3-Day Rwanda Gorilla Safari
$2,600 / personPrivate · lowest rate, US$, subject to availability
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Rwanda
6-Day Rwanda Gorilla & Chimpanzee Safari
Chimpanzee trekking and a canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest, a night on Lake Kivu, and mountain gorillas on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes.
Duration6 days5 nights
From$7,200per person sharing, US$. Estimate, subject to availability
Trip overview
A private circuit from Kigali through Nyungwe Forest, along the shore of Lake Kivu, and into Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking, before returning to Kigali. Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits are arranged and included in the price.
The route pauses at the King’s Palace in Nyanza and the Butare National Museum, Rwanda’s finest ethnographic collection, en route to the forest.
CountryRwandaRwanda
Duration6 days5 nights
ArrangementPrivateyour own vehicle and guide
Starts & endsKigali
Best timeJun – Sep
From$7,200Per person sharing, in US dollars. An indicative starting price: your exact rate is quoted for your dates and party size, subject to availability. All prices shown are estimates. Your final price is confirmed in your written quote.
Map route
The route, stop by stop
1
Kigali
Day 1 · Arrive
2
Nyungwe Forest
Days 1 to 3 · 2 nights
3
Lake Kivu
Day 3 · 1 night
4
Volcanoes NP
Day 4 to 5 · 1 night
5
Kigali
Days 5 to 6 · Ends here
What you are likely to see
Mountain gorilla
Chimpanzee
Angolan colobus
Golden monkey
Solid tone means often seen on this route. Outline means possible, and worth the patience. Sightings vary with season and luck, and nothing wild is guaranteed.
Best months to travel
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best
Quieter
Green season
Day by day
6 days, in order
Each day lists the route, the meals included and the lodge for that night. Ask us for the expected driving time on any day.
01
Kigali to Nyungwe Forest
Kigali to Nyungwe National Park
Rwanda reveals itself from the road, one terraced hillside after another, on the eight hour drive from Kigali to Nyungwe Forest. The first stop is the King's Palace at Nyanza, seat of the old Rwandan monarchy, where a reconstruction of the traditional royal residence stands beside the later colonial era palace, and the long horned Inyambo cattle are still kept.
Lunch is in Butare, Rwanda's second city and its old university town, with a visit to the national museum there, one of the finest ethnographic collections in East Africa. Then the road climbs into the mist and the tall trees of Nyungwe, one of the oldest montane rainforests in Africa, to the lodge.
Eight hour drive via ButareRoyal palace and museum
Accommodation
Night 1 of 2
8 photos
One & Only Nyungwe House
Gisakura tea estate, edge of Nyungwe Forest National Park Lodge · 8 photos
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Set at altitude on a working tea plantation at Gisakura, on the edge of Nyungwe Forest National Park, this luxury retreat looks straight into one of Africa’s oldest montane rainforests. Nyungwe is Rwanda’s prime destination for chimpanzee trekking and is also rich in other primates and birdlife, so the house makes an ideal base for […]
Night 1 of 2 at Nyungwe Forest, at a property such as One & Only Nyungwe House. The exact lodge is confirmed with the final itinerary.
02
Nyungwe Forest
Chimpanzee Trekking and Canopy Walk
The alarm goes before dawn, and the transfer reaches the park headquarters while the forest is still dark, because chimpanzees leave their nests early and move fast. The trek follows one of Nyungwe's chimpanzee communities through the undergrowth, guided by their calls, the drumming on buttress roots, and the crash of branches overhead.
In the afternoon the forest is seen from the other side: the canopy walk, a suspension crossing strung seventy metres above the forest floor, looking straight out into the crowns of the trees. Birds, monkeys and the sheer green depth of the valley below make it one of the most memorable walks in Rwanda.
Dawn trekAfternoon canopy walk
Accommodation
Night 2 of 2
8 photos
One & Only Nyungwe House
Gisakura tea estate, edge of Nyungwe Forest National Park Lodge · 8 photos
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Set at altitude on a working tea plantation at Gisakura, on the edge of Nyungwe Forest National Park, this luxury retreat looks straight into one of Africa’s oldest montane rainforests. Nyungwe is Rwanda’s prime destination for chimpanzee trekking and is also rich in other primates and birdlife, so the house makes an ideal base for […]
A second night at the same property at Nyungwe Forest.
03
Nyungwe Forest to Lake Kivu
Colobus Monkey Trek and Transfer to Lake Kivu
One more early start, this time in search of Nyungwe's black and white Angolan colobus, which live in unusually large troops here and leap through the canopy with their long white capes streaming behind them.
Afterwards the road leaves the forest and heads north along the Congo Nile Divide toward Lake Kivu, a long and beautiful drive past tea estates and lakeside villages. Gisenyi, on the northern shore, is reached in the evening, with the lake and the hills of Congo beyond it.
Dawn trekDrive to Gisenyi
Accommodation
One night
10 photos
Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
Lakeshore, Rubavu, northern Lake Kivu Hotel · 10 photos
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Lake Kivu Serena Hotel stands on the shore of Lake Kivu on the edge of Rubavu, also known as Gisenyi, at the northern end of the lake. After the excitement of gorilla or chimpanzee trekking, it offers a gentle change of pace, with its own stretch of sandy beach lined with loungers and extensive tropical […]
One night on Lake Kivu, at a property such as Lake Kivu Serena Hotel. The exact lodge is confirmed with the final itinerary.
04
Lake Kivu to Volcanoes National Park
Lake Kivu to Volcanoes National Park
A slow morning on the shore of Lake Kivu, and then a short drive inland to Kinigi, at the foot of the Virunga volcanoes. The cones rise one behind another as the road climbs, their upper slopes wrapped in the bamboo and cloud forest where the mountain gorillas live.
The lodge is reached by early afternoon, and the rest of the day is left free, to rest, walk the grounds and prepare for the trek in the morning.
Drive to KinigiAfternoon at leisure
Day 42 photos
Accommodation
One night
10 photos
Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
Foothills of the Virunga volcanoes, edge of Volcanoes National Park Lodge · 10 photos
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Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge sits in the foothills of the Virunga volcanoes on the edge of Volcanoes National Park in north-west Rwanda, about two hours’ drive from Kigali, making it a natural base for gorilla trekking. The lodge is built from stone in a traditional Rwandan style with terracotta tiled roofs, and offers a small number […]
One night near Volcanoes National Park, at a property such as Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge. The exact lodge is confirmed with the final itinerary.
05
Volcanoes National Park to Kigali
Gorilla Trekking and Return to Kigali
An early transfer reaches the park headquarters at Kinigi, where the trekking groups are briefed and assigned a gorilla family. The trek itself can take anything from two to six hours, climbing through farmland, bamboo and nettles to wherever the family spent the night.
Then comes the hour with the gorillas: the weight of a silverback settling down to feed a few metres away, the youngsters wrestling, the quiet of the forest around them. It passes quickly, and it is unlikely to be forgotten. In the afternoon the road returns to Kigali for the last night.
Full day trekDrive to Kigali
Day 52 photos
Accommodation
One night
8 photos
Kigali Serena Hotel
Central Kigali, near the business district Hotel · 8 photos
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Kigali Serena Hotel is a well established city hotel on one of Kigali’s central boulevards, close to the business district and an easy base for exploring Rwanda’s clean, green capital. It is a natural choice for the first or last night of a Rwanda journey, before heading north to Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking […]
One night in Kigali, at a property such as Kigali Serena Hotel. The exact hotel is confirmed with the final itinerary.
06
Kigali
Departure
Breakfast at the hotel, and then the transfer to Kigali International Airport for the international departure. With a later flight there may be time to see a little more of the city first, one of the cleanest and most orderly capitals in Africa.
Airport transfer
Accommodation
No overnightNo overnight. Departure timed to the international flight.
The price
The price, in full
Written plainly so there are no surprises at the airport. Anything optional can be added to the quote before you pay.
Included
Already in the price you see.
- Domestic flights and transfers
- Accommodation as specified
- All meals as indicated
- Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits
- Canopy walk and colobus monkey trek
- Kigali city tour and Genocide Memorial visit
- Park entry fees
Not included
Budget for these separately.
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses, including tips
- Drinks and meals not mentioned
Before you book
Questions, answered
What travellers ask us most about a safari like this one. Anything else, ask below and a specialist in Nairobi replies within one business day.
When does the Kigali city tour happen?
It is included in the package but not fixed to a specific day on this itinerary; it is usually arranged around the Kigali nights at the start or end of the trip.
Is this a private safari?
Yes. This safari is private: your own vehicle and guide for the whole trip, and we never merge your party with another to cut costs.
How do we book, and how much is the deposit?
Press Book this safari. You can hold your dates for three days without paying while a specialist checks availability with the lodges and parks, or pay a deposit of 30, 40 or 50 percent, or the full amount, by credit or debit card through Pesapal. You can also pay by bank transfer, or in person at our Nairobi office by card. The standard schedule is a 30 percent deposit to confirm and the balance 60 days before arrival; bookings made within 60 days of departure, and gorilla or chimpanzee permits, are paid in full at booking. Card details go to Pesapal, never to Volcan.
Is the gorilla permit included, and what does it cost?
If the permit is part of this safari it is listed under The price, in full, above. Permits are sold by the national park authorities, at the time of writing US$1,500 per person in Rwanda per trek, and they cannot be refunded once issued, which is why they are charged in full whenever a booking is cancelled.
How fit do we need to be for gorilla trekking?
A trek can take anything from an hour to most of the day, on steep and often muddy forest trails at altitude. A reasonable level of fitness helps, the pace is set by the group, and porters can be hired at the start of the trail to carry your bag and give you a hand on the steep sections.
Is there a minimum age, and how far ahead should we book?
The minimum age for gorilla trekking is 15, in both Uganda and Rwanda. Each gorilla family can be visited by only eight people a day, so permits for the busiest months, June to September and December to February, can sell out months ahead. Six months or more in advance is safest.
Do we need a visa?
Rwanda: visas are issued on arrival and online through irembo.gov.rw. Rules depend on your passport and change from time to time, so check them before you book flights, and always apply through the official government portal, never a third-party agent. We tell you what applies to your route when we confirm your trip.
Which vaccinations and health precautions do we need?
See a travel clinic at least six weeks before you go. Malaria is present in most safari areas of East Africa, so ask about antimalarials, insect repellent and cover-up clothing for the evenings. A yellow fever certificate can be required depending on your route and where you arrive from.
Enquire
Plan this safari with us
Send your dates and who is travelling. A specialist checks availability with the lodges and parks and replies within one business day with an itemised price.
- Free, and no obligation
- Ask about changing the dates, lodges or pace
- Answered by the team in Nairobi who plan the trip
Availability
6-Day Rwanda Gorilla & Chimpanzee Safari
Dates are held for 72 hours without payment while you check flights. Nothing is charged until the itinerary is confirmed in writing.
From
$7,200
Per person sharing, in US dollars. An indicative starting price: your exact rate is quoted for your dates and party size, subject to availability. All prices shown are estimates. Your final price is confirmed in your written quote.
Prices are for guidance and are confirmed against current lodge and park rates before any payment.
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All prices shown are estimates. Your final price is confirmed in your written quote.
