in travel world and safaris to Rwanda are absolutely secure with all security organs that are ever alert on not just the tourists’ safety but also on the life of mountain gorillas. The Rwanda army continuously patrols the park and tourists are accompanied by armed rangers while trekking mountain gorillas in the most stunning bamboo forest of the Volcanoes National Park. By 2015, Rwanda was rated as the 5th in the whole world and the 1st safest country in the Africa.
The Volcanoes National Park isn’t credited for its gorillas alone but also its strategic location. The park is reachable within three hours drive when you are in Kigali unlike Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park that takes about 8-10 hours from Kampala. With this comparative advantage, many travelers prefer tracking gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park given the fact that visitors can fly to Kigali and the same day they can proceed to the park to track mountain gorillas.
Pre tracking experiences while en-route to the Volcanoes National Park. Just as you set off from Kigali International Airport to the park, you will catch a glimpse of Rwanda’s most stunning misty rolling hills that come with numerous reliefs and most importantly, the great Virunga complex. Virunga Volcanoes make up 8 great volcanoes with only one most active volcano mountain popularly known as Nyiragongo in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Virunga complex is an amalgamation of Gahinga, Nyamuragira, Visoke, Sabyinyo, Karisoke, Mikeno, Muhabura and Karisimbi. Surprisingly, all the 5 of these stunning volcanoes are situated in Rwanda and if you are interested in strenuous and the most rewarding adventures, then count Gahinga, Visoke, Sabyinyo, Karisimbi and Muhabura your best choice. As well, there are also other stunning national parks especially Nyungwe Forest National Park where you can explore numerous wildlife including the most remarkable primates like the Chimpanzees, L’Hoests monkeys, silver monkeys, golden monkeys, Adolf friedrich’s Angola colobus, red tailed monkeys. Nyungwe Forest National Park isn’t credited for its 13 distinct Apes that take about 25% of Africa’s great Apes but also its beautiful birds and it is recognized as the only refuge for Eats band Central Africa’s canopy forest walk which spans about 50 meters from the ground making it an ideal place for you track several primates and sighting numerous birds and butterflies. You will also enjoy a glimpse of buffaloes, lions, hippos, crocodiles, elephants together with notable birds like storks, pelicans, fish eagle, kingfisher, oxpeckers, egrets and ibises while in your safari to Akagera National Park.
A Rwanda gorilla safari can only be enjoyable with good infrastructure and once you are in Rwanda, you will really appreciate it. Rwanda has good road networks that help visitors to link up to the Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking. When it comes to accommodation and lodging facilities, there are numerous lodges and hotels that are of good state for you to spend a night in after or before taking breathtaking adventure. In Kigali, tourists can spend a night in Serena hotel, Manor hotel, Step Town Motel, Chez Lando hotel and others and while you are in Volcanoes National Park, you can stay in Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Virunga Lodge, Mount Gorilla View Lodge, Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge, Muhabura hotel and Kinigi Guest House.
The welcoming behavior of Rwanda people also attracts travelers. The Rwanda people are kind, humble and sociable to clients. Visitors can be helped through porter services to carry their luggage or while visitors are being guided. Before you set off for gorilla trekking, you can also explore Rwanda’s remarkable culture which will reward you with authentic African experiences and that is why you shouldn’t miss out the popular Intore Dance performance. You can either participate in the dance or just take photos and at the end, you will walk away with memorable experiences.
Before or after you track mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, make sure you don’t miss visiting Rwanda’s incredible genocide memorial sites. If you have ever heard about the 1994 heartless war that claimed 1000’s within 100 days, then a trip to Rwanda is worth. The genocide was a terrible incident of a kind that occurred between the Hutus and Tutsis of Rwanda, one of bloody incidents that aren’t worthy experiencing again in the land of a thousand hills. Some of the notable genocide memorial sites for you to explore include the Gisozi genocide memorial museum, one of the main attractions for visitors while in Kigali just before or after gorilla trek. Others include Murambi and Nyamata memorial sites are worthy exploring by visitors traveling for gorilla trekking in Rwanda.
There are also several best tour companies that are available to help you arrange your safari in Rwanda. Their prices are pocket friendly and visitors get the best services.
In conclusion, gorilla trekking is one of the tedious adventures that travelers can only get in African jungles. It is only done in three countries in the world; Uganda, Rwanda and DRC. Visitors who are interested in this adventure should be fit to hike through the dense forests and steep slopes to track mountain gorillas. While you are planning for your safari to Rwanda, expect more than mountain gorillas!