mountain gorillas of rwanda · national park, on the border of the democratic republic of congo and...

Backcountry Journeys –Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda 1

Landscape & Wildlife Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris 928-478-1521 | [email protected] | www.backcountryjourneys.com

Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda

“I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up that I was not

happy.”

-Ernest Hemingway

Pricing, Dates & Booking

For current pricing, trip dates

& online reservations please

see our website.

Trip Packets

Our PDF Trip Packets are being

updated all the time. Ensure you

have the most recent version by

clicking here.

Last Published: January 30, 2020

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Trip Overview

Join Backcountry Journeys to embark on one of our most adventurous

photography tours as we set off to Rwanda, the ‘heart’ of Africa, to get

up-close with majestic Mountain Gorillas in their natural habitat of the

Virunga Mountains.

This adventure will be a truly life-changing experience as we set out

each day to hike amongst the clouded bamboo forests here in search of

the endangered Mountain Gorilla, a wild beast who shares 98% of its

DNA with humans

Roughly half of the world’s population of Mountain Gorilla lives in the

region in which we’ll visit, an area that is protected by Volcanoes

National Park, on the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo and

Uganda in central Africa. Since the discovery of the mountain gorilla

subspecies in 1902, its population has endured years of war, hunting,

habitat destruction and disease—threats so severe that it was once





thought the species might be extinct by the end of the twentieth

century. Successful conservation efforts by the World Wildlife Fund,

and others, along with tourism, has saved the species. This animal

would likely no longer exist without tourism as it has motivated

governments to protect not only the gorillas but also their habitat. In

fact, new findings show populations in the Virunga Mountains have

grown a few hundred in numbers from as recently as 2010. This puts

the total global wild gorilla population over 1,000 individuals, moving

them from being listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ to ‘Endangered.’

We’ll be sure to find, photograph, and watch these gentle giants as they

spend their days foraging for food and resting. Younger, more curious

gorillas like to climb trees and play, but never out of sight of their

watching mothers.

Experienced guides, park staff, and guards (who are there to protect the

welfare of the gorillas) will accompany us as we trek up the

mountainside each day through thick vegetation on unmarked trails in

search of different gorilla groups.

We’ll also take time to photograph Golden monkeys, the highly

endangered primate who also resides in the Virunga volcanic

mountains. We’ll be on the lookout as the monkeys like to swing across

the canopy of the forest.

There are few experiences like seeing Mountain Gorillas in the wild,

and there are few places left in the world in which to do so. Join

Backcountry Journeys on this six-day-photo tour as we explore the

cloud mountains of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park in search of

these great ‘Gorillas in the Mist.’





Highlights

• Photograph Wild Mountain Gorillas!

• Golden Monkeys

• Mountain Trekking

• Small Groups

• Great lodging included

• Top-notch meals

• Learn from & shoot alongside a seasoned pro





Noteworthy Travel Logistics • This trip begins & ends in Kigali, Rwanda

• The airport to fly in/out is Kigali International Airport (KGL)

Transportation On-Tour • We will provide transportation throughout the trip from Kigali,

Rwanda and back.

• After clearing customs, our tour representative will pick you up

from the airport to bring you to our first hotel





Itinerary Most meals included – (B,L,D) denotes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day One (Travel Day) (D)

Arrive in Kigali, Rwanda. Expect an airport transfer to our hotel.

Tonight we’ll have an orientation meeting and welcome dinner.

Day Two (B,L,D)

Plan for a very early start to our first day of photography as we’ll

depart our hotel in Kigali for Volcanoes National Park (a 2-hour drive)

in time to meet our local guides and park staff before our first trek

into the misty Virunga Mountains in search of gorillas.

Each day while photographing gorillas, we’ll have exactly one hour

with them, using all our time capturing invaluable images of their

different behaviors and family dynamics. Older gorillas will tend to be

either eating or resting, while youngsters play and climb trees under

the watchful eye of their mothers.

After our hike, we’ll check in to our nearby cozy lodge where we’ll stay

each night for the remainder of the tour.

Day Three (B,L,D)

We’ll hike back up into the mountains on Day Three in search of

gorillas. Today, following our hike and photography, we’ll be sure to

take time to rest up and enjoy our African lodge prior to our evening

meal.





Day Four (B,L,D)

We’ll switch things up a bit on day four and seek out another unique,

yet, endangered species that live here at Volcanoes National Park.

The Golden Monkey is a bit smaller than the Mountain gorilla, yet

every bit as alluring.

Our hike today will be quite a bit less strenuous as we are not

ascending the mountains. Instead, we’ll keep our eyes up to our

delight as the Golden monkey swings every which way across the

forest canopy. Again, we will have exactly one hour with monkeys.

Rest, relaxation, conversation, and dinner will close out our

wonderfully exciting day.

Day Five (B,L,D)

On day five we’ll hike back into the cloud forests for one final up-close

encounter with the Mountain gorillas. This part of the Virunga Massif

is where Dian Fossey studied and worked to protect Mountain gorillas

from 1966 until she was murdered (likely by poachers because of her

work to protect these gorillas) in 1985. Fossey’s autobiography was

adapted to make the 1988 feature film, ‘Gorillas in the Mist,’ starring

Sigourney Weaver. We’ll rest up following our hike prior to an evening

meal where we’ll dine on delicious home-prepared foods while

recounting our amazing time spent here in the wilds of Rwanda.

Day Six (B)

On our final morning we will depart our lodge en route back to

Kigali where we’ll discuss our life-altering adventures, and

photographic success, from the past few days prior to saying our

goodbyes and beginning our travels home.





Please Note: Please note that the exact sequence of the itineraries on all photography trips will be based on weather and lighting conditions. The goal on these trips is to make sure we are at the right place at the right time for the perfect light on our subjects. Also, itineraries can change for a variety of other circumstances including floods, forest fires, national park closures, road closures and more. Due to the nature of wildlife and nature photography we do not guarantee any specific sightings or specific compositions regarding wildlife or natural phenomena.





Trip Details

Physical Requirements All participants must be in good physical condition and have the ability

to hike with camera equipment and essential hiking gear. For example,

tripod, camera, lense(s), sunscreen, water (up to 2 liters person) and

snacks. The weight of your pack largely depends on what gear you

choose to bring on each hike. Typically backpacks weigh between 15 and

20 lbs - the choice is yours

Group Size

We keep groups small to maximize your one on one time with the

guide/instructor.

Trip Length

6 days

Meeting Time and Place

Day One in Kigali, Rwanda

Trip Conclusion

Kigali, Rwanda on Day Six. We can drop you off right at the airport!

Price/Start Dates:

Please see our website for current Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda Pricing

and Dates

Accommodation

5 nights lodging included.

Meals

Most meals are included during the trip dates. We often eat snacks and

prepare lunch on the trail. We typically return for a late breakfast or

eat breakfast on the road during photography trips as we are often out

early to capture the morning light.







Weather

Expect warm days with cooler mornings and nights. Rain can occur at

any time of year. There is no such thing as bad weather just poor

layering and gear choices – please plan accordingly! For more info on

what to bring please email or call us.

We recommend checking the weather prior to your trip departure to

plan your gear and clothing packing accordingly.

Price Includes

Most meals, ground transportation, accommodation during the trip

dates from the evening of Day One through the morning of Day Six,

professional photography instruction, park entrance fees, medically

certified wilderness guide, & gratuities for service personnel such as

drivers, pilots, captains as well as hotel & restaurant staff.

Price Does Not Include

Airfare, alcoholic beverages, accommodations before or after the trip

dates, Souvenirs & trip leader gratuities (industry standard is typically

10%-20% of the trip cost based on your experience.)





Conditioning for Photography Trips

The better shape you’re in, the more you will enjoy the trip. Unless you

are very athletic, I recommend walking as often as possible with 15-20

pounds in your backpack, wearing the boots you plan to hike in. You

can alternate this with other cardiovascular & strength routines.

Balance is critical on rough ground. Whatever you can do to improve

your balance will pay big dividends.

Always consult your physician before commencing with a workout

program.

Training by Hiking

The absolute best way to train is by doing the activity you are training

for. If you live where there are trails with

1. Uneven, rocky surfaces

2. Steep terrain

3. And where you can hike multiple miles

Begin by training with a light backpack and hike 3 times/per week. The

most difficult part of hiking for most beginners is the terrain with

uneven footing, the next is the steepness or incline of a trail or

stairway, then the distance. Unless you are already in good shape it is

best to start training 6 weeks before your trip. If where you live there

are no hills, your next best bet would be walking stairs; for example,

hiking up and down stairs will work muscles used in both uphill and

downhill hiking activities. Find a building with many stories, or a

stadium with many steps for your training ground. Make sure all the

while that you use the boots you plan to bring on the tour during your

training.

Additional Training activities include:

• Bike or walk to commute to work or run errands, carry your work

supplies in a backpack if you are walking. Make time for an afternoon





or morning bike ride. This will help increase your cardiovascular fitness

as well as increase strength and endurance in your legs.





Gear List

This gear list should answer a lot of your gear questions so please read

through this carefully. If you still have questions, please give me a call.

A good pair of good synthetic “Smartwool” type socks under sturdy boots

works well. Clothing should be light-weight nylon pants (maybe base-

layers), a polypro shirt and either a sunhat or warm hat depending on

the weather. As weather conditions change add insulating and

waterproof layers to your base setup. Don’t bring any cotton clothing.

Cotton is not a good insulator and once it gets wet it takes forever to

dry. Absolutely no jeans!

Photo & Field Gear

Recommended Camera Gear:

• DSLR or Mirrorless Camera. (Nikon, Canon, Sony, Panasonic etc.) • Telephoto Lenses (ranging from 100-600mm approximately)

• Wide-angle Lenses (10-20mm, 16-35mm or equivalent zoom) • Normal Lenses (ranging from approximately 35mm to 100mm)

• Sturdy but lightweight Tripod (must be able to carry this for

hikes)

• Memory Cards

• Batteries & Chargers

• Lens cleaning pen & cloth

• Camera Day Pack (this should appropriately carry all your camera

& hiking gear and have a rain cover)

• Camera Rain Sleeve

Optional (but still recommended) Camera Gear:

• Back-Up Camera Body

• Sturdy but lightweight Tripod

• Filters such as a circular polarizer

• 1.4x tele converter





• Laptop Computer with Lightroom / Photoshop Pre-Installed(for

personal use in hotels for downloading images while on tour)

• External Hard Drives

• Remote Shutter Trigger

• Camera’s Instruction Manual

Suggested Field Gear & Clothing:

• Personal Field Clothing (safari casual)

• Long sleeved lightweight shirts

• Convertible hiking pants, or lightweight trousers to block sun, and

protect from insects

• Warm top, such as a long-sleeved sweater or fleece jacket

• “Softshell” Jacket lightly insulated windproof/breathable jacket for

layering and protection from wind

• Sturdy Hiking Boots

• Hiking Socks

• Sunglasses

• Casual wear for evenings

• Water Bottle or Hydration System (2 liters)

• Rain shell, waterproof/breathable jacket

• Rain pants (check the weather first!)

• Binoculars (optional) • Sunscreen

• Headlamp with spare batteries

• Gaiters (to protect yourself from the brush in the jungle)

• Protective garden/work gloves (to protect yourself from the brush)

• Trekking poles (optional)

• Personal toiletries & prescription medication

• Money, for tipping your guide (industry standard is generally 10%-20% of the trip cost based on your experience), and for any

personal expenses not included in the tour package such as alcoholic

beverages, a few of the meals, souvenirs, etc.





Note on Packing for the tour:

Please pack your extra clothing, toiletries, extra camera gear, and other

travel items into a suitcase, duffel or travel bag. You will not bring all

your camera gear on every hike or outing. Each evening you will be

briefed on which lenses, filters, etc. you will need to carry the following

day on the scheduled tour or hike.



mountain gorillas of rwanda · national park, on the border of the democratic republic of congo and...

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