Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park is without a doubt the most popular activity in Rwanda. This Rwandan national park, which shares a border with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is home to a growing number of critically endangered mountain gorillas. Experts estimate that there are approximately 600 gorillas in the park, up from around 240-250 individuals in 1981.
You must purchase one of the limited number of daily trekking permits for $1,500 to visit one of the 18 mountain gorilla families that have been habituated to humans. The most convenient way to do so is to book a tour with a reputable tour operator who can also arrange transportation from Kigali to the park headquarters.
The trek lasts anywhere from four to eight hours, with the majority of the time spent hiking through mystical bamboo forests, wild meadows, and swampy areas. National park service guides will eventually lead you to a habituated gorilla family. You’ll spend an hour watching the animals eat, care for their young, and interact.
In Rwanda, gorilla trekking is widely regarded as a risk-free activity. Human visitors are mostly ignored by the gorillas. Visitors are kept safe from potential dangers by armed guides who communicate with the gorillas using a series of clicking sounds.
In Volcanoes National Park, porters can be hired at the trailheads. It’s worthwhile to hire one for the day; they’ll carry your belongings and keep you from slipping on the muddy paths.
You’re curious about mountain gorillas and want to learn more about them. Visit the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International Karisoke Research Center in Musanze after your trekking adventure. It houses a small but well-equipped museum dedicated to mountain gorillas and conservationist Dian Fossey, whose efforts to protect gorillas were immortalized in the 1988 film Gorillas in the Mist.
