On arrival at Kigali International Airport, disembarking from your flight and after going through clearing with customs / immigration formalities and collecting your luggage; you will be received by our driver/guide who will be holding a signboard your name; he will give you a short briefing and immediate transfer to the Volcanoes National Park where you will stay at Ingagi Lodge.

If time allows depending on the time of your flight into the country, you will first visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where you will see firsthand the gravity of the 1994 Tutsi genocideand also take a minute in remembrance and memory of innocent victims. The memorial serves as a place of remembrance, education, and a call for peace and reconciliation.

After the visit, you’ll depart for Volcanoes National Park, located in Rwanda’s north-western region while of course enjoying one of the most breathtaking sceneries by road.

The park lies along the borders with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, forming part of the broader Virunga Massif. Covering approximately 16,000 hectares, Volcanoes National Park is home to 14 habituated gorilla families available for trekking, and 3 others reserved for research.

Enjoy a scenic drive of about 3 hours through Rwanda’s picturesque rolling hills, lush landscapes, and countryside dotted with coffee and banana plantations. The road is paved and comfortable throughout the journey.

Upon arrival, check in at Ingagi Lodge, a cozy and welcoming lodge nestled near the edge of Volcanoes National Park. The lodge offers panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, warm hospitality, and a peaceful natural setting-perfect for relaxing before your gorilla trekking experience.

Enjoy the rest of your evening at leisure, taking in the serene beauty of the lodge and its surroundings.

Overnight: Ingagi Lodge
Meals Plan: Full Board Basis

You will start your day with an early breakfast before leaving for the Kiniigi Park Headquarters around 6:30AM. This is the starting point for your once-in-a-lifetime gorilla trekking experience and undoubtedly a highlight of your tour.

You will arrive at arrive at the Kinigi Ranger Station by 7:00AM, Here you’ll be assigned a gorilla group and receive a detailed briefing by experienced park rangers. You’ll then set off into the forest with your guide to track one of the 14 habituated mountain gorilla families in Rwanda.

Trekking is done in small groups of up to eight people per gorilla family, accompanied by professional ranger guides. The duration of the trek can vary significantly from 2 to 6 hours depending on how far the gorillas might have moved within their 40km territorial range.

Once your assigned gorilla group is located, you’ll spend an unforgettable one hour observing these incredible primates in their natural habitat. You’ll watch as they feed, groom, rest, and play. Witnessing the gentle interactions of a gorilla family-led by a dominant silverback who can weigh over 200kg is an awesome and memorable experience.

Gorilla habituation is a long and sensitive process, taking at least two years of daily contact before the group is accustomed enough to tolerate human presence. Only once this process is complete are visitors allowed to spend a strictly limited 1 hour with them, making the encounter all the more e exclusive and respectful.

You may hear gorillas chuckling, purring, or chest-beating; each behaviour part of a fascinating system of communication involving over 25 distinct vocalizations and complex social interactions. With luck, you might witness juveniles playing or the silverback demonstrating his authority-perhaps even with a dramatic display.

After your unforgettable hour, you will make your way slowly back through the forest to the park headquarters, and then return to your lodge.

Overnight: Ingagi Lodge
Meals Plan: Full Board

After an early morning breakfast at around 7am, you will again report to the park headquarters for yet another experience, however with different endangered species in the volcanoes “the Golden Monkeys” this time. It is normally an easy trek taking between 1-2hours. The golden monkeys are the rare species of old-world monkey only found in the Virunga Mountain ranges. Now endangered, it is one of the species on the endangered species red list. It lives in social groups of up to 90 individuals usually led by one adult male. There are two habituated groups of Golden Monkey, one group comprises around 80-100 members and has its home at the foot of Mt Sabyinyo. As with treks to see the Mountain Gorillas, treks to see the Golden Monkeys take place in the mornings and visitors are permitted 1hour with the monkeys.

After the Golden Monkey Trek, you will return to your lodge, freshen up, have lunch and after lunch pack your staff and get ready for transfer to Kigali through the beautiful routes

Meals Plan: Breakfast
End of the Tour: Welcome back!