A 2016 typical Gorilla trekking Safari in Virunga Volcanoes national Park Rwanda

As you steep down from the plane at Kanombe (Kigali international airport), the only thing that goes through in your mind is what the gorilla safari in volcanoes national park will be like. The nervousness and curiosity continues until you encounter these rare apes in their natural habitants.
Though greatly negatively affected by the 1994 Rwandese genocide that claimed the lives of million local Rwandese, the people of Rwanda are very hospitable today and very determined to stay with their past no matter how bitter it is. Various memorial genocides today in Rwanda display the remaining’s of some of the people who were killed some which include skulls, many displays of exhumed dead bodies, murder weapons that were used and many others. 

These can be seen in the various genocide memorials for example the Kigali memorial genocide, the Murambi memorial genocide and many others. A visit to any genocide memorial museum assures you that Rwanda is done a lot to reach where it is now as the cleanest country on the African continent and having one of the fastest growing economies in east Africa.

From the city center, the journey to Virunga volcanoes in volcanoes gorilla national parks takes about 2-3 hours enabling you to view various attractions en route especially the large tea and coffee plantations and the gently sloping hills covered with terraced gardens of bananas and other major arable crops grown by the local Rwandese.
In volcanoes national park, you will find the Virunga lodge that offers standard luxury services. Being at the lodge gives you fresh breezes from the jungles of the evergreen forests. The lodge has standard rooms that are self contained and well decorated with clean linens. On arrival at this lodge, tourist are directed to their rooms, left to relax a little and then served dinner in a restaurant offering views of the forest. 

Sleeping early is very recommended in order to wakeup early enough for the big gorilla trekking day the next morning. You are then woken up as early as 5:00 am for and early morning breakfast. You then head to the volcanoes national park head quarters at Kinigi for briefing. This from Virunga lodges takes approximately 40 minutes drive. On arrival, you are greeted and subdivided in to groups of 8 to track the various gorillas groups in the national park.

The groups are allocated to the different guides and the specific gorilla families each group will be tracking. You are then briefed about the trek and codes of conduct while in the forest especially keeping a reasonable distance from the mountain gorillas.
There are 10 habituated gorilla groups in volcanoes national park and only 8 tourists visit each group a day. Gorilla group allocations are based on the tourists’ physical capabilities and preferences. Some tourists prefer to trek gorillas that are hard to find while others like trekking gorillas that can be got after short times of tracking like 30 minutes.

You are then led to the thick forests with great views of other wildlife species like birds and different vegetation types as you look around for your gorillas group. Walk sticks, strong shoes or boots and long pants and long sleeved t-shirts are very essential for successful gorilla trekking in Rwanda forest. The long sleeved pants and t-shirts enables you to easily move through the thorny vegetation without being scratched or pierced and the shoes or boots makes it easy to cross from one muddy slope to another.

As you approach the gorilla groups, you are reminded of the instructions especially keeping a reasonable distance away from the gorillas, avoiding the use of flash photography when taking mountain gorilla photographs, avoiding making a lot of noise and keeping all kinds of snacks and food away from the gorillas.

Seeing and getting to close to these apes as they relax in the bushes leaves you astonished and amazed by God’s great work. Without being disturbed by humans’ presence, the mountain gorillas continue feeding as the young ones play around. The sliver back however always keeps a close look since he is the head of the family with an important role of protecting the female and young mountain gorillas from any intrusion of their territory. You are given an hour to view the gorillas as you take as many photographs as you wanted. The park authorities give an allowance of an hour in order to minimize impacts and disturbances of the mountain gorillas as well as reducing chances of disease spread and exposure of sickness to the highly endangered animals.

Sadly the hour ends within a blink of an hour and as much as you would want to remain with the gorillas, you are not allowed to do so. You are led back to the park headquarters to be given your certificates of participation. Gorilla permits are sold at $750 and can be obtained from the Rwanda Development Board offices in Kigali or from a trusted tour operator.
For successful gorilla safari expeditions in Rwanda, I highly recommend Africa adventure safaris limited a safari company that has over the years enabled tourists to carry out gorilla safaris in the land of a thousand hills.

Gorilla Tracking in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda Simply Amazing

Having the opportunity to watch mountain gorillas in their natural habitant, doing their normal day to day activities is truly an amazing experience. I had no idea we would get so close to the gorillas and see so many of them in just one gorilla family. From our lodge early morning, we met at the ranger station for a briefing on how to conduct and react when we meet the gorilla group. Thereafter the rangers guide decides how to combine the groups to provide for the 10 groups of 8 allowed in each day. They also decide which group will visit which family based on the difficulty of the trek and the physical abilities of the guests. Note: you have a choice to decide which gorilla group you want to visit, depending on your physical ability. 

Then you drive to your chosen gorilla family access point, which varies depending on which group you are visiting. After that you hike in to the park. The hikes can vary from 45 minutes to 3 hours, so its advisable to carry snack and drinking water as you may get hungry. Its also very much advisable to hire a porter – a local Rwandan worth $10 to carry your bag and hold your hand through hard terrain and bring your cameras into the jungle. When you get close to the family you leave your bags a little bit behind so you’re free to observe and spend your 1 hour with the gorillas attentively. 

No gorilla family spends more than one hour a day with the humans hence very much advisable to do two treks. Both experiences are quite different and very rewarding. For our second day the hike was not too strenuous as we chose the medium instead of hard. The gorillas were pretty laid back and didn't move much. We moved from area to area to see the different members of the group. The next day the hike was more strenuous hiking up hill and the jungle was very thick. In addition the gorilla family was almost constantly on the move so we had to keep following it up. 

Our guide had to move us from place to place, hacking at the vegetation with his machete. It was very interesting how different the two families were. That is why its very important if you choose to go to Africa for a gorilla tour, best to trek gorilla twice since its most possible you won’t be going back a second time. There are stinging nettles so it is important to wear good waterproof lightweight hiking boots or Wellies which go over the ankle and waterproof pants and a rain jacket as it often rains.

Avoid long treks by going during the low/early rain season, during this period the gorillas tend to be closer so you will have shorter and less strenuous treks, a hat comes in handy to shield your face from the sun.

Visit www.silverbackgorillatour.com for more information on gorilla tracking in Volcanoes national park. 

Gorilla Trekking & Game viewing in Rwanda

If you want to see these unique and endangered mountain Gorillas then Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is a must. The incomparable volcanoes national park is without doubt one of the world's greatest wildlife destinations and beat the delight of superb, year-round game viewing let alone all the thrills of the Great mountain gorilla tracking.

Gorillas live in volcanoes national park—a remote jungle that is wild and beautiful. Rwanda climate is hot and humid and the rain can be relentless from September to November. The long dry season is from June to August and is a good time to visit.

About 300 mountain Gorillas are thought to survive and thus listed as highly endangered. In order to protect these amazing creatures, primatologists Diany Fossey built two extremely comfortable camps within Karisimbi area and initiated the habituation of Gorilla groups in the forest.For more Info checkout www.rwandagorillassafari.com

The six night itinerary in Rwanda includes two nights visit to Volcanoes National Park and 4 nights Akagera and Nyungwe forest National Park--driving from the capital, Kigali, you reach at Akagera where you are met by your guide.

Akagera game lodge has a good location from which to explore Akagera National Park, and the service is friendly. It has fantastic views over Lake Ihema, with a large swimming pool perched on the edge of the savannah. Akagera Game Lodge is located in Eastern Province; about 2 hours drive from Kigali. The surrounding area has a wealth of big game and other wildlife on the open savannah, protected wood land, deep valley and Lakes. Akagera game lodge can accommodate several guests and offers a combination of walking and game drives. There is a wide range of tropical birds, wildlife and nocturnal visitor to Akagera national park is leopard.

Volcanoes popularity means a number of factors must be considered when choosing your Volcanoes National Park accommodation. Choosing which area to visit and when to go will impact on your experience. The Volcanoes’ region is busiest during peak season June-August and its many lodges and safari hotels cater for large numbers of people. The Area around Volcanoes national park offer more privacy and tucked-away accommodation such as luxury tented camps and decadent safari suites. You’ll be able to enjoy a greater selection of activities like guided walks, hiking and gorilla tracking. Volcanoes national park offers a great wildlife viewing throughout the year and your safari experience will certainly be different out of peak season. Our selection of accommodation in the Volcanoes National Park includes safari lodges and family-friendly hotels, colonial-style tented camps and even mobile camps - all you need to do is decide when to go, contact us, and we'll do the rest.

Mountain View Gorilla Lodge is located at the edge of volcanoes National Park where you will base to track mountain Gorillas and it usually takes an attempt to get a good sighting. Gorillas are constantly hunting for fruit and other foods but the trackers monitor the location of the gorillas to make the tracking a little easier. Once your tracker spots hand prints on a path or listens to alarming gorilla noise, then you are ready for a remarkable experience

Gorilla viewing in Rwanda is limited to an hour but it only takes that hour to feel you have gotten to know the characters and personalities – watching the group play-fight in the trees, dig for roots and nurse their babies. Adult male gorillas are usually very shy and there is only one silverback per family. When a young male has matured, he leaves and heads out alone to start a family of his own by enticing females from other families to join him. The opportunity to watch these rare and fascinating creatures in their natural habitat is a huge privilege.

Is there potential in Mabira forest to develop tourism in Uganda

Celebrations International Forest Day in the world this week brought in an opportunity to dedicate some thoughts to the forests in Uganda. In our neighboring countries like Kenya politicians pondered for the past 5 years finding efforts to restore the Mau Forest, and others, to their crucial functions as water towers. In Tanzania illegal logging is now a greater problem than poaching, and that is out of control as it is, and the seizure of a freight train last week packed with illegally-logged timber shows how deep the collusion has reached, when entire railway trains can be converted into ferrying the loot.

Rwanda is a shining example in preserving nature and forestry, where Nyungwe Forest is a national park and jealously guarded and protected, and where Gishwati’s tourism potential will in a few weeks’ time be revealed in a breaking news article, paying tribute to those in the “land of a thousand hills” who have the foresight to protect their forests as sources of water, medicinal plants, and to store carbon emissions and use them sustainably for green ecotourism activities.
On this day,  it is once again Mabira which has caught my attention, as reports keep emerging of continued illegal logging deep inside the Mabira forest, now a growing problem thought worse than the ill-considered move to turn a quarter of the forest into a sugar plantation. The forest is recently starting to develop its tourism potential, slowly but surely, and the construction of a RainForest Lodge in Mabira has become a focal point and an encouragement of forest tourism, from where cycling and hiking trips can be arranged with ease. Opposite the turn off to the lodge is, a few hundred meters down the track, the forest’s ecotourism center, established by the National Forest Authority, from where some of the hikes start and where mountain bikes are available for hire, for those who come without them and then suddenly get into the mood for a ride through the forest under ancient trees.

Robert, the Secretary to the Mabira Forest Integrated Communities OrganiZation, was recently quoted in the local media as having said: “It is part of the rich cultural heritage of Mabira” before adding that though the history of Mabira is locked up in mysteries, the legendary stories have been told over generations. In the last 5 years, according to Robert, the Small Grants Program under the United Nations Development Program has invested US$70,000 to help harness the tourism potential at Griffin Falls and also promote community development.
“Mabira has an immense tourism potential,” added Robert saying that there are many tourism products waiting to be harnessed.

Only two years ago a new species of primates was discovered and confirmed by experts and the list of birds, butterflies, and a range of other mammals, of trees, medicinal plants, shrubs, and orchids is extensive, belying the fact that the forest is so close to the country’s capital of Kampala and are open to tourists on a safari in Uganda hence nearly 29,000 hectares of the forest serve as the green lung of Kampala, often overlooked, often denied, but nevertheless so, maintaining that crucial balance of carbons released by society’s modern lifestyle and industrial emissions and carbons captured in the trees.
The added function as a water tower is equally important, as the River Nile and the River Sezibwa both drain from it, benefitting water levels in Lake Victoria.

The loss of forest cover in Uganda is massive and has increased in recent years, largely attributed to unscrupulous politicians promising land to their constituents in return for their votes, and this has led in other parts of the country to hundreds of deaths when landslides consumed entire small villages, built by people illegally entering Mt. Elgon Forest National Park and refusing to leave despite such tragedies. Similar reports of illegal forest occupation come from Kibaale District and elsewhere in the country. Again, recent media reports now call the issue of the environment a matter of national security and the following article copied below speaks volumes of where Uganda is heading:

Environment a security matter
Although the country’s collective Vision for 2025 talks about, a “Prosperous People, Harmonious Nation, Beautiful Country,” little is being done to secure the environment. And because of this Uganda is losing its forest cover at a rate of 2% annually amounting to 892,000 hectares.
According to FAO, countries like Rwanda where the forest cover is increasing have improved in their policies, laws, and invested more for foresters to engage the local population to conserve nature and plant trees.
Godber Tumushabe, the head of Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment points out that the ecological integrity, particularly the environment that drives the county’s food basket and the forests, together with wetlands that feed water bodies with water should be placed at the same level as state security.
“Poor people without resources and hit by environmental disasters are ungovernable,” says Tumushabe.

Change of land use is not a wise option
While the Mabira giveaway to the Sugar Corporation of Uganda Limited (SCOUL) is being considered to address the sugar shortage in the country, a study on the economic valuation of Mabira shows that such a proposal is a miscalculation.
But if SCOUL increased its productivity to match Kakira and Kinyara then the expansion of the sugarcane scheme into Mabira would not arise, according to a new report.
The report entitled “Economic Valuation of 7,186 hectares of Mabira Central Forest Reserve” proposed for the land use change or outright degazettement, saying if SCOUL produces at Kakira’s rate of productivity then the demand for land would reduce to 5,496 hectares.
SCOUL’s demand for land could reduce further to 4,988 hectares if SCOUL produces at 120 metric tons per hectare as proposed by a study by the Africa Development Bank.
Another scenario is that SCOUL could also improve its sugarcane conversion from 8.4 to 10 like Kinyara. If this is achieved, the land demand could reduce from 7,186 hectares to 6,036 hectares.
By increasing the productivity of land as recommended by the African Development Bank study together with increased sugar conversion, SCOUL’s demand for additional land could reduce by 5,038 hectares leaving an outstanding need of only 2,148 hectares. This, according to the report, could be obtained elsewhere and Mabira be left alone.
The report was done by a team led by Dr. Yakobo Moyini (R.I.P) as the lead researcher four years ago. The study was commissioned by Nature Uganda, a non-government organization and partner of BirdLife International.

Other researchers included a biodiversity specialist, an agricultural economist, a forest inventory specialist, a natural environment economist, and a policy analyst.
Apart from the results of the economic analysis, the report questions why the government, “appears to place an apparently greater focus on SCOUL, the least efficient firm in the sugar industry.”
This, among many other media reports and scientific contributions from forestry experts and researchers goes to show what important role Mabira has to play, and yet, under the cover of darkness but increasingly often in bright daylight are lorries emerging from the forest loaded with freshly-cut timber, widening the cleared areas invisible from the main road through Mabira but visible very clearly from the air.

International Forest Day should mean something, here in Uganda in particular, as we claim the name, “The Pearl of Africa,” but it takes political will and backbone on one side and halting forest giveaways which send the wrong signals and encourage wood poachers on the other. Tourism is a big business now in Uganda and it depends overwhelmingly on intact nature, and intact forests, birds, wildlife, and reptiles found across the country.

When nature is destroyed, tourism will collapse alongside it, and when tourism collapses our economy will be on the brink, too, oil and gas or not, unless we will happily ever after live in a wasteland where food and water and fresh air can no longer be taken for granted.
NFA, according to well-informed sources on the subject, are shy to lock horns with the power that be, and while off the record express their vehement opposition to what is happening to Uganda’s forests, hardly dare to stand up to the appointing authority, draw a line in the sand, and tell politicians to dare cross and then face the full force of the law. Hence, NFA officials have a good inkling of what is going on vis-a-vis illegal logging but have to tread on eggshells instead of mobilizing and leading the cavalry to the sites in question, taking those found into custody and charge them in court, while at the same time going for the financiers and middle men, just like it should be done with poachers of elephant.


Is it too much to ask to protect our still relatively intact nature for future generations or are we today mortgaging the future of our children’s children with irreversible destruction? Time will tell – I hope you hugged a tree on International Forest Day, or better planted a few.