Gorilla Trekking Safari in Rwanda – Best Gorilla Tracking Holidays in Rwanda?

A Gorilla Trekking Safari in Rwanda is a remarkable adventure that takes you through the lush, mist-shrouded rainforests in Volcanoes National Park for a chance to encounter the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Often referred to as ‘the land of a thousand hills,’ Rwanda is one of the only three countries in the world that inhabit the endangered mountain gorillas. The other two countries with mountain gorillas are Uganda and the D.R Congo. with only a few thousand of these gentle giants left in the wild, many travelers wish to experience a gorilla trek, and Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda is the perfect option. Rwanda Gorilla Safari Holidays are popular on most travelers’ bucket lists – especially for those who love primates.

Rwanda Gorilla trekking safari will allow you to discover and witness one of nature’s most majestic creatures in their natural environment. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda promises a close encounter with the endangered mountain gorillas and a profound connection with the heart of Africa’s wilderness – an experience you will live to remember. Trekking to see mountain gorillas however, requires some level of preparation for the best experience on you Rwanda Saafari holiday tour. This complete guide to Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari is designed to offer you all the necessary information about a Gorilla Safari Holiday tour.

Where to go Gorilla Trekking Safaris Rwanda? – Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park located in the northwestern part of Rwanda is the only place where you can go Gorilla Trekking Safari Rwanda. This National Park borders the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. The area where the National Park is located all together with the neighboring Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Virunga National Park form the larger Virunga Conservation Area.

The Volcanoes National Park was established in 1925 with a sole purpose of protecting the endangered mountain gorilla population that inhabited the region. Due to the remarkable conservation efforts, today Volcanoes National Park is home to about 12 habituated gorilla families – making it one of the best gorilla trekking destinations in Africa. Travelers from all over the world can visit Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda during gorilla trekking safari tours in Rwanda. The notable gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park include; the Susa gorilla family, Amahoro gorilla family, Hirwa family, Kwintonda gorilla family, and Ugenda family among others.

Besides mountain gorillas, Volcanoes National Park also known for hosting five of the eight Virunga Volcanoes including; Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Sabyinyo, and Gahinga. There are also other wildlife species in the park including the endangered Golden Monkeys. For bird lovers, Volcanoes National Park is home to a wide range of bird species that you will witness during your Safari tour to this National Park.

Gorilla Trekking Experience in Rwanda

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that offers an intimate and exhilarating encounter with endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. On the actual day of your gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda, you will have a feeling with a mix of excitement, anticipation and a touch of nervousness. If you have spent years or months planning for this experience, the thrill of finally being able to embark on this journey is remarkable.

You will start your day very early in the morning with a sumptuous breakfast at the lodge. After breakfast you will transfer to the visitors center where you join other trekkers for a briefing session. You will be eagerly waiting to hear from the park officials about what awaits you in the jungles. After the briefing, you will be allocated a gorilla family.

The journey to the jungle then begins, grab your trekking stick and embark on a memorable Rwanda gorilla trekking adventure into the wilderness of the Volcanoes National Park. Follow the lead of your ranger guide. At this point, the anticipation reaches its peak! Each step you take draws you more closer to your long awaited encounter with the gorillas – the excitement of being in the gorilla habitat is truly electric!

After the long trek in the forest, you will finally locate these majestic creatures, feel your heart race with high anticipation as you brace yourself for this extraordinary experience. You will witness gorillas as they go by their day. Spend your 1 hour observing and capturing iconic moments of your encounter. After your time elapses, trek back to the visitors center

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3 Days Gorilla Trekking Tour Rwanda

3 Days Gorilla Trekking Tour Rwanda starts with pick up by an experienced Rwanda tour guide from Acacia Safaris Uganda who will transfer you to Volcanoes national park for your Rwanda gorilla trekking safari or Rwanda Tour which will last for 2 days and on the third day, you organize for departure.

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The 14 Days Best Gorilla Trekking Safari Rwanda, Rwanda Wildlife Safaris Tour in Kenya takes you for a Rwanda gorilla Safaris tour to Volcanoes national park, Rwanda Wildlife tour to Akagera park, and after which you fly to Kenya for a Kenya safari. It contains some of the continent’s best wildlife locations.

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6 Days Best Rwanda Wildlife Safaris

The 6 Days Best Rwanda Wildlife Safari takes you to three Rwanda safari destinations where you will have Rwanda wildlife safaris in Akagera national park and gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda to Volcanoes national park, and Chimpanzee tracking, and canopy walk in Nyungwe.

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10 Days Best Rwanda Safaris tour

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Gorilla Permits in Rwanda & Rwanda Gorilla Safari Prices for 2024 – 2026

To be able to trek mountain gorillas in Rwanda, you need a Rwanda Gorilla Permit. The gorilla permit is a legal document issued by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), that grants visitors an opportunity to access the gorilla trekking premises. The cost of a gorilla permit in Rwanda is about $ 1500 per person/trek for foreign non-residents, $ 500 per person/trek for foreign residents and $ 200 per person/trek for East African Residents.

If you are planning to go Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda, we recommend booking your Rwanda gorilla permit well in advance (about 6 months prior to the trekking dates). Book your gorilla trekking adventure with us and experience the thrill of Volcanoes National Park jungles.

What are the prices of Rwanda Gorilla safaris? Unlike other wildlife safari activities in Africa, Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is more expensive. The final price of a gorilla safari in Rwanda can be influenced by a number of factors like the accommodation, gorilla permit, transport and meals. However, on average a 3 days Rwanda gorilla trekking safari costs anywhere between $ 2,500 to $ 4,000. Book your dream Gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda with the best inbound travel handler in East Africa, Acacia Safaris Limited.

Best time to Visit Rwanda for gorilla trekking

Book an Exciting Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari Package Fully Customized in Your Budget

For travelers looking for the best exciting Rwanda safaris tour packages to Rwanda national parks, acacia safaris Uganda has the best offers. Check out acacia best-selling Rwanda safari packages from our travelers. Starting from gorilla trekking tours in Volcanoes national park, wildlife adventures in the most beautiful national park in Africa – Akagera national park to Chimpanzee tracking in the rainforest of Nyungwe national park. Let Acacia Safaris Uganda dive you into the most tending Rwanda gorilla tours and wildlife adventures, Adventure for unforgettable memories.

Best time to Visit Rwanda for gorilla trekking – When to go for Gorilla Trekking Safari Rwanda?

Rwanda just like all other East African countries has two seasons, rainy/wet season (low season) and dry season (peak season). Although gorilla trekking in Rwanda can be done throughout the year, some months of the year offer the perfect gorilla trekking conditions. The best time to trek gorilla in Rwanda is during the dry season. Rwanda has two dry seasons; the long dry season that runs from June to September and the shorter dry season that runs from mid – December to Early February. If you are planning to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda, the dry season offers the best trekking conditions.

The dry season is also the high season for safaris in Rwanda and East Africa at large so it is always advisable to book your gorilla permit well in advance if you are planning to visit during this time. Book your gorilla permit 6 months prior to the trekking dates.

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More About Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari to Volcanoes National Park

The Hagenia woodlands are where mountain gorillas spend the majority of their time, though they spend more time in the bamboo forests (base altitude) in the rainy season when new bamboo shoots are sprouting. Fantastic views can be found on the ascent to the bamboo forest and Hagenia woodlands’ natural habitats.

PNV served as Dian Fossey’s base of operations for a very long time (she passed away on December 26, 1985), and it was there that she conducted her 18-year study on mountain gorillas.

Mountain Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park

There are eight habituated gorilla groups in Rwanda for gorilla trekking safaris.

Susa group is the largest group. Because it usually ranges far into the mountains, this family is the most difficult to traverse.
Guhonda, a formidable silverback, is the leader of the easily approachable group Sabyinyo Sabyinyo. This family has fewer members than the other groups do.
Amahoro, which has 17 members and means peaceful, is led by the composed and laid-back Ubumwe.
Group 13 had just 13 members when it was first habituated, thus its name. There are currently about 25 people in the group.
This 18-person group is led by Kwitonda, whose name translates to “humble one,” and includes two silverbacks and one blackbuck.
The 11-person Umubano family originally belonged to the Amahoro tribe, but they split off when Charles, the current leader of the Umubano, challenged the dominant silverback.
This group, Hirwa, just recently appeared and was created from several already-existing families, specifically from Group 13 and Sabyinyo. More gorillas joined later.
The fifteen-member family known as Karisimbi is a recent group.

Gorilla Trekking with Acacia Safaris Uganda

Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda: Gorilla Trekking Tour.

The weather is usually quite chilly because of the altitude, especially in the evenings. The whole year round, one can see gorillas. Access to the area begins in Ruhengeri, a town that can be reached from Kigali in about one and a half hours by car, and continues to Kinigi, the park’s administrative center, which is 14 kilometers away.

The area is well-protected and thus secure, and the rangers are well-motivated, accommodating, and satisfactory, guiding you to a pleasurable trip. On a gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda, it’s still a wonderful place to see mountain gorillas, and there are typically great photo opportunities.

The trek to see the gorillas is less taxing than it is in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, but some tourists may find it challenging due to the altitude because the gorillas tend to climb higher during the dry season. Additionally advised is being in good physical condition.