How to prepare for gorilla trekking in Rwanda : If you’re interested in participating in gorilla trekking in Rwanda you should be prepare before you embark on your hike along the Virunga mountains in Rwanda that is Mount Muhabura, Mount Gahinga, Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Karisimbi, Mount Bisoke which will give you access to the habituated gorilla families in Uganda. With proper preparation, you will know the list of items you should pack to ensure you have a comfortable activity, you should also prepare for the hike along the Virunga mountains and know where to book the gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda for a memorable Rwanda safari experience.
THE HIKE
The hike to the gorilla families in the parks is quite challenging in the park is quite challenging in the park because of the fact that it involves tourists hiking the Virunga mountains in Rwanda to access the habituated gorilla families in Uganda for an amazing experience.
It should be noted that the mountain gorillas in the park can be found between elevations about 8000-13000 feet which can be very challenging to hike for first time hikers because the more you hike up the oxygen levels drop and also the temperatures drop making it quite cold. Before you embark on your safari in the park you should physically and mentally set your body for the hike and this involves getting some physical exercises, you can run around to make your body prepared for the hike to avoid leg cramps and fatigue which can influence your involvement in other active activities in the country like golden monkey trekking in Rwanda, hiking the musanze cave, Dian Fossey hike cycling around the communities around Akagera national park and so on.
The packing list
There are a number of essentials that you should carry during your gorilla trekking experience in the park and these will help you to have a comfortable gorilla trekking experience in Uganda and these include;
- A camera is among the essentials for gorilla trekking in the park and this will give you the chance to take beautiful pictures of the primates in the wild carrying out their daily activities, you can also film them as long as you don’t use flash mode because the species are flash sensitive which can lead them to attack you.
- While participating in the activity, you should also consider packing some insect repellent because the park is a habitat to a number of disease spreading insects and insects that can cause irritation with their bites and such may include tsetse flies and mosquitoes that can make your Rwanda Tour experience quite uncomfortable.
- Carry some extra cash with you for tips and to hire a porter in case you have luggage or equipment that you might want to use when you get to the gorilla families.
- You should also carry a rain coat and perfect hiking boots because the weather in the park can change the higher you hike and you might experience some showers that may hinder you experience as they might make the trails to the gorilla families quite slippery but with the perfect shoes and rain coat you will hike the mountains without having to worry about any hindrances.
Gorilla trekking permits
After you’ve made up your mind to travel to Rwanda to participate in gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park, you should consider booking for a gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda and this can be purchased online from the Rwanda development board website the tourism board of the country where you can book permits for activities like the dian Fossey hike , hiking the Virunga mountains in Rwanda, game drives in Akagera national park, golden monkey trekking in Rwanda among other activities that will make your activity quite memorable.
With the gorilla trekking permit you will be assigned to a knowledgeable guide who will offer the most rewarding Rwanda safari experience telling you all the relevant information about the primates, how will also ensure that you have a safe activity by taking you along the safe trails in the park to avoid the encounter with the wild animals. As you take part in the activity you will also notice that there is an armed ranger among you and this should not alarm you as a threat because his role is to ensure that you are safe from any vicious animal attacks in case you encounter which is quite unlikely but even if they do the ranger will scare them off by firing in the air so as not to harm them because the park focuses of sustainable tourism.
