Gorilla Trekking, Rwanda

Day 1

4th Feb 2025
ARRIVE KIGALI, RWANDA
Arrive at Kigali International Airport and welcomed by our representative outside the customs and immigration hall, who will assist with immigration procedures. A transfer will take you to your city accommodation. An assisted check-in assures a smooth experience, followed by dinner and an overnight stay.

Overnight at Onomo Hotel Hotel / BB

Day 2

5th Feb 2025
KIGALI AND DRIVE TO AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK

Have breakfast at the hotel followed by a road transfer to Akagera National Park.
Akagera National Park Evening Boat Cruise. For a stress-free nature experience, tourists can embark on the Akagera National Park Evening Boat Cruise on Lake Ihema. The cruise will take visitors on an unforgettable journey as the sunsets. The lakes and surrounds offer views of wildlife such as cormorants, hippos and crocodiles. Knowledgeable guides are on hand to answer any questions and point out points of interest along the cruise.
Overnight stay at Akagera Game Lodge / Meal Plan: HB

Day 3

6th Feb 2025
MORNING GAME DRIVES IN AKAGERA / TRANSFER KIGALI FOR CITY TOUR , PROCEED VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK
Take a packed breakfast and proceed for a morning game. You’ll then embark on your first game drive- Akagera comprises some of the most scenic Savannah in East Africa – open plains, woodlands, lakes, swamp, and grassy low mountains – and is home to one of Africa’s highest hippo densities, large crocodiles, as well as the rare sitatunga and almost 500 species of birds.
Teeming with plains game, Akagera also boasts a healthy population of lion, which were introduced by African Parks in 2015 after a 20-year absence; black rhino was reintroduced in 2017.

You will check out from the lodge and driver to Kigali for lunch at Repub lounge.

Afternoon visit Kigali Genocide Memorial Center
Located just outside of Kigali City Centre in the Gasabo district, Kigali Genocide Memorial & Museum started by a partnership of the Kigali City Council and the UK-based Aegis Trust. The center is an extremely moving, challenging, educational and ultimately inspiring as well as a great place to understand the cause, tragedy and successful rebuilding post-genocide. You will drive to your hotel in Kigali for dinner and overnight

Overnight at Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge /Meal Plan: FB

Day 4

7th Feb 2025
GORILLA TREKKING / ELLEN CAMPUS TOUR
You will have a morning call at around 5:30am before meeting at the main dining area at 6:00am for breakfast and a cup of freshly brewed Rwandan coffee. 6:45am depart for the Trekking Headquarters at Volcanoes National Park (20-minute drive), on arrival: Coffee will be served, while your driver guide secures your spots with specific gorilla families (selecting the most suitable family depending on the group’s requirements – there are however no guarantees).

You will then gather in a group with the Volcanoes National Park Guide for a detailed briefing. At 8:00am, vehicles will depart to the various trailheads for a 15-minute to one-hour drive – depending on the gorilla family each group has been allocated. At the start of the trailhead, you will be allocated a porter to assist with carrying bags and navigating challenging terrain, (this is recommended). Cash is required to pay the porters (the minimum amount is USD 10). The time that it takes to reach the gorilla family varies and can be anything from 30 minutes to 3-4 hours, and treks reach an altitude from 2,500-4,000m.The gorilla-trekking terrain varies from farmlands to thick bushes closer to the Park boundary, and visitors may be allocated to a gorilla family who is on the move – which could make their trek longer. This may at times require navigating a path through dense vegetation, which can be slippery. There are also stinging nettles, which is why we recommend packing gloves and gators to be used during Gorilla trekking.

You will return to the lodge, have lunch, and rest for the rest of the afternoon.You will stop at the Ellen Campus Diane Fossey Foundation for a visit.
The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund opened in 2022 and is located near Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, home to the mountain gorillas. It represents the culmination of our 20-year dream to build a world-class research and education center to continue Dian Fossey’s legacy and advance our work of saving gorillas from extinction.

Overnight at Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge / Meal Plan: FB

Day 5

8th Feb 2025

Have breakfast at lodge, check out and settle any extras and drive back to Kigali. Upon arrival, if time allows you can do some final shopping around Kigali and then transfer to Kigali International Airport in time for check in for your outbound flight.

Included

• Meet and greet on arrival & departure
• Private Airport and inter-hotel transfers from day 1 to the last day
• Accommodation at hotels/lodges & meals mentioned in the program
  Exclusive use of a safari land cruiser 4×4 with WIFI where receptive and pop up roof
• Services of a professional, experienced English speaking driver guide
• Bottled mineral water in the vehicle during the tour
• 1 Gorilla trekking permits per person -US$ 1,500
• Akagera Park fees
• Visit to Ellen Campus
• Game drives
• All activities,Park entry fee, visits and extra meals mentioned in the itinerary
• Emergency Medical
• Evacuation Services
• Genocide Memorial entrance fee
• Our assistance

Excluded

• International airline tickets
• Entry visa fees – $ 50.- pp
• Optional extras whilst in Kigali
• Tips and gratuities
• Personal expenses such as telephone calls, porter-age, travel insurance, etc.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
GORILLA PERMIT NOTE AND TREKKING RULES
If you have a cold, flu or other contagious infection, you should not go gorilla trekking as the gorillas are very susceptible to catching human infections, particularly respiratory ones.

WEATHER IN RWANDA
Rwanda has a tropical highland climate, with plenty of rain. Temperatures vary considerably between locations depending on their altitude, but very little from month to month in the same place. In the capital, Kigali, the average daily temperature is about 21°C/70°F:
– Rainy season: March to May and October to November
– Hottest months: June to September

For all outdoor activities, we recommend suitable outdoor clothing, appropriate to the season and weather. The weather in the rainforest and mountains can change quickly, ranging from warm sunny days to rainy spells and very cool conditions during rainy evenings. We therefore recommend that you pack a range of clothing suitable for all conditions, particularly warm gloves, scarves, and head wear during rainy seasons, as well as waterproof outer-wear, closed shoes for hikes, plus a hat and sun protection.

TIME ZONE
The time zone in Rwanda is set two hours ahead of GMT (GMT +2).