Rwanda gorilla trekking tours
Rwanda gorilla trekking tours, Rwanda offers amazing gorilla trekking opportunities in the Virunga Mountains. Gorilla trekking is mainly carried out in the Volcanoes National Park, where Dian Fossey researched and habituated mountain gorillas in the 1960s. Although gorilla trekking is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the cost of the gorilla trekking permit of $1500 is worth the trek. Apart from gorillas, Rwanda has a lot more to offer. If gorilla trekking is beyond your budget, you can still engage in other adventurous activities in the same park, such as golden monkey trekking, volcano hiking, birding, and guided nature walks. Rwanda is still worth visiting as an up-and-coming destination. From Volcanoes National Park, you can combine your gorilla tracking safari with other adventurous destinations like Nyungwe National Park, Gishwati Mukura National Park, boat trips on Lake Kivu, and classic wildlife safaris in search of the Big Five in Akagera National Park.
3 days gorilla trekking and biking around Lake Kivu
This 3-day itinerary combines gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park and relaxing through a nature ride around Lake Kivu. This trip is a perfect bond with nature that allows you to enjoy the scenic Rwanda countryside. This trip involves a pick-up and transfer to Lake Kivu, a pristine freshwater lake in the western part of the country. Enjoy boat cruises and adventurous riding as you interact with the locals and then transfer to the home of mountain gorillas, Volcanoes National Park, participate in gorilla tracking, and later return to Kigali.
Itinerary in brief
- Day one: Pick up from hotel /airport – transfer to Lake Kivu- afternoon boat cruise
- Day two: Biking safari – transfer to the Volcanoes National Park
- Day three: Gorilla tracking – transfer to Kigali.
Detailed itinerary
Day one: Pick up from hotel /airport – transfer to Lake Kivu- afternoon boat cruise
Start the trip with breakfast, meet your driver guide to transfer you to Lake Kivu. The drive takes you through Rwanda’s rolling hills and valleys. It’s a scenic drive that takes 3-4 hours on a well-maintained road through small towns and villages to Gisenyi. Optional stopover at Ndaba -rock waterfall or any coffee plantation for a brief cultural experience and interaction with the locals. on arrival, check into the accommodation for lunch.
In the afternoon, enjoy a guided boat trip to one of the islands, and the most visited island is Nyamunini (Napoleon Island which offers hiking and enjoying the fruit bats. Alternatively, you can relax on the cool, fresh waters as you enjoy the beautiful side beaches and beautiful shore land scape. In the late evening hours, relax at the beach as you watch the local fishermen cast their nets for a catch to sustain their lives. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day two: Biking safari – transfer to the Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, go for a guided biking safari along the Congo–Nile trail. Though the trail takes several days to complete, you will go for a short ride along Rubavu- Kinunu towns. Have a round-up cycling of approximately 3-4 hours. Expect to meet and interact with the locals in their gardens or homes. Return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, check out and travel to Musanze.
Arrival will be in the late evening hours. Check in for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Day three: Gorilla tracking – transfer to Kigali.
After an early breakfast, you will transfer to the park head office in Kinigi by 7:00 am. Meet the park guides for a briefing and allocation to a particular gorilla group. Only eight people are allocated to a gorilla family. You will be led by armed rangers into the jungle. To will hike for about 1-5 hours, depending on the location of the gorillas.
When you find them, you will be allowed only one hour to watch them and take memorable photos. Later return to meet your driver guide to transfer you to the lodge, refresh, check out, and drive back to Kigali. Drop off will either be at the airport or your hotel.
Tour inclusions
- Tour vehicle with driver-guide
- All meals and accommodation.
- Gorilla permits
- Kivu boat fees
- Biking fees
- Drinking water
Tour excludes
- Optional activities
- Flight and Visa fees
- Personal insurance
- Tips to guides and porters
- Other luxurious personal expenses.
How to prepare for gorilla tracking and a biking safari
Travelers are advised to book their gorilla permits in advance, at least 3 months before the tracking date. This is because of the stiff competition for gorilla permits in Rwanda, especially during the peak season. You should be physically fit and well prepared to hike through different altitudinal zones of the park and cycling through hills and valleys in Rwanda villages around Lake Kivu.
Pack the necessary gear for both cycling and hiking. Include light clothing like shorts, vests, and short-sleeved shirts to wear while biking, then hiking boots, long pants(trousers), long-sleeved shirts, waterproof clothing, insect repellents, sunscreen, and a backpack for your gorilla tracking expedition. Make sure you are free from infectious diseases like flu and cough, which can be transmitted to the gorillas because they are regarded as human cousins with 98% DNA.