Up Close with Gorillas or Chimps(Apes)

Look inside- your jaw , up close with gorillas $ chimpanzes
Just like any other adventurous activities across the globe there a few things every one must know before actually goes on gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda irrespective of whether you paid for the gorilla pass as well as chimp trek in the cyamudono  or not, the rules governing these great apes remains the same, irrespective of if its in Rwanda in PNV national park/ Bwindi impenetrable national park or at Congo Virunga national park. All this information is brought to you by Billy Ssali one of the professional guide that has been on many gorilla trekking expeditions in all the 3 countries where this unique activity is done from!!!,Another couple of hours,” close to gorillas We’re only few minutes away from gorillas, that’s where most of the curried staff are left up close to gorillas where to leave the porters, walking poles and water bottles here. Keep seven metres’ distance, don’t make prolonged eye contact with the silverback, and switch off the flash on your cameras. And remember: if they come up and kick or grab you, it’s all friendly interaction.”, just for your own information .in Rwanda chimpanzes are just found in an isolated small portion of Nyungwe forest national park on the heart hills of cyamudongo over looking the horizons of North kivu province and lake Kivu. to see the chimpanzees you have to drive head for Cyamudongo – an isolated annex of Nyungwe Forest National Park, its a five hours drive southwest of Kigali. the forest is bright-eyed and poses number of other primates that can be seen would be . thousands of L’Hoest’s and black-faced vervet monkeys echo these are just found o the edge of the road though this scenic drive in interesting but its foggy all most its entire 54km drive through Nyungwe – Africa’s oldest tropical rain forest, home to 20 species of primate, including an estimated 350 chimpanzees. Though the trekking through here doesn’t require porters, but those who are over weight may take one, the rules of trekking is almost the same as gorilla trekking rules.

Travelling advice on how to go see the gorillas in the volcanoes national park of Rwanda or Uganda on budget

Travelling advice on how to go see the gorillas in the volcanoes national park of Rwanda or Uganda on budget /or as cheap as possible. Seeing the mountain gorillas is an experience for life and should not be missed even if backpacking on low budget, but don’t miss it ..
My self I have seen these gorillas in the virunga national park, Mikeno sector at Bukima tourist centr, Volcanoes national park , Bwindi impenetrable forest , the activity is run by the same rules and regulation set by IGCP (international gorilla conservation programme) though his body has has not yet fixed a uniform governing prices for those who wish to go gorilla trekking. this one of the reason why there’s price discrimination on the same activity by the 3 governing countries within the mikeno sector.(Uganda,Rwnda and Congo)
Some people may wish to secure their own permits and take a self drive here they would save some $$ after securing your gorillapermit either either from virunga.org or at Uganda wildlife .org . here you will be required to present your gorilla pass to park authorities for registration and gorilla group allocation
Getting the permit
Gorilla trekking requires a permit and the permits are bought in advance. The price of a permit is 750 dollars. In Uganda its $ 600 depending on which month you choose to take the activity The permits are only valid for one day and one person.if lucky you may get a discounted gorilla permit from some one who counciled the trekking esp those who book double gorilla passes at end they end up doing it once and the second permit may be offered for resale at areasonably cheaper price.
Permits can be bought from the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). rdb.rw/tourism-and-conservation/gorilla-trek… while in congo you can go through vianney@gorills.cd
While in Uganda ugandawildlife.org
RDB is located in one of the major intersections just outside the city center. It is walking distance from the Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel where most backpackers stay, (dormbeds from around 16 dollars).
At the RDB office, just walk through the security check and ask for gorilla permits. They accept VISA without adding any extra service charge on top of the 750 dollars. Bring your passport.while Uganda and Virunga national park, have not yet reached at this level of paying a gorilla permit by Visa card. They only take cash USD or local currencies.
Going to Bwindi From kampala.
Down town of kamapal is where we fin\d qualicel bus termila, its where yu an find eithr the Bismakan buss services, these of one route to Buhoma aticket goes for 40,000UGx while if one is going to Kisoro its advisable to take Jaguar bus or post bus , the ticket goes for 40,000UGX depending the location of Bwindi where your gorilla pass les for. Those who wish to do the trekking in Buhoma, are advisable to take Bismakan to Buhoma, while those who wish to trek in Rushaga, Nkuringo, Or Mgahinga are advisable to land in kisoro with either Post bus or by Ubumwe coach.
Going to Musanze (Ruhengeri)
Nyabugogo is the largest bus terminal in the city. It is located on the northern outskirts of Kigali. Take a motor there for around 1000 francs. Various bus company services offers daily routes to musanze –gisenyi but the best bus with good services is Virunga Express, it has busses to Musanze several times an hour during daytime. 1600 francs for a one-way ticket to Musanze. The ride is about 1 hours and 45 minutes..
Staying /life in Musanze or Kinigi
Tourist guesthouse is about 15 dollars per person per night for double room but on BB or 30 dollars for a triple room It is booked through it for up-to-date email and phone. Amohoro guesthouse is practically impossible to find but very good and friendly service, get the phone number or arrange to have them meet you upon arrival at the busstation.
For the true budget traveler I would advise to hop on a boda boda at the bus terminal, for 20 minutes and go to Kinigi. This is where the entrance to the Volcanoes national park is, where you will have to be around 7 am on the day of the gorilla trek. For briefing and group allocation Just a short walk from the park entrance possible place to stay in would be Kinigi guesthouse that has dorm beds for 5000 francs and also camping. And more expensive ones upto 50$ this place is run by the community and has no Wifi . The setting give you and outstanding overlooking the 3 volcanic mountain of Muhabula, mgahinga and Sabinyo close to the park is soo beautiful. There are a couple of restaurants besides the possibility of eating at the guesthouse. Where you can have a meal, like at Lapayotte has buffet as low as $2 and rooms at $10 its more advisable to have a n overnight there on the day of the gorilla hike, because it is so close to the meeting point.
Car or not?
Besides having a permit, another requirement is to have a 4-wheel-drive-car (plus driver if you don’t bring your own car). The car is used to get you from Musanze (if you are staying there) to the park entrance and then later from the entrance to the beginning of the trek. If you book the car the day before the trek through the place you are staying at, it will be 80 dollars per car and driver.
The use of this car and driver is questionable. You can get a moto (or walk if staying in Kinigi) to the park entrance. Depending of which gorilla group you are going to see and where they are that day, the drive to the trek might not be needed. The drive to the start of the trek is sometimes within a 30-40 minute walk from the park entrance. Because the condition of the road it takes almost the same amount of time to drive. But if given a gorilla group further away it is possible that the drive is needed. Also I am not sure if tourists are allowed to walk to the start of the trek.
One of the reasons why the car is needed is to give the guide you are provided a lift. If traveling on a budget you should commit some time trying to find other travelers to share the cost of the car with. In Musanze you can walk around town and look for other tourists or go and check at La Pailotte restaurant, it is a good restaurant with decent prices so dinner or lunch is a good option. Other travelers tend to hang out there.
Since most tourists book a package deal and spend the night in a expensive lodge in the national park you might not meet other gorilla trekkers until you are actually up at the park entrance the morning of the trek. If I were to do it again I would go by chance, without a car, to the park entrance in the morning of the trek and make a deal with other travelers there. There is a very small chance that no one will have any room in their car, but very small indeed. In that case you might get the possibility to go with one of the closer gorilla groups and then just walk to the start of the trek and not pay anything. There is probably several possibilities here but the point is that you should not need to pay the full 80 dollars for the car and driver. If someone has tried this please write an additional comment on it below to advise other travelers.
The park entrance and the hike
The instructions are to be at the park entrance at 7 am. There you will show your permit and passport at the reception. Other tourists will be arriving between 7 and 8, during this time there is tea and coffe available, also a good opportunity to eat some breakfast if you bring your own. Some dance group will provide entertainment.
The guides and drivers will talk to each other and divide you into groups. One group of travelers per group of gorillas. The fewer people the better, we were three lone travelers in the same group and that was perfect. I do not know the maximum size of the groups but to many people might make it hard to see everything, take pictures and also get really close to the gorillas. You can advise the guides and the person in the reception if you have a specific gorilla group you want to see or if you want a short easy hike and so on.
After that you get back inte the cars and drive to the start of the trek. For us this was a 30 minute meaningless drive, we each had our own driver and car also, just stupid. I wish I would have taken a chance an not booked a driver on my own.
At the start of the hike you can get porters if you have any bags you do not want to carry. They say that this is to provide support for the community rather than offer a needed service. The porters are supposedly ex-poachers and will therefore have a opportunity to get some income. I had a hard time with this argument since I want to have my bag easy accessible with the camera. And also 5 percent of the permit fee already goes to the community. I offered to just give them a few thousand francs as extra support and not have someone to carrying my bags but this was declined so I just said no and so did the others in the group.
The actual hike was more beautiful than I had thought, the landscape is wonderful and the backdrop with the volcanoes is pretty impressive. You walk through lush bamboo forrest and have the opportunity of seeing elephants and buffalo. There are lots of stinging nettles, they seem to go through clothing, except water proof garments. Luckily the burning sensation only lasts for a few minutes. Our hike was only about 30 minutes, at the start of the hike the trackers who leave an hour earlier than the tourists had not yet found the gorillas but this is common. They found them quickly and before we knew it we walked in to a kind of jungle ravine with gorillas on the sides chillin’ and eating. There will be some armed guards walking with you as protection from charging elephants, buffalos and poachers. Some of the guards will stay close to the gorillas for the entire day.
You get one hour close to the gorillas whether in Rwanda or in Uganda (uniform international gorilla conservation programme IGCP) but your guide if he is flexible , he can give you xtra minutes with the gorillas and then you have to walk back.
Summary/ an over view of the total expenses
750 dollars for the permit(Rwanda price run all year around no discounted permits and a gorilla permit is only for 1 person and valid for only and only one day)
600 dollars for gorilla permit (Uganda Jan Feb,Mur,,June jul,August sept oct, Dece while 350 dollars in Apr , May and Nov.)
1700 francs for the bus to Musanze (2. Dollars according to the current $ rate)
While From kampala to Butogota or Kisoro 40,000 ugx or 12.5USD
1000 francs for moto to Kinigi (1-2 dollars) while boda boda from Butogota to Ndego/Buhoma 4.USD
4000 francs for dorm in Kinigi (7 dollars) while Bwindi view lazy camping is at $20 +food while golden monkey hostel offers room.
45 dollars or below (maybe nothing) for car Rav4 on self drive.my b additional $30 for driver
optional tip for porters,guide, driver, this is not mandatory but you can give a tip when you feel like.
In case once attempts to it this way iam sure you will have saved some $$$ but a bit straining that when you book with a travel agency