Volcanoes National Park: gorilla trekking in Rwanda

Why visit

Few wildlife experiences anywhere match sitting a few metres from a silverback gorilla while his family feeds around you. Rwanda's gorilla trekking is very well organised, and conservation has helped the mountain gorilla population grow over recent decades. The fees are high by design: they fund rangers, research and nearby communities.

How gorilla trekking works

Permits are limited each day and are sold by the Rwanda Development Board and licensed tour operators. Book months ahead for June to September and the December holidays. On the day, you report early to the park headquarters at Kinigi, enjoy a welcome from local dancers, and are assigned to a group of up to eight visitors and one gorilla family. Rangers try to match fitness to family: some groups live near the park edge, others need several hours of steep, muddy walking. Once you reach the gorillas you stay for one hour, keep your distance and wear a mask if asked.

What to pack

• Waterproof jacket and layers, as it can be cold and wet at altitude
• Sturdy, broken-in hiking boots and long trousers tucked into socks
• Gardening gloves for grabbing nettles and vines
• Water, snacks and a small backpack (porters can carry it and welcome the work)
• A camera without flash

Beyond the gorillas

• **Golden monkeys:** a lighter trek to playful monkeys in the bamboo zone, great for photos.
• **Dian Fossey's grave:** a steep forest hike to the Karisoke research site where Fossey lived and is buried beside her gorillas.
• **Mount Bisoke:** a full day climb to a crater lake on the border.
• **Mount Karisimbi:** a two-day climb to the highest summit in the chain, for fit hikers.
• **Ellen DeGeneres Campus:** the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund's striking research and visitor centre near Kinigi.
• **Iby'Iwacu Cultural Village:** dance, songs and crafts shared by community members.

Musanze and around

Musanze is the busy market town at the foot of the volcanoes, with simple hotels, cafés and the Musanze caves, old lava tubes you can walk through. To the east, the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo offer boat trips and gorgeous views of terraced hills.

Where to stay

Lodges near Kinigi make early starts easy, from luxury forest villas to modest guesthouses. Musanze town has good value hotels about twenty to thirty minutes from the park headquarters. Read our places to visit list for ideas.

Getting there

The road from Kigali is paved and scenic, winding over the hills for around two and a half hours. Express buses run regularly between Kigali and Musanze, and most travellers arrange a driver or tour transport for the early start to the park. Many combine the park with Lake Kivu, a short drive west.

Responsible trekking

Do not trek if you have a cold or flu, as gorillas catch human illnesses. Stay seven metres back where you can, never eat near the gorillas and follow the rangers' instructions at all times.

A sample three-day plan

Arrive from Kigali on day one, settle into your lodge and visit the Musanze caves or the twin lakes in the afternoon. On day two, trek the gorillas in the morning and spend a slow afternoon at the lodge or the Iby'Iwacu Cultural Village. On day three, track the golden monkeys or hike to Dian Fossey's grave, then continue west to the lake. This pace leaves room for rain delays and tired legs, and it means you are never rushing to the park headquarters before dawn after a long drive.