Overview
The 4 Days Double gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda offers you an opportunity to explore the mountain gorillas in detail. The double tracking involves you opting to track different gorilla groups or the same group if you wish. You explore the gorillas in the Virunga Volcanic Mountains which are sheltered on Rwandan side by the Volcanoes National Park. Volcanoes feature ten habituated gorilla families specially dedicated for tracking. The Park also features verdant flora thriving at various altitude levels along with fauna like buffaloes and duikers, birds including the Albertine endemics and the sights of the Virunga Volcanoes. The Virunga Massif where Volcanoes National Park is located contains 480 mountain gorillas which are more than the half their world population (880). The rest thrive in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the neighboring Uganda. the safari also incorporates the tour to the twin lakes and Musaze Caves.
Safari Highlight
Day 1: Arrive in Rwanda – Kigali International Airport and transfer to Volcanoes National Park in Ruhengeri
Day 2: Undertake gorilla trekking and do an evening nature walk to the Twin lakes
Day 3: Undertake second gorilla trekking and visit the Musaze Caves
Day 4: Transfer back to Kampala
Detailed Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Rwanda – Kigali International Airport and transfer to Volcanoes National Park in Ruhengeri
Upon your arrival at Kanombe-Kigali International Airport, you will be received by our guide and who will usher you in to the safari moods. You drive through Kigali City and then drive to Volcanoes National Park 116km about 3 hours’ drive passing through impressive countryside landscapes of Rwanda with rolling hills before arriving in Ruhengeri for relaxation, dinner and overnight
Accommodation
Upmarket / Luxury: Mount Gorilla View Lodge
Midrange / Standard: Hotel La Palme
Budget / Basic: Muhabura Hotel
Camping
Day 2: Undertake gorilla trekking and do an evening nature walk to the Twin lakes
After our breakfast, start your Rwanda gorilla tracking safari by driving to the headquarters for briefing by park officials at 8am and after enter into the jungle to search for the shy mountain endangered gorillas in Rwanda. Requirements like firm walking shoes, hut, insect repellent, sun screen, rain gears, packed lunch and bottled water are a must plus other tools that one may need once in the tropical rain forest. The gorilla trekking experience in Volcanoes is beyond gorilla alone. The sights of the Volcanic Mountains that stretch from Congo through Rwanda to Uganda, the verdant green vegetation that shelter their slopes, the counts of birds along with fauna like duikers and buffaloes combine to generate lasting safari memories. The gorilla trekking activity tends to last from 30 minutes to 8 hours or more depending on the day’s gorilla movement. The one hour of direct encounter with the gorillas brings you closer to these ancient apes, look into their eyes and their gigantic structure which makes them most powerful of all apes. Encounter them forage and play before retreating to the lodge for relaxation. In the evening, you embark on the twin lakes walk exploring the impressive views of Lake Ruhondo and Lake Bulera and the local fishing activity before retiring for dinner and overnight
Accommodation
Upmarket / Luxury: Mount Gorilla View Lodge
Midrange / Standard: Hotel La Palme
Budget / Basic: Muhabura Hotel
Camping
Day 3: Undertake second gorilla trekking and visit the Musaze Caves
This day is dedicated for the second gorilla trekking encounter in the Volcanoes National Park. You connect to the briefing point at Kinigi and you can request to be allocated a different gorilla family other than the one that you tracked the previous day to have a varied experience. You head to the mist and encounter the gorillas as they forage and the young ones playing. Various groups feature various behaviors and different group composition and this generates an overall different experience. Upon return, you connect to the lodge for relaxation. In the afternoon, you connect to Musaze to visit the Musaze Caves. These are ancient features over 2km long and were formed out of the lava basalt layer from the Sabyinyo and Bisoke Volcanoes about 65 million years ago. The caves feature 31 entrances and are worth exploring as addition to your gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda. Retire for dinner and overnight
Accommodation
Upmarket / Luxury: Mount Gorilla View Lodge
Midrange / Standard: Hotel La Palme
Budget / Basic: Muhabura Hotel
Camping
Day 4: Transfer back to Kampala and visit the Kigali genocide memorial
After a relaxed breakfast, embark on the transfer back to Kigali driving through the hilly landscapes of Rwanda that have qualified it as a land of a thousand hills. Upon arriving in Kigali city, you embark on the visit to the Gisozi genocide memorial where you will take time and explore what actually happened in the 1994 horrific genocide that hit Rwanda in the year 1994. The skulls are aligned, writings and photos are displayed and presentations are made to take you through the entire experience. Retreat from this activity and mark the end of the tour.
End of Safari
