2 Days Volcanoes Gorilla Trek from Kigali
DESTINATION
Uganda: Volcanoes National Park
DURATION
2 Days | 1 Night
COST
From $2,050 Per Person
DESCRIPTION
For travelers who land in Kigali and want a focused, no-border-crossing introduction to mountain gorilla trekking, this 2-day safari to Volcanoes National Park is one of the most straightforward primate experiences in East Africa. Unlike our 2 Days Uganda Gorilla Tour Starting from Kigali, this itinerary stays entirely within Rwanda, with just a two-to-three-hour drive each way between Kigali and the foothills of the Virunga Mountains, so there’s no border paperwork to worry about.
With Pick and Transfer Safaris, this package gives you a full day to settle into the volcano region before your trek, followed by your gorilla trekking day and a relaxed return to Kigali in the evening. If your travel dates or budget point you toward Uganda instead, our 3 Days Uganda Gorilla Safari Starting from Rwanda and 5 Days Uganda Gorilla and Chimps Safari Starting from Rwanda cover Bwindi and Kibale, both reached via a short crossing from Kigali. For anything in between, browse our Uganda & Rwanda Safaris or contact our travel experts and we’ll build something around your dates.
Safari Highlights
- One mountain gorilla trekking permit for Volcanoes National Park, issued by the Rwanda Development Board
- One night’s accommodation near Kinigi/Musanze, at the foot of the Virunga Mountains
- A full hour with a habituated gorilla family in the bamboo forests and volcanic slopes of the Virungas
- Round-trip private 4×4 transport from Kigali, with an experienced English-speaking driver-guide
- A relaxed first afternoon to settle in, with time for an optional cultural visit or Dian Fossey-related excursion
- Flexible pickup from your Kigali hotel or Kigali International Airport
TRAVEL PLAN
Day 1: Kigali to Volcanoes National Park
After a mid-morning pickup from your hotel or Kigali International Airport, your driver-guide will take you on the scenic two-to-three-hour drive northwest through Rwanda’s terraced hills toward Musanze (formerly Ruhengeri), the gateway town to Volcanoes National Park, with the volcanic peaks of Karisimbi, Bisoke, Sabyinyo, Gahinga, and Muhabura rising ahead as you approach.
You should arrive at your lodge in or around Kinigi by early afternoon, with time to settle in, enjoy lunch, and rest ahead of the next day’s trek. The afternoon can be used for an optional visit to the Gorilla Guardians Village (formerly Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village) for traditional dance, craft demonstrations, and insight into the communities living alongside the park, or a visit to the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, just outside the park headquarters. Dinner and overnight at a lodge near the park.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking & Return to Kigali
After an early breakfast, head to the Kinigi park headquarters for your 7:00 am briefing with Rwanda Development Board rangers, who will outline trekking etiquette, safety guidelines, and the day’s gorilla family assignments. From there, you’ll set off into the forested slopes of the Virunga Mountains, accompanied by an armed ranger guide and trackers who have been following the gorillas’ movements since dawn.
Trekking times vary considerably depending on where the gorilla family was last located, ranging from a fairly gentle walk through farmland and bamboo to a more demanding climb on steep volcanic terrain, anywhere from one to several hours in total. Once found, you’ll spend a full hour watching the gorillas feed, rest, and interact at close range, before descending and receiving your trekking certificate. After a packed lunch, begin the drive back to Kigali, arriving in the late afternoon or early evening in time for dinner or a connecting flight home.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
COST INCLUSIONS AND EXCLUSIONS
Cost Inclusions
- 1 gorilla trekking permit for Volcanoes National Park
- 1 night’s accommodation on a mid-range basis near Kinigi/Musanze
- Round-trip private 4×4 transport from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park and back, with English-speaking driver-guide
- Fuel and all ground transport costs
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary (Day 1: Lunch, Dinner; Day 2: Breakfast, Lunch)
- Bottled drinking water during the journey
- All applicable government taxes
Cost Exclusions
- International flights to and from Kigali
- Rwanda entry visa (see notes below)
- Travel insurance
- Tips and gratuities for your driver-guide, lodge staff, and park rangers
- Personal expenses, souvenirs, and drinks not specified above
- Porter fees at the park (optional, paid locally, recommended to support the local community)
- Optional activities such as golden monkey tracking, the Gorilla Habituation Experience, or cultural village visits, unless arranged in advance
Good to Know Before You Go
Minimum age: Gorilla trekking is open to travelers aged 15 and above.
Fitness and altitude: Volcanoes National Park sits at a higher elevation than Uganda’s gorilla parks, and mornings and evenings can be noticeably cold. Trails can be steep and muddy, particularly in the bamboo zone, so a reasonable level of fitness is recommended, and hiring a porter to carry your bag is an affordable way to make the day easier while directly supporting the local community.
What to pack: Sturdy waterproof hiking boots, long trousers and sleeves, a warm layer for early mornings, a rain jacket, gardening gloves, a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, and a camera without flash.
Permits: Gorilla permits for Volcanoes National Park are issued by the Rwanda Development Board through the official Visit Rwanda booking portal, and are limited to eight visitors per habituated family per day. Demand is consistently high year-round, so we recommend booking as far in advance as possible, especially for travel during the June to September and December to February peak seasons.
Visas: Entry requirements for Rwanda, including the East Africa Tourist Visa where applicable, can be checked through the Visit Rwanda website. We always recommend confirming your specific visa requirements before travel.
Add-ons: Because Volcanoes National Park is also home to several troops of golden monkeys, golden monkey tracking can sometimes be added as an extra activity on day one afternoon for travelers arriving early enough, offering a lighter, more playful primate encounter alongside the gorilla trek. Ask us when booking if you’d like a quote.
Why This Beats a Day Trip
Volcanoes National Park is close enough to Kigali that some operators offer a same-day gorilla trek with a very early departure and a late return. Spreading the experience over two days changes how it feels: instead of a pre-dawn drive followed immediately by a forest trek, you arrive at the foot of the volcanoes the afternoon before, sleep properly at altitude, and start your trekking day already settled in. It also leaves space for an optional cultural visit on day one, so the trip becomes more than just the hour with the gorillas, without adding the cost or logistics of a longer multi-day itinerary.
Why Travel With Pick and Transfer Safaris
At Pick and Transfer Safaris, we handle the permit booking, lodge reservations, transport, and timing, so your Volcanoes National Park gorilla trek from Kigali runs smoothly from pickup to drop-off. Because permits in Rwanda are limited and significantly more expensive than in Uganda, our team will also help you weigh up whether a Rwanda-based trek or one of our Uganda gorilla safaris starting from Kigali best fits your budget and travel dates. A share of our proceeds also supports community projects through the Kigezi Foundation.
Browse more of our primate safaris, or explore all our East African destinations, including Kigali City for travelers wanting to extend their stay before or after the trek.
Ready to Book?
Gorilla permits for Volcanoes National Park sell out months in advance, especially in peak season. Contact our travel experts with your preferred dates, group size, and pickup point in Kigali, and we’ll confirm permit and lodge availability and send you a free, no-obligation quote.