One Day Rwanda Gorilla Trekking with Dian Fossey or Guardians
Description
Thinking about a gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda? Get ready for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure deep in misty forests, where encounters with mountain giants become unforgettable memories. This One Day Rwanda Gorilla Trekking with Dian Fossey or Guardians takes you into Volcanoes National Park for a journey tracking endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Coming face-to-face with a mountain gorilla is raw, wild, and deeply moving many say it’s life changing. You’ll be close enough to hear their breath, smell their earthy scent, and feel a powerful connection we share 98% of their DNA. Enjoy an early departure from Kigali on a scenic 2–2.5 hour drive in a premium 4×4 safari vehicle with Wi-Fi and charging ports. Your experience includes Rwanda’s conservation story with a visit to the Ellen Campus or the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village, a former ex-poachers’ community showcasing Rwanda’s culture & transformation. Perfect for a short but unforgettable African adventure.
Tour Options
Itinerary
A transfer, begins & ends in Kigali SIMPLE ITINERARY: You should wake up early & order for breakfast as you wait for the driver to pick you up. Afri Safaris driver guide will take you to the RDB headquarter in Kinigi for briefing by 7:00am. This briefing is very important and is where you will meet other tourists and Rangers who will be leading you to the forest. The briefing covers many topics but the most important is how to behave around the gorillas, what to expect and what to carry along while tracking the gorillas. You will be assigned a gorilla family taking into consideration your overall fitness and age. This is because some of the gorilla groups are located deeper in the forest hence requiring more hours of trekking. Porters are available to help you with extra luggage. Park Rangers will lead you into the forest to track the primates. Trekking takes btn 2 to 6 hours. After an hour of observing the mountain gorillas, our Guide will be waiting for you at the starting point.
After Gorilla trekking, then you will be transferred to Iby'iwacu cultural village. Iby'iwacu Cultural Village is a village of ex-poachers, those previously stealing the gorillas due to poverty, they now stopped poaching. The Iby’iwacu cultural village is one of the leading cultural attractions in Rwanda. The Village combines all of Rwanda’s known cultural traditions, people & history into one place for display & a personal experience. International visitors get to see what life was in a typical African village setting – the lifestyle, houses, traditional dances, dressing code, food, herbs & how the ancient kingdoms were generally organized. Tourists are given an opportunity to learn ancient hunting skills, try weaving baskets/mats, carpentry. This unique experience has won the hearts of many visitors who wish to indulge in the culture of Rwanda’s native community after seeing gorillas. Village offers an opportunities to purchase local craft, gifts & souvenir to show friends back home.
The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Rwanda is a fantastic place for those interested in wildlife conservation, gorillas, and the legacy of Dian Fossey. It's a hub for education, research, and conservation efforts, particularly focused on the endangered mountain gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park region. 1. Learn About Gorillas and Conservation The campus has educational exhibits that provide in-depth information about gorilla behavior, the history of Dian Fossey's work, and the current conservation efforts to protect mountain gorillas. You can explore interactive displays that highlight the work of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and its impact on protecting gorillas and their habitat. 2. Visit the Gorilla Research Center You can get an up-close look at the research efforts dedicated to understanding gorilla behavior, health, & conservation challenges. This includes a detailed look at how gorilla tracking, monitoring, & anti-poaching efforts are managed.
Stop by Migano Cafe in Musanze for the lunch (•Hot lunch of your choice on the food menu at Migano Cafe Musanze)
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Please give some details about the hotel name for pickup or the street number of the house and the neighborhood in Kigali city. Or along the way to Volcanoes National Park
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(27)
Our one-day gorilla trekking experience in Rwanda was truly the highlight of our trip! The hike was definitely challenging, with steep and muddy trails, but every step was worth it. We were incredibly lucky to visit the Susa gorilla family, and seeing these magnificent animals in their natural habitat was an unforgettable experience. Watching them interact so closely, especially the silverback calmly leading the family, was both exciting and humbling. It was a moment we'll never forget. A huge thank you to our guide, Elysee, who took great care of us throughout the day. He was friendly, professional, and made sure everything went smoothly from the early morning pickup to the drive back. His encouragement and thoughtful arrangements made the long day much more enjoyable. If you're visiting Rwanda, don't miss this incredible adventure. It's physically demanding, but the reward of meeting the mountain gorillas is beyond words. Highly recommended!
Dear Guest, Thank you for your wonderful review and for choosing Afri Safaris. We are delighted that your gorilla trekking experience was the highlight of your trip and that meeting the Susa gorilla family created such unforgettable memories. Your kind words about Elysee are greatly appreciated, and we will be sure to share them with him. Thank you for your recommendation—we look forward to welcoming you back to Rwanda for another incredible adventure. Warm regards, The Afri Safaris Team
Gorilla trekking was an incredible adventure!! The group was well organized and the trek was phenomenal! I highly recommend doing with group our driver Christian was perfection !!!
Dear Reco, Thank you for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that your gorilla trekking experience was such an incredible adventure. It's great to know that you found the trip well organized and the trek phenomenal. We will be sure to pass your kind words on to Christian, who will be thrilled to hear that he made your experience so memorable. Thank you for choosing Afri Safaris. We hope to welcome you back to Rwanda for another adventure soon! Warm regards, Afri Safaris Team
Outstanding on every level, the gorilla trek at Volcanoes National Park with AfriSafari is an excellent value. We enjoyed a private ride in a comfortable Toyota 4x4 with WiFi connectivity, recharge unit, refreshments. But the best part is the staff and the people who provided support, from planning, to transportation and the park rangers, trackers, spotters, and porters. Each one was friendly, attentive, helpful and knowledgeable. Our personal guide and driver Elysée offered insights along the way and by the end of the roughly 12 hour expedition, after great conversation and s few laughs, we can only say “urakoze cyane”thank you very very much. The field tracker and conservationist John also deserves kudos for his professionalism and wit, an excellent teacher and guide who provided us the tools (and the proper pronunciation) to communicate with our closest evolutionary cousins. The porters were patient and always there, as members of our small group (7) needed assistance with boots stuck in the mud, detached soles and other minor mishaps. This group is top notch and then there is the extraordinary encounter with the gorillas: we saw a newborn and several mothers with their infants and children as well as silverback leader of his group. We had a delicious hot lunch at an excellent local restaurant on the return, enjoying our meal as a team cleaned our boots. Needless to say we very highly recommend the tour and congratulate the organizers for jobs well done!
Dear Anthony, Thank you so much for your wonderful and detailed review. We are truly honored to hear that your gorilla trekking experience at Volcanoes National Park with Afri Safaris was outstanding on every level. Your kind words about our team, especially Elysée, John, the park staff, trackers, and porters, mean a lot to us. We are delighted that their professionalism, warmth, and dedication helped make your journey both comfortable and unforgettable. Seeing the gorillas up close, including the newborn and silverback, is truly a magical experience, and we are so happy you were able to create such special memories with us. Murakoze cyane, Anthony, for choosing Afri Safaris and for highly recommending our services. We hope to welcome you back to Rwanda again in the future for another incredible adventure! Warm regards, Afri Safaris Team
Gorilla trekking was truly a once in a lifetime adventure! Hiking through the rainforest and finally seeing the gorillas up close in their natural habitat was an emotional and unforgettable experience. The beauty of Rwanda, the fresh mountain air, and the warmth of the local people made the journey even more special. An amazing experience every traveler should have at least once.
Dear Ritchie, Thank you for sharing your incredible gorilla trekking experience with us! We are delighted to hear that the adventure was unforgettable and that you enjoyed the beauty of Rwanda and the warm hospitality of the local people. Your kind words truly mean a lot to the Afri Safaris team. We hope to welcome you again for another amazing adventure! Best regards, Afri Safaris
We did the gorilla trekking and had an amazing time. We really appreciated the easy and clear communication with Afrisafari before, during and after the trekking. Our guide Elyse was very kind and made us feel safe and taken good care of. There was a problem with the car on the way back, but this was solved fast and both Elyse and the company handled the situation very well. I highly recommend Afrisafari, and Elyse!
Dear Björk, Thank you very much for your wonderful review. We’re delighted to hear that you had an amazing gorilla trekking experience and that you appreciated our clear and seamless communication throughout. It’s especially rewarding to know that Elyse took great care of you and made you feel safe and well looked after he will be very happy to hear your kind words. We also truly appreciate your understanding regarding the vehicle issue and are glad it was resolved quickly with minimal disruption to your journey. Thank you again for your kind recommendation. It was a pleasure hosting you, and we hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure. Warm regards, Afri Safaris Team
It was a fantastic experience (shout out Ben). The gorillas were amazing! Communication was clear and they answered all my questions. They also sent an itinerary and a packing list well in advance. As a solo female traveller I felt comfortable.
Dear Molly, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your wonderful review of your gorilla trekking experience with us. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed both our services and the trekking experience itself. Your kind words and high rating are truly appreciated and motivate our team to continue delivering memorable and safe experiences for our guests. We look forward to welcoming you back for another adventure in the future. Warm regards, Afri Safaris Team
Magical experiment. Everything in time and well organised. I was a bit sceptical spending so much money online with TripAdvisor but all went well. I guided Smet me a list of things I need made me panic a bit but didn’t need much really. You can rent all the gear.
Dear Russell, Thank you for taking the time to share your review. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your Gorilla Trekking experience and that everything was well organized and met your expectations. As mentioned prior to the trip, all required gear can be hired if needed, and purchasing items is entirely optional. Our goal is simply to help guests feel comfortable and well prepared for the trek. We truly appreciate your positive rating and hope to welcome you again in the future. Best regards, Afri Safaris Team
Outstanding. Staff are excellent. Gorillas are outstanding. Very well looked after. Hike is tough as very muddy
Dear Laura, Thank you for your time and leaving a review about Gorilla trekking experience with us, we are delighted that you enjoyed our service and your trekking experience. We appreciate your review and high ratings we look forward to welcoming you back! Best Regards, Afri Safaris Team
Gorilla trekking adventure with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund was beyond amazing! From the early morning pickup and scenic drive from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park, to the unforgettable hike through the forest and coming face to face with a gorilla family, every moment felt surreal. The guides were deeply committed to conservation, and ensured a safe, enjoyable experience. Learning about Dian Fossey's legacy added depth and meaning to the journey. Truly a once in a lifetime experience not to be missed!
Dear Olivia, Thank you for your time and leaving a review about Gorilla trekking experience with us, we are delighted that you enjoyed our service and your Gorilla trekking experience. We appreciate your review and high ratings we look forward to welcoming you back! Best Regards, Afri Safaris Team
From the early-morning pickup to the ride back to Kigali, it was one of the best - if also wonderfully exhausting - days of my life! Truly a bucket-list activity to see the gorillas, and Afri Safaris made it better than I could have hoped. I was on my own, but not at all lonely. My driver was engaging and lovely to chat with. Their attention to my comfort and enjoyment was top of mind without being overbearing. Their partners in the tour were equally focused on making it a great experience. And seeing the gorillas was absolutely breath taking. Thank you for an unforgettable day!
Dear Brooke, Thank you for your time and leaving a review about Gorilla trekking experience with us, we are delighted that you enjoyed our service and your trekking experience. We appreciate your review and high ratings we look forward to welcoming you back! Best Regards, Afri Safaris Team
