Luxury Rwanda Safari Tours

Tracking with a properly trained guide is the only legal and ethical way to observe mountain gorilla in the wild. Drawing on their extensive knowledge of gorilla movements and habits, your guide leads your small group through Volcanoes National Park in search of one of the ten gorilla troops known to inhabit the forest. Should you succeed in finding them, you are allowed one hour in the presence of these stunning creatures — more than enough time to appreciate their extraordinarily human-like social bonds.

Because of Rwanda’s high elevations, you may experience altitude sickness. Please consult your healthcare provider for suggestions on prevention and treatment.

Both Rwanda and Uganda are home to the endangered mountain gorilla (G. beringei beringei).

Choose comfortable and casual clothing in natural, "breathable" fabrics and versatile styles that can be layered, as temperatures may vary considerably in the course of the day. For game viewing, wear neutral colors (though not camouflage, which is illegal in most national parks and reserves). Black, navy or other dark colors tend to attract insects. When primate tracking, wearing long pants and shirts made of sturdy fabric is recommended to protect against scratches from stinging nettles and thorny vegetation. Also bring a good pair of comfortable, waterproof walking/hiking boots with textured soles, and ideally a good pair of protective leather or garden gloves should also be worn. Gaiters are also highly recommended. Avoid wearing perfume or cologne. Those with longer hair may wish to wear it in a ponytail or tuck it under a hat to avoid being tangled with thorny vegetation or flying insects.

Golden Monkeys in Volcanoes National Park , scenic Lake Kivu, Chimpanzee Tracking in Nyunge Forest National Park, Rwandan captial Kigali

Tracking conditions vary according to the gorillas’ location on any given day, so the level of difficulty for any specific trek is impossible to define in advance. You may walk for three or four hours to find them, followed by an equally long and potentially difficult return trip. En route, you may find yourself challenged by mud, slippery slopes, stinging nettles and paths leading across deep beds of thick vines. General good health and excellent physical condition is essential. A pre-departure program of walking, stair-climbing, bicycling, knee bends or similar exercise will help build strength and stamina for your trek. Ask your doctor for his/her recommendations.

The day begins early. Set your alarm clock for an early-morning call, as you will need to be washed, dressed and breakfasted in time to leave camp at 7:45 am. Wear neutral colors and bring your rain gear. Long sleeves and long trousers tucked into your socks are a must for protection against ants, stinging nettles and whipping foliage. After arriving at the Park Headquarters, join your guide(s) and tracker(s) and begin tracking. Your lead tracker looks for clues — footprints, gnawed bamboo, dung — that indicate the location of a gorilla group. As you move closer, your tracker makes soft smacking and groaning sounds to assure the group that friends are approaching. If your morning trek has not been unusually long, you are likely to visit gorilla during their midday rest and play period. Your group will be instructed to crouch down and stay together while observing the animals. Stay low, maintain a submissive posture and watch them sideways or from below.

Dian Fossey began her famous studies of mountain gorilla in the Virunga Mountains, establishing the Karisoke Research Center in Volcanoes National Park, which continues with gorilla research and conservation activities.

Tourism finances habitat preservation, anti-poaching and community conservation efforts, assists in the habituation of gorilla families and helps limit the number of visitors and prevent exploitation of the species.

Absolutely not. Gorilla are curious creatures, and younger animals especially may approach or attempt to touch human visitors. Don’t reciprocate! Your guide may take steps to discourage this curious behavior, as it could create a threatening situation with the dominant male. You yourself should never attempt to approach or touch a mountain gorilla.

No, all gorilla tracking takes place in small groups of from four to six people per gorilla family. There are several different gorilla families. To guard the gorilla against stress, visits are limited to one hour per family per day, regardless of the number of people in the visiting group. With the available time already so limited, private visits cannot be arranged.

In addition to being the oldest park on the African continent, Volcanoes National Park houses fully half of the world’s remaining population of mountain gorilla, making this an important destination for anyone wanting to observe these magnificent primates in the wild. This was also where Dian Fossey carried out her pioneering research into gorilla society, and her grave can be visited in the park, not far from where she used to study her famous subjects.

A yellow fever vaccination is only required to enter Rwanda if you are arriving from, or have transited through, a yellow fever-endemic area in South America or Africa, including East African countries such as Kenya and Uganda. The CDC and WHO each provide a current list of all affected countries. The requirements and enforcements of yellow fever vaccinations to enter Rwanda are subject to change without notice. As a result, it is prudent to be vaccinated and carry your International Certificate of Vaccination with you, even during times when online sources may indicate it is not required.