Guide on Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda

The unforgettable and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of seeing mountain gorillas in their natural habitat is immeasurable and life-changing. Visitors’ encounters with these Giant Apes as they go about their day to day lives is magical but are carefully managed with professional trackers as well as guides leading groups of 8 tourists up and around the Bamboo-covered slopes to search and spend an enchanting one hour, just 8 meters away from these lovable creatures.

The endangered Mountain gorillas live in two significant locations-Virunga Conservation Area (spanning the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Rwanda) and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with the latest census putting their population at about 1063 individuals, 60% of which are in the Virunga Conservation Area.

Trekking mountain gorillas in Rwanda is conducted within the prestigious Volcanoes National Park, with currently 12 habituated gorilla groups open for trekking while others were solely habituated for scientific research purposes. These families or groups are comprised of at least one silverback, several adult females, blackbacks, and infants. The groups are closely knit and solid in composition but prefer to range within a particular area and are closely monitored by Park Rangers with a maximum of 8 persons allowed to visit each habituated group for a maximum of one hour per visit.

Permits for trekking gorillas in Volcanoes National Park

8 trekking permits are issued per habituated gorilla group/family each day, thus the encounter is as private and unnoticeable as possible. Given that only 12 habituated groups are open for trekking, only 96 permits are available every day within Volcanoes National Park, and given the high demand, advance booking is always advised. Booking for permits can be done either directly to Rwanda Development Board or through a credible Tour Operator.

These permits cost about $1500 per person per trek and are only issued to persons to persons above 15 years old. There is no maximum age for this adventure because even 80-year olds have been recorded to have trekked these Great Apes in their natural habitats.

How Gorilla trekking is conducted in Volcanoes National Park

Intending gorilla trekkers gather at Kinigi Park Headquarters at 7:00 am for registration and briefing done by Park Rangers. Visitors are then allocated one of the 12 habituated gorilla groups on the same morning, according to the level of physical fitness, personal interest, and age, after being acquainted with the guidelines of trekking and spending time with the mountain gorillas.

Before hikes begin, visitors are first driven to the different gorilla trekking trailheads and this takes about 20 minutes. Actual treks for the mountain gorillas start there and then, lasting anywhere from half an hour to 6 hours, reaching elevations of between 2500 and 4000 meters above sea level. A maximum of one hour is allocated for observation and photography while standing at least 7 meters away from the mountain gorillas to reduce any possibility of spreading diseases (given the fact that mountain gorillas share 98.2% of their DNA with humans). Visitors interested in learning about the conservation history of mountain gorillas and tracing the legendary footsteps of Dian Fossey can also undertake hikes through the jungles to her former Karisoke Visitor center and Gravesite about 3000 meters above sea level.

Habituated gorilla families for trekking in Volcanoes National Park

The Habituated gorilla families open for trekking in Volcanoes National Park include Agashya (Group 13), Susa A, Karisimbi (Susa B), Umubano, Sabyinyo, Ugenda, Igisha, Bwenge, Hirwa, Kwitonda, Amahoro, and Muhoza. The 10% of revenue from gorilla permits is directed into local community development with common projects being compensation for crop destruction by mountain gorillas, infrastructural development (roads, schools, and health centers), all done to ensure the peaceful co-existence of wild animals and neighboring communities.

What to wear and pack for gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park

The recommended packing list for gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park includes trousers/khaki pants to cover the legs from unpleasant vegetation, sunglasses and hat for sun protection, strong walking shoes/boots with ankle support, gardening gloves from protecting hands when using vegetation for support, lightweight rain jacket in case of rain, long-sleeved shirt to protect the arms against stinging nettles, backpack for carrying items needed during the trek and make sure that it is rainproof and many others.

When to trek mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park

When to trek mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park depends on your personal choice because the adventure is conducted all year round, although most travelers prefer the dry season-early June to September and the end of December to mid-February when chances of rain are lower, hence trails are less muddy and slippery.

How to get to Volcanoes National Park

Set within the North-western part of Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park is about 106 kilometers from the City of Kigali, and therefore upon arrival at the Airport, a road trip is the commonest way to get to the Park. This journey lasts only 2-3 hours and you will only have to choose between using public and private transport means.