The Gorillas of Rwanda Itinerary (With Hidden Gems)!

The Gorillas of Rwanda Itinerary (With Hidden Gems)! Talk to someone who’s paid a visit to the mountain gorillas of Rwanda

For a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see mountain gorillas up close, travel to Rwanda’s emerald volcanoes. Trek in Volcanoes National Park for three days with knowledgeable guides to track rare golden monkeys and gorilla families and observe their intriguing social connections and behaviour up close. Discover the enduring effects of Dian Fossey‘s 18 years of gorilla research by hiking to her burial and research location. Along the trip, learn about Rwanda’s resilient people and their culture by kayaking past rural farming settlements, enjoying local cuisine, hearing from genocide survivors, and having lunch and stories with the inspirational women of Kigali’s Nyamirambo neighbourhood.

A Detailed Gorillas of Rwanda Itinerary

Days 1-2 — Depart Home / Arrive in Kigali, Rwanda

KIGALI – RWANDA: Discover The Cleanest City In Africa

After an overnight flight, arrive in Kigali and be transferred to your hotel. Take some time to settle in, then join your fellow travellers and trip leader for an orientation and welcome dinner. (D)

Accommodation: Kigali Serena Hotel

Day 3: Kigali

Begin your exploration of this vibrant metropolis and its inspiring tales of revitalisation after breakfast. You will start your day with a guided tour of the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a sombre memorial to the victims of the 1994 genocide that seeks to promote reconciliation and peace in order to avert similar tragedies in the future. Listen to the moving accounts of those who made it through the disaster and the nation’s dogged determination to rebuild. Several of the tour leaders were themselves survivors of genocide. Proceed to the Nyamirambo Women’s Centre, an institution that offers vocational training and education to underprivileged girls and women. Go on a stroll through the bustling Nyamirambo neighbourhood accompanied by a local expert. Make a pit stop at some of the local establishments, such a prominent tailor’s store and a salon that caters to women. See the mosques of Kigali up close and personal when you visit a family compound and attempt to create a traditional dish by pounding cassava leaves. Bring the tour to a close by visiting the house of a community project woman for a typical Rwandan supper. Take it easy this afternoon before we all sit down to dinner this night.(B,L,D)

Walking: 4-5 hours, museum visit and afternoon community walking tour, city streets with uneven and variable incline.

Accommodation: Kigali Serena Hotel

Day 4: Volcanoes National Park

Drive north across rolling green hills to reach Volcanoes National Park, departing Kigali after breakfast. Part of the Virunga Mountain range, the park is teeming with a wide variety of animals, including half of the world’s mountain gorillas. After checking into your hotel, have lunch before hitting the river on a canoeing expedition down the Mukungwa with a knowledgeable local guide. Along a flood plain between the hills, this placid river winds its way between papyrus stands and agricultural communities, providing a rare glimpse into rural Rwandan life. Kingfishers, spoonbills, painted storks, crowned cranes, and weavers are among the over forty bird species found here. There is a section of Class II rapids in the paddle’s final third that is the most exciting. Get back to the hotel and relax for a while before supper. (B,L,D)

Canoeing: 5-6 miles, calm river with short section of Class II rapid.

Accommodation: Virunga Inn Resort and Spa

Day 5: Volcanoes National Park

Get up early and embark on a gorilla walk across Volcanoes National Park. Here, several mountain gorilla families, or “troops,” are housed in a series of five conical volcanoes covered in thick forest. Set out in small groups with assigned Rwanda National Parks Authority guides to find one of these troops, following paths created by buffalos and elephants. Trek for three to six hours and reach elevations of up to 8,000 feet, depending on the gorillas’ movements that day. Porters will be on hand to help with challenging portions of the course and to carry backpacks.

After you locate the gorillas, enjoy a memorable hour sitting quietly with them, watching them eat, groom, and play as you gain personal knowledge of their daily schedules and social interactions. Return to the hotel for lunch after hiking back to the starting point. Attend a park warden’s talk in the early evening on the terrace. As you learn about recent increases in the mountain gorilla population and local and international efforts to conserve them, take in the breathtaking views of the volcanoes. Tonight, have dinner together. (B,L,D)

Hiking: 3-6 miles (3 to 6 hours) on and off rugged forest trails that may be wet or muddy, steep ascents and descents at elevations up to 8,000 feet.

Accommodation: Virunga Inn Resort and Spa

Day 6: Volcanoes National Park

Touched by a Wild Mountain Gorilla – The Day I Got In It’s Way

Today, get up early once more and travel back to the park, where you will ride in 4x4s to the Dian Fossey hike trailhead. Discover the life and contributions of this trailblazing scientist who spent more than 18 years living with the gorillas and carrying out priceless studies on their social and behavioural habits. The walk will take you down verdant slopes where you may see a variety of primates, birds, even forest pigs and elephants. Continue to the original Karisoke study site after seeing Fossey’s grave, where she was interred next to her “beloved Digit,” a silverback to which she had been accustomed during a ten-year period. As an alternative, decide to go on a second gorilla excursion in the morning (at an extra cost*). Join us for lunch at the hotel, and then use your free afternoon to unwind in the whirlpool or sauna or go for a stroll in the gardens. (B,L,D)

Hiking: 4 miles (3-4 hours) on rugged, muddy, forest trails; steep ascents and descents at elevations up to 9,000 feet.

**Please note: After making your initial reservation, please let your tour specialist know if you would want to embark on a second gorilla trek. There is also a $1,550 non-refundable deposit needed. Depending on availability.

Accommodation: Virunga Inn Resort and Spa

Day 7: Volcanoes National Park / Kigali

Pay attention to the golden monkey, another endemic animal, on your last morning walk in Volcanoes National Park. With a guide, venture into dense bamboo forests to search for these lively and inquisitive critters, who frequently make loud noises in the treetops. As they play, eat, and socialise among the branches, you will have an entire hour to watch their activities. In contrast to the mountain gorilla’s limited family groups, these habituated troops can have anywhere from 20 to 80 members.

Drive back to Kigali after lunch while taking in the breathtaking emerald landscape of this “land of a thousand hills.” Enjoy a goodbye dinner of East African specialities at a nearby restaurant to celebrate your gorilla trekking trip. (B,L,D)

Hiking: 2–3 miles, on moderate forest trails with some ascents and descents at elevations up to 8,000 feet.

Accommodation: Kigali Serena Hotel

Day 8: Return Home

After breakfast, head to the airport for your return home, or extend your trip to Kenya to continue your wildlife exploration. (B)

Included meals are denoted as follows: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Reception (R), Dinner (D)

End of the 8 Days Gorillas of Rwanda Itinerary 

Essential Trip Information

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