Rwanda
Gorilla trekking with short transfers
Rwanda is one of the easiest places in Africa to reach for gorilla trekking, and that single fact shapes most decisions about going there.
Volcanoes National Park is less than three hours by road from Kigali International Airport. There is no domestic flight to arrange and no full day of driving. For anyone adding gorillas to a Kenya safari with limited time, Rwanda is usually the practical answer.
The country has also become more than a gorilla stop. Akagera holds the Big Five again following lion and rhino reintroductions, and Nyungwe is one of the great remaining montane rainforests in the region.
Plan My SafariVolcanoes National Park
Gorilla trekking takes place in the Virunga range, among the volcanoes on the Ugandan and Congolese border. Several habituated families are tracked each day, with numbers tightly controlled.
Golden monkey tracking is also available here, and it makes a good half-day activity alongside gorilla trekking.
The park sits at altitude, so mornings are cold regardless of the season.
Travel time: Under three hours by road from Kigali.
Nyungwe Forest
Chimpanzee tracking, more than a dozen primate species and a canopy walkway suspended above the forest floor. Nyungwe is large, quiet and quite different in character from the volcanoes in the north.
Travel time: About five to six hours by road from Kigali.
Akagera National Park
Savannah and lakes on the Tanzanian border, and the only part of Rwanda that resembles a conventional safari. Lion were reintroduced in 2015 and black rhino in 2017, so the Big Five are present again.
Boat trips on Lake Ihema are worth the time, particularly for birds and hippos.
Travel time: About two and a half hours by road from Kigali.
Lake Kivu
Where most people stop moving for a day or two between forests. Gisenyi, Kibuye and Rubavu sit along the shoreline, with boat trips, swimming and a slower pace.
Kigali
Clean, safe and walkable, with a food scene worth a couple of evenings. The Kigali Genocide Memorial is difficult and worth the time, and most visitors are glad they went.
Permits are capped each day and issued in your name. Rwanda operates a low-volume model, with a share of permit revenue going to communities bordering the park.
Peak-season permits sell out many months in advance, particularly between June and September. The earlier we know your dates, the better your options.
Reduced rates apply to eligible East African Community citizens and qualifying African residents. If you are travelling from Kenya or hold an EAC passport, bring the necessary identity and residency documents because these are checked. The conditions for reduced rates vary, including by travel period.
There is also a low-season arrangement for travellers who combine gorilla trekking with qualifying stays in Akagera and Nyungwe. If your dates are flexible, this can be the strongest available saving on a Rwanda trip, and it also encourages a fuller itinerary. The arrangement has conditions, so we confirm eligibility when we prepare your quote.
The minimum age for gorilla trekking is 15.
We confirm current rates, conditions and availability when preparing your quote, then secure permits on your behalf once you are ready to proceed.
June to September
The long dry season and the most comfortable period for trekking. It is also the busiest, so permits and lodges need booking well ahead.
December to February
The shorter dry season, with similar conditions and slightly fewer visitors.
March to May
The long rains. Trekking underfoot is harder, but the forest is at its most impressive.
October and November
Short rains, usually brief. A reasonable compromise between conditions and crowds.
Trekking runs year-round. Volcanoes National Park is at altitude, so warm layers are needed whatever the season.
Three to four days from Kigali is enough for gorilla trekking, which is why Rwanda works as a short addition to a Kenya safari where Uganda would need longer.
Seven to nine days covers Volcanoes, Lake Kivu, Nyungwe and Akagera. The country is compact, and transfers are generally short, so little of that time is lost to driving.
Rwanda's road network is good by regional standards, and almost all trips run by road in a 4x4 with a driver-guide. Domestic flights are rarely necessary.
From Nairobi, Kigali is about an hour and a half by air. You can land, transfer to Volcanoes National Park that afternoon and trek the following morning.
International flights arrive at Kigali International Airport.
The East Africa Tourist Visa covers Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda on a single document. It is often simpler than separate visas for a Kenya and Rwanda combination, and you apply through the country you enter first. Requirements can change, so we confirm what applies when preparing your quote.
Treks range from around two hours to a full day, depending on which family you are allocated and where it has moved. Tell us if mobility is a concern and we will request an appropriate allocation, although final decisions rest with park authorities.
Do not pack plastic carrier bags for Rwanda. They are banned and may be confiscated on arrival.
Umuganda, a national community-work morning, takes place on the last Saturday of each month. Some services close and movement is restricted until midday, so we plan transfers and activities around it.
A yellow-fever certificate may be required depending on where you are travelling from and countries visited before arrival. Malaria precautions are advisable for lower-lying areas. Speak to a travel clinic well before you fly.
Park entry, permits and conservation fees are included in every quote we send.
Three nights is enough
If you are already planning a Kenya safari, tell us your dates and we will build a Rwanda extension around them. If you would rather see more of the country, we will plan the full circuit.