This safari is perfect for anyone who is limited on their time in Rwanda, or as a combine safari with another East African destination.
Head straight to Volcanoes National Park where you will have two days to track the magnificent mountain gorillas whilst staying at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge. On heading back to Kigali, take some time to visit the Genocide Memorial Museum before relaxing in preparation for your flight home.
Overview
4 Days / 3 Nights Short Gorilla Tracking Safari in Rwanda Trip Highlights
Kigali City, Rwanda - Volcanoes National Park / Parc National des Volcans
Day 1: Arrive Kigali City, Rwanda - Volcanoes National Park / Parc National des Volcans
Days 2 - 3: Volcanoes National Park / Parc National des Volcans – Kigali City
Day 4: Kigali City – Depart
One More Reason To Book This Safari Experience
- Take a short safari holiday vacation to Africa in the Rwandan countryside that can be taken as a weekend and short gateway from Europe, Russia, Parts of Asia, The Middle East and within The African Continent.
- Learn about the horrors of the Rwandan Genoside and how the country is healing its wounds on a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre.
- Visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979 Volcanoes National Park / Parc National des Volcans home to some of the world’s few remaining Mountain Gorilla.
- Experience Rwanda's hilly countryside that has made the country to be referred to as the land of a thousand hills on a drive to the famous Volcanoes National Park / Parc National des Volcans.
- Climb up deep into the Virunga Mountains to track the endangered mountain gorillas and get rewarded by spending an hour with these magnificent creatures a truly memorable experience.
Itinerary
The Detailed Luxury Safari Adventure Holiday Vacation Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Kigali City, Rwanda - Volcanoes National Park / Parc National des Volcans
Today you arrive in Rwanda, where you are met at the Gregoire Kayibanda International Airport, and taken to a nearby hotel for welcome drinks and a briefing. After lunch, you travel north to Ruhengeri and the Volcanoes National Park / Parc National des Volcans. This two hour drive undulates over Rwanda’s extremely hilly and picturesque countryside, and as you near the end of your journey, you will (weather permitting!) begin to catch glimpses of the Virungas - a chain of 9 impossibly steep and lofty volcanoes straddling the western branch of the Rift Valley from east to west.
Each mountain possesses its own unique character and silhouette, but together they form one of the most isolated and visually dramatic ecosystems in the world. A 'true island in the sky', the Volcanoes National Park / Parc National des Volcans (established in 1925) was Africa's first, and it was granted status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. The park is home to some of the world’s few remaining Mountain Gorilla, which were first studied here in 1959 by George Schaller, and through the 1960's by Dian Fossey and her colleagues.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge or Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
Days 2 - 3: Volcanoes National Park / Parc National des Volcans – Kigali City
The next two days activities may be amongst the most exciting and challenging you have undertaken. The Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda are part of a worldwide population of just 790 individuals. The gorillas we are allowed to track belong to either one of seven habituated family groups. For up to five years each, these groups have undergone an extremely delicate process that has gradually brought them to tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period every day and allowed a few privileged visitors to interact with them in the wild.
An early breakfast and you're off to the park headquarters at Kinigi to register and be allocated your gorilla family for today. Once this is done, you set out by vehicle to the start of on your gorilla safari...
The gorillas are by no means tame, and are completely wild animals. However, experienced guides will accompany you on your gorilla tracking, many of who have been involved in the habituation process themselves. The guides will use their knowledge of the gorillas' habits and information from the previous day to locate the group's whereabouts.
Because of this, the time taken to track the gorillas varies enormously, from as little as half an hour to as much as 9 hours before one returns to camp. Once the gorillas are located, your group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. This is one of the world's truly memorable experiences - a look into one of these magnificent creatures' eyes brings home the bond that exists between them and us. It also brings home the poignant fact that they are on the edge of extinction, and that your presence here contributes to ensuring their continued survival. The hour is often over all too quickly, and you slowly make your way back to your lodge to recount the day's adventures.
On the first afternoon, there may be an opportunity to visit with the local communities or take a drive out to the scenic Lakes Bulera and Ruhondo. On the second afternoon, you transfer back to Kigali
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge or Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge and Kigali Serena
Day 4: Kigali City – Depart
This morning you take a city tour of Kigali, and for those who wish to, there is the opportunity to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre. The Centre in Kigali was created by a joint partnership of the Kigali City Council and the UK-based Aegis Trust. It contains a permanent and extremely moving exhibition of the Rwandan genocide and an exhibition of other genocides around the world.
You then relax for the rest of the day to prepare for your flight out - (B)
Prices and Inclusions
Prices
Please treat the prices shown as a price estimate. Your final price might go up or down following seasonal prices in the different lodges, camps and resorts. All prices indicated are per person, based on 2 persons sharing a room, and on estimated high season rates.
Rate Includes:
- All transfers
- Vehicle and guide
- One gorilla tracking permit
- Full board accommodation
How To Book
- Contact a destination specialist
Whether you wish to book this holiday vacation or wish plan your holiday trip around this itinerary idea or you have other ideas, please do get in touch by filling the booking form below or online contacts page. If using our booking form or online contacts page, an And Africa Travel safari destination specialist will contact you by email to discuss your requirements.
- Discuss your requirements
Our destination safari specialists have the first hand knowledge about Africa, required to put your holiday plans into action. They can answer your questions, offer suggestions and advice to suit your tastes, needs, likes and budget.
- Refine your tailor-made custom itinerary
Your safari specialist will carefully design your holiday trip, creating a detailed itinerary which you will receive on email. Your safari specialist will answer any further questions you have and refine it until you are completely happy.
- Confirmation
Once you are satisfied with all the arrangements, we ask you to complete a booking form and pay a deposit of 40% of the total cost of your trip.
- Staying in touch
Even after booking, you’ll undoubtedly think of more questions. Feel free to call your safari specialist at any time. The same safari specialist will handle your trip from start to finish.
- The Online Booking Form
Please complete the enquiry form below in as much detail as possible and one of our safari specialists will respond to your enquiry within 24 hours (48 hours on a weekend) with free, no-obligation advice, or a quote if appropriate.
