Rwanda Gorilla Trekking with Eco Tours Rwanda

Last year in December 20^th 2014 I went on my long planned African experience to visit the mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and I took the 4 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trek, where I had the chance to do the gorilla trekking 2 times visiting 2 gorilla families and Eco Tours Rwanda made my tour so amazing and I want to go back!

I travelled with Eco Tours Rwanda, after having had good news about their services from my friend Lora Davis, she had the safari of 4 days visiting the mountain gorillas, Dian Fossey, Golden Monkey Tracking and the visit to the twin Lakes, as well as seeing them in travel guides news magazines. They planned everything for me the way I wanted it to be, and they proved to me to be a reliable travel company in Rwanda.

By everything I mean, whatever I wanted to do in safari was arranged for me so for anyone looking for typically tailor-made tours in Rwanda, it is none other than Eco Tours Rwanda can offer you this experience, truly my Rwanda Gorilla Tour was so amazing, informative from my guide Alex and comfortable from the spacious lodges like Mountain Gorilla View Lodge where I stayed for 3 nights.
My guide Alex was not only informative but assisting to all my Rwanda tour and he tried to get for me the group which my friend advised me to trek to have a full experience in the mist Susa group which is so much adventurous and my guide Alex organized this for me at the Volcanoes National Park Head Quarters on the day of my 1 Day Rwanda Gorilla Trek. More so for those with an old knee injury, so needed to ask to be put in one of the groups with 'easier' routes, rather than being put in the Susa group just because this is for the young or a person whose is physically fit.

The other friend I was with were a bit older than me, but most of them seemed to cope better than me but they were allocated to Agasha group and after the experience we all met at our lodge and we started to narrate to each other how adventurous the trek was!

If you go through a tour company like Eco Tours Rwanda for your whole trip, you only remain with enjoyment and they will schedule a visit to other interesting places like the genocide memorial in Kigali, Ibywacu Cultural Village at Ruhengeri and the visit to the Twin Lakes (Burera and Ruhondo). Definitely don't miss this, but I wouldn't recommend having it as the last thing you do before you leave Rwanda, it's not the best way to end a trip-the genocide memorial in Kigali.

When you go on the trek always hire a porter to help you to carry your bag for the journey you take and by doing this you are promoting employment to these locals hence earning a leaving and at the same time enjoy the value of conservation these eco-tourist sites, take a stick which help to detect the place before you make a step and some places in the forest are logged. And my porter helped pull me up what felt like impossibly steep slippery 'trails' up that mountainside to get me to the gorillas, and back down again. I really don't know how I ever would have made it without them helping me.

Oh, and while you're there do the golden monkey trek. I did it the day after the trek of Dian Fossey and gorillas, and was looking forward to it much after the gorillas as I thought it was going to be a bit of an anti-climax. I loved it almost more but not than the gorillas. Though it's a completely different experience, and there's no distance restriction, you can get as close as you like, you don't have to back off if they come closer to you, you can use flash photography so it's easier to get good photos. And they're so beautiful and fascinating to watch and I highly recommend this experience, the company and the guide (Alex) for his knowledge and flexibility!!

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Bwindi impenetrable forest gorilla dies aged 28 years old

At 28 years, Mishaya had lived only half his life in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda. On Monday, Mishaya died after a short illness, according to top wildlife officials.

 

A photograph of Mishaya taken in June 2012. Mishaya was a leader of a commuinty of gorillas in Bwindi (UWA Photo)

 

The lifespan of mountain gorillas is estimated at 50 years, according to Dr. Gladys Kalema, the director of conservation through public health. She described Mishaya, who broke away from Nshongi about two years ago, as an active, friendly and assertive gorilla.

 

“Mishaya will be missed,” Kalema said. Others who eulogised Mishaya said he would amuse them, giving many tourists compelling opportunities for photographs.

 

Dr. Andrew Seguya, the executive director of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) said: “We have lost a lovely mountain gorilla which was free with tourists.” He said he had sent a team of veterinary doctors to investigate further what caused Mishaya’s death.

 

Preliminary results indicate that he died after the coiling of the intestines. Mishaya was the only silverback (alpha male) after which a group of habituated gorillas in Bwindi was named. His group lives in Rushaga, in the southern region of Bwindi.

 

Apart from Mishaya, the southern sector of Bwindi is home to habituated gorillas, Nshongyi, Kahungye and Busingye groups.

Rwanda Gorilla Trekking a gear of conserving gorillas for Eco Tours Rwanda

When the name Rwanda comes up, at least in tourism circles, gorilla tracking comes to mind, first and foremost, as the Land of a Thousand Hills is indeed best known for offering well organized Eco tours Rwanda to see the prized animals in their natural habitat. The Rwanda Development Board’s Tourism and Conservation Department in fact acknowledges that in spite of concerted efforts over the past years to diversify the tourism products and introduce new attractions, inside and outside of the three national parks, gorilla tracking remains the highest profile activity for now, though birding and hiking, especially in Nyungwe Forest National Park, have started to make an impact in the statistics. Culture is also growing tourism product in Rwanda and the Rwanda tourism board has launched the Musanze cave for cultural tourism which you can visit on your Rwanda tour, Eco tours Rwanda.

The Virunga massif, a trans-boundary ecosystem located in Rwanda, Uganda and neighboring Congo DR, is home of – going by the latest figures available – some 400 mountain gorillas and has been described as the world’s only stable great apes population. It is here, that on the Rwandan side some 11 habituated gorilla groups are available for tourism purposes, the 11th only named 10 days ago during the annual Kwita Izina naming ceremony, when a “breakaway group” gained their own recognition, name and status. Additionally there are 10 other habituated groups which are strictly reserved for research and monitoring, outpacing the other two gorilla range countries. The gorilla groups in Rwanda include: Susa—the largest group with 41 gorillas. This family is the hardest to trek as it tends to range high into the mountains but RDB Tourism & Conservation trackers will know well in advance where the group is located. The group is also well known for having rare 5 year old twins named Byishimo and Impano. Sabyinyo—Sabyinyo is an easily accessible group led by the powerful silverback Guhonda. There are fewer members within this family than in the other groups however they are equally impressive as a family. Amahoro—led by the calm and easy going Ubumwe, Amahoro is made up of 17 members and means “peaceful”. To reach Amahoro one must endure a fairly steep climb however the climb is well worth it once in contact with this tranquil group. Group 13—when first habituated this group had only 13 members hence its name. Now the group has approximately 25 members, a very positive sign for conservation and the efforts put forward by RDB Tourism & Conservation to protect the gorillas’ habitat. Kwitonda—this 18-member group is led by Kwitonda which means “humble one” and has two silverbacks and one black back. Having migrated from DRC, this group tends to range far making it a moderately difficult trek. Umubano—a family of 11, Umubano were originally Amahoro members but broke off after the dominant silverback was challenged by Charles, now the leader of Umubano. When a young silverback challenges the dominant silverback he must steal some females from the existing group in order to form his own family; thus Umubano was formed. Hirwa—this group emerged recently and was formed from different existing families, namely from Group 13 and Sabyinyo. Eventually more gorillas joined. Come witness this family continue to grow and Karisimbi– a family of 15, a new group.

The Ruhengeri province in Rwanda is a city where all gorilla trekkers have their overnight before and after budget gorilla trekking. At this area you can stay at luxury, mid-range and budget lodges Sabyinyo silverback Lodge/Virunga safari lodge/ Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/ Mountain Gorilla Nest Camp/Lebombou Lodge/Laplame Hotel/Muhabura Guest House/Kinigi Guest House respectively. The Rwanda Development Board and conservation NGOs are working hand in hand towards a common goal, protecting the mountain gorillas while at the same time ensuring that tourism pays many of the bills this mammoth task incur month after month.

The Greater Virunga Trans-boundary Cooperation, in short GVTC, is a trilateral body, based in Kigali, comprising RDB, UWA and ICCN, which coordinates conservation and management matters, shares research results and coordinates security measures put into place along the national frontiers between Rwanda, Uganda and the Congo DR.

There is GRASP, the Great Apes Survival Partnership, which falls under the UNESCO/UNDP framework of conservation partnerships under which all institutional bodies come together to share information and rally to preserve the ever shrinking habitat of great apes around the globe.

Gorilla Doctors bring veterinary doctors together who volunteer their time to assist, largely free of cost for their professional services, to rush to the scene should the trackers, who spend much of the day with their charges up the volcanic mountains, call for medical support.

The International Gorilla Conservation Program, in short IGCP, is a partnership devoted to the conservation of the mountain gorillas by the African Wildlife Foundation, Flora and Fauna International and the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, best known as WWF.

And then there is the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, the local headquarters based in Musanze, which is arguably the highest profile organization of them all, the offices in white and green highly visible for everyone who drives through what used to be Ruhengeri. The fund emerged from Dian Fossey’s DIGIT Fund, renamed in Dian’s honor in 1992 as the DFGFI.

Dian Fossey, immortalized through the film "Gorillas in the Mist," which portrayed her life’s work and dedication to the cause of protecting the mountain gorillas of Rwanda and Congo, back then still known as Zaire, was killed on the 27th December 1985, but left behind a legacy which lives on and has grown from strength to strength. Controversial as she may have been in life, she was an outspoken opponent of using habituated gorillas for tourism purposes and had reported run ins’ with fellow researchers, too, in death she became a uniting factor for gorilla conservation and her name, and that of the fund, continue to be magnets to raise money, material contributions and attention around the world. Today, the gorilla population, which was seriously endangered when Dian was still alive and working in the field, has significantly increased in size, to now around 480 overall, but with an estimated carrying capacity of around 800 gorillas, some in fact say up to 1,000 while others put the capacity of the Virunga massif to lesser numbers.

The fund operates the Karisoke Research Centre, headed by Felix Ndagijimana with over 150 staff in Rwanda and across the border in the Congo DR, plus a number of volunteers and collaborating scientists. The main thrust of activities is, as previously mentioned, research and monitoring of the gorillas, conservation education among school children but also the adult population living around the national parks and last but not least community outreach programs include health and education interventions.

Cheap Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safaris With Nature Adventure Africa Safaris Ltd

Mountain gorilla trekking is one of the world’s headline wildlife activities, on par with whale watching, bear safaris, tiger tours or shark diving. A gorilla safari is a memorable experience, and one that a lucky few treasure for the rest of their lives. Despite the notoriety they have gained through popular culture, mountain gorillas are intelligent, shy and gentle creatures with complex family structures.

Gorilla tracking takes place in two forests in Uganda, and Rwanda. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is best experienced in the Volcanoes National Park, which homes about half the total population.  About 11 families here are “habituated”. This means that they have very carefully, over a period of 5 or more years been made accustomed to the presence of humans. Rwanda Gorilla trekking takes place in the Volcanoes National Park, where about 10 families are habituated.

Mountain Gorillas

A visit to the gorillas is not to be taken lightly, as it involves finding a reliable company to book your tracking permits up to two years in advance. It also involves planning the logistics to travel to remote locations, and preparing the equipment for the challenging conditions of the rain forest. If you make the effort to track gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda, though, it is well worth it. There are only 800 or so left – less than the number of children in a small school. All of these are found in the wild, as no mountain gorilla has ever been raised in captivity. The gorillas found in zoos are the western lowland variety.

On the day you track gorillas, you awake before dawn. After breakfast, a short walk or drive brings you to the park headquarters for your briefing. The track starts at about 9:00 am, led by rangers who keep a 24/7 watch on each family. A gorilla safari in Rwanda involves walking times of about 4 to 6 hours, at high altitude. A Uganda gorilla tracking safari involves lower altitude, but steeper slopes, with longer walking times, of 6 to 8 hours. Regardless of whether you track gorillas in Rwanda or Uganda, you will be allowed to spend a maximum of one hour with them, to reduce stress on the family.

This hour will give you a glimpse into the life of a gorilla family, and their interactions bring home the similarities and differences between us and them. If you are lucky enough to gaze into the eyes of a gorilla, you may sense a connection there.  Know, however, that your presence in their home has helped ensure their conservation and continued existence. We Support Child Uganda