Traversing to this remote destination will provide you with one of the greatest privileges in the world seeing wild, endangered gorillas in their natural habitat. The first time you meet mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park is hands down one of the favorite moments, witnessing their calm nature and grand stature is simply life-changing.
With only a limited number of permits each day, all at $1500 per person, gorilla trekking tour is incredibly exclusive and intimate, so your time with these magnificent gorillas will certainly be special. Though hiking through the lush jungle-clad Virunga Mountains does require a certain level of fitness but these curious creatures are fascinating to observe.
Trekking through the park in far northwest Rwanda, one will find a tapestry of sensory delights. The visitor in the rain forest can hear the calls of birds and monkeys, and through the forest see the peaks of the ancient volcanoes.
This chain of volcanoes is home to the world’s few remaining mountain gorillas. Rwanda has approximately 250 mountain gorillas, 11 families of which have been habituated for tourism. Many visitors have to book their gorilla tracking permit years in advance.
Though mountain gorilla trekking is the main enticement to visit, the country is home to a plethora of other incredible animals too, namely a large number of elephants and hippo in Akagera National Park. The capital city Kigali is definitely worth a visit too, spend many afternoons wandering through its picturesque streets and dipping in to delicious restaurants and captivating museums. The locals are wonderfully friendly, creating an inviting buzz as you explore the country’s alluring sceneries.
Nyungwe Forest Reserve, a luscious emerald woodland home to an abundance of wild primates swinging through the canopies, including chimpanzees and golden monkeys. There are a variety of incredible, glistening lakes amongst the landscapes too; our favorites being the luxurious Lake Burera, the sparkling freshwater Lake Kivu, and the mountain-adorned Lake Ruhondo.
Apart from chimpanzee trekking and birding, visitors should expect to spot baboons, golden monkeys, colobus monkeys, blue monkeys and other primates. A Nyungwe forest canopy walk is a must for bird lovers and those who have come to track chimpanzees in Rwanda.
Akagera national park is the best place to go for a safari in Rwanda. The Park is located in the Eastern part of the country and covers over 1000 square kilometers of Savannah similar to those found in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The Park is close to Kigali and is home to a large collection of Africa’s mammals that gather at its numerous water points like the Akagera River and Lake Shakani.
The most popular activity in Akagera National Park is to take a game drive to spot hyenas, jackals, antelopes, giraffe, baboons, zebras, buffaloes, leopards and elephants among others. Lions and black rhinos are being introduced in the park so that visitors can have a full package of Africa’s big five. Bird watchers should expect to Spot over 500 species while on trip to Rwanda.
