3-Day Rwanda Gorilla and Golden Monkey Trekking Safari

• A transfer from the airport can be arranged for an extra cost.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Arrival in Kigali and Transfer to Musanze

On arrival at the airport, you will find our experienced driver-guide waiting to welcome you to ‘the land of a thousand hills’. You will start with a tour of Kigali city before you proceed to Volcanoes National Park. Depending on the time of arrival and consequently the time in the city before the drive to Musanze, you have options of places to visit, which include: Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, Craft markets in Kigali, and the Kandt National Museum. The city tour is optional; you can choose to immediately embark on your journey to Musanze as you await the Rwanda gorilla trekking the next day.

After the brief tour of Kigali city, you have lunch in the city. After lunch, you'll start the drive to Musanze. On your way, you will have time to discover, view Rwandan Landscapes, and also visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus by the Diana Fossey Fund in preparation for the gorilla trekking.

Main Destination:

Kigali International Airport (Kigali)

Accommodation:

Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel

• Mid-range lodge located in Ruhengeri (City)

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+7 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

After an early morning breakfast, the driver-guide will transfer you to the reception and briefing area at the headquarters of Volcanoes National Park. The ranger guide will share tips on your time in the park and encountering mountain gorillas. In the meantime, you will enjoy the pure Rwandan coffee as you wait to start your trek. After the briefing, you are distributed in different gorilla groups to different starting points, and start the trek. Gorilla trekking requires that you be relatively fit to enjoy hiking in the Volcanoes.

If the family of gorillas you visit is nearby and you can finish this activity in the morning, there is an option of visiting the gorilla guardians' village to learn more about the Rwandan culture and the people who co-existed with the gorillas for centuries.

Main Destination:

Volcanoes National Park (Gorillas)

Best Time To Visit June to August (It is drier and hiking is easier)

High Season June to September (Permits are scarce)

Best Weather June to October (Sunny, but not too hot)

Wildlife in Volcanoes NP

GorillaCommon

ChimpanzeeNone

ElephantRare

BuffaloRare

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoNone

Show more

GiraffeNone

LionNone

LeopardNone

CheetahNone

ZebraNone

WildebeestNone

HippoNone

Accommodation:

Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel

• Mid-range lodge located less than 1hr drive from Volcanoes NP (Gorillas)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Golden Monkey Trekking – Volcanoes National Park

Today, after breakfast, you'll transfer again to the briefing area, but this time for golden monkey trekking. Golden monkeys are primates that reside in the Virunga regions of Uganda, Rwanda, and the DR Congo. The golden monkey is generally more active than the gorilla.

This requires that, for great photos, you will continuously follow them as they forage for food, especially the delicious bamboo shoots.

Sometimes they are seen getting into the surrounding gardens for potatoes. However, note that they are generally not located too far, so the trek to their habitat is much more manageable than some of the gorilla families. You will receive a briefing at the park headquarters before you start your golden monkey trek, just like the previous day.
You can carry a packed lunch, but usually the trek lasts a few minutes. You can return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, the driver-guide will transfer you to Kigali to return to your hotel or take your flight home.

Main Destination:

Volcanoes National Park (Gorillas)

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• A transfer back to the airport can be arranged for an extra cost.