The one-day Rwanda gorilla safari will require you to pay attention to all details and careful consideration for you to make a perfect gorilla safari. You will have to consider the right timing in relation to the weather since there are two seasons to consider while on safari.
Since its a one-day safari, you will consider the best season for you to be sure you get the best experience ever. The dry season from June to September and December to February will give the best gorilla safari on this one-day trip.
Once you have made the decision on when you would wish to trek, the next step is to choose a reputable tour company to book with and that is Ecotours Rwanda ready and credible enough to advice you and further book you the gorilla permits which you will use for trekking. The booking will be done in not later than six months before your safari to avoid missing out since the permits are limited and need early booking.
It is essential to determine the effort required for the trek since the trek is physically demanding due to the dense forests you will be navigating in as well as the steep terrain. In this case you must be physically fit in order to meet and accomplish trekking challenges. The duration of the trek will vary depending on the location of the gorilla family.
You must be able to brief the rangers your ability levels to group you accordingly. Expect to take from 2-6hours in search for the apes depending on which family you were allocated to.
This safari will start and end in Kigali where the driver guide will pick you from your lodge at 4:30am with your packed breakfast or after taking it then start on a 2hrs’ drive to volcanoes national park. On arrival, you will head direct to the park headquarters for briefing.
The park rangers will introduce you to the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking, what to do, when, and what to expect. If there are other trackers on that day, you will be out in groups of eight, and each group gave a particular mountain gorilla to trek.
If you have any physical challenges and difficulty in hiking, you can inform the ranger guide who will give you a short or medium gorilla trek. You will also enjoy the traditional performances by local dancers warming you up for the trek. At 8:00 am, the actual experience begins!
After meeting the gorillas, you are allowed to spend an hour in their presence, take pictures, capture live videos and enjoy their social life. Observe how each gorilla member performs a particular role just like in a human home.
The trek to see gorillas also gives you chance to meet other wild animals which reside in Volcanoes National Park such as golden monkeys, red-tailed colobus, black and white colobus monkeys, African Buffaloes Forest Elephants and fascinating birds. Later in the day, transfer to Kigali airport for your departure flight or to your hotel for your other programs.
You do not need to pack too much for your 1-Day Rwanda gorilla tour to Volcanoes National Park. However, you need to carry some essentials, which ease your trek through the jungle.
Hiking boots/shoes should be light, closed, and waterproof to ease your movements through muddy forest grounds. Open shoes are highly discouraged for gorilla trekking.
Garden gloves to help holding onto the tree branches and bushes some of which are thorny. At one point, you may also touch the ground when climbing up the steep areas. Gardening gloves will keep your hands safe from getting hurt.
Rain Jacket will rescue you if rain comes while trekking since Mountain gorillas live in forested areas where the weather is unpredictable. You are therefore reminded to carry rain jackets in the case of rain. The rain gear should be light and waterproof.
Hat and sunglasses will protect your head/hair and eyes respectively especially on a sunny day. You are also reminded to carry enough drinking water, energy-giving snacks, and toiletries. A porter is also recommended if you want to have a less stressful mountain gorilla trekking encounter.
