By admin What an experience. I still can’t believe I had the opportunity to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda. It truly was the trip of a lifetime, and one that I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone with an interest in nature, wildlife and active travel. Read on to learn more about my personal experience gorilla trekking and staying at the luxurious One&Only Gorilla’s Nest.
Some background on the mountain gorillas
One of the reasons that gorilla trekking is such a special experience is that there are just over 1,000 mountain gorillas remaining in the entire world. Fortunately, that number is gradually increasing due to the recent conservation efforts undertaken in the region where the endangered gorillas live. They mostly reside in a small mountainous area (the Virunga Mountains) where Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo converge.
People can actually track the gorillas in each of these countries, but a permit is required in advance, and the experience is carefully controlled, with a very limited number of travelers allowed to trek each day. Only some (well, 44 to be exact) of the mountain gorilla families have been habituated, meaning that they regularly encounter human researchers and tourists. On average, each family has about 10 members, but they can have up to 40.
Planning your gorilla trek in Rwanda
While you can also track gorillas in Uganda and the DRC, Rwanda offers the simplest and most luxurious experience (but also the most expensive). There are more high-end lodges, the tourism infrastructure is well-developed, and the trekking is generally less challenging in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park.
You do need to obtain a permit in advance, and it will cost you. Gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda currently cost $1500, and must be obtained through a local tour operator. This is where I come in, as I have partnerships with vetted local companies and can help coordinate every aspect of your trip in collaboration with them. You can’t simply book a hotel and ask the concierge to get a permit for you–Rwanda’s government doesn’t allow hotels to obtain the permits for guests.
As I mentioned in my Rwanda travel guide, I’d recommend spending at least three days in Volcanoes National Park. Many people actually choose to spend two days gorilla trekking because you only get to spend one hour with the gorillas once you find them, and it goes by very quickly. The park is also home to golden monkeys, so another option is to do a warm-up primate trek with the golden monkeys one day, and then see the gorillas the second day. There are also many “regular” trekking routes amongst the region’s five volcanoes.
I only spent one night in the region as I was visiting as part of a “fam” (short for familiarization) trip, which typically means doing and seeing as much as possible in a destination at a very rapid pace. It felt quite rushed, and I would not advise a one night stay for anyone else. Also, if you’re staying at one of the luxury lodges in the area, you will want to ensure you have some time to enjoy your beautiful accommodations and the other activities on offer.
Staying at One&Only Gorilla’s Nest
On that note, one of the most important decisions to make when planning your trip is where to stay. There are numerous options; I’ve covered the mid-range, luxury and ultra-luxury choices in my Rwanda travel guide, so I won’t repeat here, but I would of course consult with you on your budget, travel preferences, and taste in design and style to make the best recommendation for you.
We were lucky enough to get to stay at One&Only Gorilla’s Nest, the ultra-luxury option in the region. Similar to One&Only Nyungwe House, which I covered in detail here, the resort offers gorgeous design inspired by the local culture and environment. The service and hospitality is impeccable, with no detail overlooked. However, all this comes with a hefty price tag: rates start at $4,000/night during the low season.
We checked in in the evening after a long day of driving from Nyungwe, boating on Lake Kivu, and more driving to Ruhengeri, where Gorilla’s Nest is located, just outside Volcanoes National Park.
After a quick briefing, we were driven to our rooms in buggies. We then had a few minutes to freshen up before cocktail hour, and I of course snapped a ton of pictures and videos of my Forest King Lodge room.
Rooms at One&Only Gorilla’s Nest
All 21 rooms and suites are in free-standing buildings that resemble high-end treehouses with spacious private balconies, fireplaces, large bathtubs and indoor/outdoor showers. The Forest King Lodge is the entry-level room category, but it’s still quite roomy, with 829 square feet of space.
For families or friends traveling together there is also a 2BR Forest Lodge, and for couples who want even more luxury and privacy, you can choose between one of three suites: Virunga, Ingagi and the ultimate, Silverback, complete with a massive outdoor terrace, private pool, barbecue and fire pit.
Dining at One&Only Gorilla’s Nest
After quickly changing and getting acquainted with my room, I headed to The Nest, the resort’s onsite restaurant, where I could hear the beat of drums and smell fire smoke from the celebratory boma that had been arranged to welcome us. Locals dressed in traditional garb smiled brightly while dancing and singing energetically–it was all quite impressive and I felt a little lame in comparison as I sat and sipped my G&T.
Post-performance, we were treated to a massive family-style feast of local dishes with ingredients sourced from the resort’s own garden. The wine was free-flowing and we all buzzed with the excitement of being in one of Africa’s poshest resorts and the anticipation of our gorilla trekking adventure the following morning. Unsurprisingly, the food was all delicious.
Private dining experiences can also be arranged in a variety of settings around the property; we had the opportunity to lunch at the Jack Hanna Cottage after returning from our gorilla treks. Formerly the home of the famed American zoologist and naturalist, the cottage has been refurbished by One&Only but still maintains some of Hanna’s original furniture, photography and guestbook. It is now used as a game room, private dining area, and setting for cigar and whiskey tastings.
Similar to Nyungwe House, three meals a day, house wine & beer, and two daily onsite activities are included in the rate at Gorilla’s Nest. Definitely take advantage of all the resort has to offer!
Pre and post gorilla trek at One&Only
Early in the morning (6am) before our gorilla trek, we met in the lobby lounge of the resort, where we had a scrumptious spread of breakfast bites, tea and coffee waiting for us.
The staff was on hand to ensure we were all prepared for the trek; the terrain can be muddy and treacherous, so they offered us hiking boots (if we didn’t bring our own), gaiters (I definitely didn’t bring those), ponchos, hats and backpacks. They even gave us ladies small handcrafted bags with toilet paper and hand sanitizer in the event that nature called… while we were out in nature.
The service was seriously over-the-top. Just like at Nyungwe House, once we returned we were treated to shoulder massages and comfortable flip flops while our boots were taken to be thoroughly cleaned. I literally felt like a queen. A post-trek treatment at the Gorilla’s Nest spa would have been welcomed, but I unfortunately didn’t have time to indulge.
What to expect on your gorilla trek
Okay, let’s get to the main event already! We left Gorilla’s Nest around 6:30am, arriving at the park headquarters about twenty minutes later. Then it was a lot of waiting. Fortunately, the park offered complimentary espresso, clean bathrooms and stunning volcano views.
Essentially, everyone with permits for the day meets at the headquarters in the morning, where the guides assess the general fitness of the travelers and the various group sizes before assigning people to their gorilla families. There are twelve habituated families in Volcanoes in total, and only six travelers are allowed in each group, which means that only 72 people (not including guides, porters and trackers) are able to see the gorillas each day. Only licensed Volcanoes guides are able to take travelers on treks in the park, so even if you have another guide showing you around Rwanda (like we did), you have to use a separate guide for the gorillas. One final note: if you are willing to pay ($15k), you can skip the early morning group meetup at headquarters and connect directly with your preassigned guide.
People traveling together typically aren’t split into separate groups, although we had ten people so of course we were split into two groups. Travelers generally can’t make requests for a particular gorilla family or an easier trek, but we found that you can make suggestions through your tour operator. For example, we had a pretty busy day ahead of us, with lunch scheduled back at Gorilla’s Nest and a couple activities before our drive back to Kigali. As such, we were assigned families known to be in closer proximity to the park headquarters, so we wouldn’t have to drive too far to begin our treks (sometimes people have to drive an hour or longer). It also helped us that it was raining in the morning, so the gorillas stayed down in the lowlands rather than climbing higher up into the mountains.
Around 8am, we finally had our guide and family (Sabyinyo), and we were off! We drove about 15 minutes to a village, where we parked and had the option to hire a porter for the day. It costs $10 (not including gratuity) for a local who will carry your bag and help you through some of the muddier, more slippery portions of the trek (or literally carry you if needed). Even though I felt like I could do the hike on my own, I did want to support the local community, so I gladly agreed to get a porter. One of the women in our group even hired two.
(O&O gave us fancy beaded ones to take home as souvenirs)
We trekked for about 20 minutes through an open field before finally entering the jungly lowlands of the park.
At this point one of the trackers pulled out a machete and starting chopping through the brush so we could make our way through the lush foliage.
A couple trackers had run ahead of us to find the gorillas and ensure that we were going in the right direction to eventually cross paths with the majestic creatures. After another hour of trudging through the muddy forest, we were instructed to stop walking and don our surgical masks. The gorillas were close.
Because we are genetically so similar to gorillas (we share 98% of our DNA), it is easy for us to transmit diseases to this endangered species. So, even before Covid, humans were required to wear face masks when getting close to the gorillas. But don’t worry, this is really only needed during the hour or so that you are in nearby proximity. Most of the trek is spent sans mask.
As we approached the gorillas, our guide reminded us of some guidelines, all for safety and conservation reasons: first, we would only have an hour with the gorillas once we found them. This rule was in place to ensure that they could still live the majority of their lives with minimal human interaction. Second, we should always try to keep at least six feet apart from the gorillas. This social distancing rule was less about preventing the spread of disease and more about preventing a gorilla from feeling threatened and attacking out of fear. Third, and related, we were taught to make loud, breathy grunting noises to signal to the gorillas that we came in peace. Otherwise, we were supposed to be as quiet as possible. While the gorillas are habituated to humans and generally aren’t too bothered when we periodically do get close, they are still wild animals.
Finally, the moment we had been waiting for: gorillas! We got our first glimpse of an adolescent running through the jungle in front of us.
“The rest of them are nearby,” our guide told us. Carefully, we followed in the direction of the first gorilla until we reached a clearing, and a few other members of the family revealed themselves to us.
We watched the gorillas go about their daily lives: eating, playing, sleeping. The Sabyinyo family has two silverbacks (males over twelve years old develop a silver strip of hair on their backs), but only one is the alpha in the group. At one point we realized that the second silverback had sneaked off with one of the females and was having sex with her while the alpha was sleeping nearby!
Eventually our hour was over and we slowly retreated, sad to have to leave but exhilarated by the experience. I could see why some people went two days in a row–the time went by so quickly and I would have loved to spend more time with the gorillas.
If you have any interest in gorilla trekking, I can’t recommend it enough. Observing the impressive creatures in their natural habitat is a truly special and unique experience. Also, having the opportunity to interact with the local communities in a positive way is incredibly rewarding. Finally, knowing that your money is going toward the good causes of conserving the mountain gorillas and supporting the local people is very important.
