5 days group gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park

This  5 days group gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park will bring you to the beautiful streets of Kigali, Rwanda, then far away from the city to one of the best tourist destinations in Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park, home to the endangered mountain gorillas and golden monkeys that are endemic to the Virunga conservation area. On this safari you will visit the Kigali Genocide memorial, the local markets and craft shops then encounter the endangered mountain gorillas, golden monkeys and interact with the culture, history and traditions of Rwanda with a visit of the Gorilla guardian village.

Itinerary overview of  5 days group gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park 

Day 1: Pick up from Kigali and City tour

Day 2: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park and Visit to the Gorilla Guardian Village

Day 3: Gorilla trekking

Day 4: Golden monkey trekking and visit to the Ellen DeGeneres museum

Day 5: Transfer to Kigali and departure

Detailed Itinerary of  5 days group gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park 

Day 1: Pick up from Kigali and City tour

Day 1 of 5 days group gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park, once you arrive at Kigali International Airport, you will meet your destination driver guide who will take you around Kigali for a city tour visiting the different tourism sites in this city such as the Gisozi Genocide memorial, Kimironko Market, the presidential museum, crafts shops, among others. During the city tour, take a brief stopover at one of the local restaurants within the city for a hot delicious meal. Later in the evening, your driver guide will drop you off at your hotel where you will check in, enjoy dinner then rest for the night.

 5 days group gorilla trekking

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accommodation: Budget: Five to Five Hotel, Mid-range; Hotel 2000, Luxury; Radisson Blu Hotel.

Day 2: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park and Visit to the Gorilla Guardian Village

The next day 2 of  5 days group gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park, the hotel will provide you with a tasty breakfast after which you will check out, board your safari vehicle and embark on a journey to Musanze to enjoy the magnificent lush vegetation and crowning hills en route.

Once you arrive at the lodge, you will check in, settle down for lunch then after taking some rest in the afternoon you will head out to the Gorilla Guardian Village for an experience of Rwanda’s culture, traditions, people and history with just one stop. This Gorilla Guardian Village, also known as Ibyiwacu, a Rwandese word meaning treasures of our home and heritage, is a small village in Musanze started up by former gorilla poachers who are now gorilla guardians as means for survival.

Return to the lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accommodation: Budget; Hotel Muhabura, Mid-range; Da Vinci Gorilla lodge, Luxury; Singita Kwitonda lodge.

Day 3: Gorilla trekking

A nutritious breakfast will be made available early in the morning at the lodge. After this, your driver guide will pick you up then set off for the park headquarters at 6:15 am. At the park headquarters, you will be welcomed with a cup of hot locally made Rwandan coffee, then you will proceed for a briefing about the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking. After briefing, you will be grouped into 8 and each group assigned a particular gorilla family. You will then return to your safari vehicle and your driver guide will drop you off at the starting point. It is at this point where you can hire a porter to assist with your luggage.

 5 days group gorilla trekkingYou will then penetrate the forest in search of the gorilla family assigned to you. This hike will take you between 4-8 hours. Once you locate this family, you will have 1 hour in their presence observing them and taking photographs then return to the starting point.

Here you will meet your driver guide then return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, have the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the lodge and enjoying the amenities of the place. Dinner will be served later in the evening then you can take your rest for the day.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 4: Golden monkey trekking

Early morning, the lodge will provide you with a delicious breakfast, then your driver guide will pick you up and take you to the park headquarters in Kinigi. Here you will be briefed about the dos and don’ts of golden monkey trekking. After briefing, you will join a group of 8 individuals and hike into the forest in search of the golden monkeys. This will take between 2 to 6 hours or less since you may start spotting the golden monkeys as early as 30 minutes into the trek. Once you find them, you will be allowed 1 hour of watching them play, feed and swing from one tree branch to another.

Bespoke gorilla trekking safaris

Later on, you will return to the starting point where you will meet your driver guide and drive back to the lodge for lunch.

After lunch, have a bit of relaxation then go out with your driver guide for a visit to the Ellen DeGeneres museum of Dian Fossey. Here you will learn the gorilla conservation story of Dian Fossey and more about the mountain gorillas, more so those ones that existed during her time.

Dinner will be made available at the lodge upon your return, then you can retire for the night.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 5: Transfer to Kigali and departure

After a proper night’s rest, wake up to breakfast at the lodge then organize, checkout and proceed back to Kigali. In Kigali the driver guide will either drop you off at your hotel or at the airport where you will take your flight to your next destination.

Trip inclusions

  • Ground transportation
  • Gorilla permits
  • Golden monkey permits
  • Accommodation
  • Meals
  • Bottled water
  • All mentioned activities

Trip exclusions

  • Laundry
  • Tips
  • Donations
  • Extra activities
  • Drinks and Cigarettes