What to expect on a mountain gorilla trek in Rwanda, Expectations for a Rwandan mountain gorilla trek: This is what you can anticipate on the day of the hike once all the preparations are complete and you are prepared to embark on your mountain gorilla trekking adventure in the well-known Volcanoes National Park.
We are certain that you have everything you need at this point, including the hiking permit, the appropriate clothing, gloves, trekking boots, helmets, rain jackets if necessary, and Volcanoes National Park.
You should bring water, a snack, and energy boosters if necessary. If you are among those in need of a porter, you have already hired one and are carrying your walking or trekking stick.
In summary, here is how your day will proceed.
At 6 a.m., you will first need to get ready, eat breakfast, and then proceed to the park headquarters or an early pre-trekking briefing given by park officials and trekking rangers.
Along with your identification, park officials will check your mountain gorilla hiking permit. to confirm that the individual in possession of the permit is the permit’s owner.
Oh! Please don’t forget to bring your passport or identity together with your hiking permit.
It is expected that you will have everything you need for your walk when your permission and identification card are checked.
A cup of tea or coffee will be provided at the conclusion, and you will be entertained by traditional dancers who will help you unwind before beginning the demanding hike and offer you a taste of Rwandan culture.
Before being divided into groups of no more than eight individuals, you will also receive a briefing on safety and trekking regulations. A ranger will then accompany each group to a single gorilla family. There are currently ten gorilla families in the Volcanoes National Park, and the number is increasing. However, one family is trekked daily by an eight-person party.
Although groups are selected at random, age and fitness are occasionally taken into account. The older or younger people will be given the simple paths, while those that appear more fit and daring will travel the more difficult locations.
However, there are occasions when individuals, such as wildlife academics, are assigned to groups because they have a particular interest in certain gorillas.
It’s likely that you will enjoy the walk with your group and meet new people.
Expectations for a Rwandan mountain gorilla excursion
A principal guide or gorilla ranger will lead your party of eight hikers. Security scouts, who typically carry AK-47 rifles, will be there to defend you from ferocious gorillas and other wild creatures. One scout will often be at the front, while the other will be at the rear.
To frighten the animals away, they will shoot into the air if they perceive danger. You should be aware that even though these scouts accompany every group, they only shoot into the air in rare circumstances—typically after all other attempts to defuse the situation have failed.
When a wild animal approaches your group, you are usually told to remain still for a while and wait for the animal to move on.
Therefore, there must be a tracker or trackers for each gorilla family being hiked in order to physically follow or locate the family and continuously notify your main guide or ranger of its whereabouts. This saves you time because you wouldn’t have been wandering in circles and you wouldn’t get fatigued. You go directly to the gorillas. However, the distance from the tail head to the rest of the gorilla family determines how much time you spend walking. You might walk for a few minutes at a time, or you might walk forever.
But don’t worry, you will be astonished when you see the gorillas. The long walk will be forgotten. You will be with the gorillas for an hour, marveling, appreciating, and simply being with them.
This hour is also a chance to unwind and take in the crisp, humid forest. You will encounter some misty conditions because the gorillas remain at high elevations, but they won’t be particularly bothersome.
It’s important to remember to remain composed, quiet, and serene when you’re around gorillas. Avoid touching them, keeping a safe distance, moving slowly if necessary, making eye contact, coughing, sneezing, and other activities. Take as many pictures and films as you like, but stay away from flash photography.
The rangers and guides will signal when it’s time to leave after your hour-long encounter with the magnificent, serene, and graceful gorillas, and you will follow them out of the forest. Going to the tail head will allow you to cool off in the water and have a post-tour debrief before moving on to your next task.
