Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park starts with briefing at around 7:00 am in the morning and after the briefing, the visitors are driven to the starting point of tracking at the park boundary. The gorilla group is allocated to people on the day of tracking and it depends on the physic of the visitors. Elderly people and weak ones are allocated groups which do not need a lot of hiking.
Since in the park there is some hiking and the weather changes any time, you need to put on hiking shoes, rainy jackets, long sleeved shirts or T-shirts to avoid stinging neetals.There is need to tack in the pants, this is due to safari aunts that can attack you and give you free services to your skin.
However, there is a variety of precautions one need to put into considerations
In case you are feeling ill, or you are carrying a contagious disease, volunteer to stay behind. An alternate visit will be arranged for you, this is because human beings with contagious diseases can transfer it to the primates.
In case you feel like coughing or sneeze while near the gorillas, please turn your head away and cover your nose and mouth in order to minimize the spread of bacteria or viruses to the apes.
Do not attempt to touch the gorillas. Stay 5 meters away from the gorillas. The further back you are, the more relaxed the group will be.
It is not advised to drink or eat when you are with the gorillas and do not leave any rubbish for instance food wrappers in the Park; foreign items can harbor diseases or other contaminants.
In case you need to defecate, whilst in the forest, please ask the guide to dig you a hole with his panga. Make sure the hole is 30cms deep and fill it in with soil when you are finished. All these are done for the well being of the primates.
Respect the limits imposed on the number of visitors allowed with the gorillas each day. This minimizes the risk of disease transmission and stress to the group. Remember, these are wild animals that can be charged.
It is necessary to keep your voices low. You will then also be able to observe the great bird life and other wildlife in the forest. Many wild life do not need noise, they can charge on you.
Stay in tight group when you are near the gorillas. Avoid scattering yourself from the group.
In case the gorillas charge. Follow the guides example Humble down slowly, do not look the gorillas directly in the eyes and wait for the animals to pass. Do not attempt to run away. Running away will increase the risk.
Flash photography is prohibited. When taking pictures move slowly and carefully. Do not put the animals on tension.
You are allowed to spend a maximum of 1 hour with the gorillas unless if the gorillas become agitated or nervous, the guide will finish the visit early.
There is nothing as good as driving yourself on your safari in Rwanda. This gives you an ample time to get off the beaten track and even interact with the locals especially when you go to the various local markets around the country.
Rwanda has some of the most magnificent landscapes which are unique and the country has good roads with many tourism attractions like National parks as highlighted above. When preparing for a self drive holiday in Rwanda, it is essential to book in advance and confirm in time with one of the numerous car hiring companies distributed around the country as last minute rental reservations are not advisable and can be detrimental to your safari.
After finding the gorillas, the visitors are allowed to spend 1 hour with the group taking photos video but in a distance because are not supposed to come nearer to the gorillas. It is a life time experience to come into contact with these brown eyed gentle apes, more so to sight on the huge silverback which leads the family.