One of the World's Most Thrilling Wildlife Experiences
Gorilla Tracking in Rwanda’s Parc National des Volcans Extension
Overview
Join your ranger-guide for the exhilarating experience of tracking and observing the mountain gorilla clans that reside in the spectacular montane forests of Parc National des Volcans, where researcher Dian Fossey was based for 13 years. The hiking terrain ranges in altitude from 3,800 to 8,500 feet and preserves one of the largest natural forests in East Africa.
Arrive: Kigali, Rwanda
Depart: Kigali, Rwanda
Highlights
- Hike with your ranger-guide in search of gorilla families in a mountain rainforest
Itinerary
Upon arrival in Kigali, Rwanda, transfer to the Kigali Serena for overnight...D
Head out on a morning tour of the city and the Genocide Memorial Centre, a moving memorial to those who lost their lives in the genocide of 1994 that split the country apart. Afterward, a spectacular 2.5-hour drive brings you to Kinigi, headquarters of the Parc National des Volcans. The drive brings you through awe-inspiring scenery with the towering green shapes of the 12,000-foot Virunga Volcanoes dominating the landscape. Overnight at the Five Volcanoes Hotel (or upgrade to the Sabyinyo Silverback or Virunga Lodge)...BLD
After your briefing with a ranger-guide for guidelines on gorilla tracking during the next two days, enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime thrill of tracking and quietly observing the mountain gorilla clans that reside in the park's montane forests, researcher Dian Fossey's base for 13 years. The hiking terrain ranges in altitude from 3,800 to 8,500 feet and preserves one of the largest natural forests in East Africa. The tracking can be tough—you begin early in the morning and hike through dense forests at moderate altitudes for three to six hours, depending on where we find the gorillas. The hiking is on moderately steep and thickly forested terrain, and the climate is hot and humid. But the rewards are tremendous and the rigors forgotten as soon as you spot a gorilla family and become absorbed in watching these gentle creatures. Overnight at the Five Volcanoes Hotel (or upgrade to the Sabyinyo Silverback or Virunga Lodge)...BLD
Enjoy a second day of gorilla trekking or trek to see the Golden Monkeys, another highlight of Parc National des Volcans. For those interested in the Golden Monkey Trek, you'll depart from the Park's Kinigi Headquarters at 07:00 am with a tracking guide to visit one of the two habituated groups of Golden Monkeys. Visitors are permitted to stay for one hour with the monkeys. Groups are limited to 32 people. In the late afternoon, return to Kigali with overnight at the Kigali Serena...BLD
Transfer to the airport for a midday flight from Kigali...B
Effective January 1, 2018, nationals of all countries can obtain their visa upon arrival in Rwanda without prior application. No passport photos are necessary, and the visa must be paid for in USD. The current fee is $50 USD for each applicant and the visa is valid for up to 30 days.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
Book your trip today
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
Submit the form below to download itinerary
Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.