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Overview of Virunga Gorilla Express
Land in Kigali, trek to one gorilla family in Volcanoes National Park, and be back at the airport on day three. Built for travellers who have three days and one aim.
- Length
- 3 days
- Countries
- Rwanda
- Pace
- Fast
- From
- USD 2,180
Best for one gorilla trek on a short schedule. Prices are per person sharing a twin or double room and are confirmed on enquiry.
Highlights
- One gorilla permit and a full 60 minutes with a family
- Only 2 hours by road from Kigali to Kinigi
- Groups capped at 8 trekkers, briefed at 7:00
- Sleep close to Kinigi and start the trek rested
- Private 4x4 with driver-guide, Kigali round trip
Where this one goes
3 stops over 3 days, in travel order.
Day 1
Kigali (KGL)
Land and drive two hours north
Days 1 to 3
Volcanoes National Park
Gorilla trek, two nights near Kinigi
Day 3
Kigali (KGL)
Genocide Memorial, then depart
When to travel
The windows below are for the countries this journey crosses. Tell us the month you are thinking of and we will say what it means for this route.
- Jun to SepBest
- Long dry season. Firm trails and the easiest trekking of the year.
- Dec to FebStrong
- Short dry window with thinner crowds than the June peak.
- Mar to MayGreen
- Long rains. Hard going underfoot, lowest rates, forest at its most alive.
- Oct to NovMixed
- Short rains arrive in the afternoon. Mornings usually trek fine.
What you are likely to see
Listed because this route goes where these animals are, and on which day. None of it is a promise of a sighting, and anyone who gives you a percentage is guessing.
Mountain gorilla
Volcanoes National Park, day 2
Sixty minutes with one habituated family, in a group of eight
Day by day
Day 1
Land in Kigali, drive to Musanze
Meet at KGL and drive north for 2 hours through terraced hill country to Musanze and the lodge near Kinigi. Your guide checks boots, rain gear and fitness before an early dinner.
OvernightNear Kinigi, Volcanoes National Park. Lodge, full board.
Day 2
Gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park
Briefing at Kinigi park headquarters at 7:00, where rangers assign your family, then a walk of one to five hours depending on where the group nested the night before. The visit is capped at 60 minutes for no more than 8 trekkers, and you are back at the lodge by mid-afternoon.
OvernightNear Kinigi, Volcanoes National Park. Lodge, full board.
Day 3
Back to Kigali
Leave after breakfast and reach Kigali in 2 hours, with time for the Kigali Genocide Memorial at Gisozi before your airport transfer. Evening departures fit this day best.
One gorilla trek on a short schedule, over 3 days at a fast pace.
Where you stay
2 nights, in travel order. Prices are per person sharing a twin or double room.
| Nights | Where | Type | Meals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Near Kinigi, Volcanoes National Park | Lodge | Full board |
Photographs from Virunga Gorilla Express
Included
- Rwanda gorilla permit (USD 1,500) for one trek
- Volcanoes National Park entry fees
- Private 4x4 with pop-top roof and driver-guide, Kigali round trip
- Two nights at a lodge near Volcanoes National Park
- Full board from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 3
- Bottled drinking water in the vehicle
- Airport transfers at Kigali (KGL)
Not included
- International flights
- Visas
- Travel insurance, including medical evacuation cover
- Tips for guide, rangers and porters
- Drinks other than bottled water
- Porter hire at the trailhead
- A second gorilla trek (permit USD 1,500)
Questions
- Is the gorilla permit included in the price?
- Yes. The USD 1,500 Rwanda gorilla permit for one trek and the Volcanoes National Park entry fees are both inside the USD 2,180 lead-in price, along with the private 4x4, the driver-guide, two nights, meals and Kigali airport transfers.
- Are three days really enough for a gorilla trek?
- Yes, and only because of where Rwanda put the park. Kigali to the lodge near Kinigi is two hours by road, the trek is on day two, and day three drives back in two hours with time for the Kigali Genocide Memorial before an evening flight.
- How hard is the trek on day two?
- Moderate to hard. The briefing at Kinigi is at 7:00, then the walk runs one to five hours each way depending on where your assigned family nested the night before. You get 60 minutes with them, in a group of no more than eight trekkers.
- Can I add a second gorilla trek?
- Yes, and it needs a fourth day. A second Rwanda permit is USD 1,500 and is not included here. It gives you a different family, usually a different trailhead and a different length of walk.
- Which flights fit this itinerary?
- Any arrival into Kigali on day one, since the drive north is two hours and dinner is early. For the return, evening departures from Kigali on day three fit best.
Enquire about this journey
Tell us your dates and who is coming. We confirm the route, what is still open for those dates and the price per person.
Other journeys
Plan Virunga Gorilla Express around your dates.
Tell us when you want to travel and how many are coming, and we confirm the route and the price.
From USD 2,180 per person sharing a twin or double room. The lead-in price is confirmed on enquiry.