2-Nights Gorillas Through the Mist

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A Rwanda gorilla trek offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hike into the misty forests of Volcanoes National Park in search of endangered mountain gorillas. Guided by experienced trackers, participants trek through dense vegetation, immersing themselves in the gorillas' natural habitat. Upon encountering these gentle giants, visitors observe their behavior from a safe distance, gaining insights into their social dynamics and daily lives. It's a profound and unforgettable wildlife experience, fostering appreciation for these endangered primates and their conservation.

Your vacation starts on arrival at Kigali Airport where you are met and transferred to your accommodation, Kigali Serena Hotel. Rest of the day at leisure to explore independently or add a guided experience.

Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda, is a vibrant metropolis known for its cleanliness, safety, and modern infrastructure. Surrounded by lush hills, it offers a picturesque backdrop for cultural experiences, including the Genocide Memorial Center and vibrant markets. Kigali boasts a thriving culinary scene and its art scene is burgeoning, with galleries and cultural centers showcasing diverse works by local and international artists. From contemporary exhibitions to traditional crafts, the city offers a rich tapestry of artistic expression.

The next morning, set off for Volcanoes National Park, stopping for photos and at attractions along the way. On arrival in Musanze, the town adjacent to Volcanoes National Park, you’ll check in at your accommodation Virunga Lodge. You may opt to visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Fund to learn the background of gorilla conservation.

Early the following day you will be transferred to Volcanoes National Park for a briefing before setting off to visit one of the habituated gorilla families. Once located, you have one hour to spend among the gentle giants, watching them interact as a family and go about their daily lives. These 60 minutes will remain in your mind as a supremely special time, when you laughed at the antics of youngsters, and looked into the intelligent brown eyes of a silverback and the line between human and animal was forever blurred.

Return to Kigali Airport after your gorilla trek, or extend your stay to include a Golden Monkey trek the following day.

This park, 15 mi/25 km east of Gisenyi, protects the Rwandan portion of the spectacular Virunga Mountains, which straddle the borders with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Virunga is not a mountain range in the normal sense of the word but rather a chain of isolated freestanding volcanic cones strung along a fault line in the Rift Valley. Sometimes also referred to as the Birunga or Bufumbira Mountains, the chain is composed of six inactive and two active volcanoes, all of which exceed 9,840 ft/3,000 m in altitude. The tallest are Karisimbi (14,783 ft/4,507 m), Mikeno (14,553 ft/4,437 m) and Muhabura (13,537 ft/4,127 m).Free Volcanoes National Park (parc National Des Volcans) Travel
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Few national parks in Africa can be explored on foot, but this park north of Ruhengeri offers a reward worth the hike through its dramatically beautiful, albeit rough terrain: the chance to observe a family of mountain gorillas, the rarest—and largest—of the four gorilla subspecies. About 700 mountain gorillas live in the wild (roughly half of them in Rwanda), and naturalists have habituated seven of the 20-odd families in this park to the presence of tourist observers. Many people regard visiting these gentle giants (up to 485 lbs/220 kg) in their natural habitat to be the single most-extraordinary wildlife experience in the world. The park can be accessed on organized gorilla-tracking tours, which are limited to seven groups of eight people daily. Gorilla-tracking permits cost US$500 per person in cash (including park entrance fees but not transportation and lodging) and should be booked as far in advance as possible.

Other activities include a visit to a habituated troop of golden monkeys (an endangered bamboo-eater whose range is essentially restricted to the Virungas), as well as day or overnight hikes to the various volcanic peaks and a day trip to Dian Fossey's grave at her former research center high in the misty mountains. As a precaution, armed soldiers accompany each tour.