skip to Main Content

Double Rwanda Gorilla Trekking

Volcanoes National Park

Overview

This gorilla safari is an exciting adventure lasting 6 days, dubbed Double Rwanda Gorilla Trekking tour. This safari to the jungles of Parc Volcanoes, home of the mountain of gorillas cannot be matched easily. The park has 8 groups of gorillas and tracking 2 different families in 2 days leaves you with unforgettable life memories.

This Double Rwanda Gorilla Trekking safari includes a trek to Dian Fossey’s grave at the Karaoke research camp who was a great primatologist that advocated for the freedom of the primates especially the mountain gorillas.

Highlights

  • Day 1: Kigali – Volcanoes National Park
  • Day 2: Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Tour
  • Day 3: Dian Fossey Trek
  • Day 4: Second Rwanda Gorilla Tour
  • Day 5: Volcanoes National Park – Kigali City
  • Day 6: Kigali – departure flight home

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Kigali – Volcanoes National Park

You will be picked from the airport by a company representative after going through the covid-19 protocols. Transfer to Kigali city for coffee and bites or brunch before embarking on the drive to Volcanoes National Park for our Double Rwanda Gorilla Trekking safari.

Dinner and overnight stay at Gorilla Nest Lodge (High end lodge) or Davinci Lodge Rwanda (Moderate facility) or Kinigi Guest House (Budget facility)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 2: Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Tour

Wake up to have an early breakfast, and head to the park headquarters for briefing about the park rules regarding gorilla tracking. After the brief head into the jungle to search for the mountain gorillas and on encountering them your allowed time with them is 1 hour to watch them play, feed and groom each other.

Please be watchful for great opportunities to take unforgettable photographs of this life memorable experience. Do bring rain gear, comfortable covered walking shoes/boots, insect repellent, sun screen, a hat, packed lunch, bottled mineral water, a well charged camera and wear trousers for the activity.

Return for dinner and overnight stay at Gorilla Nest Lodge (High end lodge) or Davinci Lodge Rwanda (Moderate facility) or Kinigi Guest House (Budget facility)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3: Dian Fossey Trek

Have your breakfast before returning to Volcanoes National park for the famous hike to the tomb of Dian Fossey a great primatologist who advocated for the freedom of the primates. Learn much more about her life with the gorillas in Rwanda.

Dinner and overnight stay at Gorilla Nest Lodge (High end lodge) or Davinci Lodge Rwanda (Moderate facility) or Kinigi Guest House (Budget facility)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4: Second Rwanda Gorilla Tour

Wake up early and after breakfast head for another day of Gorilla tracking in a different Gorilla family. Enter into the jungle to search for the shy mountain gorillas and when you meet them relax and enjoy watching with them for an other 1 hour.

Dinner and overnight stay at Gorilla Nest Lodge (High end lodge) or Davinci Lodge Rwanda (Moderate facility) or Kinigi Guest House (Budget facility)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5: Volcanoes National Park – Kigali City

Drive back to Kigali after breakfast with a stopover at another genocide memorial centre and  visit the local markets to look at possible curios to take home as souvenirs. Have lunch in Kigali city and proceed to check in at your overnight accommodation dinner and overnight stay at Serena Kigali Hotel (High end lodge)  (Moderate facility) or Mills Collins Hotel  (Budget facility)

Day 6: Departure flight home

Morning departure to Kigali international airport after breakfast to go through the covid-19 protocol checks before  your out bound flight home.

Meal plan: Breakfast

End of service

This Safari Package Includes

Accommodations and meals as per the safari program

  • 2 Gorilla permits
  • Hike to the Dian Fossey graves
  • Transportation by safari vehicle
  • An English speaking driver guide
  • Park entrance fees
  • Genocide memorial visit
  • En-route lunch

The Safari Exclusions

The expenses of personal nature like: Air fare, Visa, soda/alcoholic drinks, laundry, tips to local guides, telephone, and porter fee while trekking, personal insurance, personal shopping bills.

Rwanda gorilla trekking interesting facts

Rwanda gorilla trekking interesting facts include the fact that it is in Rwanda that gorilla trekking started. Studies on mountain gorillas and their conservation are well known most especially the great works of Dian Fossey which later resulted in the habituation of mountain gorillas to be trekked by tourists. There is no doubt that Rwanda remains one of the sought after destination for gorilla trekking followed by Uganda and then Democratic Republic of congo.

Did you know that Rwanda gorilla permit prices are always high compared to Uganda and Democratic republic of Congo? This is one of the most interesting factors and yet this does not reduce on the number of tourists trekking Rwanda gorillas. A gorilla permit in Rwanda costs USD1500.00 while in Uganda it costs USD600.00.

Among Rwanda gorilla trekking interesting facts is that Rwanda was the first country to allocate habituated gorilla families based on interest, age and physical interests. With this, an individual is allocated a gorilla family depending on his interest, age or physical fitness. Uganda has also learnt from Rwanda and they are doing the same. Initially, one would buy a gorilla permit of a given gorilla family and would expect to trek that particular family. This would result in the selling of gorilla permits of given gorilla families first and then others later. However, this has changed and permits in Uganda are issued out per region and the allocation also depends on interest, age and physical fitness.

Among the other Rwanda gorilla trekking facts is that in Rwanda, gorilla trekking briefing takes place in one place and then tourists are transferred to different gorilla family trail heads or starting points. This gives an impression that gorilla trekking in Rwanda is a bit different from that of Uganda. During Rwanda gorilla trekking briefing, tourists are treated to a cup of tea as well as traditional dances before briefing and eventual transfer to the starting points of gorilla families. After gorilla trekking, they again return to pick their gorilla trekking certificates. Contrary, In Uganda and particularly Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, gorilla trekking briefings take place in different places due to the fact that Bwindi Impenetrable National park has four separate regions and each region has a headquarter where briefings take place. These regions are Buhoma in the north, Ruhija in the East, Nkuringo and Rushaga in the south. Each region is far from the others hence clients cannot be joined for briefing. Each region has its own habituated mountain gorillas that can be trekked. This is one of the major and determining factor when it comes to booking gorilla permits and accommodation in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Other Rwanda gorilla trekking interest factors include checking gorilla permit availability online. It is now practically possible to check gorilla permit availability for Rwanda on line. This method will show you how many gorilla permits are remaining helping you to plan when to travel. While it is possible to check, you can not book them online. You need to contact Rwanda Development Board or with Off Road Safaris – we offer tours to Rwanda and can go through the hustle of booking for you Rwanda gorilla permits.

Another interesting Rwanda gorilla trekking fact is that did you know that Rwanda does not offer low season gorilla permits? While Uganda offers Discounted Gorilla permits in April, May and November, Rwanda does not offer any discount but still able to attract clients during those months.

Back To Top