Rwanda Safari
2 Days Gorilla Trekking Rwanda
Two days with an overnight near Volcanoes National Park, so you can trek gorillas without a rushed return to Kigali.
Itinerary overview
This two-day itinerary gives you a relaxed start. You travel to Musanze on day one and enjoy a gorilla trek the next morning, then return to Kigali.
Spending the night near the park means less time on the road on trekking day and the chance to enjoy the Virunga scenery and a visit to the Musanze area.
Gorilla permits are limited and sell out, so it is best to book well in advance. Your guide will tell you what to wear and bring, and can arrange porters on the day if you would like help with your bag.
Safari highlights
- Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
- Overnight stay near the park for a well-rested start
- Views of the Virunga volcanoes
- Rwandan hospitality and local scenery in the northern highlands
- Return to Kigali the same day after the trek
Itinerary route map
- Kigali
- Volcanoes National Park
Day-by-day itinerary
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Day 1 Kigali to Musanze
After breakfast in Kigali, you set off north towards Musanze, the gateway to Volcanoes National Park. The drive takes about two hours on a well-maintained road, winding through hills and valleys dotted with small farms and banana groves. Rwanda is known as the land of a thousand hills, and this route shows why.
If you wish, your guide can stop at a viewpoint or a local market to see everyday life and buy fruit or crafts. As you approach Musanze, the Virunga volcanoes rise on the horizon, with peaks such as Karisimbi, Bisoke and Muhabura often partly covered in cloud. The landscape is lush, cool and very green.
You arrive at your lodge near the park in the afternoon, with time to relax and enjoy the setting. Your guide explains how tomorrow's gorilla trekking will work, including the early briefing, what to wear and what to bring. Dinner is served at the lodge, and you rest early. Rest well, because a gorilla trek requires good energy and a comfortable night of sleep.
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02
Day 2 Gorilla trekking and return to Kigali
Enjoy an early breakfast and drive to the park headquarters at Kinigi for the 7:00 briefing. There, rangers explain the rules of gorilla trekking, and traditional dancers welcome visitors. You are assigned to a habituated gorilla family based on fitness and preference, and you then drive to the trailhead with your guide.
The trek begins across farmland before entering the bamboo and montane forest on the volcano slopes. The hike may last from one to several hours, depending on where the gorillas are. Trackers stay in contact with your guide by radio so that you are led to the family by the most direct route.
When you reach the gorillas, you spend one hour with them, watching adults feed, young ones play and the silverback keeping watch. After the hike back, you receive your trekking certificate and have lunch. You then drive to Kigali, a journey of about two hours, arriving in the afternoon or early evening.
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