Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda

Our expedition begins with arrival to Kigali international airport, where our guide will be available to assist us throughout the journey. On exit from airport, we directly drive to Musanze, a district town at the foothills of Volcanoes National Park, and home to Virunga Mountain Range of Rwanda. On this 2 and a half hour journey, see lush green hills, farms, wave at the smiling locals, watch the kids wonder at you in excitement. On the way learn more about the country, and feel free to discuss about the trek, as we build the excitement! Once we arrive to Musanze the Volcano Mountain will be an obvious site. As we check in for overnight, you have the rest of the day to prepare for a life-changing experience next day. We sleep excitingly with the thoughts of seeing our close cousins early morning, so make sure you get a fulfilling night's rest.

We wake up very early next day, to take our packed breakfasts, and head to the briefing station Kinigi around 6:00 AM, at the foothills of Volcanoes National Park. There are twelve fully habituated gorilla families living here, with each troop consisting of at least one silverback along with several females and youngsters. During the briefing, we will be allocated one of the family groups according to fitness levels, and be acknowledged with the protocols and rules for visiting the gorillas. Beginning at 8:00, we will begin trekking up the rainforest mountain. Our hike up to the allocated family can last anything from 30 minutes to four or more hours, depending on where the family is foraging for that day. Hence each hike will be unique. With 2 porters available to carry backpacks and cameras, they will offer you a helping hand along the route, if the terrain is too difficult for you. We make it a conscious practice to hire porters, as part of contribution in preserving the people who depend on this activity for their living, as well as their role in conserving our endangered cousins. We reserve this day purely for encounter with the gorilla. Once down, we head back to our basecamp for refreshments, and relive the experience of the day with fellow travelers.

After a refreshing breakfast, we pack our bags, and take one last road trip heading back to Kigali. On the way we make a brief stop at a local market, in case you wish to shop for any local goods. Take your time enjoying the calming views and breeze as we arrive the city by afternoon. We drop off at the airport, for flight back home, and hope to see you again soon to explore the beautiful wilderness once again!