Top Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Tours – Unforgettable Safari Adventures
Rwanda gorilla trekking tours take you to Volcanoes National Park to visit Rwanda gorillas in the Virunga Mountains. These gorillas roam at the foothills of Bisoke, Karisimbi, Muhabura and Sabyinyo Volcano Mountains. The terrain is mountainous and categorized by bamboo vegetation, making gorilla sightings much easier than in impenetrable forests.
The gorilla habitat of Rwanda can easily be accessed from Kigali, Rwanda’s main entry point; about 2-3 hours away. This literally means you won’t travel for long on your Rwanda gorilla tours, unlike other countries. Below are some of our gorilla trekking Rwanda safaris. Check them out and choose your preference.
Ultimate Guide to Rwanda & Gorilla Trekking Safaris
Rwanda, also referred to as the “Land of a Thousand Hills” due to its numerous lush green hills, is a landlocked country located in East Africa.
The climate is subtropical, with two rainy seasons and two dry seasons each year.
The earliest inhabitants of Rwanda were the Twa people, who were pygmy hunter-gatherers and are still present in the country to this day.
The Bantu-speaking tribes later arrived in the country and forced the Twa people to clear land for agriculture on the mountain slopes.
Rwanda boasts the highest rate of women representation in the world, with over 60% of its members of parliament being women.
Every last Saturday of the month, the entire country, including the president, participates in what is known as “Umuganda,” a national service activity that involves general public cleaning and has made the country one of the cleanest in Africa.
Video: Kevin Hart Trekking Gorillas in Rwanda
Kevin Hart is one of the most popular international celebrities who have named and trekked gorillas in Rwanda. He joins a list of Sol Campbell, Jurien Timber, David Luiz and many more celebrities.
About Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda & East Africa
Mountain gorillas are an endangered species of primates endemic to only Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Gorillas are divided into two species: the Western gorilla and the Eastern gorilla, which are further divided into subspecies, including the Mountain gorilla, Eastern lowland gorilla, Cross River gorilla, and Western lowland gorillas.
Mountain gorillas cannot survive in zoos, which is why you should travel to Africa to trek these great apes in their natural habitat. They live in high elevations of rain-forests and adapt to cold temperatures in these areas with their long and thick fur.
As gorillas grow, they develop silver hair on their backs, and mature males are known as Silverbacks.
They move in groups dominated by one Silverback, which takes care of all the group activities, including feeding, protection from other Silverbacks, and having mating rights within the group.
Female mountain gorillas give birth after a gestation period of 8 and a half months. Their young babies are tiny, vulnerable, and weigh about 4 pounds at birth. Mothers protect and nurture their young until they are about 4 years old.
Where to Trek Gorillas in Rwanda
The only national park in Rwanda where tourists can trek mountain gorillas is Volcanoes National Park. The park is a top tourist destination in the country and is home to over 10 habituated mountain gorilla families that visitors can trek to throughout the year.
Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park is situated in the northwestern part of Rwanda and is home to the endangered mountain gorillas, which are found in only three countries worldwide. It also houses five of the eight Virunga Range volcanoes.
Volcanoes National Park served as the base for the famous American primatologist Dian Fossey during her study and research on mountain gorillas before her sudden death in 1985.
Established in 1925, Volcanoes National Park was one of the first national parks created in Africa to protect the endangered mountain gorillas, which were nearly extinct at that time.
Dian Fossey arrived at the park and established the Karisoke Research Institute around Mount Bisoke and Mount Karisimbi, naming it the Karisoke Research Center in 1967.
In 1992, Volcanoes National Park headquarters was attacked, leading to the abandonment of all tourist activities, including the research institute.
The Rwandan civil wars caused many people to flee to the park, resulting in an increase in poaching.
However, in 1999, it was deemed safe to visit the park once again.
Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
Mountain Gorilla in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda
Rwanda offers the most luxurious gorilla trekking experience compared to Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
To trek mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, visitors need to obtain a permit at $1500 per person for trekking, which is issued only to individuals over 15 years of age.
Gorilla trekking usually begins early in the morning with a briefing from the park headquarters before embarking on the journey with armed rangers.
Once you find the group you are trekking, you will have an hour to take photos and observe gorilla behavior.
Only a group of eight people without infectious diseases like flu and cough are allowed to trek mountain gorillas.
This is because mountain gorillas are susceptible to human diseases, and their immunity may not be sufficient to fight these diseases.
Sometimes, gorilla doctors may take a long time to realize they need help.
The best times to visit Rwanda are during the two dry seasons: from June to September and from mid-December to early February.
During these times, the skies are clear with fewer chances of rainfall, the trails are less muddy and slippery, making your activities easier, and the thinner vegetation provides better wildlife photography opportunities.
Rwanda Gorilla Permits
Mountain gorilla permits in Rwanda cost $1500 per person per trekking.
There are also discounted mountain gorilla trekking permits available for May and October, but these are guaranteed only to visitors who stay in the country for more than 3 days and have visited one of the other national parks within the country.
Discounted mountain gorilla permits cost $1050.
All travelers must obtain their permits at least 3 months in advance of their arrival in the country to avoid disappointment due to high demand, especially during the peak season.
Gorilla trekking permits can be obtained through a trusted travel company like us or from the Rwanda Development Board.
The Karisimbi gorilla family derives its name from Mount Karisimbi, found within Volcanoes National Park.
The group was named after Karisimbi because they inhabit the slopes of this mountain.
The group used to be part of Susa mountain gorilla family until 2009 when the silverback Nyakangaga split off to form his own family and took along 12 members.
The Karisimbi mountain gorilla family is one of the most challenging gorilla families to trek in Volcanoes National Park.
This is because they often move to higher altitudes near the caldera on top of Mount Karisimbi, making it very strenuous to locate them.
Sometimes it even takes an entire day trekking to find this family.
The group is sometimes known as the Susa B gorilla family. For hikers interested in a physical challenge, this is the best gorilla family to visit while at Volcanoes National Park.
Susa Gorilla Family
The Susa gorilla family used to be the largest mountain gorilla family in Volcanoes National Park, composed of 42 members, until they split up in 2009 when the silverback Nyakangaga separated and took 12 members from the group.
This group is also one of the hardest to trek because they live at higher altitudes.
The Susa mountain gorilla family derives its name from the River Susa that passes through their home range.
This is one of the groups that the famous American primatologist Dian Fossey studied at the Karisoke Research Institute before her sudden death.
The Susa mountain gorilla family is now composed of 28 individuals, including three silverbacks, and it's one of the fortunate gorilla groups to have twins.
Amahoro Gorilla Family
The Amahoro gorilla family derives its name from a local Kinyarwanda word meaning “Peace.”
The group was named so because they are known for their peaceful nature.
This peaceful demeanor has led to the dominating silverback, Ubumwe, losing many members to other silverbacks due to his humble character.
The Amahoro mountain gorilla family can be trekked around the slopes of Mount Bisoke.
The group is currently composed of 17 individuals, but it should be noted that gorilla family numbers keep changing due to various reasons.
Sometimes, this family is challenging to trek because they move to higher altitudes on Mount Bisoke.
Sabinyo Gorilla Family
The Sabinyo gorilla family is named after Mount Sabyinyo volcano in Volcanoes National Park.
The group roams around the slopes of Mount Sabyinyo and Mount Mgahinga.
The family was initially known as the Amavubi mountain gorilla family, which translates to “wasps.”
The Sabyinyo mountain gorilla family is one of the easiest gorilla groups to trek in Volcanoes National Park.
It sometimes takes only 2 hours to locate the family from the park headquarters.
This group was the hardest to habituate in Volcanoes National Park and boasts the largest and heaviest silverback in the entire park, known as Guhonda, weighing 220 kilograms.
Kwitonda Gorilla Family
The Kwitonda gorilla family was named after the silverback Kwitonda, who dominated the family at the time of habituation.
This group migrated from Virunga National Park in Congo to Volcanoes National Park in 2003.
This group roams around the mountain slopes of Mount Sabinyo and Mount Gahinga.
Kwitonda died mysteriously in 2012, and his body was found ten days after his disappearance from the family.
The cause of his death is unknown. Akarevuro took over the group's leadership after Kwitonda's death.
Kwitonda is remembered for his kindness towards humans and other mountain gorillas, even allowing other silverbacks to mate with females within the family, which is not the case with most mountain gorilla groups.
Umubano Gorilla Family
The Umubano gorilla family was initially part of the Amahoro mountain gorilla family until the dominating silverback died.
Two brothers, Silverback Charles and Silverback Ubumwe, took over the group's leadership, but they continued to disagree.
Eventually, Charles split off and took with him several members, although the two families can still be seen feeding and interacting together sometimes.
The family derives its name from the dominating silverback Umubano, which translates to “togetherness” in the local Kinyarwanda language.
Hirwa Gorilla Family
The Hirwa gorilla family derives its name from the local Kinyarwanda word meaning “Lucky One.”
This is one of the lucky mountain gorilla groups to have twins in Volcanoes National Park.
The family was formed in June 2006 when the silverback Muyinga broke away from the Susa mountain gorilla family to form his own group.
Susa mountain gorilla family left his group because of mating with females from the group, which is not acceptable in gorilla families, where only the dominating silverback has the right to mate with all the group females.
Silverback Muyinga left the family with 2 females and expanded his family by having several interactions with other gorilla groups to gain more members.
Bwenge Gorilla Family
The Bwenge gorilla family was formed in 2007 when the silverback after whom the group is named broke away from the Beetsme mountain gorilla family to start his own.
The word “Bwenge” is derived from a local Kinyarwanda word meaning “wisdom.”
Unfortunately, Bwenge was later found dead by gorilla doctors, and it's believed that the cause of his death was injuries from interactions with a lone wild gorilla or cardiac arrest.
Bwenge mountain gorilla family is one of the famous mountain gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park because they featured in the film “Gorillas in the Mist.”
However, it's one of the gorilla families that have faced very hard times, especially when the family lost 7 infants.
The former dominating silverback, Bwenge, was known for his kindness, especially when he took care of 2 mountain gorilla babies after their mothers passed away.
After the death of Bwenge, a female mountain gorilla known as Maggie took over the group until a lone male from the Pablo gorilla family came and took over, now dominating the family.
Agashya Gorilla Family
The Agashya gorilla family is also known as Group 13 because there were only 13 members at the time of habituation.
The group was formerly led by the silverback Nyakarima, who was challenged by Agashya, the silverback who took over the group leadership.
Agashya took all the group members from silverback Nyakarima, leaving him as a lone male.
Silverback Agashya is known to be a fighter who always starts fights with other groups to grab some individuals to add to his family.
He also took the family to higher elevations of the volcano to secure his family.
Titus Gorilla Family
The Titus gorilla family derives its name from Titus, the silverback who was dominating the group at the time of habituation.
This mountain gorilla family can be trekked around the slopes of Mount Bisoke and Mount Karasimbi.
This was one of the gorilla families that Dian Fossey studied during her research about mountain gorillas, but unfortunately, the whole family was killed except for Titus, who survived.
Ugyenda Gorilla Family
The Ugyenda gorilla family derives its name from a local Kinyarwanda word meaning “mobile.”
This group was named so because the group is always on the move, although they can be trekked around the slopes of Mount Bisoke.
Why Trek Rwanda Gorillas
There are so many amazing reasons to trek with Rwanda gorillas in Volcanoes National Park.
Rwanda is Peaceful and Friendly
Rwanda is one of the friendliest countries in the world with very hospitable people who welcome visitors.
Since the 1994 genocide, there has been no war in the country, making it a safe destination to visit for mountain gorilla trekking.
Easy Access
Unlike other countries where international airports are far from gorilla trekking destinations, Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park is very easily accessible from Kigali International Airport.
Therefore, you can plan a one-day journey of gorilla trekking in Rwanda by arriving at Kigali and taking a 2-hour drive to the park.
You can trek mountain gorillas the next day and travel back to your country on the same day.
Golden Monkey Trekking in Rwanda - A Good Addition to your Gorilla Trip
Golden monkeys are a unique species of monkeys endemic to the Virunga Conservation Area in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
They are also known as the “Old World monkeys.”
Golden monkeys are unique from other species due to their golden patches, and their nostrils face up compared to other monkey species whose nostrils face sideways.
Golden monkey trekking at the park starts early in the morning, and visitors are required to be at the headquarters by 7:00 am for a briefing before tracking golden monkeys.
Golden monkey trekking is easier compared to gorilla trekking because golden monkeys live at the lower slopes of the Volcanoes, making it easy to track them.
The golden monkey trekking permits are cheaper, and the number of people visiting golden monkeys is not limited to eight people.
There are two habituated golden monkey families in Volcanoes National Park, with one located at the slopes of Mount Sabyinyo, consisting of about 100 individuals, and the other troop roams around other volcanoes and is relatively small in number.
Golden monkey trekking permits cost $100 per person per trekking.
All tourists intending to trek mountain gorillas or golden monkeys must pack waterproof hiking shoes, garden gloves, insect repellent, sunglasses, sunscreen, packed lunch, long-sleeved clothes, raincoats, rain jackets, hats, and many other things you might need during the trek.
Porters are also available to help you with your luggage at an affordable price.
Other Rwanda National Parks to Visit
Nyungwe Forest National Park in Rwanda
Rwanda is a country found in Africa, also known as the Switzerland of Africa because of its rolling lush green hills.
The park was established in 2015, making it the newest in the country.
Gishwati National Park is home to 232 species of birds, a few chimpanzees, golden monkeys, and other primates.
Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe Forest is the largest tract of remaining montane forest in East Africa.
The park is home to 85 mammalian species, 38 species of reptiles, 120 species of butterflies, 13 primate species, 250 Albertine endemics, 1050 species of plants, 32 species of amphibians, and 310 species of birds.
Accommodation - Where to Stay
Bisate Lodge, Rwanda
There are several budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation options in Volcanoes National Park, including Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel, Sabinyo Silverback Lodge, Mountain Gorillas Nest Lodge, Bisate Lodge, Virunga Lodge, Best View Hotel, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge, Garden Place Hotel, La Bambou Gorilla Lodge, Gorillas Volcanoes Hotel, Villa Gorilla, La Bambou Gorilla Lodge, Gate Hotel, Kinigi Guest House, La Palme Hotel, Gorillas Nest Lodge, Hotel Muhabura, Ruzizi Tented Camp, Karenge Bush Camp, Sabinyo Silverback Lodge, Faraja Hotel, Garden Place Hotel, Gorilla Solution Lodge, and many others.
