Travel Guide for Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
Travel Guide for Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda: Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is carried out in volcanoes national park the home to five virunga mountains that is mount Muhabura, Mount Gahinga, mount karisimbi, mount Bisoke and mount sabyinyo where you will find the habituated mountain gorillas in the bamboo trees of the mountains. During gorilla trekking in the park, you will get to hike the mountains and when you get to the habituated gorilla families, you will spend one hour with the gorillas, observing the gorillas and their behaviour where you will understand their diet which comprises of bamboo shoots, wild celery, edible roots and leave, you will also get to see how they play with one another, the organisation of the family as they carry out their different activities for instance you will get to see their grooming patterns as you see the adult females of the family taking care of the infants among other interesting for a memorable experience. After obtaining a gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda in order to take part in the activity, it is important to know the different guidelines you should follow the packing list and with this travel guide for gorilla trekking in Rwanda, it will ensure you have a a comfortable activity during your Rwanda safari.
GUIDELINES FOR GORILLA TREKKING IN RWANDA
Maintain a distance of 7 metres away from the primates because of the fact that the primates are highly vulnerable species that can contract diseases easily from humans in case of any. Another reason for maintaining the distance is not to inconvenience the gorillas as they carry out their different activities which can force them to move to other areas thus making your activity uncomfortable because if they move to other areas, you have to keep up by following them.
Avoid unnecessary movements in the park during your one hour with the gorillas for a safe activity in gorilla trekking in Rwanda. the unnecessary movements and noise during the activity will trigger off the gorillas as a threat and this can lead them to attack you and because the gorillas are very strong primates, their attacks can be fatal therefore it is advisable for a tourist’s safety, they should not make noise while in the presence of the primates
While taking pictures of the gorillas, you should avoid taking pictures using flash mode this is because the mountain gorillas are flash sensitive and this can lead them to fatally attack you or destroy your camera because it can be seen as a threat.
Follow the lead of the guide always while taking part in gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park in order to have a safe activity. During the activity, the guide will take you through the safe trails in the park in order to avoid vicious animal attacks.
In case of any queries ask the guide and not fellow trackers this is to avoid disturbing fellow trackers which can lead them to have a bad experience during their gorilla trekking activity in the park. The guide will give you all the relevant information concerning the mountain gorillas because they are knowledgeable about the species.
Packing list for gorilla trekking in Rwanda
Hiking boots should not miss out among the items you pack for gorilla trekking in Rwanda because during the activity you must hike the virunga mountains to access the habituated gorilla families and it should be noted that the mountains tend to be slippery during the wet season and some of them a steep which makes hiking quite hard when you don’t have the perfect hiking shoes.
Insect repellent should also be carried because the park is a home to a number of insects that may spread diseases for instance the tsetse flies that can cause sleeping sickness, the mosquitoes that can spread malaria and other insects whose bites can cause irritation thus an uncomfortable activity.
A camera should also be carried during your gorilla trekking experience in Rwanda because the park has a number of rewarding views and attractions that you can take pictures of as souvenirs when you head back to your home countries. You can take pictures of the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo while you hike mount Muhabura, you will get to see a number of bird species in the trees and also primate species like the golden monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys swinging in the trees for an amazing experience in the park.
Binoculars should also be carried if you’re interested in watching a number of bird species. Some of the different bird species that can be seen while taking part in gorilla trekking in the park include;
Perfect hiking clothes should noted be forgotten if you’re interested in having a memorable activity while in volcanoes national park. The perfect clothes may include a raincoat, water proof hat, long sleeved trousers and shirts to avoid being scratched by tree branches, you can also carry a sweater because the higher you hike the Mountain to access the gorillas, the cooler it becomes, therefore, you should consider packing the perfect clothes for the perfect activity.
