The Rwandatales Recommendations for Visiting the Gorillas

Some stuff to Consider

- Gorillas are further down the mountain in the rainy season, so if you’re not interested in the hiking try to go then BUT the trails are slippery and treacherous in the wet season.

- The rainy season brings bamboo which makes them more playful BUT Gorillas hate the rain, so when it rains they tend to just sit there and do nothing, so try to get a day when its not actually raining. This is very tricky cause you usually need to buy your permit well in advance.

- You may not get a choice of the group your going to visit but if you do, be aware the more famous one, Susa, is also the longest trek. Some people have trekked for over 5 hours to see them in the dry season!

- REMEMBER that under 16’s are not allowed to visit the gorillas, this is strictly enforced and ORTPN (the tourist authority) will not give refunds on permits for any reason.

- Pick a group that suits your fitness level and remember that bigger numbers don’t always mean a better visit. My group had only 8 members.

- Mine was a very good visit, but be prepared for the fact that the Gorillas might not do anything much or, in rare cases, you might not find them at all. A lady on my trek said they slogged for hours and saw only 3 gorillas sitting in the rain and not moving.

- STOP TAKING PHOTOS at a certain point. Many lower end “point and click” digi cams don’t take good pics without a flash anyway and you should take some time to relax and watch the gorillas without spending all your time clicking.

- Do what the guide says, when he says it – seriously! And don’t forget to make sure you’re not blocking others when viewing or taking pics.

- It’s possible to go there and back in one day from Kigali. I left at 04:30 and got back at 15:00, which included about an hour of messing around at the Park HQ and Ruhengeri, however my trek was very short. You can go with a tour for about 100USD per person (transport in 4x4 and lunch) or just hire a car and driver for a little less. This is a better option if you have people to split costs with.

- There are two places to stay near the park HQ at Kinigi but you still need transport to get you to the HQ and to get from HQ to the trail head. This transport will usually come from Ruhengeri anyway, so there’s no advantage to staying in Kinigi from that point of view.

- Don’t plan on doing much the night after your Gorilla visit, you’ll be tired!