Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is the leading tourism activity which brings most of the travelers. The question of why do I book a gorilla trek in Rwanda comes in here. For you to go gorilla trekking, you must have a gorilla permit to present at the park headquarters on the day of trekking.
More so, doing gorilla trekking safari experience you are helping the conservation of the great apes. It is that out of the gorilla permit money a certain percentage goes to the communities and a case in point is the IbyI’wacu Cultural Village that receive a fee from the park and this has motivated these people once the gorilla hunters now are gorilla warriors.
The moment you have made up your mind, you will have to buy the permit in advance since these gorilla permits are limited. In a day, only 8people are allowed to visit one gorilla family so the permits are issued in accordance to that order. These permits are issued on first come first serve basis making it very important for you to book.
You need to book it to give you enough time for preparation. For this case gorilla trekking requires hiking since the gorillas stay in higher elevations. You need to check your fitness levels before the trekking day. Prepare your hiking and trekking gears in time to avoid panic on the trekking day.
For quick preparation of your lodging. For Rwanda’s case, lodges can get full and so you need to book them in advance so as to get where to rest on your trekking safari. Many travelers come to Africa for Rwanda tour offering gorilla trekking putting the lodges at a high demand requiring you to put in your booking as early as possible to avoid missing out on the lodge of your choice.
A gorilla permit is the primary requirement for trekking mountain gorillas in Rwanda. Rwanda issues a maximum of 96 gorilla permits per day which can be booked at $1500 each. The limited availability of gorilla permits means that those interested in trekking the endangered mountain gorillas in Rwanda should always book in advance (at least 6 months) before their trekking date in order not to miss out.
Because of the high demand for gorilla permits, booking your gorilla trek and permits in Rwanda in advance becomes essential. Avoid booking your gorilla tour or permits on last minute as this may result into disappointments.
Booking your gorilla trek in advance also makes it easier to find good accommodation facilities for your overnight stay. During the peak season, there is high occupancy in most accommodation facilities and that is why you need to have your gorilla trek booked earlier. It also allows you as a trekker to prepare, make sure you have all it is required to make a successful gorilla trek.
A maximum of 8 people is allowed to trek the gorillas for an hour with normal trekking and 4 people during the habituation experience. This means that there will be a limited number of gorillas permits that are printed per day in both Rwanda. Rwanda has 15 habituated gorilla families, and about 96 gorilla permits are issued per day in the Volcanoes National Park.
When you book, it helps with proper and early preparation for the gorilla trek safari. Early booking of the gorilla permit ensures that all the services needed for trekking are booked in Advance, including accommodation, transport, food, and other relevant activities you might want to engage in after trekking. It also gives you ample time to prepare physically and mentally for the trek. Pack the right things like garden gloves, cameras, long-sleeved shirts and pants, insect repellent, hiking boots, rain jackets, binoculars, and extra batteries.