Photo: Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0
Rwanda — Gorilla Trekking
An hour with mountain gorillas, in the land of a thousand hills.
Getting there
Rwanda
Suggested length
3–5 nights, often added to a Serengeti or Mara safari
From
USD 1,500
Ideal for
Bucket-list and milestone travellers
Few hours in travel rival sitting metres from a silverback as his family feeds, grooms and tumbles around you. In Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park, that hour is carefully protected: small groups, strict rules, and permit fees that fund the conservation which brought mountain gorillas back from the brink.
Rwanda makes it remarkably accessible. Kigali is a clean, safe, walkable capital a short drive from the trailheads, the lodges are excellent, and the country adds golden-monkey tracking, the Nyungwe chimpanzees and canopy walk, and the beaches of Lake Kivu.
It's a premium, bucket-list trip and we're upfront about the cost — the gorilla permit alone is significant — but for the right traveller it is unforgettable, and the money does real conservation good.
Highlights
- A permitted hour with a wild mountain gorilla family
- Golden-monkey tracking in the Virungas
- Kigali — clean, safe and moving (the Genocide Memorial)
- Nyungwe chimpanzees and rainforest canopy walk
- Lake Kivu's relaxed beaches
When to go
Long dry
Jun – SepThe easiest trekking conditions — firmer trails and clearer skies. The most popular window; permits sell out.
Short dry
Dec – FebA second drier spell, good for trekking between the rains.
Getting there
Fly via Johannesburg, Nairobi or Addis Ababa to Kigali (KGL), then a scenic two-to-three hour drive to Volcanoes National Park. We secure permits early and arrange every transfer.
Good to know
More in Across Africa
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