3 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari & Dian Fossey Hike is a 2 nights/3 day safari Rwanda tour that takes you on lifetime experiences of gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Diana Fossey hike in Volcanoes National Park, starting and ending in Kigali City.
This stunning park of 160km2 is home to five of the eight volcanic Virunga Mountains and around a third (300) of the world’s last remaining Mountain Gorillas.
Within this park is also the final resting place of the famous gorilla researcher and anti-poaching activist, Dian Fossey, a woman whose work raised awareness of the plight of gorillas and ultimately led to her murder in 1985.
You will undertake a hike to her tomb, which is both moving and inspiring. The hike is a good time to look out for other primates of the park, including the endemic Golden monkeys, plus other forest creatures such as forest elephants, giant forest hogs, buffalo, bushpigs, bushbucks, duikers, and around 200 species of birds.
Day 1 & 2: Ruhengeri – Volcanoes National Park
Day 3: Kigali – Depart.
Day 1: Arrive at Kigali International Airport & transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 2: Do morning gorilla trekking & spend the rest of the day at leisure
Day 3: Hike Dian Fossey’s Tomb & drive back to Kigali
At Kigali International Airport, you will be met by our tour driver guide with a very clean and comfortable 4×4 safari vehicle. He will brief you about the destination Rwanda and this 3 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari & Dian Fossey Hike tour in particular.
Depending on your time of arrival your guide can take you on the Kigali city tour. This modern city is rated as one of the greenest and cleanest in the world. The city features several points of interest, including the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, an atmospheric market, art galleries, and craft shops among others.
From Kigali, embark on a 2-3 hour road transfer northwest through picturesque farming villages and terraced hills to your lodge near the majestic Virunga Volcanos, where Volcanoes National Park is located
Covering 160km2, the park is home to around 300 Mountain gorillas and it is where Dian Fossey spent 18 years of her life studying and protecting these great mountain creatures – a lifetime of work that would inspire the well-known Hollywood, “Gorillas in the Mist” movie. Tonight you will relax and have dinner as you prepare for your thrilling gorilla trek tomorrow.
The highlight of the Day: – Driving through Rwanda’s beautiful, terraced hillsides
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Bisate Lodge/Virunga Lodge
Midrange: – Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge
Budget: – Muhabura Hotel
Meal Plan: – Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & Time: – 116km/2-3 hours
Activities & Services:-
Optional Activity: –
Gorilla trekking day! Have an early breakfast at 6.30 am and then transfer to the park headquarters to meet your excellent local guides for a briefing.
At 8 am, begin your Rwanda gorilla trekking safari adventure. The trek can take from 1 and 7 hours to reach the mountain gorillas. Although you should prepare yourself for muddy, humid, and perhaps challenging conditions, gorilla trekking through the montane rainforest is possible for all healthy trekkers who are reasonably fit.
Your expert local guides will lead you to one of the 10 habituated gorilla families in the forest and you’ll be able to spend one full hour observing and photographing these incredible creatures as they feed, forage, play or interact in their natural habitat.
Although the gorillas will be the highlight, you’ll have an opportunity to encounter a multitude of other rare wildlife including the endemic and endangered Golden monkeys, not to mention the beauty of the park itself. Once you have completed your gorilla trek, return to the lodge for a delicious late lunch. pend the rest of the day at leisure while reflecting on this truly magical encounter.
The highlight of the Day: – Trekking rare Mountain Gorillas
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Bisate Lodge/Virunga Lodge
Midrange: – Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge
Budget: – Muhabura Hotel
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services:-
Optional Activity in the Evening: –
After an early breakfast at 6 am, transfer to the park offices for a briefing from the park ranger guides. At 8 am, you embark on a hike to Dian Fossey’s Grave. The hike is steep in places and takes 3-4 hours but it is doable by anyone with basic fitness. The average altitude of the trail is 2900m to 3000m above sea level.
During the hike, you have an opportunity to spot Forest hogs, buffalo, elephants, duiker, birds, golden monkeys, and even gorillas, in addition to enjoying the breathtaking natural beauty of this Rwanda National Park.
Your guide will give plenty of information about Dian Fossey and her work in saving the endangered Mountain Gorilla from extinction. On reaching the site, see the ruins of her house and of course pay a visit to her grave. Lying next to her is the grave of her favorite gorilla friend, Digit, along with 20 other gorillas killed by poachers.
After this moving experience, head back down the mountain to meet your tour driver guide. Embark on a scenic drive back to Kigali to mark the end of the unforgettable 3 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari & Dian Fossey Hike tour.
The highlight of the Day: – Insight into Dian Fossey’s life & work
Meal Plan: – Breakfast & Lunch
Drive Distance & Time: – 116km/2-3 hours
Activities & Services: –
Optional Activities:-
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