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Rwanda, a small country in East Africa, is known for its gorilla trekking adventures, which offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the world’s most amazing creatures. Trekking with gorillas in Rwanda is a unique and unforgettable experience that will leave you in awe of these incredible animals and the conservation efforts being made to protect them.
Rwanda has been sitting on my bucket list for a few years now. When it comes to the classic safari, few people think of this beautiful African country — but from the country’s east a rainforest-covered mountain range flattens out into the much drier savanna-style landscape, Akagera, where you’ll find Africa’s Big Five roam freely. Leopards and lions sleep in the shade, elephants cool off in the blue lakes, zebras graze in the tall grass and giraffes stroll across the plains. Top five? Now. This is a Big Six country! Into the northern volcanoes, you’ll find the rhythms and vibes of the Rwandan soul, then there’s the adventures of the silverbacks and their troops.
Enter, Volcanoes National Park. The adventure of a lifetime and beyond: this is an important step towards preserving these extraordinary creatures in their beautiful habitat. Here’s how I do it the Raven way.
After an hour of trekking, we caught the first glimpse of a silver back through the dense foliage: a 400-pound giant, sitting just a few feet away with its broad back facing us. As we watched, he reached down for some leaves, revealing his hands: wrinkled, hairy, but very much like ours. Gorillas are highly anthropomorphic; catching their eye means bridging the gap with the animal kingdom. Exploring it in Rwanda Volcanoes National Park (a trip best arranged through a specialist operator — I went on Wildlife Tours) in partnership with the national airline, RwandAir, is like no other experience.
The park is home to more than 10 habituated gorilla families, meaning they are used to human presence and are not aggressive towards humans. The gorillas are closely watched by park rangers, who ensure their safety and well-being. In order to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda, you must obtain a permit from the Rwanda Development Board. The permit costs US$1,500 per person and allows you to spend an hour with the gorilla family. Revenue generated from gorilla permits is used to fund conservation efforts in the national park and to support local communities. The permit fee is in addition to all other travel costs. This does not include your hotel, flights, meals and tips.
So is Rwanda expensive? Relatively, but also not. With what you pay for and the value you get, it’s worth it! It is not more expensive than Dubai, Qatar, US, Japan or most European cities. But don’t expect it to be as cheap as backpacking in Southeast Asia. This is a country that knows and understands that it was not designed for mass tourism. And that should never have happened! Be prepared to spend.
You explore on foot accompanied by an experienced guide, one at the front hacking a path through trees and vines with a machete, plenty of guts and a GPS. Our first glimpse of blackback, the second dominant male of Igisha’s group of 20, time the walk; strict conservation rules mean you can’t go more than an hour with the gorillas. You are also instructed to stay seven meters away from the animals, but there is a chance they will venture closer to you. As it happened for us — a one-year-old baby boy jumped so close his body rubbed against my leg, he looked at me and nodded, then moved on to where to play next, as if he really wasn’t impressed. from our presence. I laughed at how disinterested they were in meeting us. They really have a strong awareness of who we humans are, they know we exist and they know our desire to meet them, most importantly, I believe they know (100 percent) they are rare.
Gorillas are gentle giants and their attacks are almost unheard of, but good luck keeping your pulse going as gentle yet strong teenagers frolic nearby.
On the day of the trip, you must wake up early and meet your guide at the park headquarters. The guide will advise you on the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking and assign you to a gorilla family based on your level of fitness and interest. The trip can last from one to six hours, depending on the location of the gorilla family you are assigned to. Once you reach the gorilla nest, you will be asked to leave all your belongings and approach it quietly and slowly. Gorillas are usually resting or eating when you arrive, so you will have the opportunity to observe them in their natural habitat. You will be able to see how gorillas interact with each other, care for each other and play with their young.
The experience of being in the presence of these majestic animals is truly breathtaking. You will be able to hear them grunt and communicate with each other. As part of our briefing we were taught how to imitate a friendly gorilla sound when or if they get really close, this is a way of letting them know you came in peace and well meaning. You will definitely feel the strength and power radiating from this gentle giant.
The sacred trinity of forests has a population of more than 1,000 mountain gorillas which includes Rwanda, Uganda and Congo, and in this part of Rwanda alone there are five volcanoes. It’s a vast, lush landscape that can be enjoyed in its full glory from most of the boutique hotels in the foothills of the volcano’s foot. Perched on a 2,200 meter high ridge, the Virunga Inn Resort and Spa, is perhaps the ideal base – just a 10-minute drive from the ranger station where you will begin your gorilla journey, this property offers homely, friendly service with a touch of storybook charm. Strange.
While exploring the city of Musanze, home of the traveling gorilla base camp, I learned about The Ellen Fund — which supports global conservation efforts for endangered species. Founded in 2018 by Portia de Rossi as a gift to Ellen DeGeneres. Their first project is securing a future for wild mountain gorillas by supporting a 12-acre science and education campus for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
Dian Fossey was an American primatologist and conservationist known for conducting extensive research on mountain gorillas from 1966 until her 1985 killing (gorilla hunter). He studied it every day in the mountain forests of Rwanda. Gorilla in the Mist, a book published two years before his death, is Fossey’s account of his scientific studies and earlier career. It was adapted into a film of the same name.
And while we may know and hear about The Ellen Fund’s work with gorillas, as locals applaud what they are doing in Rwanda, the foundation’s reach and impact on Rwandan people and those who work directly with this endangered species, goes far beyond that. . The Ellen Fund also supports people, empowers women and conservationists, and inspires hope that anyone can make a difference.
Nonetheless, flying with RwandAir to experience the magic of Rwanda is highly recommended if you are coming from or stopping over in Qatar, Dubai and London. They also fly direct from Cape Town and most destinations and travel hubs in Africa. For all other destinations they partner with Qatar Airways and it’s pretty much said that you can come from anywhere on the planet and go to Rwanda via Doha seamlessly!
Seeing gorillas in Rwanda is a unique and unforgettable experience that will leave memories for a lifetime. Not only will you get to witness these incredible animal enigmas up close, but you’ll also be supporting important conservation efforts and local communities.
If you get the chance to go gorilla trekking in this sought-after destination, do it! This is an experience not to be missed.
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