A new study has ranked visiting Rwanda’s mountain gorillas as the number one wildlife tourism experience that people should take part in around the world.
The ranking shows that encountering mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s forests is one of the most unique tourism experiences, giving visitors the opportunity to see these extraordinary animals in their natural environment rather than observing them in captivity.
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Bailey Robinson Conducts Wildlife Experience Study
The study was conducted by Bailey Robinson, a British luxury travel company, through a survey known as the Wildlife Experience Index.
The index ranked 30 of the world’s most exceptional wildlife tourism experiences. It assessed destinations based on factors including the uniqueness of the animals, accessibility, conservation importance, location, how visitors can reach the destination, and the chances of seeing the animals.
Bailey Robinson specializes in organizing luxury travel experiences and conducted the analysis to identify exceptional destinations for wildlife tourism.
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Rwanda Scores 90 Out of 100
Visiting Rwanda’s mountain gorillas ranked first in the study, scoring 90 out of 100 points.
The high ranking was largely attributed to the strong chances visitors have of seeing the gorillas under the guidance of experienced gorilla trackers.
In Rwanda, gorilla trekking takes place in Volcanoes National Park, where visitors are divided into small groups and assigned a gorilla family to follow under the guidance of knowledgeable guides.
Limited Permits Protect the Gorillas
To ensure that gorilla tourism does not negatively affect the animals’ well-being, strict regulations have been introduced to limit the number of visitors.
Only 96 permits are issued each day in Rwanda. This makes gorilla trekking an exclusive experience while also helping prevent the gorillas from being disturbed by large numbers of visitors.
The approach also contributes to the conservation of gorillas and their habitat because tourism revenue supports forest protection and efforts to combat activities that threaten wildlife.
Communities living near Volcanoes National Park also benefit from income generated through tourism.
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Only About 1,000 Mountain Gorillas Remain
The study indicates that only about 1,000 mountain gorillas remain in the world.
They live in the forests of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, making the opportunity to see them a rare experience for nature lovers.
Gorilla trekking is therefore not only a tourism activity but also plays an important role in conserving the endangered species.
People wishing to visit gorillas in Rwanda are advised to prepare for a mountain trek.
The activity can require several hours of walking through volcanic forests and along challenging trails, making physical preparation important for visitors.
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Other Wildlife Experiences Ranked
Besides gorilla trekking, Bailey Robinson’s Wildlife Experience Index highlighted several other exceptional wildlife experiences around the world.
These include seeing Emperor penguins in Antarctica, Saiga antelopes in Kazakhstan, snow leopards in the Himalayan mountains, and Javan rhinos in Indonesia.
Other experiences among the top ten include visiting black rhinos in Namibia and Kenya, polar bears in Svalbard, and orangutans in Borneo.
Rwanda Among Africa’s Leading Wildlife Destinations
In Africa, besides Rwanda and Uganda, which featured prominently because of their mountain gorillas, other countries included in the ranking are Namibia and Kenya for their black rhinos, the Democratic Republic of the Congo for its Eastern lowland gorillas, and Botswana and Tanzania for their wildlife-dog viewing experiences.
