Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Rules & Regulations

Rwanda gorilla trekking rules and regulations are set and meant to be followed by any person willing to see mountain gorillas during Rwanda gorilla tours. Rwanda is one of the three African countries that is home to mountain gorillas which is the only gorilla species that only survive in its natural habitat and increasing in numbers.

Mountain gorillas in Rwanda are found only in Volcanoes National Park with 10 habituated gorilla families for gorilla safaris.  To see any of these families, travelers need to travel to Rwanda and go trekking through the forest to meet a family of the habituated gorillas. To trek mountain gorillas in Rwanda, there are set guidelines and these include a minimum age of 15 years and purchase of a gorilla trekking permit at US$ 1500. After a client has fulfilled these requirements, then they are ready to go gorilla trekking and should follow the rules and regulations. These regulations are not negotiable and should be strictly adhered to by each tourist if they wish to undertake a Rwanda gorilla trek. Here are the Rwanda gorilla trekking rules and regulations;

• Clean your hands before heading out to the forest. This is done to ensure that no infections are carried into the gorilla habitat since hands can touch so many surfaces during the trek.
• Keep your voice low as much as possible as you go trekking and even after seeing the gorillas. High pitched sounds could easily bother the gorillas and make them uncomfortable.
• Keep close to your group at all times.
• Keep a distance of about 7 meters from the gorillas. Do this at all times and keep away from the gorillas as they may not be aware of keeping this 7-meter distance.
• Do not eat or smoke during a Rwanda gorilla trek
• Flash photography is not allowed. Carry a no flash camera or turn the flash off when taking pictures or recording videos of the mountain gorillas.
• A maximum of 1 hour is spent in the presence of the mountain gorillas and all tourists should respect this.
• Do not litter or leave any rubbish in the gorilla habitat. Take back whatever you come with into the forest.
• Any persons who are ill or suffering from contagious diseases including flu and colds are not allowed to trek gorillas.

Rwanda gorilla trekking rules and regulations are set in order to protect the mountain gorillas especially their health and also trekkers from possible attacks. Mountain gorillas have greatly depended on conservation efforts, sparked off by the popular primatologist Dian Fossey who lost her life in Volcanoes National Park in efforts to conserve the mountain gorilla population. Therefore, these efforts cannot be unappreciated by putting the lives of these mountain gorillas at risk. Mountain gorillas are important to the communities in which they survive as well as the ecosystem. Their well-being is important to the communities and so is their conservation, each tourist should enjoy the gorilla trekking experience but also ensure that the gorillas are safe for others to visit them too.

The best time for gorilla trekking in Rwanda is any time of the year. However, the long and short dry seasons are most preferable to go gorilla trekking in this land of a thousand hills. We at Jewel Safaris have over 10 years of experience in organizing bespoke Rwanda gorilla safari tours and when you book with us, we shall offer you all the relevant information and also help you book your permit. Some of the popular itineraries for Rwanda gorilla tours include 2 days Rwanda gorilla trek, 3 days Rwanda gorilla tour, and the 4 days Rwanda gorilla trek & hike. For tourists interested in trekking gorillas in other countries with actually cheaper permits, we can also help you book for Uganda gorilla safaris and Congo gorilla trekking safari packages. After a great primate tracking experience, tourists who would want to have an authentic Africa safari with game drives can opt for Kenya safaris and Tanzania wildlife safaris which we can also help you to arrange. Contact us for bookings.

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