Ecotours is a delivered from ecotourism which is a form of tourism termed as responsible tourism/travel towards natural areas, conserving the environment and improving the livelihood of locals. This kind of tourism has greatly been influential towards the growth and popularity of gorilla trekking in Rwanda. Ecotours creates an atmosphere for the proceeding of the form of tourism to the next generation.
Gorilla trekking has gained the stature of being the Africa’s highlight of the rest of the adventures. The adventure involves guest/trekkers direct contact with nature, not like wildlife adventures were mainly tourist have to experience and enjoy nature while seated comfortably in their customized safari vehicles.
For the case of gorilla trekking, one has to disturbingly bump into the forest and proceed with a walk through the misty, moist, slippery, muddy thick volcanic forests and bamboos for a glimpse at the gorillas.
So, considering ecotours Rwanda stands to be a great idea for gorilla trekking. And all what is done about gorillas trekking is responsible to ensure that the gorillas and their habitats remain authentic even too many generations to come.
What is all about ecotourism?
Ecotourism is a sub-component of sustainable tourism which looks towards maximization of the ecological benefits while contributing to the economic, social and cultural well being of communities surrounding the ecotourism destination.
From 1980s ecotourism became a critical endeavor by environmentalists who wished the future generations to experience destinations relatively as they were almost untouched by human activities. Ecotourism focuses on educating travelers on the environment of the surrounding natural ecological conservancy, and on the local communities. Travelers here, are not only looked at as source of incomes, but there are considered to be the catalyst of conservation of environment.
Eco – Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
Then eco – gorilla trekking is concern at leading trekkers to become alarmed visitors. Actually, gorilla trekking in Rwanda is surrounded and guided with ecological activities which are aimed at the secured continuity of adventures. Eco-gorilla trekking started earlier in the times of late American zoologist Diana Fossey who initiate gorillas’ conservation efforts. Actually, Fossey couldn’t even agree with gorilla tourism after she discovered that these were endangered species.
There are a lot of undertakings which are done around Volcanoes National Park and they are ecological encounter to ensure the tomorrow of the mountain gorillas. International Union for Nature Conservation (IUNC) unlisted the mountain gorilla from the Red List of critically endangered species to critically endangered species.
The conservation study has registered a big chance in the number of mountain gorillas in the wild and this is a result of eco – gorilla trekking. So, ecotours Rwanda is such a great deal as far as gorilla trekking is concerned.
How ecotourism has influenced gorilla trekking
Eco-gorilla trekking has influenced a lot on how gorilla trekking activities should be conducted in Rwanda. Some of these activities that have influenced gorilla trekking are directed to trekkers/guests and the rest are set to be observed by conservationists and communities around the areas.
Gorilla Habituation Experience
Before gorillas are made ready for trekking in their natural habitat are first taken through the exercise aimed at making them familiar to human presence. The process continues for a period not beyond 2 years until the apes are full consent the presence of human in their premises. Mountain gorillas are the largest among the ape family and primate species.
And again, these are aggressive apes which can react in form of attacking any threat, so it important to make sure that there is no chaos into the forests on the trekking. So, keeping the gorillas unbothered when seen intruders in their forests, their minds have to be revamped to familiarity.
Number of trekkers
All gorilla families to trek in Rwanda should be fully habituated, and every group is trekked by a limited number of 8 on a daily basis. At briefing guests are grouped 8 in each group to enter into the forest and initiate a search on a single habituated gorilla family.
Each group of 8 is assigned to an armed ranger guide who guides through the forest to search the gorillas. This is of the few incidents where travelers are directly in contact with gorillas, but it’s ensured that there is not any kind of bothering the apes.
Time spent with gorillas
To keep them natural, when the gorillas are encountered there is a limited hour of watching them. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda gives trekkers a chance of only an hour in their presence. This is done to make the gorillas concentrate on their natural atmosphere with limited time of intruders.
Gorilla trekking etiquette
Can’t go trek gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park without being taught the acceptable behavior into the forest. Gorilla trekking etiquette are guideline on how guests/ =trekkers should conduct themselves when trekking and with the gorillas.
Must have a permit
Without a trekking permit, it’s impossible to trek mountain gorillas. Every habituated gorilla group is assigned to 8 permits, these permits are aimed at fundraising for conservation efforts of the mountain gorillas in Rwanda. A permit to trek at Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park costs $1,500 to trek a day.
Empowering surrounding communities
Communities surrounding Volcanoes National Park were arranged and organized to indirectly and directly gain from gorilla trekking. The communities have been involved in the conservation efforts a way to divert their action from encroaching and poaching through the gorillas’ parks. The communities are directly involved in eco – gorilla trekking by presenting their cultures and traditions to trekkers.
The cultural visitation is a great complement on your gorilla trekking where the locals particularly the Batwa showcase their daily and narrates about their lives. The common traditional and local community to visit on your eco – gorilla trekking adventure is Iby’Iwacu village, it’s a demonstration community about the life of Rwanda.
Responsible ecotourism activities on gorilla trekking
- Every habituated gorilla family in visited once a day
- 8 and below trekkers are allowed into the forest to trek and find the single habituated gorilla family.
- Several adventures activities are created beside gorillas in the park to release pleasure on the gorillas
- Permits are highly costed in that every trekker contribute highly on the conservation of the gorillas.
- Gorilla habituation to ensure harmony into the forest