Walking in the soft mist of Rwanda’s ultra-lush Virunga Volcanoes, you will suddenly come across a family of rare and fireless protected mountain gorillas, a soul-stirring, heart-pounding and forever indelible experience that will last with you, for a lifetime.
Rwanda Gorilla trekking safaris are one of the most leading safaris to Rwanda, with the majority of guests coming into the country for gorilla trekking adventure.
The Rwanda gorilla trekking safaris starts with arrival through Kigali International airport, with a night or two in Kigali at the start of the safari or at the end of the safari before departure.
The almost mile-high capital of resurgent Rwanda sprawls over green hills, valleys, and ridges, is home to more than 800,000 people, and indeed, as the Times says, “Pulses with African charm.” One More Adventure Safaris guests happily sample the city’s charms, usually on the way to and from your visits to the mountain gorillas of the Volcanoes National Park, but we arrange longer stays enthusiastically. Kigali is a city on the move. It’s one of the safest (and cleanest) cities in the world, in the center of a country even more incredible than you can imagine — a peaceable kingdom indeed.
To reach the Virunga’s, it’s a stunning drive from Rwanda’s capital of Kigali, with lush landscapes unfolding at each turn. Remote hamlets dot the hilly green countryside and fertile volcanic slopes are neatly planted with dense rows of cowpea and string beans as far as the eye can see.
Hiking morning dawned bright and early, and you head to the park headquarters to meet your trekking guides for a briefing on gorilla trekking guide lines.
Hiking parties are limited to eight people for one hour, to avoid overwhelming the shy gorillas, and each party visits one of the ten habituated gorilla families. Hikers can request an easy, medium or long hike, but there’s no guarantee.
Depending upon where your gorilla family is located, hikes usually begin in lovely farmland before entering Volcanoes National Park.
You glance up at the towering Virunga Volcanoes, hear a particularly symphonic birdsong, turn a leafy corner, your guide signals for quiet, and suddenly there they are, magnificent, peaceful, massive: mountain gorillas puttering about in their domestic jungle haven.
The lushly beautiful, compact nation of Rwanda is in turn the home of an even tinier protected patch that figures among the most beloved of wildlife admirers everywhere. The headline attractions at Volcanoes National Park are, of course, the massive, gentle mountain gorillas, numerous healthy family groups of which inhabit this park. Almost as enchanting is their homeland: impressively variegated with five of the eight Virunga Volcanoes, the very epitome of marvelously misty, mythic-looking, densely jungle-clad volcanos.
Rounding the path, the forest will come alive. Large, black, shaggy beauties will be everywhere! A group of gorillas, large and small, will have taken over a small clearing of grass and scrub, with the silverbacks, several mamas with babies, and everyone else in between.
Juveniles will tumble past wrestling and running, oblivious to your presence. A new mother sits lovingly cradling her infant, with tender hands caressing his little body, evoking an instant memory of holding your own newborns. Mothers sleep with babies sprawled on top of them, occasionally rolling, repositioning, sitting up to observe you, then falling back asleep.
The silverbacks will be nonplusses, occasionally glancing your way, and even walking right next to you en route to a tree with a better view. They gaze, doze, play, display and even swing from trees.
One curious youngster will keep on breaking the 7-meter perimeter rule, coming close to inspect your group. The gorillas frequently break the 7-meter rule, of course, which gives you quite a thrill – not to mention amazing photographs.
Seeing and spending peaceful yet electric (and well-chaperoned) time with mountain gorillas is a rare, heart-filling experience.
For many of us this is an almost shockingly affecting moment. In an instant you viscerally experience your link with these wonderful creatures. Like awe-struck astronauts seeing the whole blue earth for the first time, you never quite look at your lives the same way. They are brave and loyal. They help each other. They play and have humor and they harm nothing. They are what we should be! Quietly gazing at us as if seeking a connection.
Gorilla trekking is inspirational, emotional, and profoundly fulfilling—perhaps the most magical few hours of your lives.
Gorilla trekking is a life-long dream that many guests have to wait until their children reach the age requirement of 15 (age requirement is +15 years).
Rwanda is the clear winner for gorilla trekking experiences with multiple family groups, accessible hiking, excellent park and guiding system, and superb hotel accommodations.
One More Adventure Safaris, stand your way, to guide you on booking your dream gorilla trekking safaris, not only to Rwanda, but also to Uganda, and DR Congo. We are experts when it comes to East Africa safari tailoring.
Your days of gorilla trekking will be exciting, overwhelming assaults on every sense.
Your hearts swell at the sight of the newborns and thrilled to a massive silverback beating his chest.
You will watch gorillas play, sleep, walk as families, scamper up trees, and swing down with a crash.
Gazing into those gentle brown eyes and observing their family interactions created a sense of real kinship with these gentle creatures. They will be the most magical hours of any day imaginable.
However, to conquer the gorilla trekking at ease, you will need to be in a good body shape. Physical fitness is highly recommended. You will need pre-gorilla trekking home fitness training prior to your travel, and as well as good gorilla trekking boots, with shoe gaiters and good socks, to make your gorilla trekking very comfortable.
To learn more about Rwanda gorilla trekking safaris experiences, why not speak with our safari specialist at One More Adventure Safaris, and have this one a lifetime trip, put together for you, and all you got is to back your back, get to their airport, and our team from One More Adventure, will be waiting for you, and take care of the rest, from landing, to departing, and all in – between.
