Tracking gorillas through misty, seemingly impenetrable forests can be an
exhausting process as the paths are often slippery, entangled and wet.
However,
this effort is quickly forgotten the minute you encounter these beautiful
creatures. They instantly capture your full attention with their acrobatic
antics and cacophony of grunts, screeches and chest beating.
Day
1
Upon
arrival in Kigali you are met at the airport by our local representative and
transferred to the hotel. Following a detailed briefing and an introduction to
your English speaking driver guide, the afternoon will be spent on a sight
seeing tour of Kigali City, a Genocide memorial site and Franco-Rwandan cultural
centre.
Overnight at Hotel Des Mille Collines on a bed and breakfast
basis.
Day 2
After an early breakfast, drive NW to
Ruhengeri, the main base town for gorilla tracking (approximately 90
minutes drive) on a good paved road through the countryside with its
beautiful terraced hills that are so characteristic of the rural Rwanda.
Upon arrival, there is a briefing by the Volcanoes National Park's
guides on how to behave in the forest and in the presence of mountain
gorillas. You then enter the park for a gorilla trek which will take you
until around midday depending on where you find them.
Once the gorillas are located all fatigue
is forgotten, as the experience is often described as being the most
profound natural history experience in the world. It is important to
take plenty of water. Cameras and plenty of fast speed film is
recommended. It can rain at a few minutes notice, hence waterproof
clothing is a good essential including zip lock bags for cameras and
film. After the trek, lunch at Gorilla Nest Lodge.
If time permits, visit the markets,
villages and local communities or an optional visit to the little known
by compellingly beautiful twin lakes Bulera and Ruhondo. Overnight at
Gorilla Nest Lodge on a full board basis
VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK -
Virungas Conservation Area
The Volcanoes Park, on the
Rwandan side is definitely the best place anywhere to go gorilla tracking while
also supporting a number of other localised mammal, bird and plant species. This
13000 hectare national park protects the Rwanda sector of the Virunga Moutains,
a range of six extinct and three active volcanoes which straddle the border with
Uganda and the DRC. Between 2.500 and 3.500m in height, where an average annual
rainfall of 2000mm is typical, bamboo forest is interspersed with alpine
moorland, grassland and marsh, a landscape dominated by other worldly giant
lobilia and senecio plants. In this park, there are four different gorilla
families (Sabyinyo with 113 members, Amahoro, 17 members, Group 13 with 9
members and Susa, 37 members)
GORILLA NEST LODGE
The Lodge offers comfortable rooms with en
suite bathrooms, hot and cold water and a friendly atmosphere. The dining and
bar area is open sided with a fire on cool evenings. All rooms and the dining
area have views of the volcanoes or overlook the beautiful valley and the hills
beyond.
There are 20 attractive rooms.
Day
3
After breakfast take a short
drive back to the Park Headquarters and meet with the excellent local
guides and trackers who will give another talk on the etiquette of gorilla
trekking. We then hike into the park for a second gorilla trek, visiting a
different family this time. Again, the trekking can take from 1 to 6 hours
and climb to altitudes in excess of 7,500 feet. The terrain is rough and
at times muddy.
Although the hike is physically
demanding the beauty of the forest and surrounding scenery make the trekking
worthwhile. Lunch at the lodge and the remainder of the day at leisure. If
possible, there might be an afternoon guided tour to Dian Fossey's grave through
this rich surrounding forest. (This needs to be paid for locally) Overnight at
Gorilla Nest Lodge on a full board basis.
Day
4
After a leisurely breakfast,
enjoy the scenic transfer back to Kigali arriving late morning and on to Kigali
for your departure flight .
End of our
services.
2010 Rates
African Safari
Consultants
16475 Indian Ruins Rd.
Prescott, AZ 86305
