5 Days Volcanoes National Park Gorilla Trekking Safari
A 5-day Rwanda gorilla trekking safari from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park
Overview
5-day Rwanda gorilla trekking safari
Starting in Kigali, our 5-day Rwanda gorilla trekking safari heads north to Volcanoes National Park, which protects five of the nine Virunga volcanoes.
Volcanoes National Park is otherwise known as Parc Nationals de Volcans (PNV). The stunning area protects five of the nine staggeringly beautiful Virunga Mountains, each characterized by steep slopes that are blanketed in a thick green, tropical rainforest. The park is home to approximately half the worlds remaining population of the, critically endangered, mountain gorilla. What makes this park more unique is that it hosts seven groups of habituated mountain gorillas.
In this tour, you will be able to get as close as possible to the wildlife without sacrificing your comfort. A nice accommodation with a little touch of luxury will provide you a safe haven during your trip, enhancing your overall experience when you return after a hard day in the wild.
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
Day by Day
5-day Rwanda gorilla trekking safari itinerary
On arrival at Kigali International Airport, a representative from our team will be waiting for you outside the arrivals section. Look out for them as you come through, and they will transfer you to your hotel in Kigali, where you can settle in and rest after your flight.
Your first night is spent in Kigali at the Kigali Serena Hotel or Hotel Des Mille Collines, with breakfast included the following morning. Depending on your arrival time, you may have a little of the evening to yourself before tomorrow's early start, when you will tour the city, visit the craft centres and the genocide memorial site, and then drive on to Ruhengeri, the base for gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
Breakfast at the 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 the 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.
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 at the lodge.
0620hrs. Depart from your lodge with your guide to the National Park headquarters.
Short briefing from your designated “Golden Monkey guide” from the Volcanoes National Park authority. Return from the Golden Monkey trek and drive back to your lodge for lunch. Afternoon at leisure or visit the Ib'iwacu cultural village (Cost offered separately).
Early breakfast at the lodge.
0620 hrs: Transfer to the Volcanoes National Park HQs for your first day of trekking.
0700 hrs: Registration is a simple process where the park staff determines which group of gorillas you will visit. The park staff discusses your fitness level and advises you of the trekking times and conditions to the various groups based upon their location in the park the previous evening. There are a total of 88 gorilla permits available each day with a maximum of eight trekkers visiting any one group.
Once the trekkers are put into groups, each group’s Lead Guide briefs the trekkers of the trekking procedures as well as the “do’s and don’ts” while in the presence of gorillas. After the briefing, trekkers return to their respective vehicles for the drive up the mountain to the starting point.
Trekking can take from two to six or more hours if the gorillas move before the park rangers locate them the next morning. The guides stop frequently to allow trekkers a chance to rest and take photos along the way. 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 for lunch. Afternoon, enjoy a visit of the spectacular and scenic Twin Lakes, Bulera and Ruhondo.
After breakfast, depart from foothills of the volcanoes and drive on a scenic drive to Kigali. Everything and everywhere, sheer green and hanging on the hills; Rwanda truly - land of a thousand fertile green hills. (2.5hrs).
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight(Flight after 1300Hrs 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)
- 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); roundtrip airport transfer. 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 and Bisate Lodge / Virunga Lodge / Sabinyo Silverback Lodge / Bishops Lodge / Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, 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 5-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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