Rwanda Gorilla Trekking

Strong legs, a small rucksack in which you can put your camera, packed lunch, jackets in etc and comfortable, sturdy boots or shoes. Given that it will start off cold early in the morning, you need lots of light layers that you can take off and put on easily. As you trek, you will warm up, shedding layers as you go, but when you reach the gorillas and stop for the hour, it can turn cold very quickly, particularly if you are in shadow or shade.

Light layers and fleeces are good, walking trousers are good, but anything that you are comfortable in, that dries quickly is the best. Strangely, you might want to consider taking gardening gloves as you will be pulling at thorny vegetation and nettles as you reach and climb so this protects you against cuts and scratches. Of course, take a fully charged camera and spare memory cards. For those with different lenses, a good zoom of around 300-400 ml should be fine but you will need a steady hand or tripod if you are serious as the ground is very uneven and you may be balancing precariously on a slope to see the gorillas!

Rwanda, like Uganda, is near the equator, so the climate does not change a huge amount. The short lighter rains are from October to November, whilst the longer rainy season tends to be from March to April. That said, you are spending time in cloud forest and rainforest, so you can expect rain at any time.

Unlike wildlife viewing elsewhere in Africa, the rains do not affect the movement of the gorillas and you can trek at any time of the year. Travel can be tougher during the longer rains and trekking much muddier. For those keen on photography, however, just after the rains (Jan / Feb or May / June) is a beautiful time to travel as the air is clear, the skies are blue and the countryside is at its most fertile.

The official rule is seven metres, designed to stop germs passing from humans to gorillas. But these are wild animals and like any wildlife, you should keep your distance. Sometimes, the gorillas will move around and, as they have not been told about the seven-metre rule, they can get much closer than this. Whilst this should not be encouraged, they are inquisitive animals, particularly the younger ones. Should they approach you, follow your guide’s instructions.

This is the question we get asked the most and, whilst fitness is a very subjective thing, anyone can enjoy gorilla trekking providing they prepare for it. By its very nature, gorilla trekking in Rwanda will be challenging, as you will be walking through cloud forest, through thick vegetation and on steep muddy paths, so the fitter you are, the more you will enjoy it.

The porters are also brilliant and you will be given the opportunity to hire them when you arrive at the park HQ on the morning of your actual trek. They will be there to help steady you as you walk and can help with camera bags. They are great company.

The gorilla treks in Rwanda vary enormously. Some groups are very close and can be reached in around an hour, whilst others are on the far side of the park and can take all day. As the gorillas obviously move around, they are in a different place each day, so it is impossible to predict how long it will take you to reach them.

On the morning of your trek, you will be allocated a group and your ranger will then go through the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking, after which you head out to the park. Some groups can be accessed directly from the park with a short walk to the start of the trail, but others might require a drive to the start of the trail further away.

Full of character and charm, ranging from small tented bush camps through to stylish luxury lodges, some with the most spectacular views where you can arrive by helicopter. These top-end lodges equal anything found elsewhere in East Africa.

All are en-suite, some have wi-fi but it can be a little patchy. The type of lodge we would recommend depends on the kind of experience you are after and what kind of activities you will be doing so we can recommend places that suit your style of travel. Nearly all dietary needs can be catered for and alcohol is included in many of the upmarket lodges.

The gorillas in the Virungas are the most popular activity, but those with more time should head off and explore what is a beautiful country. In the east, you have Akagera National Park, a stunning combination of lakes and savannah grasslands, where you find big game and superb birding. Or head south, past vibrant green tea plantations and you can enjoy some chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest. In addition to the chimpanzees, you can see L’Hoest’s monkeys, golden and silver monkeys, mangabeys, incredible birdlife and chameleons.

Most people like to find somewhere to relax after the trekking, so the best place to head is the area around Lake Kivu and Gisenyi. Here, there are a handful of good hotels where you can sit and relax on sandy beaches on the shores of the lake itself to unwind for a few days. The drive to Gisenyi and Lake Kivu is spectacular, winding its way past volcanoes, tea plantations and rice paddies.

Finally, you should try and spend a few days in Kigali and whilst a visit to the moving Genocide Memorial is worth considering, there is a vibrancy and energy in many of the city’s markets and a thriving arts and music scene, with regular galleries and live music.