Gorilla Trekking is a highly sought-after, distinctive and exceptional adventure in Africa. This activity allows visitors to have magical and life-changing encounters with the gentle giant gorillas inhabiting the Kahuzi Biega National Park in Congo (DRC) and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, specifically for lowland and mountain gorilla tracking, respectively. Additionally, travelers can engage in wildlife viewing at the Akagera NP, and venture to the Nyungwe NP for Chimpanzee Trekking.
Cost Includes
- Park fees (For non-residents)
- Chimp permits (One per person, non-resident)
- DR Congo Gorilla permit (One per person, non-resident)
- Golden monkey permits (One per person, non-resident)
- All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
- All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
- A professional driver/guide
- All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
- All Taxes/VAT
- Roundtrip airport transfer
- Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
- Drinks (As specified in the day-by-day section)
Cost Excludes
- Rwanda Gorilla permit $1500 (We can organize this for you)
- International flights (From/to home)
- Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
- Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
Tour Plan
Embark on your journey from Kigali to Akagera National Park. Upon arrival at your lodge, check-in, hot lunch and head-out to enjoy a boat excursion on Lake Ihema. Later, return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Ruzizi Tented Camp (Luxury) Akagera Safari Lodge (Mid-range) Dereva Hotel (Budget)
Meal plan: Lunch & Dinner
After an early morning breakfast, we embark on a half-day game drive. you have an opportunity to get up close to a variety of wildlife species in their natural habitat. The game drive allows you to witness the beauty of the park and observe animals such as Lions, Leopards, rhinos, elephants, zebras, giraffes, and various antelope species.
Upon completing the game drive in Akagera National Park, we exit the park through the Northern gate. From there, we proceed to Volcanoes National Park, which is situated in the northwestern part of Rwanda. The journey to Volcanoes National Park takes you through Byumba, offering picturesque views of the Rwandan countryside along the way.
Accommodation: Mountain Gorillas View Lodge (Luxury) Le bambou Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range) La Palme Hotel (Budget)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After an early morning breakfast, your driver guide will transfer you to the briefing area at the headquarters of Volcanoes national park. The ranger guide will share tip on the dos and don’ts during your time in the jungle and encountering mountain gorillas. In the meantime, you will enjoy traditional Rwandan dancers and pure Rwandan coffee as you wait to start your trek. After the briefing you are distributed in different gorilla family groups to start the trek. Gorilla trekking requires that you be relatively fit to enjoy hiking in the Volcanoes.
If the family of gorillas you visit is nearby and you are able to finish this activity in the morning, you will visit the gorilla guardian’s village to learn more about the Rwandan culture and the people who co-existed with the gorillas for centuries.
Accommodation: Mountain Gorillas View Lodge (Luxury) Le bambou Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range) La Palme Hotel (Budget)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After an early morning breakfast, drive to the park headquarters at Kinigi for golden monkey trekking. These primates are beautiful, endangered, and more agile than mountain gorillas. They inhabit bamboo thickets on the lower slopes of mountains. Trekking them helps acclimatize you to the slight altitude and provides your last views of the park’s surroundings. Following this activity, there will be a transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View (Luxury) Chimpanzee Lodge (Mid-range) Chimpanzee Lodge (Budget)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After an early breakfast, we will drive to the Chimp trekking point. After trekking, the canopy walkway follows. This walkway is 50 meters above ground and 200 meters long. The dizzying platform is above a steep, deep valley across a massive forest. The hanging platform, which allows visitors to view different animal species in the Nyungwe Forest National Park, spreads over hundreds of square meters and will let visitors be at eye level with different primate and bird species, all of which inhabit the upper scales of the forest.
Accommodation: Mantis Kivu Marina (Luxury) Emeraude Kivu Resort (Mid-range) Emeraude Kivu Resort (Budget)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today after your tasty breakfast, you will cross the border at Rusiizi to Tshivanga, the headquarters of Kahuzi Biega NP in Congo (DRC) for your lowland Gorilla Trekking adventure. Upon arrival, you will receive an introduction from the park warden about lowland gorillas, including interesting facts and comparisons with other gorilla subspecies. Following this briefing, you will join a team of experienced rangers and trackers who will drive you closer to the starting point of the hiking trail that leads to where the gorillas can be found.
Gorilla trekking experience can vary from 2 to 8 hours depending on the movements of the gorillas. Once the gorillas are located, you will have the incredible opportunity to spend an hour observing and interacting with them in their natural habitat. After this unforgettable experience, you will return to Bukavu for an overnight stay and If time permits you will cross back to Rwanda.
Accommodation: Mantis Kivu Marina (Luxury) Emeraude Kivu Resort (Mid-range) Emeraude Kivu Resort (Budget)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After an early morning breakfast, transfer back to Kigali marking the end of your safari. Your driver guide will drop you at the airport for your outbound journey back home or your planned hotel.
Accommodation: No
Meal plan: Breakfast & Lunch
