Also known as a land of a thousand hills, Rwanda is one of the best destinations in Africa where one should expect a thrilling life-changing adventure. Its God-given natural wonders covered with amazing beauties make it an ideal place to visit especially for those tourists looking for real experience. One thing that makes this country unique is the presence of the rare mountain gorillas which are found in the tropical rain forests of Volcanoes National Park.
This park is a home to an estimated total of 350 gorillas and these are well organized in the park making it easier to view them. For the past five years, Rwanda has gradually increased the number of visitors it hosts and gorilla tracking is credited for this improvement. Many people from different countries are attracted to this small country specifically to spend some quality time with the primates in their natural habitats.
It should be noted that most tourists prefer value for their money and this is the reason why Rwanda has currently become the answer to some of their needs. A visit to Rwanda guarantees one the best from his money especially if it involves tracking the gorillas. In Volcanoes National Park, a different feeling of nature is experienced by trackers as they get to enjoy a package full of hard-to find breathtaking views.
A Rwanda gorilla trek in Volcanoes NP starts at 8:00 AM in the morning and it takes 5-7 hours depending on the movements of the gorillas. This means that a trek takes almost the whole day and this gives tourists enough time in the wild having numerous exposures to some of the great attractions. However, the maximum time one is allowed to spend with the gorillas is one hour and this means that most of the time the tourists spend it looking for the primates who tend to hide whenever they see people moving through the forest.
What to note before going gorilla tracking in Rwanda
- Gorilla tracking in Rwanda starts at 8:00 AM in the morning and takes 5-8 hours
- Before one is allowed to go gorilla tracking, he/she is supposed to obtain a mountain gorilla tracking permit
- A mountain gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda costs USD700 per person per day
- A tourists can opt for a one day gorilla tracking safari to Rwanda because it possible.
- Most gorilla tours start from Kigali the capital city of Rwanda
Besides gorilla tracking, there are other activities one can enjoy while in Volcanoes national park like golden monkey tracking, Dian Fossey grave hike, bird watching and nature walks. These can act as additional packages to gorilla tracking and they can really spice up the tour. An extra cost maybe requested in cases where tourists want to add other activities to his/her gorilla tour and this will be communicated by the operator.
In summary, gorilla tracking is the leading tourist attraction in Rwanda and it is number one contributor to the development of Rwanda’s tourism industry. It is also a big factor when it comes to putting Rwanda on the world map market wise as many people have come to know about this small country due to the presence of the rare mountain gorillas.