Best 1 day Rwanda gorilla trekking safari; Meet Africa's great apes.

1 day Rwanda gorilla trekking safari Overview

On a 1 day Rwanda Gorilla trekking safari in Volcanoes national park will definitely get you track mountain gorillas along with expert guides/ rangers. This one day gorilla trekking experience starts from Kigali before the trekking day or arriving in the very early morning hours of the day at the Kigali international airport to allow you to travel to the Volcanoes national park headquarters on a 2hours 30 minutes journey. The 1 day Rwanda gorilla trekking safari package will get along with birdwatching, butterflies, colobus monkeys, reptiles, photography, lodges & sightings.

Top 1 day Rwanda gorilla trekking package highlights

Arrival & departure; Kigali- Rwanda

Gorilla trekking safaris
Ellen DeGeneres Campus of Dian Fossey fund museum & research center
Volcanic sceneries & features
Birding & nature walks

Detailed 1 day Rwanda gorilla trekking itinerary

There are several options to weigh on how to start/ set off for a 1 day Rwanda gorilla trekking safari itinerary. Since gorilla trekking starts as early as 7;30 am in the morning, you are expected to be at the park headquarters before that time so you can decide to:

Have a 1 night 1 day gorilla trek safari. Where you arrive the day before and the evening finds you in Volcanoes national park vicinity in Kinigi and stay for a night. You then wake up on the gorilla tracking day and head to the park headquarters with less pressure on time.
The day having found you in Kigali, you set off as early as 4:00 am and head to Volcanoes park headquarters.
If the schedule is so tight on transit, you arrive at Kigali international airport in the night and get picked by our safari guide as early as 3 or 4 am and head straight to Volcanoes national park for the gorilla trek.

Speak with our travel experts and have the best tailor-made itinerary to fit your travel undisrupted.

Destination: Volcanoes N.P

Sightings of Africa’s great apes on the 1 day gorilla trekking in Rwanda in the Volcanoes national park will start while in the park’s vicinity very early in the morning, you will head to the headquarters of the volcanoes national park for a briefing before embarking on this experience to the natural habitats of the endangered mountain gorillas. You will be allowed to spend one hour with the gorillas and after return to the park headquarters.

You will also have a visit at the Ellen DeGeneres campus of the Dian Fossey fund; a research education center and conservation gallery designed to serve as a gateway to conservation of the mountain gorillas history. After which you will make preparations for your departure flight.

Accommodation: NA

Meals: Breakfast | Lunch| Dinner

What are mountain gorillas?

Mountain gorillas are a cousins of the eastern lowland gorillas uniquely known for living in high altitude montane forests. These are bigger than the lowland gorillas and notably the biggest apes alive on the planet. Mountain gorillas are only found in 3 countries in the world in Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park, Mgahinga and Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park in Uganda and the Virunga national park in Democratic Republic of Congo.

It’s in the Virunga massif where the Volcanoes national park of Rwanda is located for the 1 day gorilla trekking safari experience. Their eastern lowland cousins have less far and can be found in D.R. Congo’s Kahuzi-Bienga national park. Mgahinga national park on the Virunga massif in Uganda is another location for mountain gorilla tracking.

Best time to go for a Rwanda gorilla trekking safari

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is done throughout the year though most tourists come during Rwanda’s summer time (June- August) or during the dry season when the tracking trails are dry and passable. Tracking gorillas in the rainy/ wet seasons is done while wearing rain coats, hiking boots and walking sticks to help you go along with the slippery ground and rain.

Cost of tracking permits for a 1 day Rwanda gorilla trek experience

A gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda goes for $1,500 per person. Gorilla tracking in Rwanda guarantees a 100% chances for meeting these gentle giants backed by the high number of mountain gorilla families in the Volcanoes national park. At a cost of $1,500 per tracking permit the luxury affordable Rwanda gorilla trekking safari is worth every dollar. Each booked a gorilla trekking permit is assigned to mountain gorilla families which you will track with professional rangers/ guides. Volcanoes national park has 16 habituated gorilla families which are also continuing to expand; thanks to the conservation efforts.

Why take on a 1 day Rwanda gorilla trekking safari?

Travelers that love affordable mountain gorillas experiences but find themselves short of time due to business or cooperate engagements etc. find this 1 day Rwanda safari an adventure gem. Gorilla trekking requires physical preparation and fitness since you hike into the tropical montane forests for over an hour. Excitement on gorilla tracking experiences is backed by the conservation stories and mysterious existence the once near to extinction mountain gorillas species, Dian Fossey with her awareness and conservation efforts that have been carried on till date.

Start planning a one day gorilla trek Rwanda safari package and also other affordable short gorilla trekking packages in Rwanda include;

2 day Rwanda gorilla trekking packages
3 days mountain gorilla trek in Rwanda
4 day Rwanda gorilla safari etc.

These short Rwanda gorilla trekking experiences can be combined with numerous safari activities and destinations in the region for more great travel expeditions for example;

Chimpanzee tracking: Extend your 1 day gorilla trek in Rwanda with chimpanzee trekking excursions in Nyungwe national park or Uganda’s Kibale forest national park, Murchison fall game park or the Kalinzu forest game reserve.
Wildebeest migration: Following the 1 day Rwanda gorilla trek, you can fly to Tanzania’s Serengeti game park or Kenya’s Masai Mara game reserve to continue with the wildebeest migration safari.
Source of the river Nile: Another gem that is easily combined with gorilla tracking experiences in Rwanda is the visit at the source of the river Nile in Jinja, Uganda.
Africa’s big 5: A perfect continuation to the gorilla trekking experiences is the Africa’s big 5 game safari game drives in Rwanda’s Akagera national park, Kenya’s Masai Mara game reserve and other parks, Tanzania’s Serengeti and other parks, Uganda’s Murchison falls game park etc.
White sand beach vacations: Flying out to relax at white sand beaches after gorilla trekking in Rwanda on Kenya’s Diani beach or Tanzania’s Zanzibar is just another great way to end an African safari.
Air balloon tours: Watching Africa’s wildlife in the savannah grasslands from above is another exciting activity that is amicably combined with a 1 day gorilla trek in Rwanda. Great air balloon safaris are done in Rwanda’s Akagera national park, Uganda’s Murchison falls game park, Kenya’s Masai Mara game reserve & Tanzania’s Serengeti and Tarangire national parks.
Shoebill tracking; Another wildlife giant worth paying a visit at is the shoebill with very common sightings in Rwanda’s Akagera national park and Uganda’s Mabamba swamp, Lugogo swamp in Ziwa rhino sanctuary, River Nile banks in Murchison fall game park & in Queen Elizabeth national park swamps. More great birdwatching spots beyond Rwanda include lake Nakuru in Kenya and lake Manyara in Tanzania.
Murchison water falls: Hiking to the top of the world’s strongest waterfalls is another magnificent and memorable sighting worth combined with a gorilla trek safari.

Where to stay while on a Rwanda gorilla trekking safari?

On a 1 day 1 night itinerary or if you wish to extend your travel in Rwanda beyond a 1 day gorilla trek experience, expect classic luxury and affordable staycation accommodation built to suite the unforgettable serenity for Rwanda gorilla trekking safari visitors. These lodges include; One&Only gorilla’s nest, Wilderness Bisate lodge, Singita Kwitonda lodge, Sabyinyo silverback lodge, Virunga lodge, Da Vinci gorilla lodge, Five Volcanoes Boutique lodge, Le Bambou lodge, Mountain gorilla view lodge, Ingagi park view lodge, Amarembo by Touch Down etc.

Sightings and activities on a 1 day gorilla trek Rwanda

When you visit Rwanda on this 1 day gorilla trekking package safari, your experience will not only be limited to tracking into the tropical forests to see mountain gorillas alone but also numerous sightings for example;

Golden monkeys: are a subspecies of the blue monkeys that live in bamboo forests at 2,500 meters above sea level.
Birdwatching: Volcanoes national park has over 250 bird species making it a great destination for bird lovers. With the location of Volcanoes national park in the western arm of the great rift valley that also has the Rwenzori & Albertine regions will eventually get you to watch special endemics from these two regions.
Butterflies: Lovers of butterflies will also find the Volcanoes national park a gem as they will continuously watch butterflies as they trek in the tropical forests.
Cultural dances: On arrival at the Volcanoes national park headquarters, welcoming you will be traditional dances and performances of the Rwandan people.
Volcanic mountain sightings & features: The Virunga massif are a combination of several volcanic mountains and ranges with different volcanic features that were formed thousands of years back.

Inclusions

Gorilla permit
Airport transfers
Park entry fees
Ellen DeGeneres campus of the Dian Fossey fund.
Transport means/ vehicle
Driver and guide
Refreshments / drinking water
Laundry services

Exclusions

Travel insurance
Flight air tickets
Visa fees & processing
Extra luggage on domestic flights
Tipping
Alcohol & Liquors
Accommodation after end of trip
Anything not mentioned

Rwanda gorilla trekking packing list

When packing for a Rwanda gorilla trekking experience ensure the following essentials are in the bag;

Long sleeved linen T-shirt/ shirts
Over shirt/ Jacket/ Sweater
Sturdy uncle hiking boots
Pair of khaki trousers/ jeans
Insect repellent cream
Sun hats/ caps
Sun screen cream
Scarfs
Pair of Binoculars (optional)
Camera (optional)
Avoid bright colors, black, dark blue for clothes

Flights to get you to the 1 day Rwanda gorilla trek experience

Rwanda has so far one major international airport- Kigali international airport located in the capital Kigali. Flights from various major international airports get you to this hub with both direct and connecting flights for example you can connect with;

Rwanda air- the national carrier
Fly emirates from all over the world through Dubai international airport (DXB).
Qatar airways connecting through Doha international airport (DIA), Doha.
Kenya airways connecting through Jomo Kenyatta international airport (NBO), Nairobi.
Turkish airlines from all over Europe connecting through Istanbul airport (IST).
Egypt air also a hub for many European travelers flies direct from Cairo to Kigali international airport.

Driving from the airport, you will head to any part of the city center within less than 30 minutes whereas a drive to Volcanoes national park for a Rwanda gorilla trekking experience takes from 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours.

A 1 hour domestic flight using a helicopter is also another swift option to use on to access Volcanoes national park.