Are you a primate lover and planning on having a Rwanda safari? The combination of the endangered mountain gorillas of the Volcanoes Park and chimps of Nyungwe forest national is remarkably known as the best encounter. The safari involves exploring the two main destinations of Rwanda which protect incredible attractions like mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, golden monkeys, five of the eight Virunga mountains, birds and many others. In this article, we bring you a step-by-step guide on how to plan for this unlikely but fascinating adventure.
Gorilla Trekking
This is one of the top adventure activities in Rwanda, carried out in Volcanoes National Park which is part of the Virunga region in the north western part of the country. Volcanoes is a home to almost three-quarters of the remaining gorillas in the world with about 10 gorilla habituated Families assigned to trekkers. The gorilla trekking experience starts early in the morning with a briefing, and after move to the jungle in search of the endangered apes. Only 8 persons are allowed to trek with a gorilla family per day and once gorillas are found, a trekker spends a full hour in their presence.
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda involves rules and regulations that must be followed by all tourists participating in the gorilla trek and among these include;
***Not eating and drinking while with the gorillas.
***Keeping a distance of 7 meters from the gorillas
*** When you feel a sneeze or cough, cover your mouth and nose and turn away from the gorillas
*** Do not use a flash light when taking photographs
What is the Cost of a Gorilla Trekking Permit?
Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park can only be done after purchasing the gorilla trekking permit at US$1500 for foreign non-residents, US$500 for African citizens, and US$300 for East African citizens. The process to book the gorilla permits is swift!
It is important to know that gorilla permits are booked on first come, first served basis. Therefore it is of utmost importance to book your gorilla permits well in advance. If you are looking to gorilla trekking in peak months (June to October and December to March) you need to press your booking at least 6 months before the actual travel date.
Chimpanzee Tracking in Nyungwe forest
This is one of the top tourist attractions in Rwanda and the best place for chimpanzee trekking. The ancient Nyungwe Forest is home to 13 different primate species and two main chimpanzee families are trekked – Uwinka and Cyamudongo. Chimpanzee tracking involves walking through the forest in search of the playful primates, and after locating them, each group gets to spend an hour with the chimpanzees.
Chimpanzee tracking starts at the one of the park headquarters -Gisakura, Kitabi, and Uwinka with briefing about all the trekking rules and regulations to be followed during the experience. Among these rules include;
*** Not feeding the chimpanzees
*** Keeping a distance of 7 meters when with the primates.
*** No eating, drinking and smoking during the experience.
*** No one is allowed to touch the chimpanzees
*** One hour is to be spent with the chimpanzees after tracking them
*** No flashlight is allowed when taking chimpanzee pictures.
When is the Best time to Visit Rwanda for both Experiences?
Rwanda can be visited all year round for gorilla and chimpanzee tracking experience but the best time is the dry season which is in the months of June to September and December to February.
What is the Cost of both Chimpanzee and Gorilla Permits?
Gorilla trekking permits in Volcanoes national park are at US$ 1,500 for each person and this includes the park entrance fees.
Chimpanzee trekking permit in Nyungwe forest national park is at USD 150 per person.
What is the Ideal Tour to combine both Gorilla and Chimpanzee Experiences in Rwanda?
For those interest in the combined gorilla and chimpanzee watching experience, below is a suggest itinerary that reaches your desire. But you can as well visit more destinations in Rwanda for amazing experiences depending on your travel time.
Day 1: Fly into Kigali.
Day 2: Drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park, which is about 5-6 hours away from Kigali.
Day 3: Trek with chimpanzees at Nyungwe Forest and have an afternoon canopy walk
Day 4: Travel to Volcanoes National Park. After about 5-6 hours, you will arrive at the park.
Day 5: Enjoy a gorilla trekking experience and afternoon cultural encounter.
Day 6: Drive back to Kigali for your departure flight.
In conclusion, trekking the chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest National Park, followed by tracking the gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park, is one of the best ways to enjoy the Rwanda primates at a close distance. As you are planning to have this encounter, early booking is required since the tracking permits easily run out of stock.