The gorilla trekking experience starts with registration, pre-trek briefing and allocation of the gorilla groups to the trekkers.
Watching the magnificent mountain gorillas in the virgin jungles of the Republic of Rwanda is one of the superb experiences one has to encounter during the visit to the African continent.
Many tour operators in Rwanda that offer unique gorilla safaris to Volcanoes national park which has over 10 gorilla families that are open for gorilla trekking in the famous Northern Province. Volcanoes National Park is approximately 160 square kilometers of rainforests, the park hosts mountain gorilla families, Golden monkey and other hiking adventures which are open to be enjoyed on Rwanda Safari.
During Rwanda gorilla trekking, expect to have an up-close encounter experience with the mountain gorillas in the wilderness of Volcanoes National Park with help of park ranger guide. The gorilla trekking experience starts with registration, pre-trek briefing and allocation of the gorilla groups to the trekkers.
After, you proceed with the trek through the jungle in search of these apes and once allocated, you will be allowed to spend a maximum of 1 hour with them as you enjoy their lifestyles like feeding, playing with young ones and others. After all that, you will move to the starting point for your mountain gorilla trekking certificates.
Best time for the trek
The Republic of Rwanda can be visited anytime throughout the year but the best time to visit is during the dry season of June to September. This is also the best time of year to see mountain gorillas in Rwanda as these periods offer the best hiking conditions since the surfaces are always dry and not slippery which makes the movement easier.
You can trek to see mountain gorillas and visit Rwanda outside of these optimum times of year, but bear in mind that it may be more difficult due to rainfall as well as steep and muddy hiking paths. You must be in relatively good shape before you commence your trek as you will be hiking to the mountain gorillas in the dense, tropical jungles of Rwanda. Below is the guidance on the months to visit the Republic of Rwanda for gorilla trekking experience and others activities;
Visiting Rwanda in the months of January and February for gorilla trekking experience
During the months of January and February, there is a short dry season in the country and this stands as one of the best season to go for gorilla trekking in Rwanda. This is so because they are not very crowded as the months of June to September. Also in these months, birding is at its peak since the migratory birds are present.
Visiting Rwanda from March to May
March is the start of the rainy season, with showers continuing right through until mid-May. Despite the wet weather, these conditions are still good to be able to trek in search of the primates that inhabit this mystical landscape. Good quality rain gear is needed to brave the dense, wet forestry areas during this period.
April follows suit with May’s wet conditions and when making a final decision of visiting Rwanda, put in mind that the hiking experience will be tough on the Virunga Mountains and also other treks in Volcano.
The rains begin to ease by mid-May. This is a good month to avoid the tourist crowds, and you may have a better chance of grabbing a last-minute gorilla trekking permit. For avid birdwatchers, May falls into the breeding season and the skies are filled with colorful, winged beauties.
Visiting Rwanda between the months of June and September
The dry season between June and September is renowned for being the best time to go to Rwanda. There is often light cloud cover during this time of year and this creates a comfortable climate for Rwanda gorilla trekking. A highlight in June in Rwanda is the annual Kwita Izina Ceremony. This is when all the baby gorillas born over the previous twelve months are named. During this festival, the trekkers and adventure lovers get a chance to watch the magnificent mountain gorillas to the fullest.
Visiting Rwanda between the months of October to December
In these months of October to December, you will be arriving in the short rainy season. For the birders, this is one of the best times to visit since the plants are flowering. The photographers also enjoy during this season due to magical wild and skies since they are always clear as the morning comes.
The official website of Volcanoes National park is https://www.volcanoesnationalpark.com
