Rwanda, Uganda · Luxury

4-Day Luxury Gorilla and Golden Monkey Trekking in Rwanda

4 Days Round trip from Kigali City Hard pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Encounter endangered mountain gorillas up close in Volcanoes National Park
  • 02 Trek through the lush rainforest and bamboo-covered slopes of the Virunga Mountains
  • 03 Enjoy golden monkey trekking in the bamboo forest of Volcanoes National Park
  • 04 Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial and learn about Rwanda's history
  • 05 Discover Dian Fossey's legacy at her memorial museum near Musanze
  • 06 Experience scenic connections from Kigali to the foothills of Volcanoes National Park

Embark on an unforgettable 4-day luxury safari in Rwanda featuring thrilling gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park and golden monkey tracking. Stay in exquisite accommodations, enjoy guided tours, and take in breathtaking views of the Virunga Mountains and Rwanda's scenic landscape of green, undulating hills and tea plantations. In the northwest, the magnificent Virunga Mountain Range stands along the border of Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda, while Volcanoes National Park shelters the endangered mountain gorillas. Coming face to face with a mountain gorilla is one of the most thrilling experiences ever.

Coming face to face with a mountain gorilla is one of the most thrilling experiences ever.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 4 Days
Tour type Private
Activity level Hard
Accommodation Not included
Transport Included
Wheelchair access No
Cities Kigali, Volcanoes National Park
Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

Arrival in Kigali and Transfer to Hotel Des Mille Collines

  • On arrival at Kigali Airport, you will be met and transferred to Hotel Des Mille Collines.
  • At this hotel, 1,268 people took refuge during the Rwandan Genocide of 1994, later made famous by the film Hotel Rwanda.
  • The hotel offers 113 rooms, including eight suites with a bathtub, balcony, cable TV, phone, mini-bar, Internet access, toiletries, a work desk area, wake-up service, and voicemail.
  • Some rooms also offer a bathrobe, ceiling fan, connecting rooms, hairdryer, trouser press, and a kitchenette.
  • Non-smoking rooms are also available. The hotel was built in 1972, opened in 1974, and renovated in 1987 as Rwanda's leading hotel, with large meeting facilities.

Accommodation and overnight stay at Hotel Des Mille Collines (Luxury Hotel in Kigali City)

2
Day 02

Volcanoes National Park and Dian Fossey Memorial Museum

  • Volcanoes National Park is best known as the home of the region's rare mountain gorillas.
  • The park is part of the Virunga Mountains, which form the border between Rwanda, Uganda, and DR Congo, and are among the most beautiful sights in Africa.
  • Approximately 480 mountain gorillas live in the Virunga complex at altitudes between 7,500' and 14,700'. In the morning, you will be picked up for a Kigali city tour and a visit to the Genocide Museum.
  • A 3-hour drive brings you to Musanze at the foothills of Volcanoes National Park. This is the place that Dian Fossey, the American primatologist, called home for 18 years.
  • Her book, later adapted into the film Gorillas in the Mist, combines her scientific study of the mountain gorilla at Karisoke Research Center with her own story. In 1988, it was adapted into a film.
  • Sadly, Dian was murdered in 1985, presumably by poachers, although the mystery of her death remains unsolved. You will visit her memorial museum and learn more about her work.

Accommodation and overnight stay at Sambora Kinigi Lodge (Luxury Lodge located outside Volcanoes National Park)

3
Day 03

Mountain Gorilla Tracking Experience

  • This is nothing less than a lifetime experience and a rare opportunity to encounter endangered mountain gorillas up close. It is a spectacular park, encompassing five of the eight rainforest- and bamboo-covered volcanoes of the Virunga Mountains.
  • With fewer than 650 gorillas left in the wild, Rwanda is a real success story, as conservation efforts over the last decades have seen the population slowly increase.
  • After a briefing with National Parks personnel, your hike begins and may take several hours.
  • Although gorilla trekking requires no formal training, walking at altitude can be tiring, and with few clear-cut paths through the bush, focused concentration and flexibility are a must.
  • Once you reach your gorilla family, you will spend a memorable hour watching them interact with each other - eating, grooming, playing, or catching a nap.

Accommodation and overnight stay at Sambora Kinigi Lodge (Luxury Lodge located outside Volcanoes National Park)

4
Day 04

Golden Monkey Trekking and Return to Kigali

  • After breakfast, embark on the trek back into Volcanoes National Park to track the golden monkeys in the lush bamboo forest.
  • You will enjoy seeing these golden monkeys playing, eating bamboo, and going about their daily activities.
  • You will spend an hour with them before trekking back to the park headquarters.
  • Depending on your departure time, visit the Cultural Center and the Batwa Indigenous people, and thereafter drive back to a hotel in Kigali or to the airport for departure.
  • With cameras full of memories and hearts full of adventure, you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight.
bamboo forest of Volcanoes National Park, Virunga Mountains ridgelines, Karisoke Research Center, Kigali Genocide Memorial

Where this trip takes you

bamboo forest of Volcanoes National Park, Virunga Mountains ridgelines, Karisoke Research Center, Kigali Genocide Memorial

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Kigali City 2 cities · 4 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • All activities/services as per itinerary
  • 4WD vehicle - with a pop-up roof for scenic viewing
  • A professional English-speaking driver/guide
  • Site entrance fees
  • Free Wi-Fi internet in the vehicle
  • All ground transportation and fuel
  • Meals
  • Drinking water in the vehicle

What's Not Included

  • Visas
  • International airfares
  • Activities/services not included in the itinerary
  • Alcoholic drinks/wines
  • Laundry and any service of a personal nature
  • Travel insurance cover

What to bring

  • Hiking boots
  • Garden gloves
  • Rain jacket or poncho
  • Long-sleeved shirt/blouse
  • Cameras and extra batteries
  • Hat/cap and sunglasses
  • A pair of binoculars
  • Flashlight (torch)
  • Mosquito repellent
  • Zoom lens for wildlife shots
  • Energy bars/bites

Know before you go

  • Age restriction: 15-80 years old
  • A valid passport is required on the day of travel.
  • This tour is not wheelchair accessible.
  • We advise against people with heart problems or other serious medical conditions participating in this tour.
  • Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Kigali International Airport, KN 5 Road, Kigali, Rwanda
Tour start
Kigali City, Kigali, Rwanda
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 4 days finish where they began, in Kigali City.

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USD 5,400 /person
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