RWANDA GORILLA TREKKING

5 days—RWANDA MOUNTAIN GORILLA TREKKING & GREAT LAKES SAFARI

$9570-10600 USD

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Safari summary

This safari is purely focused on the Mountain Gorillas and gives the guests a once in a lifetime opportunity to witness and photograph this amazing endangered species.

The safari will begin in Kigali, where upon arrival, the guests will spend 1 night at the Kigali Serena Hotel. The following day, they will be picked up and transferred to Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge. The next two days, we will have exceptional opportunities and interactions to photograph the Mountain gorillas in close proximity. After being transferred from the lodge to the park, the guests will have to hike a couple of hours up the mountains, accompanied by armed escorts and rangers to reach the gorilla family the have been assigned.

Over the course of the safari, guests will have close encounters with the gorillas. Certain gorilla families are now fully habituated to humans and can now be approached by humans without any conflicts. The guests will have one hour to spend with these incredibly intelligent creatures. Photography can be very rewarding but at the same time, challenging due to the thick foliage. The advantage of spending 3 days is that the guests will be issued 2 permits for 2 different days. This increases your chances of getting better sightings and also a possibility of visiting a different gorilla family.

The main highlight of this trip is to witness the dominant male silverback gorilla, which can be intimidating due to his sheer size and presence.

About this tour

	Tour type	Set-date, set-itinerary, group
	Main focus	Primate trekking
	Activity level	Moderate activity
	Best months	June, December
	Countries	Rwanda
	Parks	Volcanoes

Itinerary

Day 1

DAY 1 Arrival into Kigali International Airport, Rwanda. Meet and greet at Kigali International Airport by Aatish and Aashit and transfer to Kigali Serena Hotel. Overnight at Kigali Serena Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.

Day 2

Virunga | Volcanoes

DAY 2 After breakfast, you will be met by a driver and private vehicle and driven to Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge. The roads are good and the journey to Ruhengeri will take approximately two hours. On arrival a late lunch will be served in the main lodge, with its scenic vistas of the Virunga Volcanoes, of the Parc National des Volcans. Afternoon at leisure to settle in and acclimatize and perhaps an afternoon guided bird walk in the surrounds of the lodge. Dinner and overnight at Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge

Day 3

DAY 3 An early breakfast, served at the lodge, before departing by road to the Parc National des Volcans headquarters. Here you will be allocated a guide for one of the habituated Mountain Gorilla families and given a safety briefing. You will then be taken by vehicle to a starting point, to commence your gorilla trek in the forest. The amount of time spent walking is dependant upon which family of Gorillas you are allocated to and where they are to be found on that day. Once the family is sighted you will spend a maximum of one hour with the Gorilla family. After this phenomenal wildlife experience, return to your vehicle on the edge of the forest, returning to Sabyinyo Silverback lodge for lunch. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight at Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge.

Day 4

DAY 4 Early morning breakfast prior to departing for your second gorilla trek, with the possibility of visiting a different Gorilla family. Return to Sabyinyo Silverback lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, relax or take a drive to the bustling market town of Ruhengeri, nearby, or visit the beautiful lakes of Kivu, Burera, Ruhondo and Karago. There are also the genocide memorials and community and conservation projects, to be visited. Return to Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 5

DAY 5 After breakfast in the hotel, depart and drive to Kigali City to arrive at the Kigali Serena Hotel in time for lunch. A day room will be organized to freshen up and relax at Kigali Serena Hotel. Later transfer to Kigali International Airport for your homebound International flight.

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