Safari Gorilla is an extension safari that can precede a wildlife safari to Kenya and Tanzania. There are several convenient connecting flights between the three countries, giving you the chance to savour the highlights of a wildlife safari. Age restrictions apply to primate tracking in East Africa.
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Day 1: KIGALI to KINIGI
Arrive at Kigali International Airport. Proceed through immigration and customs. Met by the TANO Safaris local representative and receive the safari briefing. Depart for a City Tour of Kigali, including a visit to the Gisozi Genocide Memorial. Lunch will be at a local restaurant in Kigali.
Thereafter, continue on an approximate 2hr30min drive scenic drive through the lush and green hills and valleys of Rwanda, to Kinigi via Musanze (formerly known as Ruhengeri). Arrive at your lodge, located at the base of the Sabyinyo Mountain, offering stunning views of the Virunga Mountains, and of the surrounding forests. Full board accommodation at Gorilla Mountain View Lodge/ Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge.
Day 2: KINIGI
Full board accommodation at Gorilla Mountain View Lodge/ Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge.
Transfer to the Park Headquarters after an early breakfast. Meet up with the park guides and trackers who will carry out the registration and give a briefing on the etiquette of Gorilla Tracking. The gorilla group you will visit will be allocated at this time, and considerations are taken if possible, for the elderly and not so fit amongst the trackers.
A short drive will then take you to the trailhead corresponding with the allocated gorilla family you will be tracking. The trek can take anywhere between 3hrs and 6-8hrs, although there have been a few instances in which the gorillas have been encountered within a few minutes. The terrain may be rough and muddy, more so if it’s raining, and in between you will need to dodge the stinging nettles found in the park! Altitudes may exceed 2600m.
As you walk through the beautiful forest and grassland, appreciate the beauty of the scenery, alive with flowers and birds and butterflies. Your guides will talk to you about the park, gorillas and anything else that may interest you! The guides are friendly, informative and have a fantastic sense of humour. All this will make the trek worthwhile.
Once the gorillas are located, all fatigue is forgotten, as you take in the magnificent glory of the gentle giant apes. You will have 1hr with the gorillas. The gorilla families have been habituated to tolerate visitors of the human kind, and you may feel a bit ignored at times, as they carry on with their feeding, resting and napping seemingly oblivious to your presence. If you are lucky and are visiting a group with babies, you will delight at their crazy, high-energy running and climbing antics.
Cameras and plenty of fast speed film are recommended (digital cameras should be set to a faster ISO setting). Flash photography is not allowed. We suggest a lens with a large range (e.g. 35mm-300mm) as well as wide-angle and telephoto capacities if you can. Use your fastest lenses with maximum apertures of f/2.8 or f/4 to take in as much light as possible for faster focusing and faster shutter speeds. An ideal lens for most situations is the 70-200mm or 80-200mm f/2.8, preferably with image stabilisation or vibration reduction.
If you have a camera with detachable lenses, a lens with a 250-300mm zoom is good for long distance shots and a shorter lens 20-30mm is useful for scenery and community photography. Make sure your batteries are fully charged, and you have enough space on the memory cards, as you will be amazed at how many pictures you will want to take! We recommend you carry extra memory cards and batteries.
You will then walk back out of the park, with a little break for snacks on the way. Return to your lodge to relax or enjoy some of the optional activities available in the area. An optional visit to the Iby’Iwachu Cultural Village is recommended.
Day 3: KINIGI to KIGALI
Breakfast at the lodge. The use of the room is guaranteed up to 10h00. The morning is at leisure at the lodge or for sightseeing in the area (any extra entrance fees or activity fees are payable direct). Drive back to Kigali and transfer to the Kigali International Airport.
End of our services.
