Chances of Seeing Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park: What You Need to Know
What Are the Chances of Seeing Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park? Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park provides an impressive 98% likelihood of encountering mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. This remarkable success rate is because of expert daily tracking, well-habituated gorilla families, and the park’s relatively accessible terrain. The remaining 2% reflects rare and unpredictable factors, such as severe weather or sudden movements of the gorillas. For the vast majority of visitors, sighting gorillas in Volcanoes National Park is not only likely—it’s nearly assured.
What contributes to the high chances of seeing gorillas in Volcanoes National Park?
Gorilla habituation
Gorilla treks in Volcanoes National Park, like the rest of other destinations, are conducted specifically on already habituated gorilla families. Luckily, Volcanoes National Park is special in such a way that visitors have up to 13 habituated mountain gorillas to consider for gorilla trekking. The habituation process that gorilla groups undergo makes it easier to locate them and also enjoy significant moments observing these apes while in their natural habitat. This isn’t the case with unhabituated groups, which can be scared of human presence.
Gorilla groups that have undergone full habituation in Volcanoes National Park include the Sabyinyo group, Mishaya group, Kwitonda, Agashya, Bwenge, Hirwa, Muhoza gorilla family, and others. Being fully habituated means they are used to human presence.
Dedicated tracking team
Volcanoes National Park has a team of trackers who often go to the forest earlier than visitors. The experienced trackers keep following the daily behaviors of gorillas in the wild, and when park ranger guides set off with visitors, they keep in touch. In the process, the long gorilla trekking journey can be cut short as trackers locate guides where the gorilla family they are looking for is found during the day. The role of trackers plays a significant role in increasing the chances of seeing gorillas in Volcanoes National Park.
Guides & Their Experiences
Visits to see gorillas are led by experienced and knowledgeable park ranger guides from Volcanoes National Park. They have extensive experience tracking gorillas and know which signs to use to ascertain where a group of these apes can be residing at a particular time. Take note that all gorilla trekking adventures in Rwanda are led by experienced park ranger guides from Volcanoes National Park.
What limits the chances of seeing gorillas in Volcanoes National Park?
Various limitations decrease visitor chances of visitors seeing gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. They include;
Location of gorillas
Where gorillas are found in the day often has a tremendous influence on visitors’ chances of finding these apes. Often, gorillas move further distances in search of food and this is, especially during the dry season. When their habitat is hit by food shortages, they are forced to move to distant places. This can extend gorilla trekking sessions as well from what used to be a normal 2-6 hour adventure to slightly longer.
Fitness levels
Visitor fitness level plays a critical role in increasing or decreasing the chances of seeing gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. Visitors fit enough and stand a higher chance to find gorillas. Your fitness levels matter a lot and it is a reason we advise all our guests to do adequate exercise before the actual gorilla trekking adventure. Through exercises, you make yourself familiar with the tough terrains and on the actual trek, you won’t have many challenges conquering high elevations.
Nature of the habitat
The nature of the habitat has a tremendous impact on the chances of spotting gorillas in the wild. When it rains, the habitat can be muddy, and steep slopes become slippery, thus posing an enormous challenge to have a successful gorilla encounter. This is why it is recommended to visit Rwanda during the dry season to track mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park.
What to expect on a gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park
A normal Rwanda gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park begins as early as 7:00 am at the Kinigi offices. At Kinigi, expect to meet the park official to take you through the different guidelines and regulations to follow when tracking gorillas.
During the briefing session, expect to also get a habituated family to track and each group is to be visited by a maximum of 8 (eight) guests. The actual trek with Rwanda gorillas is expected to start at around 8:00 am and will last for 2-6 hours. The long day trek includes an hour of magical encounters with mountain gorillas in the wild.
When you come across a gorilla group, utilize the one hour to observe how these apes behave and take photos. It is the most memorable part of your gorilla trekking journey in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda.
The best time to see gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
The dry season is the best time to see gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. The dry season comes with ideal weather conditions, which increase accessibility of gorillas in their habitat, and so the chances of spotting gorillas. The longest dry season in Volcanoes National Park occurs from June to September, then from December to February.
Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, can also be visited during the wet season, which runs from March to May, then from October to November. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda, around the wet or rainy season, also comes with its cons and pros. The main pro about the rainy season is that most gorillas tend to stay in nearby places due to the presence of abundant forage. This is different from the dry months when there is food scarcity, and these apes move longer distances to find what to feed on.
What to take for gorilla trekking
A successful gorilla tour begins with early planning and packing right for your vacation. The items to have for gorilla trekking include a warm sweater, gardening gloves, long-sleeved shirts, waterproof hiking boots, bottled drinking water, insect repellents, snacks, a camera, a medical kit, and sunscreen. Visitors also require sunglasses, a pair of socks, a waterproof daypack or backpack, a safari hat, extra batteries, a rain jacket, and relevant travel documents like visas, passports, yellow fever certificates, and others.
Cost of gorilla permits
Gorilla permits are needed for you to track mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. Each gorilla permit can be obtained at USD 1500 per person by foreign nonresidents, USD 700 for foreign residents, and UGX 300,000 per person for Ugandans plus other East African citizens. Booking a valid gorilla permit in Rwanda is possible through reputable tour operators like Native Africa Tours. Ensure that you book your gorilla permit and tour in advance, preferably 2-6 months or a year before the actual gorilla trekking date.
Where to stay in and around Volcanoes National Park
You must plan for accommodation options to retire for the night before or after trekking for gorillas. The available gorilla safari lodges and camps to book in and around Volcanoes National Park include Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge, Kinigi Guesthouse, Five Volcanoes Boutique Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Bisate Lodge, Kwitonda Lodge, and Virunga Lodge. Consider booking the lodges close to Kinigi, where gorilla treks begin.
Getting to Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park is located in Musanze (Ruhengeri) and can be reached by road or air. Drive from the Kigali Capital for 2-3 hours, and you can be at Volcanoes National Park, or take a flight up to the Ruhengeri Airport, then connect by road to the park.
Boasting an impressive 98% success rate, the chances of seeing gorillas in Volcanoes National Park rank among the highest in Africa. Thanks to expert trackers, well-habituated gorilla families, and effective conservation initiatives, visitors can nearly guarantee an unforgettable experience. For those looking to go gorilla trekking, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is one of the top, most dependable locations to witness these magnificent creatures up close.
Are you prepared to see mountain gorillas up close? Reserve your gorilla trekking safari at Volcanoes National Park today and enjoy one of Africa’s most memorable wildlife experiences!
