Have you ever thought about going to see gorillas in their native habitat? These enormous members of the primate family are gentle and have a wonderful social structure. They live in natural habitats in very remote areas of Rwanda and you can see them just like I did if you want to see one of life’s major marvels. Here is what I did on my gorilla adventure Rwanda vacation.
There are two major groups of gorillas in Rwanda that you can trek into see. There are the Susa and the Hirwa groups. When I went to see the Susa group, we started out early and hiked and climbed for more than two hours into the highlands. There are many silverbacks in this group and it is the largest one that tourists have the opportunity to visit. Dianne Fossey studied this group early in her career.
I was so tired when we finally arrived but completely forgot about my exhaustion once we saw the young gorillas playing. Perhaps they are used to having tourists pop in and out, but I was stunned by how little notice they paid to us. There are no natural predators in the region, so perhaps that is why we did not matter to us. I was able to take many picture while we were there which I will always treasure.
When we booked our trip, we had the option of staying in a high end hotel or one that was priced in the mid-range. I am glad that we decided our gorilla adventure Rwanda vacation was more about seeing the animals than where we ultimately stayed. I chose the mid-range price which was perfect for our needs. We spent most of our time in the country going out to explore. What really matters is which guide you choose. Our guide was very knowledgeable.
What no one ever expects is how life changing seeing this primates in their own world can be. My gorilla adventure Rwanda trip made me realize how important conservation truly is. Think about it. If we don’t make an effort to preserve the habitat, the next generation may only get to read about gorillas in old stories and that is not okay.
Before you leave Rwanda, make sure that you spend some time looking at the other primates who live there. One of my favorites was the golden monkey. It is an endangered species and is extraordinarily playful.
The national park is well worth the trip as well. Ask a ranger to guide you and you will be amazed by the animal life that remains abundant in the area. There are ugly warthogs, giant forest hogs, hyenas, buffalo, elephants, and even lions. It’s important to follow all of the rules of the park so you don’t get injured on your trip.
Seeing the gorillas and other wildlife in their natural habitat is a once in a life time trip. If you ever get the chance to go, I highly recommend it.