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Planning a team-building safari to trek gorillas in Rwanda
Planning a team-building safari to trek gorillas in Rwanda.
Organizing a gorilla trekking expedition in Rwanda to foster teamwork. Are you trying to find the finest place to track gorillas for a team-building safari? Because Rwanda is home to the endangered mountain gorillas, it is regarded as one of Africa’s top safari locations.
Rwanda, sometimes known as the “land of a thousand hills,” is endowed with some of the world’s most stunning safari locations. Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, which is situated near the borders of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo—the only two nations where gorilla trekking is practiced—is the site of gorilla tracking in the northwest of the country.
There are more than 400 endangered mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, and there are roughly 15 habituated gorilla families that are accessible for trekking throughout the nation. Walking into the dense forests of Volcanoes National Park in search of the gorillas is known as gorilla trekking, or gorilla tracking. Once you have made contact with the gorillas, each party gets to spend an hour with them.
Early in the morning, gorilla tracking begins with a briefing from the guides on the rules and regulations, as well as what to expect on the gorilla journey. Following the meeting, gorilla families are assigned right away. It is recommended that anyone who feels ill prior to the journey opt out, and the expedition begins right away. Depending on whatever family you have been allocated, it may take an hour to six hours to discover the gorillas. Once you have located the families, each group gets to spend an hour with the species.
The wellbeing of the staff is the main focus of team building, and the greatest way to have fun while doing it is When you travel to Rwanda, you can experience the country’s diverse safari destinations and engage in a variety of activities within Volcanoes National Park.
In addition to gorilla tracking, other activities are conducted in volcanoes, such as visits to the communities where you can have a better understanding of the culture of the local indigenous population. You can take part in the Kwita Izina ceremony, embark on a golden monkey hike, and have a cycling safari using the paths designed for riding in volcanoes.
Everything about Rwandan gorilla trekking
Trekking mountain gorillas, an endangered species, is possible in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Before Dian Fossey began studying gorillas and their protection, they were a prime target for poachers, which nearly caused their extinction.
There are a few things you should know when organizing a team-building gorilla trek safari, including what to carry, the gorilla permit that allows you to see the primates, the cost of the gorilla safari, and the guidelines for gorilla trekking. You will be prepared for your team-building safari adventure with the Rwandan gorillas once you are aware of these.
What to pack for the gorilla safari team-building activity
If you want to enjoy your gorilla safari in Rwanda, you must be certain of what you are packing or bringing. The items listed below are ones that we believe are necessary for your gorilla expedition.
Clothes: Having the suitable clothing for your walk is crucial because you need to be appropriately attired when visiting an unknown location in a forest. Long-sleeved shirts and lightweight pants—not jeans—are suitable. During the hike, the additional material on your clothing keeps you warm and shields your skin from scratches and insect bites. Bright colors draw a lot of attention, but not in a good way, thus clothing worn on a gorilla safari should at least be neutral.
During the walk, trousers are tucked into the stockings to keep insects from crawling up your skin, and thick long socks keep you warm.
For a gorilla trip, sturdy hiking boots that are waterproof and ankle-length are advised.
In order to protect you from dust, insects, mud, and water, gaiters are required in both the dry and wet seasons. Purchase gaiters that are adjustable.
A reusable water bottle with a capacity of at least one liter and some food to eat while hiking.
Although gadgets are essential, it is advised that you carry binoculars and a camera along with all the equipment needed for the safari. Make sure you have enough memory on your storage device so you can continue capturing pictures.
Guidelines for Rwandan gorilla trekking
After they establish contact, all hikers must maintain a distance of seven meters from the gorillas. The distance prevents visitors from approaching the gorillas, touching them, and perhaps infecting them with diseases.
To trek a gorilla family, tourists are divided into groups of no more than eight. To keep the gorillas safe, the population is kept to a minimum.
To preserve the gorillas, tourists should volunteer to skip the hike if they are ill or feel ill on the day of the trip. The entire family may suffer if a mountain gorilla becomes unwell because they are extremely prone to illness.
To maintain the park’s cleanliness and the safety of the gorillas, you must remove all trash.
After they find the gorillas, every trek group gets to spend an hour with them. The one-hour period was designed to avoid interfering with their usual behavior patterns, and it would be interrupted if they began to behave anxious.
You are not allowed to eat, drink, or smoke near the gorillas unless you are at least 300 meters away. When it is safe to eat and rest can also be determined by the guides.
The minimum age to trek in Rwanda is fifteen years old. This was put in place because kids are harder to manage and may violate the various trekking regulations.
When you feel like using the restroom, dig a hole approximately 30 cm deep, then cover it.
Although you will be photographing the gorillas, it is forbidden to use flash cameras near them.
Rwanda’s gorilla permit
The Rwanda Development Board prints and issues a gorilla permit, which is handed to every visitor planning to embark on a gorilla trek. The only way to go close to the gorillas is to obtain a permit. Because gorilla permits are constantly in high demand, reservations must be made well in advance to guarantee the dates you want.
Permits to see gorillas in Rwanda cost $1500 per person and are good for one hour. The Rwanda Development Board or a tour operator can sell it directly, and both follow the same procedure. In order to verify whether the dates are available, you will be asked for your passport information and the days you would like to trek with your group after getting in touch with the tour operator. Following confirmation, an email will be sent to you requesting payment so that the reservation may be made.
Once payment has been confirmed, the permits are booked and paid, and you receive the evidence via email. Payments are done using the company’s bank account information. If the permission fee is not paid in full, no sales will be made.
In an effort to boost its tourism industry, Rwanda gives 10% discounts to visitors who reserve tours of Akagera National Park and Nyungwe Forest National Park. Bulk purchases of gorilla trek permits also result in a discount for visitors arriving in the nation prior to and following a conference.
The best time to buy a gorilla permit is one of the most common questions people have about them. To properly plan your team-building safari to Rwanda for gorilla trekking, you can purchase permits six months prior to the expedition date.
The price of the safari gorilla trek
The price of a gorilla trekking safari is determined and influenced by a number of factors. The following are some of the variables that influence the Safari’s price:
The journey time.
The touring group’s size.
Make accommodations.
The duration of the gorilla trek safari in days.
The gorilla permit.
Three types of lodging are available in and around Volcanoes National Park: upscale, mid-range, and low-cost establishments. The Safari’s price will depend on your selection. You can reserve a cheap or mid-range hotel if you’re on a tight budget, and there are plenty of luxury lodging options if you want to go all out without breaking the bank.
It is less expensive to go on a gorilla safari in a large group than it is to go alone or in smaller groups. In contrast to traveling alone or in smaller groups, the cost of the trek is lower when you travel in bigger groups because the costs of the many expenses during the trek are shared.
The price of the gorilla trek safari is also influenced by the number of days spent on the safari. While three days is the ideal duration for a gorilla trek safari, you are free to extend your stay. However, keep in mind that the more days you spend on your safari, the more money you will spend, and the fewer days you spend, the less the cost of the safari will be.
The cost of the safari is also influenced by the time of year. There are two distinct seasons for gorilla trekking: the wet/low season and the dry season, which is also referred to as the peak season. The optimum time to go trekking is during the peak/dry season, which runs from June to September and December to January. The rainy season (October to November and March to May) is the ideal time for tourists on a budget, but it is still the most expensive time to travel because service providers raise prices due to the large number of visitors during this time.
Additional team-building exercises you can do while on safari in Rwanda
Aside from tracking gorillas, Rwanda offers a variety of safari activities, such as the following experiences.
Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe Forest National Park: With over 13 different permit species, including baboons, vervet monkeys, gray-cheeked Mangabeys, black and white Colobus monkeys, and red-tailed monkeys, among others, Nyungwe National Park, which is situated at the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the best place to go chimpanzee trekking. Chimpanzee habituation, monkey tracking, bird watching, and canopy walking are some of the other activities that are done at Nyungwe.
Wildlife viewing in Akagera: Game drives are another way that visitors can see Akagera National Park. The Big Five and other wildlife species, such as crocodiles, zebras, impalas, bush bucks, hippos, and oribis, can be found in Rwanda’s only Savannah Park, Akagera National Park. Among other attractions, you can take a boat ride down the Akagera River and observe birds.
Accommodations for a Rwandan gorilla team-building excursion.
Budget, mid-range, and luxury lodging choices are available at Volcanoes National Park, with rates ranging from $100 to more than $1,000 per person per night.
The Five Volcanoes Hotel, Davinci Lodge, Hotel Muhabura, Bisate Lodge, Virunga Volcano Lodge, Faraji Hotel, Sabinyo Silverback Lodge, La Palm Hotel, Kinigi Hotel, and Mountain View Mountain Gorilla View Hotel are a few of the safari lodging options available to you.
When to travel to Rwanda for a team-building gorilla trek safari
The drier months of June through September and December through February are the ideal times of year for a team-building gorilla trek safari in Rwanda. During this time, gorillas are easy to spot. In contrast to the rainy/wet season, which occurs from March to May and October to November, when the routes are muddy and occasionally the rain makes trekking more difficult, the trek routes are simple to utilize.