5 Days Gorilla Trekking 5 days

Day 1 Kigali

International arrival at Kigali airport. Meet and greet by our company driver guide before transferring to Kigali Marriot Hotel. Arrival for dinner and overnight.

Day 2 Kigali - Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, your drivers will pick you at 9:30 from “Kigal Marriot Hotel” to proceed to the North of Kigali to Kinigi through Ruhengere. Enjoy the rolling hills for which Rwanda is well known and the unwinding scenery along the way. (Approximate driving time: 2 1/2 hours) Arrival at the lodge for lunch. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

The Volcanoes National Park is part of the Virunga Conservation Area and covers more than 125 km². It is home of 5 Virunga volcanoes: Sabyinyo (3.674m), Gahinga (3.474m), Bisoke (3711m), Muhabura (4.127m), and the Karisimbi, the highest volcano with an altitude of 4.507m. All five volcanoes are extinct; the active ones are located in Congo. Two of them erupted recently; the Nyiragongo erupted in January 2002 and Nyamulangira in July 2002. You can track gorillas, climb the Bisoke volcano, track the golden monkeys or hike and visit the Karisoke Research Centre which Dian Fossey the famous primatologist set up, or visit local villages. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 3 Gorilla Trekking - Volcanoes National Park

After an early morning breakfast, you will be transferred to the park headquarters. You will meet with your ranger who will brief you about the code of conduct while with the gorillas. You will then enter the forest in search of the gorillas. The trekking may take 2-6 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas in the jungle and your group speed as well. Meet and stay with the gorillas for a maximum of one hour.

The Volcanoes NP is home to about 480 mountain gorillas. There are eleven habituated gorilla families - Amahoro , Agashya, Titus, Kwitonda, Sabyinyo, Isimbi, Igisha, Muhoza, Kalisimbi, Umubano and Susa - each of the groups allows up to 8 participants per day.

After a great experience you will walk back to the starting point and be transferred to your lodge for lunch, and after lunch, you can decide to relax at your lodge at your leisure or head for a cultural encounter at Iby’ Iwacu cultural site to get an insight of Rwandan culture. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 4 Twin Lakes - Kigali

After breakfast, you will check-out from the rooms and store your luggages in the hotel. We will drive to the Twin Lakes of Burera and Ruhondo. The lakes are located at the base of the Mount Muhabura, close to the Volcanoes National Park (about 1 hour drive). The view of the surrounding landscape of the lakes is impressive with its wetland habitats, water birds, and the Virunga volcanoes. A boat ride on the fresh waters of Rwanda twin lakes is a complement to gorilla safaris in Volcanoes National Park. The canoe ride will reward you with a breath of fresh air, spectacular views of the green vegetation and various water birds.

After our relaxing time at the lake we return to The Bishop House for lunch. In the early afternoon we drive back to Kigali. Upon arrival we will visit the “Genocide Memorial Center” before checking-in at the Kigali Marriot Hotel. Evening at leisure. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 5 Departure

After breakfast, your driver will pick you from the hotel to transfer you to Kigali airport for your departure flight