5 days Rwanda gorilla trekking and Dian Fossey hike is an adventurous safari that will allow you to explore volcanoes national park located in the northwestern of Rwanda. During this safari, you will take part in different tourism activities such as gorilla trekking where you will meet eye to eye with mountain gorillas, Dian Fossey hike where you will find the tombs of the famous primatologist Dian Fossey who dedicated all her life to gorilla research and conservation, golden monkey trekking, visit Iby’Iwacu cultural village where you will interact with local people and finally Kigali city tour where you will visit museums, art galleries, and markets.

5 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking And Dian Fossey Hike Safari Highlights

Day 1: Pick up, Kigali city tour and transfer to volcanoes national park

Day 2: Gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park

Day 3: Dian Fossey Hike

Day 4: Golden monkey trekking and Iby’Iwacu cultural tour

Day 5: Departure to Kigali

Detailed itinerary 

Day 1: Pick up, Kigali city tour and transfer to volcanoes national park

Depending on your time of arrival at Kigali international airport, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the 5 days safari and then transfer you to Kigali for a city tour. Kigali is one of the cleanest cities in Africa and some of the places we shall visit are the Kigali genocide memorial where bodies of the 1994 Rwanda genocide were buried, Kimironko which is the largest market in Kigali, art galleries and so much more. After the Kigali city tour, you will go for lunch at any of the best restaurants before starting your journey to volcanoes national park in the northwest. On your way to the park, you will have great views of the rolling hills, beautiful scenery, local people, terraced farmlands, and many others. Upon reaching Musanze you will check into your booked lodge for relaxation and dinner.

Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner

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

Day 2: Gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park

After early morning breakfast, you will park your lunch and our driver guide will be ready to transfer you to Kinigi headquarters for a briefing. During the briefing, the park rangers will teach you the rules and regulations to follow during gorilla trekking. After the briefing, you will be allocated a gorilla family to track and you will be paired into 8 people. You will be given a ranger guide to lead you into the jungles in search of these giant gorillas. Trekking mountain gorillas in volcanoes national park takes you 30 minutes to several hours depending on where the gorillas slept the previous night and the speed at which you are trekking, during mountain gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park you will see other primates such as vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, different bird species, buffaloes, elephants, and many others. When you find the mountain gorillas you will be given a maximum of one hour to learn their behaviors, watch them play, feed, hunt, make nests and take photos or record videos with flash-less cameras. After your one hour with mountain gorillas, you will return to the briefing center where you will be awarded a gorilla trekking certificate of participation after when you will meet your driver guide to transport you to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and 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: Dian Fossey Hike

After your morning breakfast, you will get your packed lunch and meet the driver guide who will be ready to transport you to the briefing center. You will be briefed about the hike after which you will drive to the trailhead where you will be given a park guide to lead you in the hike. You will be given a hiking stick and in case you heavy luggage you can hire a porter to carry it for you. hiking to Dian Fossey grave takes you through lust forest where you meet animals such as forest elephants, forest hogs, buffaloes, primates, and different bird species. Upon arrival at Karisoke research center, you will be able to view Dian Fossey’s grave who was killed on 26th December 1985 and she was buried next to her favorite gorilla called Digit and other mountain gorillas that were killed by poachers and natural diseases. With this hike, you will be able to learn about her work and the legacy she left behind which still exists up to date. After the Dian Fossey experience, you will have a picnic lunch and later start on your journey back to the starting point where you will meet up with your driver-guide to return to your lodge for evening relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

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

Day 4: Golden monkey trekking and Iby’Iwacu cultural tour

After early morning breakfast, your driver-guide will pick you up from the lodge and transfer you to Kinigi park headquarters for a briefing about rules and regulations to follow during golden monkey trekking. After the briefing, you will be grouped and given a ranger guide who will lead you into the forest in search of these primates. Golden monkey trekking is not as difficult as gorilla trekking as it takes you 30 minutes to 3 hours to find them depending on their location. When you are searching for golden monkeys, you follow trails of leftover bamboo shoots because it’s their main food and once you find them you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat where you will be able to learn their behaviors, watch them feed, play, jump from one tree to another, take photos and record videos. After an hour with golden monkeys, you’ll trek back to the starting point where you will meet your driver-guide and he will transfer you to your lodge for lunch and relaxation.

After lunch, you will drive to Musanze for an amazing cultural tour where you will be able to interact with local people in their community. During the Iby’Iwacu cultural tour, you will be able to learn about people’s culture, tradition, way of living, visit farmlands, visit homesteads, taste their local food, beer made from banana, listen to their old stories, take part in traditional dances among others. After Iby’Iwacu cultural tour you will return to your lodge for dinner and relaxation.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

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

Day 5: Departure to Kigali

After a relaxed breakfast, you will check out of your lodge and meet up with your driver-guide who will be ready to transport you back to Kigali international airport to end your 5 days Rwanda gorilla trekking and Dian Fossey hike

Tour includes

Golden monkey trekking permit

gorilla trekking permit

Dian Fossey hiking 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