Volcanoes National Park
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What does a safari in Volcanoes National Park entail?
There are 10 habituated gorilla families in the park, varying in size between nine and 28 members, with each group including at least one huge silverback. Gorilla tracking is carefully managed, and a gorilla group will be located in advance, to increase your chances of spending time with them. “The trackers go out early, so that they can find the gorillas and radio in so that the clients can actually get to see them,” Simon Mills explains. “They will go early and then they will direct you in. You have an hour with the gorillas and then that’s it.” Trekkers are organised into groups of eight and are accompanied by both a guide and two armed scouts; many pay uniformed porters to carry their gear, which could include waterproofs, cameras and water supplies – your tour operator can arrange this for you.
Other activities
While gorillas are the main attraction, there’s enough to keep you occupied in Volcanoes National Park for several days. “The park has loads of animals. It’s more than gorillas: there are monkeys, lots of birdlife and so on,” says Simon Mills. “Because there aren’t the predators there you can do a number of other activities, so you can hike in areas away from the gorillas, there’s canoeing and mountain biking and that type of thing. People will usually spend two or three days in the park and then head to somewhere else in Rwanda – you find them going on to Lake Kivu or Akagera National Park.”Practicalities
Seeing gorillas doesn’t come cheap at US$1,500 per person. Nor should it, as Rwanda has put in place exemplary conservation practices in order to protect the godfathers of the wildlife world. They book out well in advance as numbers are strictly limited, as early as 18 months in advance during peak season. This is when an expert gorilla safari company comes in handy as they know all the best times to book and will handle the process for you.The gorillas are present all year round, with a great record of sightings, but the dry seasons of mid-December to early February, and June to September are more comfortable for trekking. If you’re not bothered by the rain, November and March-May are good times to come as you’ll be able to secure a permit more easily and there will be fewer tourists around.
Our top Rwanda Vacation
Rwanda highlights, tailor made tour
Enjoy highlights of this amazing place with a turbulent past
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements