The new ranking found that encountering mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s forests is one of the most unique wildlife tourism experiences in the world, giving visitors the opportunity to observe these rare animals in their natural daily environment rather than in captivity.
The study was conducted by UK-based travel company Bailey Robinson through its Wildlife Experience Index.
The index ranked 30 of the world’s most extraordinary wildlife experiences. The destinations were assessed based on several factors, including the uniqueness of the animals, their visibility, conservation importance, location, accessibility and the likelihood of visitors seeing them.
Bailey Robinson, a specialist travel company that organizes unique journeys, conducted the analysis to identify some of the world’s most exceptional wildlife tourism experiences.
In the ranking, Rwanda’s mountain gorilla trekking took first place with a score of 90 out of 100. The high ranking was largely attributed to the strong chances visitors have of seeing the gorillas, guided by experienced trackers and guides.
In Rwanda, gorilla trekking takes place in Volcanoes National Park. Visitors are divided into small groups and assigned a specific gorilla family to track under the guidance of trained experts.
Strict regulations have also been introduced to ensure that tourism activities do not disrupt the animals’ natural lives, including limits on the number of visitors allowed to see the gorillas.
Rwanda issues only 96 gorilla trekking permits each day, making the experience highly exclusive while helping protect the gorillas from excessive human disturbance.
The system also contributes to the conservation of mountain gorillas and their habitats, as revenue generated from tourism supports forest protection and efforts to combat activities that threaten wildlife. Communities living near Volcanoes National Park also benefit from the revenue generated by gorilla tourism.
The study notes that only about 1,000 mountain gorillas remain in the world. They live in forests across Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, making an encounter with them a rare opportunity for nature lovers.
Gorilla trekking is not only designed to provide tourists with a memorable experience but also plays an important role in protecting a species that remains vulnerable to extinction.
Visitors planning to trek mountain gorillas in Rwanda are advised to prepare for a physically demanding journey, as the experience can involve several hours of hiking through volcanic forests and challenging terrain.
Other wildlife experiences featured in Bailey Robinson’s Wildlife Experience Index include watching Emperor penguins in Antarctica, observing Saiga antelopes in Kazakhstan, tracking snow leopards in the Himalayas and seeing Javan rhinos in Indonesia.
Other experiences included among the top 10 were black rhino safaris in Namibia and Kenya, polar bear viewing in Svalbard and orangutan encounters in Borneo.
In Africa, besides Rwanda and Uganda, which featured prominently because of their mountain gorillas, other countries included in the ranking were Namibia and Kenya for black rhinos, the Democratic Republic of Congo for Eastern lowland gorillas, and Botswana and Tanzania for African wild dog experiences.
