All our Rwanda gorilla trekking tours lead to the same place: one hour with a habituated mountain gorilla family in Volcanoes National Park. What you're choosing between is time, privacy and comfort — how you get there, whether you stay near the park, and what else you see.
Lowest priceBudget Gorilla Trek
Shared vehicle from Kigali, same permit, same hour with the gorillas.
Most bookedPrivate Day Trip from Kigali
Private 4x4 and guide, 4:30 AM pickup, back in Kigali tonight.
4 hours with gorillasGorilla Habituation Experience
Join trackers with a family still being habituated. Tiny groups.
Best value3-Day Gorillas & Golden Monkeys
Gorillas, golden monkeys and Kigali, two nights near the park.
All meals included2-Day Gorilla Safari
Trek, a night near the park, and a guided Kigali day.
One&OnlyLuxury Gorilla Safari
Two nights at One&Only Gorilla's Nest, two private treks.
Golden monkeysGolden Monkey Day Trip from Kigali
Private 4x4 from Kigali to track golden monkeys in the bamboo forest. Permit included.
Gorillas + Big Five5-Day Gorillas & Big Five Safari
Two days in Akagera for lions, elephants and rhinos, then the gorilla trek.
Primate safari5-Day Gorillas & Chimpanzees (Nyungwe)
Chimp tracking and the canopy walk in Nyungwe, then mountain gorillas.
Safari + beach7-Day Gorillas, Big Five & Lake Kivu
Akagera game drives, the gorilla trek and two days on Lake Kivu.
Everything Rwanda10-Day Complete Rwanda Safari
Gorillas, Big Five, chimps, Lake Kivu, Kigali and Rwandan culture.
Gorilla tours compared
| Trek | Duration | Price per person | Permit included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget Gorilla Trek | 1 day | $1,900 | Yes |
| Private Day Trip from Kigali | 1 day | $2,000 | Yes |
| Gorilla Habituation Experience | 1 day | $2,000 | Yes |
| 3-Day Gorillas & Golden Monkeys | 3 days | $3,348 | Yes |
| 2-Day Gorilla Safari | 2 days | $4,000 | Yes |
| Luxury Gorilla Safari | 3 days | $13,850 | Yes |
| Golden Monkey Day Trip from Kigali | 1 day | $690 | Yes |
| 5-Day Gorillas & Big Five Safari | 5 days | $4,350 | Yes |
| 5-Day Gorillas & Chimpanzees (Nyungwe) | 5 days | $4,250 | Yes |
| 7-Day Gorillas, Big Five & Lake Kivu | 7 days | $5,250 | Yes |
| 10-Day Complete Rwanda Safari | 10 days | $6,950 | Yes |
One-day gorilla treks
Most travellers trek gorillas as a single day from Kigali, and it works well: the park is only about 2.5 hours away by good road. Pickup is at 4:30 AM, you reach Kinigi for the 7:00 AM briefing, trek, and are back in Kigali by early evening.
Budget trek — $1,900
A shared vehicle keeps costs down. Same permit, same guides, same hour with the gorillas. Best for solo travellers and backpackers.
Private day trip — $2,000
Your own 4x4 and driver-guide, breakfast and lunch, Wi-Fi in the car. Our most-booked trek and the easiest way to fit gorillas into a short trip.
The gorilla habituation experience ($2,000) is also a single day, but a very different one: up to four hours with a family that is still being habituated, alongside researchers and trackers, in a group of no more than four visitors.
Multi-day gorilla safaris
Staying near the park turns the trek from an expedition into a relaxed experience — no 4:30 alarm, a lodge fire in the evening, and time for the other things the Virungas offer.
- 2-day gorilla safari ($4,000) — trek on day one, overnight near the park with all meals, then a guided Kigali city tour on day two.
- 3-day gorillas & golden monkeys ($3,348) — gorillas, golden monkey tracking and Kigali, with two nights at a lodge near the park.
- Luxury gorilla safari ($13,850) — two nights at One&Only Gorilla's Nest and two private gorilla treks with different families.
Gorilla safaris combined with the rest of Rwanda
Rwanda is compact, so the gorillas combine easily with its other great experiences. All four include the gorilla permit, park fees, mid-range lodges with all meals, and a private 4x4 with the same driver-guide throughout.
- 5-day gorillas & Big Five ($4,350) — two days in Akagera for lions, elephants and rhinos, then the gorilla trek.
- 5-day gorillas & chimpanzees ($4,250) — chimp tracking and the canopy walk in Nyungwe, the Lake Kivu road, then gorillas.
- 7-day gorillas, Big Five & Lake Kivu ($5,250) — savannah safari, gorilla trek and two days on the lake.
- 10-day complete Rwanda ($6,950) — gorillas, Big Five, chimpanzees, Lake Kivu, Kigali city tour and Rwandan culture.
What every tour includes
- Your $1,500 RDB gorilla permit, booked and confirmed in your name
- Transport to Kinigi park headquarters and the trailhead
- An English-speaking driver-guide (French on request)
- Your RDB ranger guide and trackers on the trek itself
- Drinking water
- Our help before and during your trip, by WhatsApp
Each tour page lists its full inclusions and exclusions.
Building a longer Rwanda trip
Gorillas combine easily with the rest of Rwanda. Common add-ons are a second gorilla trek (each family is different), golden monkeys, the Dian Fossey tomb hike, a few days on the shores of Lake Kivu, chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe Forest in the south-west, or a big-game safari in Akagera National Park in the east. Ask us and we'll build a private itinerary around your gorilla date.
Gorilla tour questions
Which gorilla trekking tour should I choose?
If you have one day and want privacy, the private day trip from Kigali ($2,000). If price matters most, the budget shared-vehicle trek ($1,900). If you want to slow down and add golden monkeys, the 3-day trip ($3,348). For a once-in-a-lifetime splurge, the One&Only luxury safari ($13,850).
Are gorilla permits included in your tour prices?
Yes. Every price on this page includes the $1,500 RDB gorilla permit for each traveller.
Are all your tours private?
All are private except the budget trek, which shares a vehicle with other travellers to reduce cost. On the gorilla trek itself, every visitor joins an RDB group of up to 8 people regardless of how they arrived.
Can you customise a gorilla tour?
Yes. We regularly add extra treks, Lake Kivu, Nyungwe Forest chimpanzees or Akagera National Park. Tell us your dates and interests and we will build a quote.
