Rwanda, a humble nation nestled in the heart of East Africa, offers undisputed wildlife safaris and gorilla trekking tours. Rwanda wildlife safaris and gorilla trekking tours are tailored to the utmost perfection of the visitor’s interests. Rwanda is among the very few destinations in the world that offer both wildlife safaris and gorilla trekking tours.
These tours are conducted across Rwanda. Regardless of its size, Rwanda is a naturally diverse country with unbelievable attractions and activities. At the peak of wildlife safaris and gorilla trekking tours, Rwanda stands as an undisputed destination across the region.
Rwanda wildlife safaris
The country’s popularity as a tourism destination rests on the idea of mountain gorillas. However, although this is true, Rwanda also offers incredible wildlife safaris. What do Rwanda wildlife safaris mean? Wildlife safaris involve the adventurous exploration of wildlife destinations, especially targeting game species. What Rwanda lacks in size, it makes up for with a variety of wildlife species up for exploration.
Wildlife safaris in Rwanda are unique since they offer the traditional sightings of Africa’s formidable wildlife species, including the apex predators that roam the misty savannah wilderness of Rwanda. Visitors embarking on a Rwanda wildlife safari have their sights set on the highly anticipated Big Five safaris. These particular wildlife safaris take place in the savannah parks and game reserves.
Akagera National Park
Mentioning Rwanda wildlife safaris, Akagera National Park cannot be missed. Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s only savannah protected area/national Park and a destination for wildlife safaris. Akagera is named after the River Kagera that flows along the northern region of the park before flowing into Lake Victoria in Uganda. Akagera National Park is situated in the eastern region of Rwanda. This park borders Tanzania to the east, stretching for over 1,122 square kilometers.
Akagera National Park protects a variety of wildlife species, ranging from the popular Big Five species, lions, leopards, rhinos, buffaloes, and elephants, to other species like antelopes, hyenas, giraffes, warthogs, waterbucks, and zebras, among others. Akagera National Park is managed in partnership with African Parks and the Rwandan government through the Rwanda Development Board.
This park was established as a protected area in 1934 during the colonial government with over 2,500 square kilometers. Following the end of the 1994 Rwanda genocide against the Tutsi, the country saw a large population of refugees return. This led the government to designate some land on the northern side of the park for the locals. The park was then re-gazetted in 1997 to its current borders.
The best way to enjoy Rwanda wildlife safaris in Akagera National Park is by embarking on a game drive. Game drives bring visitors close to the action while keeping them out of danger. A game drive is the safest way to explore the untamed and uncharted wilderness of Rwanda’s Akagera and encounter animals like the Big Five in the comfort of a safari vehicle. This is the core tourist activity for the Rwanda wildlife safaris.
Rwanda gorilla trekking tours
Off the beaten paths of the roars of the Akagera National Park under the Rwanda wildlife safaris, we shift our focus to the Rwanda gorilla trekking tours. These trekking tours solely focus on the gorilla trekking adventure. Rwanda is among the very few countries in the region gifted by nature to host the endangered mountain gorillas. On the global stage, mountain gorillas are among the most treasured species. The IUCN lists these mountain gorillas under the endangered category on its Red List.
Rwanda is known as the land of a thousand hills, and this characteristic affirms it as a highland nation. This is one of the reasons why it is a viable candidate for hosting mountain gorillas, since they prefer mountainous or highland regions. Rwanda falls in the Virunga Conservation Area, the last known mountain gorilla habitat.
Gorilla trekking tours in Rwanda involve navigating the dense canopies of the untamed jungles of Rwanda’s gorilla habitat and spending an hour in the presence of mountain gorillas. Mountain gorillas share a close resemblance with us humans, with over 98% DNA similarity. Gorilla trekking takes place among the habituated gorilla families. Only 8 people are allowed to trek mountain gorillas daily.
The price tag for gorilla trekking tours in Rwanda is categorized for international visitors who pay USD 1,500, foreign residents USD 500, and nationals or East Africans USD 200. A gorilla trekking permit is obtained from the Rwanda Development Board through a tour company like Monteero Safaris.
Volcanoes National Park
It is only at the Volcanoes National Park that visitors can have a gorilla trekking tour in Rwanda. Throughout the entire country, mountain gorillas can only be found in Volcanoes National Park. This park is situated in the northern region of Rwanda in the Musanze district, covering over 160 square kilometers. This park is among the oldest parks in Africa, having been established in 1925.
It is estimated that over 300 mountain gorillas are hosted in the Volcanoes National Park. About 13 mountain gorilla families are habituated and available for trekking daily. This means over 104 gorilla trekking permits are available daily in this park. Such a one-on-one experience with mountain gorillas for over an hour is a unique experience that is rarely experienced.