Rwanda Trekking Permits

Are you searching of how to book a trekking safari in Rwanda? Whether gorilla trekking, golden monkey tracking, mountain trekking or chimpanzee trekking, all travelers are required to pose a license allowing them enjoy the trekking in Rwanda. Therefore, as you are planning a safari in Rwanda, it is important that you as well consider the Rwanda trekking permit as soon as you make the decision to travel in the land of thousand hills. There are various safari activities in Rwanda that do require a trekking permit for any traveler to delight in the thrilling lifetime experience.Whether you are planning to track down primates or hike a mountain, you always have to book a trekking permit in advance.

Rwanda is situated just below the Equator with in the western Arm of the great rift valley in Africa. A visit to Rwanda allows you to encounter with the mesmerizing land of Volcano ranges as well as the dense Equatorial forest jungles. You can choose Rwanda car rental services for your travel options in Rwanda, there is variety to choose from including self drive in Rwanda and guided safaris in Rwanda throughout the year. Rwanda is dominated by the lush landscapes, the rare and unique Wildlife plus the flexible spirits of its people. The country is known for increasing numbers of travelers and it prides in offering exclusively luxury authentic safaris of a life time experience.

Rwanda is dominated by a mountainous terrain one of the reasons why it is referred to as the “Land of a Thousand hills”. The country hosts the mist shrouded tropical forests found on the volcanic peaks of its motherland providing a safe haven to fascinating primate animals such as; the Rare Mountain gorillas, Chimpanzees, Golden Monkeys among others. Rwanda is one of the best and great places to encounter with the close relatives of human beings.

Here are some of the categories of the Rwanda primate trekking permits which travelers will require on a safari in Rwanda;

Gorilla trekking permit

Gorilla trekking experience is one of the key leading activities in Rwanda that offers extremely thrilling adventure experience in the jungle. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is done in only volcanos national park that is home to about 12 habituated gorilla families ready for gorilla tourism.

To participate in gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park, you need a gorilla trekking permit that is acquired from the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). Acquiring a gorilla permit in Rwanda requires advance planning and booking at least 5-6 months prior to the date of travel. It is important to note that, the permits are very competitive especially during the dry season which is the peak season for tourism in the country. 

The dry season is the best time to enjoy gorilla trekking in Rwanda, therefore early booking of permit saves you from the last minute hassels or panic. During the peak/ dry season permits get sold out due to the high demand. Remember that the Rwanda tourism board allows a maximum of 8 people to participate in the trekking experience. Apparently, the gorilla permits for Rwanda goes for 1500 USD per person to allow travelers to trek the mountain gorillas in their natural environment for about one hour from the time you encounter with the gorilla family. Trekking can last for about an hour or 30 minutes depending on the location of the gorilla family.

To acquire Rwanda gorilla trekking permit, contact RDB head offices in Kigali or you can contact Mumwe Safaris one of the leading experts in organizing gorilla safaris in Rwanda.

The minimum age of gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda allows a person of above 15 years of age to participate the trekking. A person below 15 years of age is referred to as a child and it is had to predict their behavior when they encounter the mountain gorillas.

The price of the gorilla permits is inclusive of entry fees, ranger guides plus the gorilla trekking experience. 20% of the fees paid is used to support the local community and the rest goes to conservation of gorillas. For more information and inquiries regarding your gorilla trekking safari experience in Rwanda feel free to contact our reservation team that assists you to customize your safaris with other activities in the park.

Golden Monkey Trekking in Rwanda

Golden monkey trekking is one of the active tours in Rwanda as compared to the chimpanzee trekking safaris. These fascinating creatures are unique rare species spotted in the Virunga volcano ranges that is shared by DR-Congo, Uganda and Rwanda. golden monkeys are found of moving from destination to another therefore on trekking these wonderful animals, you are required to follow them. They feature a small size and known for their fast movement. They are found of moving through the bamboo forest section with an intention to enjoy their favorite food the bamboo shoots.

In Rwanda golden monkeys are found in volcanoes national park that is home to about two habituated troops of golden monkey ready for tourism. It is important to note that golden monkeys are found in groups or troops of about 30 or even more. In volcanoes national park, the largest golden monkey troop is spotted along the slopes of Mount Sabyinyo and this has about 100 individuals. It is the most visited group in park.

There is also a surviving small group of golden monkeys in Nyungwe forest and Gishwati forest but these have not been habituated for tourism thus they are still wild and not familiar to the presence of human beings.

Golden monkey trekking is one of the affordable and safe safari activities with out age limits restriction and tourist numbers. In volcanoes national park, golden monkey trekking begins with briefing at the headquarter park offices around 7:00 am. Trekking Golden Monkeys in Uganda is less difficult compared to gorilla trekking and less effort is required while searching for the troop.

To see the golden monkeys in Rwanda, you need to purchase a permit so as you are allowed to participate in trekking with a ranger guide. In the golden monkey trekking permit currently costs 100 USD per Person and the cost is inclusive of Ranger guide, park entry fees. Permits are acquired from the Rwanda Development Board or you can contact us to assist you book your golden monkey trekking permit in Advance. Our professional and knowledgeable reservation team can assist to customize your golden monkey trekking safari with gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park. The safari can as well be customized with mountain trekking in one of the volcanoes mountains in the park.

Chimpanzee trekking permit in Rwanda

Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda is done in Nyungwe forest national park. There are about two sections where chimpanzee trekking is carried such as Uwinka and Cyamudongo. Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest starts with briefing at the park head quarter offices. Here you join the ranger guide and begin the trek at around 6:00 am. When you encounter with the chimpanzee family, your allowed to spend one hour with the chimpanzees as you watch the juvenile young ones play, take photos as you observe and learn more of how they manage to survive in the jungle.

The Rwanda Development Board charges chimpanzee trekking permit Rwanda 100 USD per person. You can book your permit directly from the headquarter offices or call our reservations to assist you plan the entire chimpanzee trekking safaris. Enjoy our 6 days primate trekking safari including the chimpanzee trekking experience in Nyungwe forest.

Mountain trekking permit in Rwanda

Are you thinking about to enjoy an adventurous and special safari to experience in the land of a thousand Hills? Delight in a 1-day Bisoke trekking experience in volcanoes national park. Mount Bisoke is an active volcano situated with in the Virunga volcano ranges in the central and East African regions. The mountain lies on the board of Rwanda and DR-Congo. Trekking Mount Bisoke exposes you to its summit that is home to two scenic crater lakes.

Bisoke mountain trekking experience offers you a chance to encounter with the rare mountain gorilla on its slopes, explore the Bisoke crater lake which is the biggest within the Virunga mountain ranges and enjoy the mesmerizing scenic beauty of the bamboo forests while at the summit.

The activity is extremely rewarding, adventurous and offers exciting moments on a safari. Trekking to the peak of mount Bisoke takes about 6 hours and coming down takes us 2 hours depending on the pace of hiking. Don’t forget to carry the mountain trekking gears like the gloves, gum boots, insect repellent among others. Though the mountain is steep, it is manageable by first time trekkers and the temperature levels can get low.

Trekking mountain Bisoke starts with briefing at the park headquarters offices in the morning. Here you are assigned a ranger guide and you can as well hire a port at 10 USD to assist carry your back-packer luggage. To participate in the trekking experience, you are required to have a hiking permit, a valid passport and other documents. After briefing, you are transferred to the hiking point and ride to starting point takes us 40 minutes on road.

Trekking mount Bisoke costs 75 USD per person and permits can be purchased directly from the park headquarters. The fee is exclusive of the transfer fees to the starting point therefore you need to hire a car to the park plus the head trail. When you contact our reservation team, we assist you to organize your hiking safaris that is inclusive of the trekking permit, all road transfer transport and also book a suitable accommodation. Feel free to send us an inquiry at info@rwandacarrentalservices.com or call us on +256-700135510 or Tel +256-414699459

7 Ways To Lower Rental Car Costs When On Tour In Rwanda

Whether you are traveling for business or leisure holiday in Rwanda, you can always lower the car rental costs if you plan and research well. Rates will depend on the agency you are booking with car type and number of rental days. A safari or leisure trip requires you have a big budget but you can cut costs on a rental car if you follow these 6 tips.

Compare rates– Dont go for the first company you inquire with, always look out the window for more companies. There are over 100 Rwanda car rental companies so sticking with one is not a good idea. Go with an agency that will offer you a decent car at the cheapest rate.

Book with smaller companies – If you want to save on car rental in Rwanda, then you should always go with small company but not starter. Big companies have lots of clients and so normally over charge since they know they can get clients in a blink of an eye. Avoid the big guns and save some money for other things.

Dont rent from the airport – Majority of car rental companies always add an extra fee to transfer the car to the airport and that’s why you should avoid it and visit the office to pick up your rental car. Booking private cab or hotel shuttle wil help you save some money.

Ask about discounts – Dont be shy when talk9ing or chating with the reservations personnel, ask if they offer special discounts and how you can get one. Discounts are not only reserved for return clients but also first time customers. It will depend on type of car and number of days you wish to use it.

Rent the smallest car – If you are traveling solo or as a couple, then it’s good idea to rent the smallest car around and save money. The Toyota Rav4 and Premio are two cars that shouldn’t miss on your rental list. Small cars are good fuel economizers plus easy to drive around , so it’s a sure win when you go with one.

Ditch the extras– If you want to get cheap car rental deal in Rwanda, then 7you should forego extras like a GPS, car seats, insurance to mention but a few. For instance; You could use a phone as GPS and lower the costs.

Research about fuel rates– This is a very important tip especially if you are going for self drive road trip in Rwanda. Go online and learn about how much fuel it will take per km and the best gas stations around the area to avoid falling victim of fraudsters or overspending.

To rent a car in Rwanda this season , contact us now by sending an email to info@rwandacarrentalservices.com or call us on +256-700135510 and talk to our experts.

The Congo Nile Trail, Rwanda

The magnificent Congo Nile trail is arguably the best path for hikers and mountain bikers in search of adventure in Rwanda . It stretches from Rubavu in the north of Lake Kivu, traversing scenic landscapes with dirt roads through the magnificent Nyungwe forest in the south to Rusizi.

The 227km long trail is an extension of natural dirt roads plus single trails gently curving through a thriving jungle and flourishing farmlands. Bikers ride through banana and coffee plantations, fishing communities and meet several women carrying loads of foodstuffs especially bananas, fruits like avocadoes and firewood taking them to markets for sale. The Congo trail of Rwanda weaves through numerous hills and mountains and on the right are a number of peninsulas with terraced hillsides that give the lake a shapeless coastline.

From the lake, it is a delight ascending into the cool breeze around the rich green tea plantations with various tea pickers. The trail further ascends via a divide which separates the Congo Rivers and the Nile. This is how the trail gets its name. The long rugged dirt roads later on connect to the thinner route that gets into Nyungwe forest national park. Here, you are likely to come across orchid, butterflies and you’ll surely see various forest birds. Nyungwe is home to chimps and many other primates which the tourists have a great chance to spot or at least hear their calls.

The Congo Nile trail was founded in 2011, but later on in 2014, the latter half of the trail became a paved thoroughfare connecting Kibuye and Kamambe. You can return to the start by stopping at Kibuye and taking a ferry. If you still want to explore more of Lake Kivu using the Congo trail, connect to Kamambe in the south of the lake through tea plantations and Nyungwe forest national park. The Congo trail tour is an impressive trip that involves interacting with locals including the cheerful children, riding through scenic areas, hiking along stunning plantations and siting primates and other wildlife in Nyungwe.

Regardless of how primitive the dirt roads besides Lake Kivu are, the place is safe and secur. Rwanda is today one of the countries in Africa to be in and feel safest. The people are friendly, weather favorable and is filled with interesting things to see and discover. A guided biking tour along the Congo Nile trail is the best way to explore the Nile , villages and also get chance to interact with the locals as well. For more details about biking tour , contact us via info@rwandacarrentalservices.com or make a call on +256-700315510 to speak with our reservations personnel.

How to Book Gorilla Trekking Permits in Uganda

A gorilla safari permit is described as a document issued out by the Uganda wildlife authority to allow you participate in the gorilla trekking experience in any of the national parks that harbor the endangered Mountain Gorillas. You can book for a gorilla trekking permit online through a trusted Tour Operator in Uganda like Mumwe Global safaris or book directly with the Uganda Revenue Authority.

However, we advise travelers to book the gorilla trekking permit with a Tour Operator because it is easy and faster compared to booking with UWA where there is a lot of hustle involved during the booking process. And another additional benefit of booking with a Safari Operator, they can assist you organize the entire gorilla safari since they have got wider knowledge about the gorilla families, about various accommodation options as well as knowledge about the nearby communities thus they can assist you arrange your safari itinerary and also book you a suitable accommodation plus all the transportation. Therefore feel free to contact our professional reservation team here at Mumwe Safaris, we can assist you book your gorilla trekking permit as well as arrange the a thrilling memorable gorilla safari.

Alternatively, If you are interested in booking your gorilla trekking permit with the Uganda Wildlife Authority directly by sending an email to the UWA reservation office. The UWA reservation team assists you provide the availability of permits on your dates of travel and if there are no permits on that date then you can request them to update you about the nearest dates when they will be available.

It is also important to note that gorilla trekking in Uganda in done two destinations which include; Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park, unfortunately due to the unreliable gorilla families in Mgahinga gorilla national park, A gorilla safari tour is best done in Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park. Therefore when booking for the gorilla trekking permits, it is crucial that you be specific on which park you would like to visit out of the above two.

A typical Uganda gorilla safari adventure starts with briefing at UWA park offices. Here you are grouped into groups of 8 and given a park ranger guide. You are grouped depending on your level of fitness and which gorilla family you are going to trek. Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is worldwide known as the outstanding gorilla trekking destination since it is home to almost half of the remaining mountain gorilla population in the world.

Apparently, the park hosts about 19 habituated gorilla families that have been made available for gorilla tourism. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi forest has been made simple and extremely exciting by dividing the park into four sectors that harbor the various 19 gorilla families in the park. These sectors include; Buhoma sector in the north, Rushaga sector in south, Ruhija sector in the East and Nkuringo sector in the south.

Best time to book for your gorilla safari permit

What is the best time to book a Uganda gorilla permit ? is a frequently asked question by a lot of visitors. We advise tourists to book their gorilla trekking experience at least 6 months prior to the date of travel although the Uganda Wildlife authority allows booking up to two years prior your date of travel. The booking date should target the dry season or peak season which is the time to go gorilla trekking. This is in the months of June to early October and December to full end of February when there is little or no rains expected to interrupt the trekking exercise.

However during the dry/ peak season, the gorilla trekking permits are on a very high demand and very competitive thus they get sold out very fast therefore, remember to book in advance so that you don’t miss out of the stunning jungle adventure.

What is the cost of the gorilla permits in Uganda

The gorilla permits in Uganda is 700 USD per person per experience apparently for the Foreign non Residents, 500 USD for the foreign residents staying in East Africa and Shs 250,000 for the East African residents. As earlier mention, you will not be able to go for that gorilla trek without purchasing the permit. And tourists should note that the Uganda Wildlife Authority abolished low season discounted gorilla trekking permits in Uganda thus they no longer exist.

To after confirming the gorilla permit availability, proceed by sending your tour operator the personal details such as, passport number, name, telephone number, nationality and the date of birth. Later you will have to proceed with payments as well as informing your safari operator about the date of travel you would like to go gorilla trekking.

After booking for gorilla permit, you will receive a scanned copy of your gorilla trekking permit with in a few weeks or days and Upon arrival your Tour Operator has to provide you an original copy of your gorilla permit before you proceed your journey to the park to participate in the exercise. And if you booked with UWA then you will have to go to their head office to collect it.  Your gorilla trekking permit features a unique serial number plus your Personal details written on it.

For more information on how to book a Uganda gorilla safari & permit, contact our professional reservation team here at Mumwe Global safaris by sending an inquiry at info@rwandacarrentalservices.com or call us on +256-700135510 or Tel +256-414699459

Kigali Airport Transfers

Planning to fly to or out of Rwanda any time soon? Let your transfer from the airport to your destination or vice versa be a comfortable and quick one with Rwanda Car rental services. We offer the most reliable airport transfer services for all kinds of travel groups at pocket friendly rates.

Rwanda car rental services has a wide range of cars for hire that best suit airport pick up and drop off at Kigali airport. Looking for a luxury airport transfer in Rwanda or planning to travel on budget basis? We bring you the best of airport transfer services with options from our chauffeur driven Limousines, Mercedes Benz, land cruisers VX and V8. Smaller size cars like Rav4 are recommended for solo travelers with little luggage, couples and other small groups of travelers. For big travel groups, we have spacious minivans, coaster buses and executive buses.

Our professional drivers take you to your preferred destination no matter how far, whether you are staying at a lodge around Kigali or travel ling to the country side. Let it be a wildlife safari to Nyungwe forest national park, Volcanoes national park or Akagera national park, let us know your arrival time so the safari driver waits for you at the arrivals hall where you meet and right away start the tour. Self drive tours are also available at unbeatable rates.

You have an early flight or late arrival at Kigali international airport? Punctuality is part of our culture at Rwanda Car rental services. Get to your next destination on time and carry on all activities as planned. You don’t have to worry about interference with your travel plans due to delays by drivers. They make your journey better by opting for other routes in case of traffic jam or shorter routes.

Rwanda car rental services provide excellent airport transfer services for all travelers that hire cars with us. Let your trip start or end in the best style with expert chauffeurs that are familiar with almost every corner of Kigali and the country.

Travelers who are interested in adventure to Rwanda’s tourist destinations can get the best suggested packages along with our car rental services. For details about car hire at Rwanda car rental services, contact us via info@rwandacarrentalservices.com or make a direct call on +256-700135510.