Gorilla tracking logistics question
 

Hi,
I will have 4 full days (not including travel) in Rwanda--apparently I can secure tracking permits any of those days. I am tracking two times. Does anyone have an opinion or are there any reasons to prefer seeing the gorillas my first two days in-country as opposed to my last two days? The rest of my itinerary will depend on when I decide to see the gorillas.

Thanks for any tips!

Well, first I have to say HOORAY!!!! So glad you're planning this trip. :)

Based on my own experience of getting stuck at the Uganda/Rwanda border thanks to political issues in the DRC, I think if you don't really need to plan a trek your first day in Rwanda, you might as well not. That way if there are any issues at all with your flight, lost luggage, other transportation, etc. you won't have the stress we did about whether or not you'll make it to your trek. Also, you can get a good night's sleep beforehand (unless you are too excited to sleep, which is totally possible).

Perhaps if you have plans to do things in Kigali or go golden monkey trekking you could do this your first day? And, are you adding this onto a longer trip (Uganda or Kenya)? Apologies if you posted that in another thread and I didn't see it.

I'm excited for you!

Thanks, MDK. I think I'll try for the last two days and "fill in" the first couple days as needed. You guys should come! I'm doing the Rwanda portion solo, booking with R & N.

I was on the phone with Delta almost constantly the last couple of days seeing if I could redeem miles. Fortunately, so was Patty because she made it happen for me! :D There is no way I cold have gotten the flights without her.

Just be sure if you do a trek the last day you don't have to leave too early. Depending on the group you see you might not be back till late afternoon. I guess you could be considered "checked out" and they would have your bags set aside.
But if you have to catch a flight you might run into a problem.

When are you going?

I would hate for you to go right to the gorillas as soon as you get there. It is nice to settle in for at least a full day. However, to do it all the way at the end of the trip (like I did) might be a long wait. Your energy might be lower.

How many days are you going to be there?

Hi Lillipets, what I was thinking was gorilla trekking--tracking?--my last two full days, then o/n in Kigali and get a flight to NBO the next day. Would that work? I'm going mid-June. I arrive NBO from US very late on the 11th, was going to o/n there and fly to Kigali on the 12th, exchange money, see a bit of the city, other business that day. Then I need to be back in NBO the afternoon of 17th.

Because this is June I want to nail down my permits ASAP.

Thanks, Wayne. By the way, I dropped your name with Nyagah. He remembers you and now he calls me "a friend of Hazle." :)

Well, other guys do the tracking, so I think what we tourists do is just trekking. ;)

I do wish I could come with you. But I think there's no Africa for us in 2010. (And, you know, it might take me until June 2010 just to finish my latest trip report!)

Great news Leely. Would love to be heading back to the Gorilla's! We also used R&N for Rwanda & everything went as we wished it would. You should be fine just going back to Kigali after your last gorilla trek. What time is your flight to NBO? We stayed at the park the night of our last trek & drove to Kigali the next morning with time to go to the genocide museum before our NBO flight. I think since you are coming from the US it is wise of you not to trek the first day. Give yourself a bit of a chance to get over the flight. J

Leely are you flying from San Francisco to NBO? You will be exhausted the day of arrival (at least we were when we flew to Cairo, and my son, who lived in Uganda the better part of two years, always was upon return from the States).

Patty is the flight wizard!

Leely, it is coming together for you. That extra day recovering from jet lag will help you out if your gorilla trek is particulary tough.

Your schedule looks fine--track, then back to Kigali.

Very exciting!

Thanks for the good advice and the well wishes, everyone. Unless suddenly availability disappears, I'm going to trek--and maybe I'll even track--the last two days I'm in Rwanda. Remember, I have room in my vehicle so if anyone wants to tag along it's "just" a matter of arranging permits!

Good luck in getting tagalongs. Since they did not go with me last Aug, they may still be available to go with you.