5 Day Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Tour

Q: 1. What is included in the 5 days gorilla trekking Rwanda tour?

The package includes airport transfers, four nights of accommodation, meals specified in the itinerary, two gorilla-trekking permits and relevant park entrance fees. It also includes scheduled tour activities, private ground transportation in a 4x4 Land Cruiser, an English-speaking driver-guide, drinking water, local taxes and handling charges. International flights, visa fees, travel insurance, tips, personal purchases and meals or drinks not listed in the itinerary are excluded.

Q: 2. Does this Rwanda tour include two gorilla treks?

Yes. The itinerary includes gorilla trekking on two consecutive days in Volcanoes National Park. Each trek is planned around a different habituated gorilla family, giving travellers two separate opportunities to experience the forest, observe gorilla behaviour and enjoy Rwanda’s volcanic scenery. After locating the assigned family, visitors receive a managed observation period of one hour, while following the instructions of their ranger guides.

Q: 3. What is included in the Kigali part of the tour?

The Kigali experience includes a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial before the journey continues to Volcanoes National Park. The guided or self-guided visit provides historical context and an opportunity to learn about remembrance, resilience and Rwanda’s journey of rebuilding. Kigali also serves as the arrival and departure point, with airport transfers included in the itinerary.

Q: 4. How difficult is gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park?

Gorilla trekking can involve steep, muddy and uneven forest trails, and the duration depends on where the assigned gorilla family is located. A reasonable fitness level is recommended. Travellers should bring sturdy waterproof hiking boots, long trousers, a long-sleeved shirt, gardening gloves, rain protection, drinking water and a small daypack. Hiring a porter can make the trek more comfortable while supporting people from communities surrounding the park.

Q: 5. Why choose this package instead of a shorter Rwanda gorilla tour?

This itinerary is suitable for travellers who want more than a single gorilla encounter. Two trekking days provide a second opportunity to observe another gorilla family and experience different forest conditions. The combination of gorilla trekking, Kigali history, local culture and conservation education makes it a strong option for travellers searching for the best 5 day Rwanda Gorilla Package rather than a rushed one or two-day excursion.

Included/Excluded

Included

All airport transfers
4 nights’ lodging in Luxury, Mid Range or Budget properties as indicated in the itinerary
All Meals as indicated in the itinerary
All Gorilla trekking permits and Park entrance fees (Double Gorilla Trekking)
All other tour activities as mentioned in the itinerary
Ground transport in a 4x4 Land cruiser vehicle
English-speaking driver guide
Free mineral drinking water in the vehicle
Local taxes and handling charges

Excluded

Items of Personal Nature
All Tips to Hotels/Lodges/Camps staff and Safari Guide
Other meals not mentioned in the itinerary
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks that are not accompanying meals
All International flights and departure taxes
Visa fees and Travel Insurance

Overview

Itinerary

Cost

FAQs

Map

Overview

Itinerary

Cost

FAQs

Map

Overview

Experience the wonder of Rwanda’s mountain gorillas twice on this unforgettable 5 days gorilla trekking Rwanda tour. Begin your journey in Kigali before travelling through the Land of a Thousand Hills to Volcanoes National Park, where expert ranger guides lead you into the mist-covered forest on two separate gorilla treks. Complete your adventure with meaningful cultural encounters, inspiring conservation stories and comfortable accommodation selected to match your preferred travel style.

Gorilla Trekking and Kigali City tour in Five Unforgettable Days

This carefully planned Gorilla trekking and Kigali CIty tour combines Rwanda’s wildlife, history, culture and conservation within one rewarding itinerary. Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, trek two different habituated gorilla families on consecutive days, connect with local communities and explore the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. For travellers comparing the best 5 day Rwanda gorilla package options, this journey offers more time with mountain gorillas and a deeper understanding of the people and conservation work protecting their forest home.

What to Expect on Your Two Gorilla Treks

Each gorilla trek begins with an early breakfast before travelling to the park headquarters for a ranger briefing and gorilla family allocation. Your experienced ranger guide will explain the trekking guidelines and help you understand what to expect in the forest.

During the trek, you may hike through uneven, steep, muddy, or wet terrain while following signs of gorilla movements. Trekking can take several hours depending on the location of the gorilla family, with ranger guidance throughout the experience.

Once you find the gorillas, you will have a controlled opportunity to observe their natural behaviour and take photographs while following the ranger’s instructions. After the trek, return to the lodge for lunch, relaxation, and time to recover before your next activity or trek.

Best Time for Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is available throughout the year, so you can plan your safari according to your travel schedule. Drier periods of June through August and December through February may provide easier trail conditions, while wetter periods of September through November and March through May can bring muddy and more challenging paths through the forest.

Mountain weather can change quickly, even during generally drier periods, so visitors should be prepared for rain and changing conditions. Good hiking shoes, waterproof clothing, and suitable trekking gear can make the experience more comfortable regardless of when you visit.

Highlights

Kigali Genocide Museum
Local Culture Immersion
Two days of lifetime encounter with Mountain Gorillas
Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund

Day 01 :

Arrival at Kigali International Airport

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be welcomed by our designated meet-and-greet lounge host, who will help you with Immigration procedures and luggage collection. Please look for a white signboard with your name. Thereafter, you will be handed over to our waiting driver guide, who will transfer you to your hotel for check-in, dinner and overnight.

Lodging: The Retreat (Luxury), Hotel Des Milles Collines (Midrange) or Chez Lando Hotel (Budget)
Meals: Dinner

Day 02 :

Kigali Genocide Museum and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

Meet and greet with our driver guide at the airport or hotel and then drive to Kigali Genocide Museum; a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a place of remembrance and reflection. Learn about Rwanda's tragic history and the resilience of its people. Here you will pay tribute to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi and gain a deeper understanding of the country's journey towards healing and reconciliation. After the memorial visit, you will embark on a scenic drive to the North, Volcanoes National Park, home to the endangered species of Mountain Gorillas.

Along the way, you will enjoy the scenic beauty of the hilly countryside and understand why Rwanda is known as ‘The Land of a thousand hills.’ Upon arrival at your lodge, check-in and rest. Dinner and overnight stay.

Lodging: Singita Kwitonda Lodge (Luxury), Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (Mid-range) or Ingagi Park View Lodge (Budget)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 03 :

First Gorillas Tracking

The highlight of your journey awaits on this day-Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. After breakfast at 06:30 am, head to the headquarters and meet with excellent and well-informed local park guides, who will share with you the etiquette of Mountain Gorillas tracking, based on their experience with Gorillas.
After that, board your safari vehicle and drive to the trailhead of your first Gorilla Trekking experience. Hike into the forest to where the Gorillas were seen the night before and track from that point with the communication of the advance group of trackers. The trek can take from 1 to 8 hours and climb to an altitude not in excess of 7,500 feet.

The terrain is rough and at times muddy. Although the hike is physically demanding, the beauty of the forest and surrounding scenery make the trekking worthy. Once the Gorillas are located, all fatigue is forgotten, as the experience is often described as ‘one of the most thrilling and meaningful wildlife encounters on earth’. When your one-hour time with the Gorillas group ends, return to the starting point where your driver guide will be waiting for you. He will take you back to the lodge for lunch followed by an afternoon at leisure, reflecting on your life changing experience with Gorillas. Dinner and overnight stay.

Lodging: Singita Kwitonda Lodge (Luxury), Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (Midrange) or Ingagi Park View Lodge (Budget)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 04 :

Second Gorillas Tracking and Local Culture Immersion

After breakfast 06:30 am, head to the headquarters for procedures leading up to your second Gorillas tracking, visiting a different Gorilla family. When trekking is finished, head back to your lodge for lunch and in the afternoon; visit the Gorilla Guardians Village Kinigi to engage in the local cultures and lifestyles; lifestyles; where you’ll meet former park poachers now turned into conservationists and experience first-hand local traditions. Dinner and overnight stay.

Lodging: Singita Kwitonda Lodge (Luxury), Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (Midrange) or Ingagi Park View Lodge (Budget)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 05 :

Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Transfer to Kigali and International Departure

On this day after breakfast, visit the recently opened Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund to learn much about the legacy of late Dian Fossey and the conservation of Mountain Gorillas. Established in 1967, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund works to protect, study Gorillas and their habitats and to empower people who live near their forest home. With a team of almost 300 working in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Fossey Fund is the world’s longest-running and largest organisation dedicated entirely to Gorilla conservation.

In 2022, the organisation moved to its first permanent, purpose built home: the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund nestled in a beautiful, reforested landscape near the Volcanoes National Park. The Ellen Campus is the workplace of the Fossey Fund team and it is also open to the public. Visitors are welcome to explore the state-of-the-art public exhibit and nature trails and to interact with Fossey Fund staff who have dedicated their careers to saving Mountain Gorillas. When this tour is finished, farewell to Volcanoes as drive back to Kigali and onwards to Kigali Airport. Drop-off and departure. END OF THE TOUR!

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand all

1. What is included in the 5 days gorilla trekking Rwanda tour?

2. Does this Rwanda tour include two gorilla treks?

3. What is included in the Kigali part of the tour?

4. How difficult is gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park?

5. Why choose this package instead of a shorter Rwanda gorilla tour?

5 Days Gorilla Trekking Rwanda Tour with Double Gorilla Encounters

Duration

Group Size

Tour Type

5 Days Gorilla Trekking Rwanda Tour with Double Gorilla Encounters