Project Rwanda : Using the Bicycle as a Tool and Symbol of Hope

Gorilla Tracking

As you may be aware, there are only about 700 mountain gorillas remaining in their natural habitat. These habitats are in Rwanda, Uganda and Congo. Presently, Rwanda not only enjoys the best security in the region but also has the easiest access routes for visiting the mountain gorillas. Silverback's Adventures, one of Rwanda's professional tour-operators, organizes thrilling treks to visit these gentle giants in their misty mountain home, also known as the Virunga Mountains (a chain of volcanoes with altitudinal ranges of 3500m-4507m). Mountain Gorillas are found in the high altitude forests surrounding these volcanoes. There are currently 7 habituated gorilla families that can be visited: -

Susa group has 37 individuals (3 silverbacks)
Amahoro group has 16 individuals (1dominant male SB & 1assistant BB)
Sabyinyo group has 8 individuals (1SB)
Group 13 has 19 individuals(1 errant SB)
Umubano-8 (1 very tough SB)
Hirwa- 9 (1 ex-Susa SB) also has week old baby
Kwitonda (from Congo) - 16. (1SB 2BB) lots of fights in this family.
This is a migrant family and is not guaranteed.

SB=Silverback. BB=Blackback,young silverback.

In order to minimize behavioral disturbances to the gorillas, only 8 people are allowed to visit each of the families and for a period not exceeding 1hour. This means that only 40 people are allowed in the park daily. The limits serve to protect gorillas from the risk of exposure to human- borne diseases. In order to execute your bookings effectively, the following information is required:-

Intended period of stay in Rwanda
Number of participants in your group
How many gorilla visits you intend to make
Each gorilla permit costs US$ 500 per person per visit.

Please note that children under 15 years of age are not allowed into the park.

Once inside the forest, the following must be observed:

No spitting in the park
No littering in the park
No coughing in the direction of the gorillas
Only speak in whispers
Do not point at the gorillas
Movements around the gorillas must be unthreatening
No venturing behind thick shrubs. You may surprise a gorilla.
If a nettle stings you, do not cry out, scream, shout-outloud or make any sudden moves.
If a gorilla charges or vocalizes, do not look directly at it. Stand perfectly still unless the guide asks you to crouch or move back.

Flight information

Direct flights available with SN Brussels airline twice a week from Brussels to Kigali, Rwanda.
Contact your travel agent for other connections via Nairobi, Kenya, where daily flights are available.
Flights from Nairobi to Kigali take only one and a half hours.

VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK

(Park national des Volcans) Situated 91 km NW of the capital Kigali, its an easy 2 hour drive on a fairly good road, through the countryside with its beautifully terraced hills that are so characteristic of rural Rwanda, to the town of Ruhengeri. You will then be driven on to the village of Kinigi, the starting point, where instructions will be given on how to behave in the presence of gorillas. The tracking then begins.

ESSENTIALS FOR THE HIKE

Long pants (jeans/khakis) and a long sleeved shirt
Good well-worn hiking boots
Light raincoat
Cap/Hat
Camera (no flash)/ personal camcorder
plenty of drinking water

TRACKING IN BRIEF

Well trained guides lead you to the site where gorillas were encountered the previous day. They then track them to their current location. As these gentle giants' continuous search for food requires a nomadic lifestyle, they determine the duration of the hike. Although tracking can be a bit physically demanding, the anticipation of an exciting experience ahead is invigorating and the beauty of the jungle and its inhabitants are fascinating. Observing gorillas in their natural habitat and on their terms is considered by many naturalists as the most profound natural history experience in the world. Each strictly regulated 60 minute visit passes all too quickly, and you depart leaving the gorillas to their fragile existence. You then return to camp for a well earned lunch with unforgettable memories of a rare and wondrous experience.

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