
Can I book a gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda from the United States of America?
Can I book a gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda from the United States of America? Gorilla trekking in Africa is done in Rwanda, Uganda, and DR Congo. Rwanda gorilla trekking can only be done in volcanoes national park which is a 2 hours’ drive from the city. Volcanoes national park is located in the northwestern part of the country hosting over 10 habituated gorilla families on the slopes of Virunga volcanoes that are open for trekking at any time of the year. This article will help you on booking your gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda from the United States of America
Ways to book Rwanda gorilla permits from the United States of America
For any person to trek mountain gorillas in Volcanoes national park, they will need to have a valid gorilla trekking permit and must be aged 15 years and above. A gorilla permit to volcanoes national park Rwanda is a document issued out Rwanda development board to allow a person to trek a habituated mountain gorillas and be around them for a maximum of 1 hour. A gorilla permit price in Rwanda includes a park entrance fee, ranger guide fee, and a trekking certificate.
A gorilla trekking permit in Volcanoes national park comes at a fee of $1500 per person per trek and this has made the park the most expensive of all gorilla parks in Africa. trekking mountain gorillas in Rwanda is considered luxurious because of the high-priced permits and good accommodation facilities.
Booking a gorilla trekking permit from the United States of America can be done by you using the Uganda Wildlife Authority website or you can contact a tour operator to help you out on booking. A local tour operator helps you with booking permits, accommodation, and transport facilities and in return, you will save time and money.
Several tour operators including Africa adventure vacations do organize gorilla trekking safaris to Rwanda with opportunities of meeting mountain gorillas eye to eye in volcanoes national park situated in the northwestern part of the country. The moment you decide to use a local tour operator to work on your gorilla trekking safari it means that you will have to provide them with dates you want to travel then they will check for availability with the Rwanda Development Board and then get back to you. When the days are available, they will ask you for payments and then secure a permit on your behalf. They will later send you a scanned copy for your records.
The cost of seeing gorillas in Rwanda?
The price of a gorilla trekking permit for foreign non-residents in volcanoes national park is $1500 and this comes with a park entrance fee, ranger guide fee, certificate of attendance, and 1 hour around mountain gorillas as you learn about their habits and take photos. Trekking mountain gorillas in volcanoes national park is done by persons above the age of 15 years and people with valid permits from the Rwanda Development Board.
Using a tour operator to plan for you a Rwanda gorilla tour
You can book a gorilla trekking safari to Rwanda using a local tour operator like Africa Adventure Vacations. By doing so we shall help you with booking the permits, accommodation, and transport. we are licensed by the Uganda Tourism Board and we are also a member of the association of Uganda tour operators which means that we are good at what we are dealing in. When you trust us to do for you a safari, we shall ask you about the travel days, the number of people in the group and then checks for the availability of the permits with the Rwanda Development Board. If the permits are available on the days you want to travel, we shall then send you our bank details to send the money and after receiving the money we shall secure you a permit after which send you a scanned copy for your records.
What is the best time to do a Rwanda gorilla trekking safari from the United States of America?
If you are in the United States and would like to trek mountain gorillas in Rwanda, you can visit the country at any time of the year but the best time to visit would be the dry season that happens from June to September and December to February. The dry season comes with less or no rainfall, the roads leading to the park passable, the vegetation very thin for a clear view of animals, trekking trails less muddy and not slippery. You need to book your gorilla permits in advance of 3-4 months to avoid inconveniences since permits are sold on a first come first serve basis.
Age limit to book a gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda from the United States of America
If you are in the United States of America and would love to trek mountain gorillas in Rwanda, you need to know that the age limit for mountain gorilla trekking in Rwanda is 15 years and people below that will not be sold tickets or even trek mountain gorillas. age is one of the reasons tourists are asked about their passport details before going further to giving out the ticket.
The number of days needed for a gorilla trekking safari?
Volcanoes national park is located a few kilometers away from the airport and city center which means one can do a gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda starting from 1 day up to any day they want. From Kigali city to volcanoes national park is just 2 hours driving meaning that a person can drive to the park in the morning, trek mountain gorillas and drive back to the city. Due to the outbreak of covid 19 the days might take longer because you have to do a covid 19 tests at the airport and water for a few hours for the results then have a night in Kigali. The following day you can drive to volcanoes national park and decide to rest then trek mountain gorillas the next morning after which return to the city.
Where to stay in on a Rwanda gorilla trekking safari?
There are several accommodation facilities where one can stay during a Rwanda gorilla trekking and where to stay depends on the travel budget. The accommodation facilities range in the budget, mid-range, and luxury options as well as camps.
Volcanoes national park – Bisate Lodge, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel, Volcano House, Virunga Lodge, Singita Kwitonda Lodge, One $ Only Gorilla’s Nest Lodge, Volcano Inn, Volcano Village Lodge, Le Bamboo Gorilla Lodge, Lokahi Lodge, Villa Gorilla, Volcano Rainforest Retreat, Ruzizi Tented Camp, Lake Kivu Serena, and Gorilla Volcanoes Hotel among others.
What other activities can be included in a gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda from the United States of America?
People from the United States of America have a lot to see and do in Rwanda other than gorilla trekking. Some of the tourism attractions in Rwanda include Kigali one of the cleanest cities in Africa, Lake Kivu, Nyungwe forest national park where chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk are done, Akagera national park where one can do game viewing, hiking, and golden monkey trekking in volcanoes national park.
Can I book a gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda from the United States of America in this covid-19 situation?
Yes, you can book your gorilla safari and trek mountain gorillas in this covid-19 situation. Mountain gorilla trekking in Rwanda is only done in volcanoes national park where mountain gorillas stay on the slopes of Virunga mountains such as Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Sabyinyo, and Gahinga. All you need to do is follow the SOPs issued out by the government of Rwanda. You can ask your local tour operator about what it takes to trek mountain gorillas in the covid-19 situation and they will guide you.
What other places can I trek mountain gorillas from the United States of America?
Apart from volcanoes national park Rwanda, mountain gorillas can be found in Uganda’s Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla park as well as Virunga national park of DR Congo. When it comes to booking for the best country to trek mountain gorillas, it would be Uganda since it has 2 national parks with over 20 habituated gorilla families and these are 19 in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and the 1 Nyakagezi in Mgahinga gorilla park both located in the southwestern part of Uganda.
A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda costs $700 for foreign non-residents, 600 foreign residents, and UGX250, 000 East African citizens. Trekking mountain gorillas is done by a maximum of 8 people and all these must be ages 15 years and above. When you want to do a 4 hours mountain gorilla habituation, you can pay $1500 and do it in the Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. You are advised to book you’re trekking and habituation permits in advance of 3-4 months to avoid inconvenience since permits are served on a first come first serve basis.