5 Day Gorilla and Golden Monkey Safari
Safari Overview
5 Day Gorilla and Golden Monkey Safari are one of the perfect ways on can explore and discover Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park for an Ultimate gorilla tracking adventure, this safari is carefully designed to give clients a taste of our exclusive journeys by design experiences as you will trek the gorillas two times and the golden monkey with a lot of time and relaxation in the vacation and this will give you more value for your money as it’s our paramount value as wilderness Explorers Africa.
Where to trek the gorillas in Rwanda?
Rwanda gorilla safaris take place in the country’s northwest in the famous volcanoes national park which was the research station for the late primatologist Dian Fossey who was killed by unknown poachers in the quest to protect by that the endangered mountain gorillas in the volcano based rain forest, the park sits in the 5 volcanoes of Muhavura, Gahinga, Sabyinyo, Karisimbi, and Bisoke respectively, volcanoes national park is also home to over 12 habituated mountain gorilla families living in the 160 km/ square rain forest located at the edge of the Albertine rift valley.
How to get to Volcanoes national park
Volcanoes national park is located approximately 120 km northwest of the Rwandan capital Kigali and 50 km from the Uganda Rwanda border via Cyanika.
By Road
By road from Kigali, the national park is about 2-3 hours using a 4×4 safari vehicle via Musanze Gisenyi road and this can take up to 2 hours’ drive.
By Air
Volcanoes national park is also accessible by air from Kigali international airport using a Helicopter which can take about 30 minutes and the helicopter can land near the park boundaries or at the lodge and the clients can transfer to the park headquarters by car.
Safari Highlights
- Gorilla trekking
- Visiting the Dian Fossey museum
- Optional Kinigi village walk or Iby’lwacu cultural experience.
- Luxury accommodation at Sabyinyo silverback lodge or Virunga Lodge
- Kigali city tour
- Golden monkey trekking.
- Dayroom in Kigali
Detailed Itinerary
This safari package will start from Kigali and takes you to Rwanda’s volcanoes national park where the gorilla trekking takes in the country’s dense rain forest which is home to the endangered golden monkeys and the mountain gorillas that living in only two other countries of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, this safari is a little more experiential and relaxing and its highly recommended for seniors.
Day 1: Drive from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park
You will be meeting your safari guide at your location or at the lodge for a briefing after which you will depart the lodge for a short Kigali city tour before driving to volcanoes national park for relaxation at the lodge.
Lunch: Musanze.
Overnight: Sabyinyo silverback lodge or Virunga lodge.
Activities: Dian Fossey museum.
Day 2: First Gorilla Trekking experience
After early morning breakfast you will be picked up by your guide from the hotel to be ready the park headquarters in Kinigi at 7 am, registering will take place and allocation of gorilla families (done by your guide) as you will be having a cup of coffee and then after you will drive to the trailhead to start your gorilla trekking adventure in the rain forest, this can take from 2 hours to 6 hours depending on how long you take to find the mountain gorillas and after you will spend one hour with the gorillas upon return you will be transferred to the lodge for relaxation
Lunch: packed lunch or hot lunch depending on the time of return.
Overnight: Sabyinyo silverback lodge or Virunga Lodge.
Activity: Gorilla trekking adventure.
Day 3: Golden monkey trekking and transfer to Kigali
After an incredible gorilla trekking adventure, you will be picked up your guide again and transfer to the park station where you have a golden monkey briefing before transferring to the starting point to start trekking into the forest with your ranger guide where you will spend an hour with the monkeys after finding them and later you will return to the lodge for relaxation
Lunch: Packed lunch or hot lunch at the lodge depending on the time of return from the forest.
Overnight: Sabyinyo silverback lodge or Virunga lodge.
Activity: Golden monkey trekking
Day 4: Second gorilla trekking experience
Yet another day of your trip of a lifetime begins with the wakeup call and the birds calling outside your suite near the volcanoes as you get ready to hit the rain forest for the second time for one is considered seniors day after experience what the actual gorilla trekking experience feels like and you may just be more experienced than the new travelers on that day, your guide will pick you up and transfer you to the park for the second trek after you will return to the lodge for relaxation
Lunch: packed lunch or hot lunch at the lodge depending on the time of return.
Overnight: Sabyinyo silverback lodge or Virunga Lodge
Activity: Second gorilla trekking experience.
Day 5: Second gorilla trekking experience
After lazily morning you will transfer to the Dian Fossey Museum in Musanze and take a tour around the museum after you will drive to Kigali and check in to your day room and have lunch and relax before your flight out of Rwanda.
Lunch: Kigali in the day room hotel or optional restaurant
Overnight: not applicable but Day room included.
Activity: Dian Fossey Museum
What’s included?
- 2 Gorilla permits
- Golden monkey permit
- Luxury lodge on full board for 4 nights.
- Transfers to and from Kigali
- English speaking safari Guide
- Lunches where Applicable
- Drinking water
- Kigali city tour entrance
- Dian Fossey Museum visit
- Dayroom in Kigali
What’s Excluded?
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Items of personal nature like Alcohol
- Tips
- Pre and post-tour accommodation (but we can help you book upon request)
- Optional activities
When to book the safari package?
Clients can book this safari 3 months in advance but can also inquire for short notice safari, this is only difficult by the availability of gorilla permits and golden monkey permits and once permits are available clients are expected to book and pay immediately as it’s the only way to guarantee Rwanda gorilla and Golden monkey permits.
Best Time to Travel
This tour is much easier to book during the low tourism season from March to May and September to November as gorilla permits are available and sometimes lodges put up low season rates for more information contact us.
Check Safari prices
As per tour plan Accommodation
1 Pax | 2 Pax | 4Pax | 6Pax | |
Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge | 2777 | 2398 | 2335 | 2275 |
Virunga Lodge | 2524 | 2197 | 2133 | 2074 |
Super Luxury option
1 Pax | 2 Pax | 4Pax | 6Pax | |
One&only Gorilla Nest | 2777 | 2398 | 2335 | 2275 |
Singita Kwitonda Lodge | 2524 | 2197 | 2133 | 2074 |
Bisate Lodge | 2409 | 2139 | 2076 | 2016 |
Mid-Range option
1 Pax | 2 Pax | 4Pax | 6Pax | |
Mountain Gorilla View Lodge | 2777 | 2398 | 2335 | 2275 |
Teloreza Eco-Lodge | 2524 | 2197 | 2133 | 2074 |
Budget option
1 Pax | 2 Pax | 4Pax | 6Pax | |
Hotel Muhavura | 2777 | 2398 | 2335 | 2275 |
La Palme hotel | 2524 | 2197 | 2133 | 2074 |