Rwanda’s primate safaris are very catching and thrilling, and as well, the wildlife has complemented dreamily to stretch that excellent safari package. This consideration displays the safari potential of all things one should expect to encounter when in Rwanda. Rwanda is among Africa’s budding vacationer destinations, with a ration of natural resources and before you book with us you can see our old tourists say about ecotours Rwanda and you will have confidence in our services.
Rwanda is home to several endangered primate species, some of which are even endemic to its tropics. With primate safaris, though mountain gorilla trekking has taken the lead, chimpanzees and golden monkey tracking possess similar adventure experiences. Gorilla trekking is considered Africa’s highlight of all adventure safaris. Your safari in Rwanda is never complete when you have not included gorillas or any of the primates.
Wildlife safaris are known for being perfect Savannah encounters. Rwanda, with its rich equatorial climate that stretches from the central African tropics, bamboos, and montane, ends with the east African savannah that originates from Tanzania eastwards of Kigali.
Primate safaris in Rwanda
Primate safaris in Rwanda, topped with gorilla trekking, are a unique global adventure. Gorilla trekking is a safari that allows guests to get their closest approach to nature. In Rwanda primate safaris, beside gorillas, it also looks at chimpanzee tracking, golden monkey tracking, and other monkey tracking. Consider your Rwanda safari incomplete without a primate package, especially gorillas, chimpanzees, and golden monkeys.
Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari
Gorilla trekking is a thrilling and enchanting adventure through the tropical volcanoes of the Albertine Rift. Gorillas in Rwanda are citizens of Volcanoes National Park northwards from Kigali capital. The trekking here means taking an early morning walk through the moist, impassable forests, seeking out the gorillas.
The most rewarding adventure is trekking through these volcanic rain forests. Mountain gorillas at Volcanoes National Park tend to dwell in the valleys deep in the forests; a lot of slopes are expected during the trek.
Trekking mountain gorillas means you’re tracing man’s origin, which is believed to have taken place about 7 million years ago. Trackers have to walk as close to these habituated species as possible, and sometimes they can draw closer and touch you.
The trek is an adventure for which the heart faints, no! It involves a lot of energy-demanding aspects. This is because trackers can walk for about 30 minutes to about 5 hours to encounter the assigned gorilla group.
Rwanda gorilla safari However, it should be known that it’s the most expensive; a permit to trek in Rwanda costs $1,500. However, getting a permit isn’t as easy, especially in the last few minutes, as they’re always already booked.
It’s advisable to book a gorilla trekking permit at least three months before your trekking date to avoid embarrassment and booking disappointments. The permits in Rwanda are issued by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and booked through licensed tour operators.
How’s the Gorilla Experience?
Gorilla trekking is the most enticing among primate safaris in Rwanda. The experience starts early in the morning by driving to the park’s information center for a briefing on trekking etiquette. So, when getting ready for this drive, ensure to have all the day pack, as the trip can last for shorter or longer hours to about 6 hours to trek, see, and return. Trekking involves walking through impassable, thick forests with the only intention of watching the endangered mountain gorilla.
Allow your health status to be thriving, as the adventure requires your full body involvement to trek through the valleys and slopes of the gorilla inhabitants.
The gorilla experience is a moment with the gorillas; the species is ranked among the most popular safaris in Africa. The science facts of them being the human closest relatives, where they share almost 98% of human DNA, make them enticing to visit. When trekking the gorillas and encountering the assigned gorilla family, there is an hour spent before them.
Gorilla trekking is made special due to the ability to go through impassable forests and rolling volcanoes and watch the gorillas as close as 7 meters, and stubbornly, some of the gorillas can draw closer and even touch you.
Why gorilla trekking is different from other primates
Mountain gorillas are primate species that are categorized under ape species, and these are the largest species among the ape species. Apes are primate species without tails, and among these are gorillas, chimpanzees, orungunate, bonabos, and humans.
Their huge size and fragile lives make them a special species to watch. Not like the chimpanzees, mountain gorillas are among the primate species in Rwanda. Reflecting on the last census done in 2019, the gorilla population within their endemic home was promising to rise. In the 1980s, the mountain gorillas were on the verge of extinction, but through various conservation efforts, the mammals have survived, and currently, there are more than 1060 gorillas in the wild.
What sorts of mountain gorillas are there? These species are threatened, and they can’t survive under any form of captivity. They’re endemic to the Virunga Conservation Area (Volcanoes National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and Virunga National Park) and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Apart from this dramatic Albertine volcanic region, there is nowhere else to see mountain gorillas. The mountain gorillas are brave creatures that imitate many human characters, so most of the treks search for these special imitations in the gorillas.
Chimpanzee Tracking in Rwanda
One of the amazing things to undertake on a safari to Rwanda is chimpanzee tracking. There are two forests that are presently available for chimpanzee tracking. Chimpanzee tracking in Rwanda is featured on the most popular list of safari adventures. Perhaps this thriller is only second to the famous gorilla trekking.
Nyungwe Forest National Park and Gishwati Mukara National Park are collaborating forests that host chimpanzees in Rwanda. However, the real and perfect chimpanzee tracking adventure is done at Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Chimpanzee tracking adventures are among the most exciting in Africa, and Rwanda is among the best places to see chimpanzees in their natural habitat. Nyungwe Park is located southwards of Kigali, about a 5- to 6-hour drive from the capital. Walking through an ancient central African mountainous tropical forest, thereby protecting a huge biodiversity, with many species found to exist only in this forest.
Chimpanzees at Nyungwe National Park are fully habituated, and trackers have an opportunity for a full-scale and close-up encounter with the chimpanzees. Tracking chimpanzees is handled by the Rwanda Development Board as well, and a person getting a permit to track must have a permit.
Permits are only booked through licensed tour operators, and a permit cost $200 to track chimpanzees at Nyungwe Forest National Park. There are more than 500 chimps in Nyungwe National Park, thus offering one of the best chances to see chimps in their natural home.
Golden Monkey Tracking
Golden monkey tracking happens to accompany the amazing mountain gorilla trekking at Volcanoes National Park, offering the opportunity to see golden monkeys in their natural habitat. The golden monkeys are other endangered species that are endemic to the Virunga forests of central Africa within the Albertine Rift vicinity.
This experience, like mountain gorilla trekking, starts at 7:00 a.m. with a briefing session; however, in the case of golden monkeys, you don’t spend a lot of time looking for the species. These crazy primates live in communities of 30 to 100 individuals.
They are shy and jumpy, making them unreliable for a close-up encounter; however, the species is habituated and can bear getting close to them. The entire experience takes up to 4 or 5 hours, with one hour spent interacting with the golden monkeys.
Volcanoes National Park currently has two habituated golden monkey families that can be trekked all year. Golden monkey permits are purchased in advance and cost 100 USD.
