Trekking the Volcanoes in Rwanda
Trekking the volcanoes in Rwanda is possibly the best place in the world for mountain gorilla trekking – is Africa’s oldest park and as such makes for an extraordinary experience. Trekking Rwanda’s mountain gorilla remains one of the most moving, life-changing experiences in our portfolio.
Tracking gorillas in Rwanda is safe and relatively accessible and there are twelve gorilla families living in the Volcanoes National Park, which are fully habituated. Book Now
Requiring only that you are moderately fit and not carrying any airborne diseases, your gorilla trekking in the Vplcanoes begins early in the morning, following a substantial mountain-busting breakfast, and can take anything from one to eight hours reaching an altitude of between 2,500m and 4,000m. Porters are available to carry backpacks and cameras, as well as to offer a helping hand along the route.
The trek is fairly challenging and you may find it tough as you pass through the dense undergrowth. The high altitude and the steep, slippery trails can make the trek exhausting, but it’s definitely worth the effort to spend time with mountain gorillas in the wild.
When you finally find these gentle giants, you’ll have the opportunity to spend up to one hour in their the company, before returning to your lodge to reflect on your moving and magical encounter with the wild mountain gorillas of Rwanda and these are accompanied by gorilla guide, an armed ranger.
Visiting mountain gorillas in Rwanda is strictly managed to protect these critically endangered animals in their natural habitat and increase their chance of survival.
A permit is required to trek with gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. As there are only 12 habituated gorilla families available to see, and only 8 people who can visit each gorilla family each day, the gorilla permits are strictly limited to 96 per day.
Rwanda gorilla permits sell out months in advance, so you’ll need to obtain your permit early to secure your preferred dates, especially during the busy months. The permits currently cost US$1500 per person.
For those interested in tracing the footsteps of Dian Fossey, her tomb is a 30-minute drive from the park headquarters and then two or three hours hike through the forest, to above 3,000m altitude.
