Difficult to put words on emotions. A very special experience and a childhood dream that I fulfilled. 1 hour was too short but can understand it is not good for gorillas to have 8 people taking pictures non stop all day long. We were fotunate to see the Susa family, one of the biggest group (19 members with 3 silverback and 4 babies). Our guide “Emmanuel” was amazing. Full of knowledge, funny and protective. Porters were always smiling and helpful. Even if you don’t need one (which was my case), give them a tip to help them out. Be ready to bring plenty of cash with you as tipping is quite common and wherever you go there are some minimum donations. All-in it was a great experience and glad I went there.

Words will not express this experience well. It is truly once in a lifetime and very spiritual to be this close to gorillas in nature. I am 51 years old, weigh 250 pounds and I am 5’10”…so far from young and far from thin and in shape but I did it. The hikes vary based on finding your gorilla family but the guides are respectful and do not rush you. It can be difficult in places as it can be muddy and steep but it is 100% worth it all. The porters definitely help you are worth the small cost. You won’t regret doing this!!!!

We did the guided Golden Monkey trek. It was a short walk, maybe 30 minutes, between some local farms to get to the edge of the park. The walk was beautiful, with flowers, farm animals, views of surrounding volcanoes, and local children waving as we went by. The day we visited the monkeys were just a few minutes into the park. At this time of the year, start of the rainy season, the bamboo shoots were starting to come up, so the monkey’s were very busy pulling and eating the shoots. Nice ground level angles for the pictures. Beautiful animals, and very nice to see them in their own habitat. Face masks are required to be worn while near the monkeys to help prevent spread of disease.

The trip was really amazing and we had a great time. We got to see mountain gorillas in close proximity, which was incredible. We also visited the grave of Dian Fossey, who saved gorillas from extinction. Seeing the volcanoes from both Rwanda and Congo was also breathtaking and made the trip even more special.

The Bisoke hike in Volcanoes National Park was really worth every Penny! The tough hike is rewarded with spectacular views of the crater lake and the rainforest. Our ranger, Rukundo, was very knowledgable and we would go with him again. Also, we felt 100% safe during the tour.

Gorilla trekking is the big business in Rwanda tourism, so your morning starts in a procession of Land Cruisers to the large car park and welcome point where over 200 daily visitors gather before being assigned to groups to walk to meet gorillas or golden monkeys. Very nice complimentary coffee is available as well as very clean restrooms. Gorilla trekking distances can very hugely, so if you're not a strong hiker you need to ensure that you or your tour guide lets the national park team know at least the day before and justifies why you should be put in an easy walk group. That may be breathing problems at altitude or any walking difficulties. We were so glad our guide did this for us. We found ourselves in a group with someone who had had his lower leg amputated in the past year - he easily managed to 45 minute each way hike - and a woman who ended up being stretchered up and down the path to meet the gorillas. Like everyone else, she still got to experience the wonder of being just a few feet away from the wonderful gorillas. Hiring the service of a porter for $10 helps ensure you get to reach your goal and also supports the local community for whom that is a decent day's pay. The golden monkey trek is also accessible to all, but you tend to be in a larger group (i.e. more than 8) and those beauties move around in the trees a lot more than gorillas who were settling down for a post-breakfast nap when we met them.

Absolutly fantastic but can be tough hike to see the gorillas. We met our guide and drove 30 minutes to the trail head. Trail is a loose term. 3 guides with machetes amd one lead guide and several porters. We opted for a porter, Em Ma was awesome. It took is two hours of steep muddy hiking to FIND the gorillas and we spent one hour with them. It was amazing. The next day we trekked to see the Golden Monkeys. Much easier climb, but we were lucky as they we feeding in the potato field. Usually they are in the trees and near impossible to photograph. Must wear gaiters, tuck pants into socks and long sleeve shirts. Rain gear is recommended as the weather can change suddenly.

Our favorite activity in Rwanda was the gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park. Trackers and guides led us to a gorilla family. The gorillas know these individuals and are comfortable with their bringing people to observe. We watched the activities of the large family, headed by the Silverback, from just a couple of feet away. It was unbelievable! We felt safe the whole time. We also had a lot of fun at the Gorilla Guardians Village, where we dressed in royal garb and were entertained by reformed poachers and their descendants.

After making the over twenty-one-hour trip from Washington DC to Kigali, Rwanda, we immediately were transported to Volcanoes National Park where the Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda are located. We got a few hours of sleep and then woke up early to climb into the rainforest to locate our gorilla family. We were expecting to make our way through the jungle to observe the gorillas through the trees and perhaps have the opportunity to get a little close to one or two of them. It turned out that we would spend an hour standing and walking amongst the entire gorilla family, who continuously walked in front, behind, and all around us as we spent time with them. It was truly one of the most incredible and unique experiences that we have ever had during our travels.