Volcanoes National Park is a very beautiful destination that protects the part of Virunga Mountains found in Rwanda. The Virunga Mountains comprises a range of 6 extinct and 3 active volcanoes on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Ugandan borders. In Congo the Virunga volcanoes are protected by Virunga National Park while in Uganda they are gazetted under Mgahinga National Park. The Rwanda and DRC Virunga’s were previously collectively known as Albert National Park. These free-standing mountains have altitudes ranging from 2400 m to 4507 m. The tallest of the Volcanoes is Karisimbi at 4507 m on the border between Rwanda and DRC which is found in the western part of Volcanoes National Park. Other peaks within Volcanoes National Park include Bisoke on the DRC border, Mt Gahinga and Muhabura on the Ugandan border and Sabyinyo whose peak is at the border of three countries, Uganda, Rwanda and DRC.
Tracking Gorillas in this 160 km2 National Park is Volcanoes’ most lucrative tourist activity. Other popular activities within the park include hiking the volcanoes, golden monkey tracking and the hike to Dian Fossey’s former camp and grave on the slopes of Karisoke.
Wildlife in Volcanoes National Park
Aside from Gorillas and golden monkeys, other mammals though not well documented include elephants, buffalo, giant forest hog, bushpig, bushbuck, black forested duiker and the spotted hyena. Volcanoes National Park has a bird checklist of more than 180 species with at least 16 Albertine Rift endemics recorded. These include the handsome francolin, Ruwenzori Turaco, Ruwenzori double collared sunbird, strange weaver, Ruwenzori batis, Archer’s ground Robin, Red faced woodland warbler, dusky crimson wing and the collared apalis. The Garuer’s wabler is a local specialist in these parts.
Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
Mountain gorilla tracking is possibly Africa’s most indisputable travel highlight. First introduced by Amy Vedder & Bill Weeber in 1979 in an integrated tourism, education & antipoaching measure, gorilla tourism quickly grew to become Rwanda’s 3rd highest earner of foreign revenue in the 1980s and is probably now the leading earner of tourism revenue in country. The Gorilla has literally become Rwanda’s national emblem and the country’s most important renewable natural resource. The gorilla in Rwanda is a such a source of national pride and important avenue for work and income for the locals that poaching ceased to make sense. A gorilla is more valuable alive than dead to many locals.
Gorillas weigh approximately 3 times as heavy as an average adult man and look luxurious in their black far coat with the heaviest known silverback being noted to be 220kg in Sabyinyo. Given the size of the Gorillas you would assume that tracking them would be dangerous, yet they are the most peaceful giants. These are largely sedentary primates only walking an average of about 1km a day unless threatened and will mostly be on ground on retreating to the trees where they nest at the end of the day.
The standard distance from which to see these gorillas is usually at least 7m away but truth is this rule only applies to humans. A curious young gorilla may break away from its parents to peek at the visitors occasionally engaging in chest beating display as it walks pas tourists establishing dominance. An hour in the presence of these gentle giants is relatively expensive and the hike up to the gorillas place of habitation can be steep coupled with dense vegetation and slipperly after the rain but no one has ever regretted the undertaking physically or monetarily.
Gorilla Permits
8 permits are issued per day for each habituated group of gorillas & groups are 8 in total. Your guide may help allocate you to a group depending on your fitness levels. The Park doesn’t allocate you a specific group for gorilla tracking. A gorilla permit that allows you one hour with the primates costs 1500 USD for foreign residents.
Permits are best bought in advance through the RDB office in Kigali or through a tour operator in Kigali or abroad. Certainty of permit availability is not clear on any given day but the likelihood of getting one at short notice is highest in the months of April and May which a rainy season that is less popular for trekking. If interested in trekking in the peak dry season from June – September, booking permits 6-12 months ahead is advised in order to avoid disappointments.
Trackers are expected to check in at the park headquarters at Kinigi at 07:00 where they get to enjoy a complimentary cup of coffee and see an Intore dance performance as well as use clean flush toilets before being allocated to habituation groups. If you have special interest in a particular gorilla group, your best would be to arrive early in order to chat up with the rangers before briefing at 7:30am. Tracking normally starts at 08:15 – 08:30
How hard is gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park?
An answer to this question depends on so many variables and therefore there is no straight answer. The trek is done in 2 phases, the first phase is the hike from the closest car park to the forest or national park boundary, this takes 30-60minutes depending on the speed of the trekking party & the group they are visiting.
The second trek takes you from the forest edge into the forest to search for gorillas and this might take from 10 minutes to 2 hours but it usually takes 20-30 minutes especially for families that reside close to the forest edge.
The first part is usually flat and undemanding unless you are going to track the most challenging Susa group with a steep ascent. The 2nd park on the other hand is un predictable and will largely depend on the location of the gorillas on the actual trekking g day and the steepness of the terrain.
Other factors that will affect your trek
- Density of the vegetation necessitating bending and crawling
- Whether or not it’s the rainy season or slippery
- How old and fit you are
- Which altitude you are coming from. Trekking takes place at elevations of 2500m – 3000m above sea level
- Whether or not you are accustomed to walking on irregular and slippery surfaces.
Operator’s Recommendation & what to wear.
- If you think you might struggle to trek under strenuous circumstances, avoid the rainy season
- Trekking at 2500 – 3000m above sea level is not high enough for sea sickness but is likely to cause shortness of breath irrespective of your fitness levels. So, keep away from gorilla trekking especially if coming from a low altitude zone until its towards the end of your safari. You could also choose to acclimatize in parks with higher altitudes such as Nyungwe National Park before the trek.
- Always choose to accept the walking stick offered to you at the start of the of the hike as it will be of help on slippery ascents.
- If with luggage or heavy equipment, employ a porter to lessen the burden. Porters cost about 15U SD
- Always ask to take a break when you feel tired
- Carry some quick calories like biscuits and chocolates.
- Wear strong waterproof shoes/hiking boots with a good tread & great ankle support
- Wear thick trousers & long-sleeved shirts as protection against stinging insects.
- Its often cold in the morning, wear a sweat shirt
- Carry along your identification. You will need it when checking in.
Gorilla groups in Volcanoes National Park
As a general guide, the easiest groups to trek are the sabyinyo and occasionally group 13. The sabyinyo’s groups territory is within volcanoes National Park. The Amahoro and Umubano Group on the slopes of Mt. Bisoke are intermediate in difficulty to trek while Kwitonda group which crossed to Uganda because of civil war in DRC and later crossed to Rwanda and inhabits the slopes of Mt. Muhabura is relatively easy to trek compared to the Sabyinyo group. Hirwa group inhabits the foot hills of Mt Sabyinyo on the Gahinga side. This broke off from the Susa group. Karisimbi group also broke off from Susa group but inhabits similar territory on mt Karisimbi and is hard to trek as well. The Susa group which is usually recommended for the young and lean trekkers is the most challenging of them all but most rewarding. It has more than individuals in its group. A chaotic but totally unforgettable experience.
Regulations
- Tourists are only permitted one hour with the gorillas
- It’s forbidden to eat, urinate & defecate in their presence
- Tourists should not approach gorillas close than 7m
- Smoking is forbidden in the park’s boundary so as not to inconvenience other travelers
- Gorillas are susceptible to human diseases and so tourists are not advisable to trek with air borne diseases such as flu and to always turn away from the gorillas when you feel like sneezing.
- Listen to your guide at all times.
Conservation & ecotourism.
The Virunga gorilla population under observation by George Schaller plummeted from 450 to 250 individuals from 1960 – 1973. This was partly because of splitting Albert National Park into Virunga and Volcanoes National Park, poaching for gorilla trophy heads as well and hands that were being used as ash trays. This study created a foundation for Dian Fossey’s behavioral study of the gorillas in 1967. Dian Fossey founded the Karisoke research center on the slopes of Mt Karisimbi which she used as a place for studying gorillas in Volcanoes Np. Her efforts led to discouraging of poaching in the park which led her tragic murder, at Karisoke supposedly by a disgruntled poacher. Fossey’s life work was released in a cinematic account of her life known as ‘’Gorillas in the Mist’’. This account was nominated for 5 academy awards which generated high global interest in mountain gorillas & ecotourism in the Virunga’s.
Conservation organizations in Rwanda Include: the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, The gorilla organization, International Gorilla conservation program, Gorilla Doctors, The gorilla Organization, International Gorilla Conservation Program, Wildlife conservation society.
Kwita Izina – Gorilla Naming Ceremony
The Birth of a child is cause for celebration in Rwanda. The family and neighborhood gather together at the Kwita Izina Ceremony when the baby is seen and named for the first time complete with food and drink.
Now this tradition has also been adopted for young mountain gorilla. Here the park guides suggest based on the behavior or circumstances under which the gorillas were born. This tradition became widely known in 2005 when 23 gorillas were named in a celebration party complete with traditional music and dancing in Kiningi. This is now an annual event held in mid to late June when all gorillas born in the pas 12 months are named. This ceremony is an opportunity to raise funds for the protection of mountain gorillas as well as allow people sponsor a gorilla and make donations for their welfare.
