Travel to Africa for a mountain gorilla trekking experience through Kigali, Rwanda is one of the best things to do in lifetime. The driving distance from Kigali to Bwindi National Park is approximately four to five hours through the countryside, featuring deep valleys and beautiful hilly terrain. While on the drive, you get to see many local Rwandans going to their daily work, such as farming, and kids going to school, as well as roadside markets with fruits and vegetables.
Crossing the border at Cyanika with views of the greater Virunga volcanoes, home to the famous mountain gorillas, a stretch of 8 volcanoes running through Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that forms the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda and Virunga National Park in DRC. Some are dormant, while others are very active and alive, such as Nyiragongo, with the largest lava lake and Nyamuragira.
The Gorilla Trekking Experience Explained
Bwindi Forest National Park is home to the largest population of Mountain Gorillas. According to previous gorilla census, more than half of the remaining mountain gorillas reside in this dense, impenetrable rainforest, characterized by steep slopes and mountainous valleys.
Every day, a team of ranger trackers follows the gorillas from where they nested the night before until they are found, monitoring their health, movements, and behaviors. The guide then brings you to encounter them later in the day, once the trackers have located them.
They find each other by walkie-talkies, GPS, and cell phone communicating to each other whereby the ranger guide leads you by following the fresh trailhead left by mountain gorillas that morning as they feed, once encountered, they allow you to spend a max of one hour watching them, taking photos and videos as you slowly enjoy viewing the gorillas.
Mount Gorilla Families and the Role of the Silverback
Mountain Gorillas live in families led by a dominant silverback, who decides the daily movements, feeding times, and resting times, and is responsible for protecting the family.
Gorilla families range from 5 individuals to as many as 30 individuals, comprising babies, subadults, mothers, and silverbacks. A family can have more than one silverback; however, there is only one dominant one, and every other one must be submissive to the dominant silverback.
Gorillas reach sexual maturity between 7 and 10 years old but physical and social maturity takes longer, with males becoming fully grown “silverbacks” around 15 years old and females around 12 years old. While they reach sexual maturity at different ages, both sexes continue to develop in size, strength, and social standing for several more years.
A baby gorilla typically weighs around 4 pounds 1.8 kg at birth, which is about half the weight of a human newborn. Newborns are born with a strong grip and are able to cling to their mothers, who will care for them for several years. Gorillas have a slow reproductive rate, with females maturing around 10 years old and males around 12-15 years old, but the dominant silverback usually has exclusive mating rights. Females have a 28- to 32-day estrus cycle and give birth about every four to six years, typically having one infant at a time, with a gestation period of about eight and a half months and the slow breeding pace makes gorilla populations vulnerable to decline.
Bwindi National Park Entry Points (Visitor Centres)
Bwindi National Park has four entry points, offering a variety of accommodations to choose from, ranging from campsites to budget lodges, mid-range options, and luxury accommodations, making it easier for travelers to customize their travel plans to suit their budget, styles and preferences.
The entry points are Buhoma, accessed through Kanungu in the northern part of Bwindi National Park; Ruhija, accessed through Rubanda in the eastern part of Bwindi; Rushaga; and Nkuringo, accessed through Kisoro, with the most prominent habituated gorilla families.
Optionally, Bwindi can be accessed through driving or domestic flights from Entebbe International Airport. Interested in booking your gorilla trekking adventure in Uganda? Contact us on the following address;
56 KN 2 Ave, Kigali-Rwanda
Phone/WhatsApp: +250785576756
Email: [email protected]
newhorizonafricasafaris.com
