GSR 001 Gorilla Trekking Rwanda 4 Days 3 Nights USD 2550 PP

Day1 Arrival And Drive To Volcanoes National Park

Upon arrival at Kanombe Airport ( Also called Kigali Airport), you are met and driven to your hotel. This 2Hrs drive takes you through the beautifully terraced hilly countryside of Rwanda to Ruhengeri and further to Kinigi the base of gorilla trekking and tracking. Brief stopovers are provided on the way for photography. Overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/ Kinigi Guest House / Sabyinyo Silverback Community Lodge (B/L/D)

Day2 Drive to Volcanoes National Park

An early morning wake up call is organized for you. By 0600Hrs you should have freshed, taken your breakfast picked your lunch park and water bottle all ready to go. By 0615 Hrs join your driver guide at the car park and drive to Kinigi park headquarters (arriving at or before 0700Hrs) for group, guide allocation and briefing. A complimentary cup of tea or coffee is served as briefing is going on. Each group is comprised of maximum eight trekkers, two guides and rangers. This small group ensures minimal gorilla human contact and besides larger groups have been known to cause stress to gorilla families. Remember its a visit not an invasion so the human group must not exceed the individuals in a gorilla family. Group allocation and briefing is followed by a drive to the trailheads where hiking and trekking up the hills to the bamboo zone begins. Hiking, trekking and tracking gorillas may take 2-7 hours depending on the location of individual families. Hiking up is done moderately accompanied with numerous stops for relaxing. Hiking is learning as the guides will fill you up with information on gorillas, conservation, history and geography of the country. Feel free to ask questions. The first agenda of tracking is locating the previous night's nesting of the family. Once that is located the guide will lead you in the location of the family. While it is expected the family is nearby this is not always the case as families are free roaming within their territory and home range. At this point caution must be taken. Make minimal noise to avoid stumbling into the family unannounced. Once location the guide makes the first contact with the family and makes it known they are around. Once the guides are comfortable that the family is ready they will call you to join them. Stay with gorilla family is limited to exactly one hour. It is advisable to be submissive to the gorillas. Look sideways avoid direct eye contact which may be interpred as a challenge. Sight and stay with the Gorillas for one hour. Descend to your hotel for lunch. In the afternoon visit Lakes Burela and Ruhondo community. Return to Kinigi in time for dinner. Overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/ Kinigi Guest House / Sabyinyo Silverback Community Lodge (B/L/D) (This tour of Lakes possible if guests finish tracking on time at no extra cost).

Terms used

Territory:  An area where an animal enjoys exclusive rights. Territory are resourceful and cater for all the needs of an individual family. Territories are strongly defended any intruders are chased off or killed.

Home range:  An area where the animal forages for food and other resources in times of scarcity. Its bigger than a territory and is free for all. Different families may come into contact within territories.

Day3 Drive to Gisenyi on Lake Kivu

The programe as per day one above. After breakfast, drive to Kinigi Park headquarters for guide, group allocation and briefing. This is followed by a drive to the trail heads where hiking/ trekking begins. Gorilla Tracking begins upon sighting of the previous night's nests. Stay with the gorillas for an hour and return to the base hotel for lunch. In the afternoon drive to Gisenyi on the shores of Lake Kivu. Overnight Kivu Serena Hotel(B/L/D).

Day4 Drive from Lake Kivu to Kigali for city tour

An After breakfast drive to Kigali . Have a city tour followed by lunch. Visit the tourist attractions the city is famous like the genocide memorial of Gisozi, the city markets. In the afternoon transfer to the airport for home flight.