Loading
01/RW
The shortest road to a mountain gorilla.
Two hours from Kigali to the Virunga treeline. No internal flights, no lost days.
About Rwanda
Rwanda is where we live, and it is the reason this company exists. Volcanoes National Park sits a two hour drive from Kigali International, so you can land in the evening and be standing ten metres from a silverback the following morning.
Beyond the gorillas the country stacks up fast. Nyungwe holds one of the oldest rainforests in Africa and a canopy walkway strung sixty metres above it. Akagera went from poached out to Big Five in a decade. Lake Kivu closes the loop with water, boats and nothing at all to track.
- Gateway
- Kigali (KGL)
- Gorilla permit
- USD 1,500
- Kigali to Kinigi
- 2 hr drive
- Primate species
- 13 in Nyungwe
Where you go in Rwanda
Volcanoes National Park
Twelve habituated gorilla families on the Rwandan flank of the Virungas, plus golden monkeys in the bamboo.
Nyungwe Forest
Chimpanzee tracking, thirteen primate species and a canopy walkway above a rainforest older than most of Europe.
Akagera National Park
Savannah, lakes and the full Big Five after lion and rhino were returned to the park.
Lake Kivu
Volcanic lake on the Congo border. Boats, bikes and the Congo Nile Trail along its shoulder.
How we plan Rwanda
One hour, by law
Every gorilla visit is capped at sixty minutes with eight trekkers. We plan the day around that hour instead of stacking anything behind it.
Permits before deposits
Gorilla permits come from the Rwanda Development Board and they sell out. We hold yours before we invoice the rest of the trip.
A country you can drive
Tar most of the way, four hours between the big parks, and no domestic flight schedule to build a holiday around.
When to go
Best
Jun to Sep
Long dry season. Firm trails and the easiest trekking of the year.
Strong
Dec to Feb
Short dry window with thinner crowds than the June peak.
Green
Mar to May
Long rains. Hard going underfoot, lowest rates, forest at its most alive.
Mixed
Oct to Nov
Short rains arrive in the afternoon. Mornings usually trek fine.
Mountain gorilla trekking in the Virungas.
Photographs from Rwanda
Before you plan Rwanda
- Gorilla trekking permits, what they cost and how booking worksHow much is a gorilla permit, and how do you get one?
- Rwanda or Uganda for gorilla trekkingWhich country should I trek gorillas in?
- What to pack for a gorilla trekWhat do I need to take gorilla trekking?
- How hard is gorilla trekkingHow fit do I need to be to trek gorillas?
- Planning a first safari in East AfricaHow do I plan a first safari?
- What an East African safari costsHow much does a safari cost?
Next destination
Uganda
Bwindi gorillas and Kibale chimpanzees
Ready to plan Rwanda?
Tell us when you want to travel and who is coming.