Mountain gorillas are currently among the leading tourist attractions in Africa especially in Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. These rare primates can only be found in the thick forests where they get fruits and vegetables for their survival. These great apes live in two separate populations; one in the Virunga Massif and another in Bwindi Impenetrable Forests. Trekking the mountain gorillas is a thrilling adventure which involves walking for quite a long distance in the hearts of the forests searching for them. Tourists enjoy spending some quality time with the gorillas and they take photos of hem which act as souvenirs.
Gorilla trekking is the leading tourism activity in Rwanda and many visitors travel from different parts of the world to come and enjoy a thrilling lifetime experience. In Rwanda, these great apes are protected in the Volcanoes National Park which is part of the larger Virunga Massif and spotting them on your trek is as easy as you can imagine. They roam about the whole park in search for food panting and playing with their young ones. Therefore, one does not have to stress while searching for them and perhaps this could be the reason why Rwanda is referred to as the best gorilla trekking destination in Africa.
The Virungas are the last outpost of the endangered mountain gorilla, and their lush slopes provide an appropriately dramatic natural setting for what is perhaps the most poignant and thrilling experience to be had in Africa.
Protected within the Parc Nationale des Volcans, the lushly forested slopes of the mountains form an appropriately dramatic natural setting for what is arguably the most poignant and memorable wildlife experience in the world: gorilla tracking. The exhilarating climb to the gorilla’s natural habitat of shady bamboo forest offers fantastic views in all directions, before the trackers are immersed in the mysterious intimacy of the rain forest, alive with the calls of colourful birds and the chattering of rare golden monkey.
That mountain gorillas survive today is largely thanks to Dian Fossey who is buried at Karisoke, her research centre in the Virungas alongside some of the animals to which she dedicated her life. Fossey became a household name following the release of the biographical film Gorillas in the Mist, which was set in the Parc National des Volcans, and shot on location there.
Critical and public acclaim ensured that Gorillas in the Mist also served to raise international awareness of the plight of the mountain gorilla, whose numbers have increased from an all-time low of 250 in the 970s to almost 400 in 2001.
Roughly half of the world mountain gorillas are resident on the Rwandan slopes of the Virungas, where four habituated groups – ranging in size from seven to 37 individuals – can be visited by up to 32 tourists daily Permit to visit the gorillas are issued by the Office Rwandaise du Tourisme et des Parts Nationaux (ORTPN) /The Rwanda Tourism Board, in Kigali or Ruhengeri.
The Volcanoes National Park is managed and protected by the Rwandan Office for Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN). Access begins in the lively town of Ruhengeri, situated at the base of the entrance of the park. Ruhengeri has long been the base point for gorilla visits and entertains a stunning backdrop of Karisimbi, Visoke, Mikeno, Sabyinyo, Gahinga and Muhabura volcanoes.
Ruhengeri is a 90-minute drive from Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. One can get to Ruhengeri from Kigali either by private vehicle or by public taxi minibus. If you intend to make a gorilla visit, you will need to organise your own transport from Ruhengeri town to the park boundaries, where you will continue your trip on foot. Vehicles can be hired for this purpose in Ruhengeri town. Ruhengeri is also only a 45-minute drive away from Gisenyi and the stunning Lake Kivu.
On your gorilla safari in Rwanda, the “land of a thousand hills”, you will have a chance of spending more than an hour with these rare primates in their natural habitats and trust me, your life will never be the same.
However, there is need to know the various characteristics of these mammal so as to equip yourself with all the relevant knowledge. These characteristic include;-
- Gorillas walk by putting weight on their knuckles and arms which are longer than their legs. They also walk upright like humans.
- The male weighs around 600 Ibs and the females weigh about 200-300 Ibs. Their brains weigh only 20 onces.
- These primates live on fruits, vines, leaves, stems and bamboo. They also eat meat but their diet does include insects, snails and slugs.
- They live together in groups also known as families and each family includes about 5-12 members. A gorilla family is headed by a dominant male silverback which protects all the members.
- These great apes are colorblind but their other senses are very highly developed. They use gestures, body language and special vocal skills for communicating with each other.
- They love to explore and prefer to be on the move daily in search for food. They do not sleep in the same nests and rest for several hours in the day.
- These animals eat about 44 Ibs of food per day.
- Even though the offspring are capable of walking when they are 5 months old, a mother gorilla will carry her baby till he/she is about a year and a half.
- The silverback heads the family as the leader. A silver streak of hair is predominantly noticed on their back.
- The mortality rates are 40% in the first two years of their life. These animals are susceptible to illnesses easily and threatened by loss of habitat and poaching.
Go Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
Nothing can prepare the visitor for the impact of encountering a troop of gorillas munching bamboo in their unfenced natural habitat. The sheer physical presence of an adult male silverback three times as bulky as the average man, yet remarkably peaceable and tolerant of human visitors – defies verbal description. Nor are there words to convey the thrill of recognition attached to staring deep into the liquid brown eyes of these gentle giants, who share some 97% of their genes with humans.
A gorilla visit can entail anything from a 1 to 4-hour trek through the forest, led by experienced trackers who have spent their entire lives living in or close to the forest. Your trek through the forest will be enchanting as you weave through overhanging vines, moss covered Hagenia trees and giant Lobelias that thrive in the tropical climate of the forest. You will spot golden monkeys swinging from the bamboo, or see wild buffalo, bush duiker and a wide variety of bird life.
The Virunga ecosystem is composed of 4 major vegetation zones: bamboo (base altitude), Hagenia and Hypericum forest (2600-3300m), Sub-alpine (3300-4000m), and Afro-alpine (4000m+).
Then of course, nothing could be more of a privilege than to spend an hour watching the gorillas as they go about their daily routine, feeding, playing and resting, as you question your primeval existence and relive the wonder that kept Dian Fossey living in the forest for almost 18 years.
The Kinigi Guest House on the foot of Mount Sabyinyo was recently fully refurbished, and is now open. It offers very comfortable accommodation in cottages for two, four or eight people. It also offers a good restaurant and bar. Hotel Muhabura in Ruhengeri town also offers comfortable accommodation in reasonably priced single and double rooms. The hotel also features a reasonable restaurant and bar and fax and telephone facilities.