Rwanda is known as the land of a thousand hills, owing to the rolling hills and picturesque landscapes all around it. This country is located in the heart of East Africa neighboring countries like Uganda and Tanzania in the north, Burundi in the south and Democratic Republic of Congo in the east. Rwanda is filled with wide range of vegetation cover ranging from savannah plains to equatorial rainforests, but a question about the Best time to visit gorillas in Rwanda is still common among travelers.
There are four national parks in Rwanda, but Volcanoes national park (pac national des Vulcans) is the only home of mountain gorillas. It covers a total area of 769 square kilometers, and was created as a protected area in Africa way back in 1925 as a continuation of Virunga conservation area. This park is not only a home to mountain gorillas but also other biodiversity such as golden monkeys, bird species, reptiles, amphibians and numerous forest mammals.
Gorilla trekking is the main activity that takes place in this park, because it hosts up to 12 habituated gorilla families that are open to visitors and always ready to be trekked daily. A gorilla trekking tour is an activity where travelers visit natural protected areas of gorillas and spend a maximum of an hour while in the presence of a habituated family. The overall experience takes about 3 to 5 hours but of great memory.
Rules and regulations of gorilla trekking in Rwanda.
To be able to trek gorillas in Rwanda, there are some precautions you need to take heed of; including;
Age. Only persons of 15 years of age and above are allowed to trek gorillas in Volcanoes National park.
Acquire a gorilla permit in advance. Gorilla permits are required before embarking on a dream gorilla tour in Rwanda. You need to acquire this well in advance, at least 2 months back before gorilla trekking day.
Health precautions. People infected with contagious diseases like cough, flu, cold, etc. are not allowed to trek.
Noise control. Making noise while trekking is prohibited and you are urged to only speak in low tone so you don’t scare away the gorillas.
Gorilla permits can be purchased from Rwanda development Authority and you can easily acquire them through a recognized and licensed tour operator and each costs USD 1500 per permit.
Best time to visit gorillas in Rwanda.
Most travelers intending to visit Rwanda keep wondering about the best time to see gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. What is important to note, is that all around the year, you can do gorilla trekking in Rwanda, because of the different reasons one can consider while on his/her Rwanda safari. Take a look at the following variations of seasons.
June to September. This is a peak and long dry season which is the ideal time to visit Rwanda for gorilla safaris since it’s easy to access the park. Trails in the forest are dry and less slippery and there are less/no chances of rainfall to spoil the gorilla trekking experience. There is also a lot of demand for Rwanda gorilla permits during this time and therefore calls for prior reservations (booking permits earlier enough).
December to February. This is another short dry season and high tourism time due to the festive holidays. This is very rewarding as numerous migratory birds approach the country from Asia and Europe hence becoming a perfect time for bird watching. Also, during this period, the trails are easily accessed and the endangered mountain gorillas tend to go to deeper places as they search for food.
March – May and October – November. These are the low tourism months due to heavy rainfall that make forest trails impassable. The tracks are filled with mud and hence slippery rendering hardship in accessibility. However, mountain gorillas can be easily tracked since they stay closer to the trails as food tends to be in plenty.
Birds are also active in this period. You need to know that Rwanda gorilla trekking permits are on the low demand in these months, making last minute gorilla trekking possible.
As you plan to take a Rwanda safari during the rainy season you are requested to come with heavy warm clothing, strong hiking boots, gloves, insect repellant since insects like mosquitos are so active during this period.
You could as well opt to undertake other optional activities after gorilla trekking in Rwanda, such as community tours at Ibyiwachu cultural village, visit Lake Kivu, Dian Fossey graveyard, Golden monkey trekking, Musanze caves exploration and hiking to one of the Virunga volcanoes.
