Combining gorilla and chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda Combining gorilla and chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda: This is one of the best encounters one can make with the endangered primates. This safari involves visiting two of Rwanda’s most famous parks that is Volcanoes National Park and Nyungwe national Park. Exploring these national parks is one way of protecting the habitat of these amazing wild creatures. Most of the safaris to the gorilla and chimpanzee habitats always start from Kigali International Airport. Guests are always welcomed and greeted by driver guide from their trusted tour operators who also briefs them about the safari. If the visitors arrive in the morning hours, they can proceed to their trekking destinations or have a brief Kigali city tour in which they can visit some of the beautiful places in the bustling Kigali city. Some of these places include the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, Caplaki Craft Village, Nyamirambo Women’s Center, Amahoro Stadium, Kimironko Market, and Kigali Convention Center to mention but a few. if arrival is in the evening hours, the visitors can decide to stay in any of the many hospitable accommodations in Kigali and proceed to the tracking park the following morning. Gorilla trekking Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is carried out in Volcanoes National Park which is located in the northwestern part of the country in Ruhengeri district. This park comprises five of the eight volcanos that make up the Virunga ranges. The volcanos include Mount Karisimbi(4507m), Mount Sabinyo (3669m), Mount Muhabura (4127m), Mount Bisoke(3711m) and Mount Gahinga (3473m). This park borders Uganda and DRC Congo which all make up the Virunga Conservation area. This park has coverage of 160sq km with rich montane ecosystems that embrace the ever-green bamboo forest, open grassland, and a home for mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, and other wild creatures. Gorilla trekking starts with an early morning briefing at 7 am at Kinigi Park headquarters. Trekkers are later placed in groups of 8 members who later set off with the guidance of trained game guides and armed rangers to meet the great apes in their natural habitat. Allocations are made according to the level of physical fitness and health. The elderly and disabled have a chance to request shorter treks and are allocated to visit gorilla families close to the starting point. This is because gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park involves a lot of hiking through different altitudes and rugged terrain. When briefing and allocation are done, each trekker is provided with a walking stick, and the actual trekking starts at 8 am. Volcanoes National Park has only 12 habituated gorilla families meaning that only 96 permits are available daily for tracking. visitors are advised to book early enough at least 3 months before their travel dates and each gorilla permit costs $1500 and is only issued to persons of 15 years and above. Rules to be followed in the gorilla trekking excursion -The time to be spent with the mountain gorillas is one hour. Once you have an encounter, use your time profitably. Do not use flash cameras for photography as this threatens them away. – Keep your voices low as you trek and keep watching out for other wildlife in the park. – Avoid coming so close to the gorillas, maintain a 7-metre distance They are so inquisitive and may want to come close to you. As they try approaching you, slowly move back at least five meters. Avoid using body language like raising the arms or pointing at them as they may consider them as threats, and they run away or attack you for self-defence. If any gorilla charges or when the silverback beats his chest, do not run away, keep calm and leave the rangers to handle the situation. -Avoid smoking, eating, and drinking in the presence of the gorillas as they may attack you with the need to grab your food. The remaining pieces of the cigars can cause fire outbreaks that can destroy their habitat. -Do not leave any waste in the park. pick up all the food droppings, wipes, tissue, and used water bottles and dump them in the garbage bins at the park head quarters or at your hotel. After the amazing trekking excursion, trekkers are awarded with trekking certificate as appreciation of their contribution to gorilla protection and habitat conservation. Gorilla trekking safaris are always combined with a visit to the gorilla guardian’s village to meet the community members who were gorilla poachers but later turned into conservationists and promoters of Rwandan culture and tradition. From Volcanoes National Park tourists travel to Nyungwe National Park for the Chimpanzee trekking experience. Nyungwe National Park is East Africa’s intact chimpanzee home. It is an ideal place for making early morning observations of chimpanzees another group of endangered primate species in the wilderness. This park is a high-altitude mountainous forest found in the southern part of Rwanda. It is the largest protected mountain park in Africa with a coverage of approximately 1600 – 2000 square kilometers harbouring several wildlife creatures with chimpanzees as the best attraction for different tourists. Nyungwe National Park has approximately 500 chimpanzee individuals but only two troops are habituated. One troop resides in Nyungwe main park and the second in Cyamudongo, a small part of the forest in the eastern part of Nyungwe National Park. Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe Chimpanzee tracking starts at one of the three park centres, Gisakura, Kitabi and Uwinka. This activity also begins with an early morning briefing about the rules and regulations to be followed during the trek. Guests are advised to be at the park headquarters by 7 am. For registration and briefing. Trekkers are also grouped into 8 members only and led by park guides and rangers into the park jungles. Trekking takes 2-6 hours depending on where the chimps spent the previous night where they are sighted or how far they have gone to look for food. Once the chimpanzees are found, visitors are allowed to have one hour of […]
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Mar
The Ibyiwachu Cultural Center The Ibyiwachu Cultural Center, Commonly referred to as the “Gorilla guardian village”, the The Ibyiwachu Cultural Center is one of the places that shouldn’t be missed while on a visit to the mountain gorilla home, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. This place is a remarkable addition to the country’s tourism menu hence making Rwanda one of the main tourist destinations in Africa. Ib’yiwachu Cultural Village is located near Parc National des Volcans in Nyabigoma, Kinigi Musanze district, Northern Province. “Ib’yiwachu” is a Kinyarwanda word that means “Treasures of our home and heritage”. At the gorilla guardian’s village meet most men there who poachers were formerly but were later brought together, organized and settled in one place for a common productive goal. They all reformed and participate in and advocate for wildlife conservation through different cultural practices, performances and exhibitions. This village brings out Rwanda’s culture, customs, history and the African village environment with exhibits of traditional songs and dances, food, dress code, herbs, marriage the set up of the ancient kingdoms. When you visit the Ib’yiwachu cultural village, you will be warmly welcomed by the amazing performers playing their drums as an aspect of tradition and belief. This is a commitment and demonstration of traditional lifestyles to tourists. What to expect when you visit the Ib’yiwachu cultural village in Rwanda. The Ib’yiwachu cultural village is designed to offer many interesting and educative activities that allow relaxation and a feel of local culture. These are some of the activities in which tourists can get ivolved during their visit Visiting the King’s palace This is one of the compelling activities to do when you visit the Ib’yiwachu cultural village. The Kings palace is an area that provides a highlight of how the ancient Kings ruled and managed their courts. Ancient kings in Rwanda were feared and given total respect. The kings had supreme powers and would make decisions that had to be implemented without question. Kingdom activities and ceremonies were performed in the King’s palace under the watch of the king, queens, princesses, princes, clan heads, and reigning visitors. When you visit this palace, you will have sight of some of the traditional equipment used by the king and his guards like the spears, shields, traditional jewelry, seats and you will get to dress like a king or queen in the traditional attire. The local guide will explain the meaning of each symbol and equipment found in the palace and provide detailed information about the kingdom structure from the king, clan heads and the role of the local community towards the development of the kingdom. The King’s home in Ib’yiwachu is an illustration of the ancient African kingdom. Watch the traditional Rwandan Dance performed by the Intore Dance Group Music and dance is a characteristic of African heritage that provides association and identity. Vising Ib’yiwachu cultural center offers on an opportunity to listen to listen to unique cultural music sound played from different traditional instruments including Ingoma, Umuduri, Amakondera, Iningiri, Inanga, and Agakenke, each sound with a unique dancing style. The Intore Dance troupe presents the warrior dance where men with grass clothing and little bells around their legs with a spear in the right hand and a shield in the left hand, jump high, swing up and down their head dresses whipping in wide arcs, landing on the ground at the same time. the warriors dancers rush forward as if to attack , and then just quickly stop. This dance is commonly known as the “ Dance of Heroes”. This dance is a reminder oof the victory cerebrated by the warriors of any ethnic group as they returned to the king from the battlefield. Men and women dance joyfully attracting you to join them to dance or drum, and you can do so at your wish. Engaging in Community walks Taking a community walk is one way of getting closer to community members in their homesteads. This enables you to learn and know more about their cultures, traditions, and their daily style of living. Community walks and visits in the gorilla guardian’s village provide exposure to the unique Rwandan culture and heritage. In the community, you will sit with the locals in their homes and observe the beautiful structures of grass-thatched huts. Listen to stories from the elders as tell their life and the country’s history. Get a chance to visit the banana plantations and vegetable gardens, prepare traditional dishes, and feast with them. On a community walk, you can visit a local school, interact with the learners and their teachers, and understand the education system. Your guide will help to interpret your communications to the learners and otherwise. During the community walk, you may visit local craft shops where they sell woven baskets, mats, clothes, clay products, wood carvings, and many others. You can buy some of their products as souvenirs. Meet the herbal medicine man (traditional healers) Traditional healers played and still play an important role in the community. Many people used to seek advice from these people about different health problems. They use plant materials like leaves, stems, roots, fruits branches, shrubs, and other substances to cure illnesses. The healers know how to apply the drugs and have used their knowledge for thousands of generations. At the gorilla guardian village, the herbal medicine man will narrate to you how herbal medicine is mixed to cure and identify which herb is used for a particular disease and how influential herbal medicine has been from colonial to modern times. Attend the local banana beer brewing process The joy of taking a locally brewed banana beer is one of the relaxational encounters in the gorilla guardians’ village. Local brews are a unifying symbol always enjoyed on parties and several occasions like new harvests and welcoming newborn babies in the society in the African traditional setting. When you visit Ib’yiwachu cultural village, you will be taken through the procedure of making the local banana brew through fermenting. […]
Mar
Where to see gorillas in Africa Where to see gorillas in Africa, Gorillas are arguably the most fascinating apes in the natural wilderness. They are large, powerful, but very gentle, and organized creatures. Gorillas are special apes that behave like humans and share 97% of human DNA. Gorillas are endemic to Africa mainly in the East, central, and sub-Saharan African forests. There are two main gorilla species, the western gorillas and the eastern gorillas. The western gorillas are further divided into the Cross-river gorillas and the Western lowland gorillas. The eastern gorillas are divided into the Eastern lowland gorillas and the mountain gorillas. Gorillas are herbivores and mainly feed on vegetation. They mainly feed on bamboo shoots, tree stems/bark, fruits, and rarely on termites. Gorillas live in small groups known as families. Each family comprises the dominant Silverback as the leader, females, and their siblings. The main role of the dominant silverback is to watch over, protect his family, and determine where to feed and rest. The overall population of gorillas has reduced significantly in the last few decades. Most of the species of gorillas are listed as critically endangered or threatened due to hunting, diseases, war/instability, animal trafficking, and habitat loss (due to mineral exploitation). Protecting these great apes from extinction should be a collaborative effort involving governments and wildlife conservation Agencies from countries where these animals find refuge. Protecting the primates enhanced through stopping the illegal trade of baby gorillas, stopping forest encroachment, and doing away with poaching. The local community should also be involved in the conservation efforts through collective awareness for the best environmental protection. Best places to see gorillas in Africa Mountain gorillas always spend most of their lifetime in high altitudinal areas of 2200- 4300 meters above sea level. Their natural habitats are Uganda, Rwanda, and The Democratic Republic of Congo. DRC has both mountain and eastern lowland gorillas. The cross-river gorillas and western gorillas can be found in countries like Angola, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria, Central African Republic, and Congo Brazzaville. Though most travelers visit Uganda Rwanda, and DRC, West Africa has more amazing adventures if one can bear with the discomfort and traveling longer distances. Guided gorilla treks to any of the above countries are equally rewarding and worth the cost. Where to see gorillas in Uganda. Uganda is one of the best places to see mountain gorillas. Half of the overall population of mountain gorillas are found in Uganda and in two national parks –Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is found in the southwestern part of Uganda, about 9-10 hours’ drive from Entebbe or Kampala and 3-4 hours’ drive from Kigali in Rwanda. This park was established in 1991 and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. It covers 160 sq. km and is largely composed of lush tropical rainforest. In comparison to other gorilla destinations, Bwindi is home to the largest number of gorilla population in Africa with approximately 500 mountain gorillas. Tracking mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is conducted in any of the four sectors that is; Ruhija in the East, Buhoma in the North, Nkuringo, and Rushaga in the South. All these sectors have different gorilla families but whichever region you choose for tracking, the experience is equally rewarding. This park has a total of 21 habituated gorilla families which provides travellers a choice to carry out their expedition. Buhoma region is comprised Habinyanja, Katwe, Mubare, Binyindo, and Rushegura; Ruhija region consists of Mukiza, Oruzogo, Bitukura, Kyaguriro Nkuringo region has Christmas, Nkuringo, Bushaho and Posho family; Rushaga region features gorilla families such as Bweza, Bikingi, Mucunguzi, Kahungye, Nshongi, Kutu, Busingye and Mishaya. Uganda is the only country where one can participate in the gorilla habituation experience that provides an opportunity to observe the primates for 4 hours compared to standard gorilla trekking where tourists are only allowed one hour with a gorilla group. The chances of seeing mountain gorillas in Uganda are very high that’s why many tourists even prefer tracking in Uganda but travelling from Rwanda and the permit cost is only $800 which is affordable by even budget travellers. Mgahinga National Park This is the second-best place to trek mountain gorillas in Uganda. This park is such a remarkable destination to visit especially if you are interested in less crowds because it has one habituated gorilla family (Nyakagezi). Mgahinga National Park too lies in the southwestern part of Uganda and is part if the Virunga ranges that are shared by Uganda, Rwanda and DRC. It was founded in 1991 and covers 33 square kilometers. Visitors to Mgahinga National Park begin their treks from Ntebeko Visitor Center after an early morning briefing and later start on the challenging but interesting hike to meet the gentle giant apes in their natural habitat. Where to see gorillas in Rwanda Rwanda is thought to be the most convenient place to track mountain gorillas in Africa. Rwanda well-developed tourism infrastructure as compared to her neighbours that offer the same services. Mountain gorillas in Rwanda are found in Volcanoes National Park. Volcanoes National Park is one of the legendary parks in Africa that was established in the 1960s and is home to over 30% of the remaining mountain gorillas in the world. This is the place where the famous primatologist Dian Fossey established abase and put all her efforts on preservation and protection of mountain gorillas and their habitat. The Parc National des Volcans (PNV) is part of the Virunga Conservation Area and is home of five Virunga volcanoes: Sabinyo (3.674 m), Gahinga (3.474 m), Bisoke (3711 m), Muhabura (4.127 m), and the Karisimbi, the highest volcano with an altitude of 4.507 m. This park comprises 12 habituated gorilla families including, Kurira, Igisha, Amahoro, Umubano, Karisimbi, Sabinyo, Kwitonda, Hirwa, Agasha, Isimbi, Muhoza, and Titus gorilla families. All these families are open for daily tracking , trekkers are free to request for an easy, medium, or hard trek depending on the […]
Mar
Golden Monkey Trekking in Volcanoes National Park Golden Monkey Tracking in Volcanoes National Park, Golden monkeys also known as “celebes black macaques” are part of the Sykes monkey species (blue monkeys). Golden monkeys are some of the endangered primate species that are found in the mountainous forests of East and Central Africa particularly the Virunga ranges that are shared by Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. They were listed as endangered species along with the mountain gorillas on the International Union of Conservation of Nature(IUCN) and there are estimated to be 5000 individuals remaining in the world and these exist in the Virunga ranges. Golden monkeys are characterized by striking golden-orange fur, the legs and face have black fur with short tails. The only way that you can differentiate the males from the females is that the males have dark gold and black while the females are slightly pale and lighter. They are social animals and live in groups called troops. Each troop consists of the dominant male, the females, and their offspring. Golden monkeys are primarily herbivores and love feeding on bamboo shoots, leaves, fruits, seeds, and flowers and this is why they are easily spotted in bamboo forest vegetation. At times they are seen feeding on termites, snails, and other small insects. Unlike gorillas that change nests daily, golden monkeys sleep in the same nest the full day, even if they move long distances as they search for food, they come back to the same place where they spent the night. Golden monkeys are particularly found in Mgahinga National Park in uganda, Kahuzi Biega National Park in DRC, and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. So, as you visit these parks for gorilla expeditions, do not miss out on seeing the attractive beauty of the golden monkeys in these parks Golden monkey trekking activity This is a full-day activity that begins with an early morning briefing from the park guides and rangers at the park headquarters. Participants are addressed on what they expect to find in the park jungles and how to conduct themselves in the presence of these charming apes. After briefing, you are given a walking stick as the activity involves hiking through different terrain and altitudinal zones. You are free to hire a porter to help carry your luggage. Golden monkey trekking is a bit easier than gorilla trekking as they can be spotted in a shorter time. this doesn’t mean that you will find them in the shortest distance possible. However, you must move steadily and quietly so that you don’t scare them. Set your cameras in the fastest shuttering shot because they usually jump from one tree to another. On interaction with the golden monkeys, you will be allowed to spend one hour then return to the park center. There are many golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park but only 2 families are inhabited, the largest family which comprises 100 members is mostly visited and most of them are found on Mount Sabinyo which is shared by the three countries. A golden monkey permit in the Volcanoes National Park costs $100 per person and is sold to persons of 12 years and above and one is advised to book in advance to avoid last-minute disappointments. The best time to visit Volcanoes National Park for golden monkey trekking should be the dry season in June to August and December to February. This is because the tracking trails are always dry and passable. The vegetation is not fully grown which enables quick sight of the monkeys and photography of the apes is easier. Other places where to find golden monkeys in Rwanda In Gishwati Mukura National Park, a newly established park that comprises two forests, Gishwati and Mukura. Golden monkeys have been discovered in this park but haven’t been opened for trekking In Nyungwe Forest National Park, which is popularly known as a habitat for chimpanzees, golden monkeys have been spotted there but the golden monkey trekking activity has not yet started. You can only spot golden monkeys in this park while on nature walks or other primate trekking.