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Why visit Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda?
Gorilla trekking
Just a three-hour drive from the Rwandan capital city of Kigali, Volcanoes National Park offers superb gorilla trekking opportunities. Trekking for gorillas has been described by many of our safari guests as a life-changing experience. Time spent with this fellow great ape is a humbling and profoundly spiritual experience that should be at the top of your bucket list
Volcanoes' forests
Volcanoes was the setting for the film Gorillas in the Mist, an autobiography about Dian Fossey, who set up the Karisoke Research Centre and dedicated her life to mountain gorillas.
And while the gorillas may be the stars, visitors are equally likely to find themselves blown away by this volcanic landscape's breathtaking scenery and astonishing biodiversity. Vegetation types include tropical, bamboo and montane forests, Afroalpine shrubland, thicket, and grassland with marshes and small lakes interspersed. See more about wildlife below
READ MORE about Volcanoes National Park.
Volcanoes NP quick facts
160km² (16,000 hectares) with five major volcanoes (non-active) - Mounts Karisimbi, Bisoke (Visoke), Sabyinyo, Gahinga and Muhabura. Mount Karisimbi is the highest peak, at 4,500 metres above sea level.
Twelve mountain gorilla families are habituated for gorilla trekking safaris (other troops are habituated solely for research purposes). These are the Susa, Igisha, Karisimbi, Sabyinyo, Amahoro, Agashya, Kwitonda, Umubano, Hirwa, Bwenge, Kwisanga and Muhoza families.
Kwita Izina – an annual naming ceremony for newborn gorillas modelled on a Rwandan tradition of naming children.
Karisoke Research Centre (now abandoned), Dian Fossey’s final resting place, is accessible via a 90-minute hike.
What wildlife can I expect to see in Volcanoes National Park?
In addition to endangered mountain gorillas, Volcanoes is also home to troops of habituated golden monkeys. These charismatic monkeys are almost as scarce as their gorilla cousins and are only found around the Virunga region.
The forest is also home to forest elephants (although few in number), forest buffaloes, bushpigs, giant forest hogs, black-fronted duikers and other elusive inhabitants.
Volcanoes offers exceptional birding, with over 200 species, including 17 Albertine Rift endemics. Highlights include scarlet-tufted sunbird, Shelley’s crimsonwing, African pittas, Rwenzori turacos, handsome francolins and African green broadbills, to name a few.
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Volcanoes FAQs
Volcanoes NP is open year-round, though the “best time” to visit is from June until September, the long dry season. Though the highest rainfall levels occur from March to May and again in October and November, this is an equatorial region, and rain is possible at any time. Consequently, it is essential to waterproof all electronics and photographic equipment, and a good pair of non-slip, waterproof walking boots is vital.
Gorilla trekking typically involves hiking for one to six hours to locate your assigned gorilla family group. Trackers will begin searching for your gorilla group hours before your trek starts, starting from the last-known position of the previous day. Once you have located your gorilla family group, you will spend one hour with them. Your trek group size will be limited to eight participants
CLICK HERE for detailed information about gorilla trekking
Peak season bookings require 12–18 months of advance planning. Trips outside of peak season can be arranged 6–9 months ahead, with better rates and availability.
Gorilla trekking safaris to Volcanoes NP typically cost from US$700 per person, per night, depending on the accommodation comfort level and activities. In addition to that, you will pay about $1,500 per gorilla trek. Our packages offer excellent value with transparent pricing.
Our safari prices typically include accommodation, all meals and described activities, gorilla trekking fees, park fees, experienced guides, airport transfers and 24/7 support from our team. Specific inclusions vary by package – contact us for detailed itineraries.
You only make your first payment when you book your Volcanoes NP holiday. Your second (last) payment is about 90 days before you travel.
We have been handcrafting experiential safaris since 1991. Travel in Africa is about knowing when and where to go, and with whom. A few weeks too early/late or a few kilometres off course, and you could miss the greatest show on Earth. And wouldn’t that be a pity?
Booking through a respected tour operator with many years of experience means that all you need to focus on is helping us design your safari and then having a superb vacation. The rest - all the nitty-gritty detail and admin is done while you relax. Our 24/7 concierges take care of problems such as flight changes and missed flights, last-minute road transfer and lodge changes due to unexpected events, and itinerary changes requested by you.
Remember that you will not save money by attempting to book and manage your own safari, but you will inherit mistakes and problems that arise.
Yes, your money is safe. Your payments go into a third-party TRUST ACCOUNT - protecting them in the unlikely event of a financial setback on our part. Also, we are members of SATSA who attest to our integrity, legal compliance and financial stability. See what travellers say about us.
Yes, your gorilla trek has become a vital financial lifeline for conserving the last remaining mountain gorillas and their highland habitat. The gorilla trekking permit generates revenue for government conservation efforts and creates ecotourism jobs for rangers, trackers and porters. Local communities also benefit from additional knock-on business opportunities related to tourism. These benefits ensure that local people value gorillas and their habitat.
Also, by booking your safari with Africa Geographic, you make a significant difference because:
We donate a portion of every safari sold to selected conservation efforts at ground level
Your safari supports our conservation publishing efforts, which educate the world about Africa's incredible biodiversity and the local people who protect it
Our chosen lodges support local community initiatives, ensuring that tourism benefits the nearby villages directly. They also adhere to strict environmental practices, such as limited vehicle numbers and sustainable camp operations, which help protect the ecosystem
YOUR safari choice does make a difference – thank you!
Start planning your Volcanoes gorilla trekking holiday
Our travel experts will craft a no-obligation itinerary just for you. We have crafted over 5,000 safaris since 1991. Your personal details are protected; we only use this information to contact you.
Why choose us to craft your safari?
Handcrafted experiential safaris since 1991.
Travel in Africa is about knowing when and where to go, and with whom. A few weeks too early/late or a few kilometres off course, and you could miss the greatest show on Earth. And wouldn’t that be a pity?
Trust & Safety
Guest payments go into a third-party TRUST ACCOUNT - protecting them in the unlikely event of a financial setback on our part. Also, we are members of SATSA who attest to our integrity, legal compliance and financial stability.
Make a difference
We donate a portion of the revenue from every safari sold to carefully selected conservation projects that make a significant difference at ground level.
YOUR safari choice does make a difference - thank you!