Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Extension

Limited To Travelers

This is a customized extension and there is no group size limit. Eight travelers are permitted to trek to each gorilla family each day, but there are several habituated families in Volcanoes National Park, allowing for several trekking groups daily.

Each custom Rwanda mountain gorilla extension is accompanied by an NHA-selected and approved Rwandan driver-guide. Your driver-guide ensures a positive experience-of-a-lifetime while providing firsthand insight into the country and its culture. Your driver-guide will accompany you to Volcanoes National Park, where he will see you off on your gorilla-trekking expedition with local park guides and trackers and meet you at the conclusion of each trek. If time permits, your driver-guide will offer additional afternoon activities such as visiting local communities, shopping in Ruhengeri markets or touring the twin lakes of Ruhondo and Burera.

Accommodations, meals from breakfast on Day 2 to lunch on final day, bottled water in vehicles, services of your local driver-guide and park guides and trackers, gorilla trekking porters, airport transfers, park fees, and all taxes.

Travel to and from start and end point of trip, beverages (other than bottled water in vehicles), dinner on Day 1 and last day, gratuities, passport and visa fees, optional activities, gorilla and golden monkey trekking permits (two gorilla treks and one golden monkey trek per person, priced separately), items of a personal nature (phone calls, souvenirs, laundry, etc.), airline baggage fees, airport and departure taxes, optional travel insurance and required medical evacuation insurance.

Moderate to Difficult
Trekking in search of mountain gorillas is a strenuous activity. This challenging hike through the rain forest usually takes between two and five hours, but it can be as short as 15 minutes or as long as eight hours (on infrequent occasions, we’ve had a few treks take even longer than that). Travelers must be prepared for a full day outdoors in humid or occasionally rainy conditions, as the exact distance to locate the gorillas is impossible to determine ahead of time. The terrain is often uneven as you traverse the forest floor and usually involves a gradual ascent, but you will travel at a pace to accommodate all hikers with a designated porter to assist each traveler. Travelers are not required to participate in all activities and are welcome to forego any portion of the program, but in order to take full advantage of the itinerary, and in order to view the primates, guests must be able to participate in the hikes. Travelers should be aware that if they turn around due to fatigue, illness or any other reason, the remainder of the group will go on. The returning traveler will be escorted by a local guide. Additionally, this trip involves sitting in a vehicle during transfers and sometimes bouncing around on rough roads during drives. While we don't consider such conditions strenuous, they can pose a physical demand on the body. All travelers must be able to climb into and out of the raised 4x4 trucks that serve as your safari vehicles. Travelers must also be able to walk to and from all safari camp accommodations unassisted. Safari accommodations are not heated and several of our adventures take place during the winter months in Africa, so it is critical that travelers come prepared. We recommend that travelers have an adventurous spirit, as they will often enjoy the closest animal encounters.

This custom extension is subject to availability for your chosen dates at the time of booking. Please refer to your Daily Itinerary for specific information.

The minimum age for gorilla trekking is 15 years old, as mandated by Rwanda Development Board.

Mandatory Insurance

You can arrive in Kigali, Rwanda any time on Day 1, and you may depart Kigali at approximately 7 pm or later on the final day. We can best serve you if our Natural Habitat Adventures Travel Desk makes your air reservations, as our staff is intimately familiar with the special requirements of these programs and can arrange the most efficient and cost-effective travel. Please call us at 800-543-8917. Note that while we offer you the best possible rates available to us on airfare, you may find special web rates or better fares online.