Planning Virunga gorilla safari from Rwanda
Are you planning Virunga gorilla safari from Rwanda? Virunga gorilla safari from Rwanda starts in Rwanda goes to DR Congo and ends in Kigali Rwanda. Travelers that are not in Rwanda will have to fly to Kigali international airport and then start their journey from there to Virunga national park which is located in eastern DR Congo. If you are in Rwanda planning to do gorilla trekking in Virunga national park, prepare to cross the border at one time. The border that connects all travelers from Rwanda to Virunga national park is Goma. Travelers from Rwanda will have to drive to Goma border near Gisenyi town where they will cross to Virunga national park.
To cross to DR Congo and access Virunga national park, you will need valid documents such as a yellow fever vaccination card, passport, and a Congo visa. Getting a Congo visa is not an easy thing for tourists and in this case, they will have to use their tour operators to process the Visa for them. For travelers to get a Congo visa they will have to send the tour operator a valid passport or identity card and the dates of travel. If a traveler doesn’t have the necessary documents, they won’t be allowed to cross at Goma border.
Planning a gorilla safari in Virunga national park from Rwanda starts with booking a permit which will assure you of trekking in the park. Booking of the gorilla trekking permits can be done by a local tour operator and the same person can help you book accommodation of your choice based on your budget. A Virunga gorilla safari from Rwanda also involves transport but most of the tour operators have their own safari cars.
Buying a gorilla trekking permit for Virunga national park from Rwanda
Gorilla trekking in Virunga can only be done by those that have valid gorilla trekking permits. The gorilla trekking permits can be got from a local tour operator or Virunga national park website at a fee of $450 for foreign non-residents and foreign residents, and $200 for East African citizens. In the low season of March to May and October to November the gorilla trekking permits are sold at half the normal price.
Booking a gorilla trekking permit for Virunga national park from Rwanda
The best way to book a gorilla trekking permit while in Rwanda is using a local tour operator Africa Adventure Vacations limited does help travelers from Rwanda book gorilla permits for Virunga national park. If you want a gorilla permit, you will send us an email containing the dates of the month and year you want to travel, and using these days we shall check for the availability of the permits from Virunga national park authorities. When the permits are available, we shall send you an email containing banking details and once you are done sending money, we shall book the permit for you.
When to have a Virunga gorilla trekking safari from Rwanda?
Travelers interested in visiting Virunga national park from Rwanda can do so at any time of the year however there are months that are better than the rest. The drier months from June to September and December to February are the best to travel from Rwanda to Virunga national park because they are characterized by little or no rainfall, the roads leading to Virunga are passable, the trekking trails in the park are dry, and the vegetation is thin with clear views of the park animals.
Travelers from Rwanda wanting to do gorilla trekking in Virunga national park can still do so in the rainy season of March to May and October to November to enjoy gorilla permits and accommodation facilities that are always at a low price. Travelers should however note that during that period, there is plenty of rainfall that makes the roads leading to Virunga impassable, the trekking trails are muddy and slippery, and the vegetation is thick with unclear views of gorillas lastly, the photography is not good.
Accommodation on a gorilla trekking safari in Virunga national park from Rwanda?
Travelers to Virunga national park for mountain gorilla trekking from Rwanda have lots of accommodation facilities where they can stay. These range from budget to mid-range to luxury options and they are located in and outside Virunga national park such as Lulimbi Tented Camp, Nyiragongo Volcano Summit Shelters, Bukima Tented Camp, Mikeno Lodge, Tchegera Island, and Kibumba Tented Camp.
What to pack for a Virunga gorilla safari from Rwanda?
The gorilla trekking essential list should include waterproof hiking shoes, a pair of gaiters, cotton stocks, a backpack, gardening gloves, long-sleeved pants, long-sleeved shirts, a rain jacket, insect repellents, a hat, sunglasses, a camera, a pair of binoculars, facemask, sanitizer, drinking water bottle, and energy-giving snacks.
Accessing Virunga national park from Rwanda
Virunga national park can be accessed from Rwanda using road transport and air transport. Luxury travelers can get to DR Congo by flying to Gisenyi airstrip where they will use road transport to get to the Rwanda-Congo border at Goma. From Goma, they can will be transported to the park or booked accommodation by the Virunga national park security.
Those using road transport can drive from Kigali to Gisenyi and this takes about 3 hours. From Gisenyi will continue to the Congo-Rwanda border at Goma where they will meet security men from Virunga national park that will transport them to the lodge or national park. From Kigali city to the Congo-Rwanda border is about 4 hours of driving.
