The 3 days Rwanda gorilla tour is one of the best short packages set for you to explore the hidden treasures in Volcanoes National Park. This package includes city expedition in Kigali, gorilla trekking, golden monkey tracking/Dian Fossey tomb hike in Volcanoes National Park and visits Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village for a thrilling cultural experience.
Volcanoes National Park is positioned in Northwestern Rwanda, approximately 2 to 3 hours’ drive away from Kigali city center. It occupies an area of 160sq.km, comprising of rain-forest where some of the remaining mountain gorillas live, golden monkeys, more than 200 bird species and several unique species of plants. Your tour will begin and end in Kigali.
What to expect on your 3 days Rwanda gorilla tour
• An hour of magical encounter with a habituated gorilla groups in Rwanda
• Golden monkey tracking
• Travel in a comfortable 4×4 drive Safari Van/Land Cruiser
• Bottled water
• Service of an English-speaking driver-guide
• 2 nights and meals
Brief itinerary of your 3 days Rwanda gorilla tour
Day 1: Kigali city tour-transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Day 3: Golden monkey tracking/Dian Fossey tomb hike; return to Kigali
Detailed itinerary of your 3 days Rwanda gorilla tour
Day 1: Kigali city tour-transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Begin your day with an early morning breakfast at your respective hotel in Kigali or place of residence or upon your early arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by a driver guide from Maranatha Tours and Travel who later, will give you insight into what your 3 days Rwanda gorilla tour is all about. Thereafter, he will take you on a city expedition in Kigali where you will pay a visit to iconic historical sites especially the Kigali genocide site around the Gisozi area for you to get insight into what took place during the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Other places to visit include the nearby local markets, craft shops and after, you will have lunch in Kigali before heading to Volcanoes National Park.
Volcanoes National Park is in the Northern Province of Rwanda, about 2 to 3 hours’ drive from Kigali capital city. En-route, enjoy the breathtaking views of the rolling hills that make this country the Land of a Thousand Hills. Arrive early enough to check-in at your gorilla lodge for relaxation, dinner and night stay.
Travel time: 2 to 3 hours
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Where to stay in Volcanoes National Park
• Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Bisate Lodge
• Mid-range: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge, Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge
• Budget: Hotel Muhabura, Kinigi Guesthouse
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
You are expected to get up early to prepare, take breakfast and with your packed lunch/snacks, bottled water proceed straight to Kinigi park headquarters where you will meet the park official and other visitors for a briefing on the set gorilla trekking dos and don’ts. The park head guide/official will allocate to you a gorilla family to trek and each group is trekked by only 8 visitors. The habituated gorilla families in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park include Karisimbi, Hirwa, Bwenge, Susa A, Umubano, Amahoro, Agashya, Ugenda, Kwitonda, and Sabyinyo.
At 8:00 am, you will be accompanied by an experienced park ranger guide and also trackers plus porters will join you to begin a search for a gorilla family allocated to you. Your gorilla trek may cover about 2 to 6 hours including an hour of face to face encounter with mountain gorillas, photo taking and learning their unique behaviors. The length of the trek varies significantly depending on your hiking speed, nature of the habitat and where these large apes are found in the course of the day. The advantage of this primate adventure is that you will also come across other unique species of primates, plants, and birds.
Once you are done exploring distinct behaviors of mountain gorillas, get back to the lodge to have some rest. Later, spend your afternoon or evening exploring the unique cultures, traditions of Rwandese on a visit to Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village or visit the Twin Lakes; Lake Burera and Ruhondo.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Where to stay in Volcanoes National Park
• Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Bisate Lodge
• Mid-range: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge, Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge
• Budget: Hotel Muhabura, Kinigi Guesthouse
Day 3: Golden monkey tracking/Dian Fossey tomb hike (optional); return to Kigali
Following breakfast, check out from your gorilla lodge and connect to Kinigi park headquarters to have a briefing on guidelines for golden monkey trekking or Dian Fossey tomb hike. Alternatively, drive back to Kigali International Airport to catch up with your flight back home and this marks the end of your 3 days Rwanda gorilla tour.
End of your 3 days Rwanda gorilla tour
3 days Rwanda gorilla tour includes
• Gorilla trekking permits-at $1500 per person
• Photography
• Accommodation for 2 nights and meals
• Ground transportation in 4×4 drive safari vehicle
• Visit to Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village
• Bottled water
• Service of an English speaking driver-guide
• Relevant government taxes
3 days Rwanda gorilla tour excludes
• Hotel fees in Kigali
• Tips
• Airfares
• Beverages
• Telephone calls
• Laundry fees
• Optional activities
What to pack on 3 days Rwanda gorilla tour
• Bottled water
• Energy giving snacks
• Waterproof hiking boots/shoes
• Camera with extra-batteries but without a flashlight
• Long-sleeved shirt/t-shirt
• Gardening gloves
• Rain jackets/poncho
• Waterproof daypack
• Insect repellents
Gorilla trekking guidelines
• Persons below 15 years are not allowed to trek mountain gorillas.
• One gorilla permit is equal to one habituated family.
• Don’t go trekking gorilla in case you are sick.
• On finding gorillas, you are given only one hour to make your dreams come true.
• No flashlight camera is allowed when taking photos of gorillas.
• Keep your voices low when trekking gorillas
Other Related Gorilla Tours
1 day gorilla trekking Rwanda
2 days Gorilla Trekking Bwindi
3 days Bwindi Gorilla Tour