4 days Rwanda gorilla trekking safari and mount Karisimbi hike is an amazing adventure that starts and ends in Kigali city. The safari takes you to the volcanoes national park located in the northwest where you will meet eye to eye with mountain gorillas, mountain Karisimbi, and Iby’Iwacu cultural village where you will interact with local people. Volcanoes national park is the only home for mountain gorillas in Rwanda while mountain Karisimbi is the highest volcano within the Virunga mountain ranges.

4 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking And Mount Karisimbi Hike Safari highlights

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to volcanoes national park

Day 2: Gorilla trekking and Iby’Iwacu cultural tour

Day 3: Hike Mount Karisimbi

Day 4: Hike to the summit, descend, and departure back to Kigali

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Volcanoes national park

Upon arrival at Kigali international airport for your 4 days Rwanda gorilla trekking safari and Mount Karisimbi hike, you will be welcomed by a driver guide from Africa Adventure Vacations who will brief you about the safari and then transfer you to Kigali for a city tour. During the Kigali city tour, you will be able to visit the Kigali genocide memorial where the bodies of the victims of the Rwandan genocide that happened in 1994 were laid to rest, as a sign of decent burial. You will also visit Kimironko the largest market in Kigali where you will interact with local traders and craft centers where you can buy craft souvenirs. After Kigali city, you will go to any good restaurant for lunch and relaxation. Later you will start on your 2 – 3 hours journey to volcanoes national park that is located in the northwestern part of the country. The journey to volcanoes national park Rwanda rewards you with stunning views of rolling hills, beautiful scenery, and many others and upon arrival at Musanze you will check in your booked lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Boutique hotel – luxury, Le bamboo gorilla lodge – mid-range, Villa gorilla – budget

Day 2: Gorilla trekking and Iby’Iwacu cultural tour

You will go for gorilla trekking after an early morning breakfast on the second and of your safari. With your packed lunch, you will meet our driver guide to transfer you to Kinigi for a briefing about how to behave while trekking gorillas. After the briefing, you will be grouped into 8 and each group will be given a ranger guide and a gorilla family to trek. Trekking mountain gorillas in volcanoes national park takes you about 30 minutes to several hours depending on the location of the gorillas and the speed at which you are trekking. Once you meet the gorillas in their natural habitats you will be given a maximum of one hour and with this, you will be able to observe their behaviors, watch them play, hunt, breastfeed as you take photos, and record videos with a camera which has no flash. After a full hour with mountain gorillas, you will trek back to the starting point and find your driver guide ready to transfer you to the park headquarters where you will find your gorilla trekking certificate. You will get back to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the afternoon you will go for the cultural tour where you will have an opportunity to visit the Iby’Iwacu village. During this cultural tour, you will have a chance to interact with the local people and learn about their culture, tradition, lifestyle, visit homesteads, farmlands, learn how to make local beer from bananas, listen to ancient stories, taste their local food, and take part in traditional performances among others. After you will return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Boutique hotel – luxury, Le bamboo gorilla lodge – mid-range, Villa gorilla – budget

Day 3: Hike Mount Karisimbi

After early morning breakfast, you will go for a mountain Karisimbi hike and you will need to move with your packed lunch. Our driver-guide will be ready to transport you from the lodge to the briefing center at Kinigi. During the briefing, you will be told about what to do during hiking. After the briefing, you will drive to the starting point where you will find a hiking guide who has all the information you need about the mountain. You will be given a hiking stick to help you in balancing and in case of excess luggage, you can hire a porter at a small fee. During the mount Karisimbi hike, you will go through different vegetation zones and see animals such as buffaloes, elephants, duikers, and different bird species. When you reach an elevation of 3700 meters you will stop for dinner and an overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Cottages

Day 4: Hike to the summit, descend, and departure back to Kigali

This is the last day of your 4 days Rwanda gorilla trekking safari and mountain Karisimbi hike. After morning breakfast, you will continue with your hike to the summit of mount Karisimbi. Upon arriving at the top of the mountain you will have beautiful views of mount Muhabura, Nyiragongo, and Nyamulagira of DR Congo as well as surrounding communities. You will take photos and record videos to go and keep for memories or share with your friends. After enjoying the breathtaking views on the top of mountain Karisimbi you will start your journey back to the starting point where you will find your driver ready to transfer you to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, you will check out of the lodge and start your journey back to Kigali international airport for a flight back home.

Meal plan: Breakfast and Lunch

Tour includes

mountain Karisimbi hiking permit

gorilla trekking permit

Iby’Iwacu cultural tour

Kigali city tour

Service of the English-speaking guide

Accommodation

Meals

Transportation

Drinking water

Tour excludes 

Air flight tickets

Visa

Insurance

Optional activities not included in the itinerary

Personal expenses

What to pack for 4 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari And Mount Karisimbi Hike?

Hiking boots

Long-sleeved shirts

Insect repellents

Camera and extra batteries

Binoculars

Hat and sunglasses

Energy giving snack

Drinking water

Rain jacket