Skip to main content
Trek to see mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s bamboo forests, a rare and powerful encounter in the wild. - Gorilla Safari, Rwanda
Trek to see mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s bamboo forests, a rare and powerful encounter in the wild.  | Visit Rwanda
Come face to face with a mountain gorilla in Rwanda’s rainforest - Gorilla Safari, Rwanda
Come face to face with a mountain gorilla in Rwanda’s rainforest  | Vysakh R Nambiar
Into the lush rainforest of Volcanoes National Park, the search for mountain gorillas begins. - Gorilla Safari, Rwanda
Into the lush rainforest of Volcanoes National Park, the search for mountain gorillas begins.
A chance to connect with the people driving change in Rwanda’s communities - Gorilla Safari, Rwanda
A chance to connect with the people driving change in Rwanda’s communities  | Azizi Life
Unforgettable gorilla trekking encounter with a young mountain gorilla in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda - Gorilla Safari, Rwanda
Unforgettable gorilla trekking encounter with a young mountain gorilla in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda  | Richard Terborg

Gorilla Safari

Experience Mountain Gorillas in their natural environment

Rwanda

3 Days from

$3490 USD

Trip Code: GEX
View dates to Book
Essential Information

Extra trip options & supplements

*Prices listed are per person

Prefer not to share? Your own room - all hotel nights
$260 USD
Guarantee trip date for 1 person (subject to availability)
$1220 USD
Duration
  • 3 Days
Activities
  • Gorilla trek
Accommodation
  • 1 night hotel
  • 1 night safari lodge
Meals
  • 1 Dinner
  • 3 Lunches
  • 2 Breakfasts
Difficulty Grading  
2 / 10

Adventure touring

Carbon Footprint  

101kg of CO2-e PP per day

(203kg of CO2-e PP entire trip)

Trip highlights

  • Tracking Mountain Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park
  • Trek through the pristine forest of Volcanoes National Park
  • Visit the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund at the Karisoke Research Center and the Handspun Hope Community
  • Undertake a walking tour through Nyamirambo, one of Kigali’s oldest neighbourhoods, and enjoy a traditional home-cooked meal

Overview

An encounter with the majestic Mountain Gorillas is one of life's most amazing experiences. We trek through the mist-shrouded forests and bamboo thickets of Volcanoes National Park in search of an unrivalled opportunity to come face to face with these gentle giants in their natural untouched environment.

Itinerary

Expand all | Collapse all

Welcome to Rwanda. On arrival into Kigali International Airport, you will be met by your driver-guide and make our way towards Volcanoes National Park; approximately 2.5 - 3 hour drive (106kms). Please note: arrival must be no later than 12:00hrs. This was the region where Dian Fossey amazed the world with her research of the magnificent mountain gorillas of Rwanda. Following Dian Fossey’s work and David Attenborough’s famous documentaries, the mountain gorillas have inspired travellers from all over the world to experience one of nature’s greatest interactions. Anyone who has witnessed the mountain gorillas of East Africa will strongly agree that it is a once in a lifetime experience that will never be forgotten. We will visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund located at the Karisoke Research Center to see gorilla conservation in action. Building on Dian Fossey's pioneering work, now that gorilla populations of the Virunga Volcanoes are slowly increasing and their habitats are being protected, this centre is a highly recommended, remarkable place to visit. Today, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund trackers and researchers protect and study roughly half of all the mountain gorillas in Rwanda, with the other half protected by the Rwandan national park authorities. Note: Self-guided tours have a mandatory fee which is included in the tour cost. There are also minimum donations for VIP Behind the Scene Tours and a Silverback Sundowner evening with the Fossey Fund staff. Rwandan Tax laws prevent us from booking these, but you can register, donate and then contact the Ellen Campus to arrange them directly. Tonight we sleep in a comfortable lodge close to Volcanoes National Park. (Please ensure your arrival flight time is no later than 12:00hrs)

Meals: L,D

An early start as we trek deep into the forest in search of the mountain gorillas. Everyone will be split into groups of up to 8 people – and maybe joined with other tourists. While gorilla tracking you will be accompanied by a guide and usually two trackers. Visitors are allowed one hour with your allotted gorilla family. To find your family group the guide will lead you to where the gorillas were sighted on the previous day and then literally track them through the forest. When you find them, the hour you spend with these incredible primates is a true lifetime experience that you will never forget. To see – and walk amongst – a family of mountain gorillas is a wildlife encounter unlike any other on Earth. The terrain is very rough, often over steep slopes covered with matted vegetation. Be prepared for rain, mud and giant stinging nettles – long trousers, gloves and a waterproof jacket will help. It will be necessary to take your own water and snacks – eg. chocolates, biscuits or sweets – with you in case you have to trek for a while before finding the gorillas. Approx trek time: 3-8 hours. After our trek and humbled by this incredible experience, we will head back to the hotel for a celebration lunch. This afternoon there is a visit to the Handspun Hope Ccmmunity. Meet the members of the cooperative to see a successful, practical and viable project that is transforming an entire community. The real jobs created by Handspun Hope mean that the (mostly) women they employ have a work-based solution to poverty that is restoring dignity to formally impoverished people. It is helping them to move into economic self-sufficiency so that they can become leaders of change in their families and surrounding communities. It’s a wonderful way to interact with and connect with a group of friendly people, to learn about their lives, laughing with them and appreciate how each handspun wool garment is made with both pride and hope for a better future, is unique and takes around eight months from wool growth to a finished product. Afterwards we drive back to Kigali for overnight.

Meals: B,L

After breakfast we visit the Kigali genocide memorial, where you will have time to reflect and wander through the exhibits with an audio guide (included). Then we will undertake a walking tour through Nyamirambo, one of Kigali's oldest neighbourhoods, which offers a unique insight into the community's social initiatives, culture, history and daily life. We conclude the tour with a traditional home-cooked lunch. Group arrangements conclude with a departure transfer to Kigali Airport. (Please note: earliest departure time is 16:00hrs)

Meals: B,L

Map

Elevation

The map and elevation chart are for illustrative purposes only and meant to provide general guidelines.

Ready to start your adventure?

480 scheduled departures between 5 Sep 2026 and 29 Dec 2027.

  • Departs 5 Sep 2026 – ends 7 Sep 2026 (3 days)
  • Departs 6 Sep 2026 – ends 8 Sep 2026 (3 days)
  • Departs 7 Sep 2026 – ends 9 Sep 2026 (3 days)
  • Departs 8 Sep 2026 – ends 10 Sep 2026 (3 days)
  • Departs 9 Sep 2026 – ends 11 Sep 2026 (3 days)
  • Departs 10 Sep 2026 – ends 12 Sep 2026 (3 days)
  • … and 474 more departures.
View dates to Book

What's included?

Included

  • Gorilla trekking permit included (valued at US$1500pp)
  • 2 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 1 dinner
  • 2 nights in 3-4 star hotel on a twinshare basis
  • English speaking local driver-guide
  • Private transport in a 4WD safari vehicle
  • Kigali genocide memorial audio guide
  • Activities and sightseeing as listed in itinerary
  • Drinking water and snacks

Not included

  • Visas
  • Meals and drinks not noted as included
  • Arrival & departure transfers if not arriving/ departing on Days 1 and 3
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Tips
Rwanda Gorilla Adventure

Extra trip info

Will My Trip Run?

Every departure date advises whether the date is confirmed, and roughly how full it is. Here is what each one means.

Is the departure confirmed?

Guaranteed to go This departure has reached its minimum number and will run.
It is the point travellers should wait for before booking any non-refundable flights.
Close to guaranteed This appears only when a date is close to reaching minimum numbers. If it shows 1 or 2 to guaranteed, book as a pair on a date needing two and it reaches its minimum. Your booking confirms the date for everybody already booked.

How full is the date I am looking at?

Space is filling or Space is filling fast This date has bookings and places are still open. Filling fast means limited spots available, so don't leave your decision too late.
Closing soon Down to its last few places, or close enough to departure that we are finalising numbers. Still bookable online.
Closed Not bookable online - either full, or inside the notice we need to arrange permits, flights and logistics. Ask us anyway, you never know!

Availability questions answered

Will this trip actually go ahead, or could it be cancelled?

If a date shows Guaranteed to go, it runs regardless of further bookings. 

What does 2 to guarantee mean?

It means two travellers are enough to confirm the departure. It could be 2 more to add to the group, or the date only needs 2 people to run. Either way, if you book for two people, the date will become guaranteed to run. 

What happens if my departure does not reach minimum numbers?

You will know the status before you book. Every date on this page is labelled, and dates marked “Guaranteed to go” are running regardless of further bookings. Where a date has not reached its minimum we either offer a surcharge to operate for a smaller group size so it can still run, or we cancel it. We contact you directly either way.

Will I get my money back if you cancel a departure?

If we cancel a departure due to not meeting minimum trip numbers, you receive a full refund of everything you have paid us less any non recoverable costs, where insurance may cover you. We cannot refund money committed elsewhere – additional non refundable deposits advised at the time of booking, flights, visas, vaccinations, gear - which is why it is worth waiting for “Guaranteed to go” before booking other arrangements around this trip date. Please read our Booking Terms and Conditions before you book.

Why can't I book some dates online?

Each trip closes online a set time before departure. Permits, internal flights and hut or campsite bookings all have to be arranged before we take payment. Call or enquire as it might still be possible to organise last minute places.

The date I want is closed. What are my options and why does it say to enquire?

Cancellations happen and places do open up on closed dates, so it is worth being on our list. We can also tell you which nearby date on the same trip has space, which is usually the faster route. 

None of these dates suit me. Can you run this trip on another date?

Yes, as a private departure. We can run this trip on a date you choose, for your own group - family, friends, a club, or in many cases, just for the two of you. Tell us when you want to travel and who is coming, and we will build it around that.

Guaranteeing A Great Rwanda Trip

Pioneering World Firsts
Quality equipment
Quality accommodations
Innovative itineraries
Custom built, reliable transport
Our all inclusive approach

Multi Award Winning Adventures

Responsible Travel

Adventure Experts Since 1975

Search Filters