Volcanoes National Park is located in the northern part of Rwanda it is one of the oldest African parks, it hosts 30% of the world’s remaining Species of the mountain gorillas-gorilla beringei a sub-species of the eastern gorillas, they live freely within the forest without being captivated in the bamboo and montane forest of the national park, the park was gazette as a way of protecting the critically endangered species of the Mountain gorilla, golden monkeys and other species present here, it was made famous by the American primatologist Dian Fossey whose great works are still remembered in Rwanda to date and the acting of the movie Gorillas in the mist which flagged popularity of Rwanda’s Gorillas.
Gorillas are gentle species, they are the world’s largest living primates, herbivores, social an intelligent, they live in groups of up to 20 members led by a male silverback, the group consists females, black backs, juveniles and infants, the baby gorillas live under the care of their parents until the age of 2 years, they keep moving from one point to another in the park as they rarely feed in one point for a long time, they allow food to regrow and are careful when eating stems, there are times they have been seen preparing their food by stripping off the leaves, peel off the back and then chew the inner part of the plant, the primates have no harm to humans unless totally provoked, the Volcanoes National Park has got 10 habituated Gorilla families these have been made to get used to human presence.
Mountain Gorilla trekking is the main activity of the protected Conservation area, it begins early morning by 8:00am east African time with briefing from the park rangers, they will tell you on how to conduct yourself while with the primates and about the forest at large, in groups of eight you will be allocated a gorilla family to track pre trackers head out to the forest and locate the primates after which they communicate to the team on ground for proper directions, trekking through the forest is a strenuous activity which will require some level of physical fitness as it involves moving up and down of hills it takes 2 – 8 hours tracking the primates or even the whole day depending on how far the gorillas have moved on finding them an hour is allowed while with the primates enjoy and take pictures as long as it’s not flash photography.
Gorilla trekking involves rule and regulations, this is for the good of both the trackers an the hikers the walk example rules are keeping the 7 meter distance rule, guests with communicable diseases like flue are not allowed to go tracking, human waste is buried 3 meters deep, children under the age of 15years are not allowed to do the activity, it is important to pack proper when going for gorilla safari take warm clothes, hand gloves, water proof hiking boots, rain gears, gaiters, ponchos and any other items of personal nature.