"A once in a lifetime experience seeing... " a Rwanda Travel Page by skl22

I was lucky enough to visit Rwanda for just one day as part of a longer trip around East Africa. We were there to see the mountain gorillas in the Parc National des Volcans, the National Park which encompasses the three corners of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

We entered early in the morning, having bribed the border guards to stamp our passports at the back so that we wouldn't need to buy another set of East African visas (we all had single entry). From the border crossing just outside Kisoro in Uganda, we travelled for around an hour on very high quality roads (much better than anywhere else in East Africa) on to Kigale. There we split into groups of 6-8 to go to see individual families of gorillas.

To reach the family involved a trek of about an hour, including some steep climbing through dense vegetation. Other families are in more accessible spots but all require some trekking, and sometimes, if the family moves, you could spend all day trekking and not find them - it is all in the skill of the guides and a certain amount of luck. Be warned - wear long sleeves and long trousers to protect yourself despite the heat, and listen to the guides about which plants are to be avoided!

The experience was truly magical. The family we saw was a family of 8, including a youngster and a teenage gorilla. They seemed generally not too bothered by our presence and our guides were very good and informative. Spending time in the presence of these animals is something I will never forget - they are simply amazing.

We also had the interesting experience of being accompanied byt a large group of soldiers - there to protect us due to the risk of poachers, particularly those coming across the border from DRC.

All in all, an experience to be highly recommended, despite the apparently high price. Much of it goes to sustain the tourist trade and the ongoing protection of the gorillas - unless protecting them is more profitable than selling them then they will not be around for long, and there are clear limits on how many people can ever go to see them on any given day.

Apply early for permits if you can - tour companies often buy them in advance, though I believe this practice is being stopped. Do some more research to ensure that you will be able to see them once you get there.