4 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking and Lake Kivu Safari
A 4-day Rwanda gorilla trekking safari through Volcanoes National Park and Lake Kivu
Overview
4-day Rwanda gorilla trekking safari
Rwanda's 4-day Rwanda gorilla trekking safari pairs Volcanoes National Park with Lake Kivu, and the days that follow show how the two fit together.
Explore the Scenic Volcanoes National Park and relax along the beautiful Lake Kivu. These sites are two of Rwanda’s most stunning spots. Volcanoes National Park is where you track globally endangered Mountain Gorillas as well as Golden Monkeys, while Lake Kivu is the perfect place to chill out.
Travel logistics
Start / Finish
Start
- Kigali
- KGLKigali International Airport
Finish
- Kigali
- KGLKigali International Airport
Highlights
What Makes This Safari Special
Trek to mountain gorillas
Wildlife viewing by boat
Explore Kigali
Explore Volcanoes National Park
Explore Lake Kivu
Day by Day
4-day Rwanda gorilla trekking safari itinerary
On arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be met by our tours representative outside the airport arrivals section and transferred to your hotel in Kigali. The evening is yours to settle in, rest after your travels and take in your first impressions of the city.
Your accommodation for the night is at Kigali Serena Hotel or Hotel Des Mille Collines, with breakfast included. Tomorrow morning, after breakfast at your hotel, you set off on a city tour of Kigali before driving on to Volcanoes National Park, so an early night will serve you well.
Breakfast at your hotel Enjoy a City Tour of Kigali. (Cost of city tour included)
The history of Rwanda dates back centuries, Kigali has been a part of it for 100 years. Founded in 1907 as a German settlement, Kigali did not become the capital until Rwanda’s independence in 1962 when it replaced the colonial seat of power in Butare.
Visit old Kigali and the craft centres then visit the genocide memorial site. Learn about Rwanda’s history from pre-colonial times to the 1994 genocide; learn about other genocides in the world and how this country has dealt with that past. Tour more and see the new developments in Rwanda; the recovery has been incredible, a testament to humankind’s resilience.
Lunch in Kigali.
Later, depart Kigali and drive to Ruhengeri. Approximately 2.5 hrs arriving in the early evening at the Volcanoes National Park.
Ruhengeri is the base for Gorilla trekking at the Parc National des Volcans. The town is located only 25km from Uganda boarder and is relatively a small city of about 70,000 people. The constant flow of humanity is quite remarkable. The Town has great views of the surrounding volcanoes. People are very friendly here and although a former Belgian colony (and thus French-speaking), many people speak English here. It is Approximately 2.5hrs drive from Kigali to the Volcanoes National park.
Early breakfast.
0620 hrs: Transfer to the Volcanoes National Park HQs for the gorilla trek.
0700 hrs: Briefing by your trackers then drive to the trail head for the start of your amazing Gorilla Tracking adventure. Porters may be hired for the trek to carry your backpack and gear. The cost is ten USD per person/per day. We advise that you utilize this service.
Your trek starts in the cultivated foothills of the Virunga’s offering stirring views in all directions. When it enters the national park, trekkers will be immersed in the mysterious intimacy of the rainforest, alive with the colorful bird calls, chattering golden monkeys, littered with fresh spoor of the mountains’ elusive buffalo and elephant. Through gaps in the canopy, the magnificent peaks are glimpsed, among the highest in Africa yet easily accessible, beckon an ascent.
Weaving through overhanging vines, moss-covered hagenia trees and giant lobelias that thrive in the tropical climate, our experienced trackers, who have spent their entire lives in or close to this forest, soon bring us up close with one of the Gorilla Families.
Upon sighting the gorillas, you will stay with them for a magical hour as they go about their daily life, feeding, playing, resting; raising their young. Coming face to face with a giant silverback must truly be one of the greatest wildlife experiences on earth!
After the trek, rejoin your driver Guide for a transfer to your lodge/hotel for lunch. Afternoon, drive to Lake Kivu for overnight.
Spend the morning at leisure on the shores of Lake Kivu, with optional leisure activities. (Cost of optional activities offered separately)
Lunch at your hotel.
Afternoon, drive back to Kigali - with onward transfer to the airport for your evening outbound flight. Flight after 1900Hrs Recommended. (Cost of flight not included)
Gallery
Photographs
Where You Stay
Handpicked
Retreats
Every lodge and camp is chosen for its location, character and comfort, so the place you rest is as memorable as the adventure itself.
What's Included
Inclusions & Exclusions
Included
- All activities (unless labeled as optional)
- All accommodation as stated in the itinerary
- A professional driver/guide
- All transportation (unless labeled as optional)
- All Taxes/VAT
- Roundtrip airport transfer
- Drinking water on all days
Not Included
- All Meals (as specified in the day-by-day section)
- International flights (from/to home)
- Tips (tipping guideline US$20.00 pp per day)
- Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- Alcoholic drinks
- Services not mentioned in the program
- Items of a personal nature
Questions
Frequently Asked
The price covers all activities (unless labeled as optional); all accommodation as stated in the itinerary; a professional driver/guide; all transportation (unless labeled as optional); all Taxes/VAT. Budget separately for all Meals (as specified in the day-by-day section); international flights (from/to home); tips (tipping guideline US$20.00 pp per day). Your personalized quote confirms the full breakdown line by line.
This safari runs year-round. Rwanda shifts between dry and green seasons, each with its own advantages for wildlife viewing. Share your travel window and our experts will advise on conditions.
This is a private, tailor-made safari for your own party of 2 to 12 guests. You won't be grouped with strangers. The itinerary, vehicle and guide are yours alone.
You'll stay at Kigali Serena Hotel / Hotel Des Mille Collines, Bisate Lodge / Virunga Lodge / Sabinyo Silverback Lodge / Bishops Lodge / Mountain Gorilla View Lodge and Lake Kivu Serena Hotel / Lake Kivu Gorilla Hotel, as laid out in the day-by-day itinerary. If availability requires it, we substitute properties of a similar or better standard and always confirm before you travel.
Send an inquiry through the form on this page and our safari experts will come back with a personalized quote within 24 hours, free and with no obligation. Once the plan feels right, we lock in your dates and lodges.
Absolutely. Treat the 4-day program as a starting point. We can adjust the pace, upgrade or change lodges, add days, or combine it with other destinations. Tell us what your ideal trip looks like and we'll shape it around you.
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