Trek to see the majestic mountain gorillas in the Virunga volcanoes. Spend three nights at our award-winning great ape lodge Virunga Lodge, Rwanda.
Your safari will give you a unique insight into the endangered gorillas, their habitats and the communities living nearby. Combine wonderful wildlife sightings with opportunities to participate in conservation and community projects, run by Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust.
Enjoy a fireside chat the evening before your trek with staff from one of our conservation partners, Gorilla Doctors and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, and learn about their conservation work in the park.
As well as seeing the gorillas, you can hike to the rare golden monkey or to Dian Fossey’s grave in the park in Rwanda.
2026 Rates start from $ 7240 per person in low season for this all-inclusive 4-night safari at Virunga Lodge.
Trekking mountain gorillas in dense African forests is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Groups of eight visit per day, maintaining a 10m distance to protect the gorillas. Treks last 3-8 hours, requiring some fitness, but all levels are accommodated for this unforgettable adventure.
Golden monkeys, with their striking golden fur and playful nature, inhabit the volcanic foothills of Mgahinga National Park in Uganda and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Treks lead through bamboo forests and moorlands, offering a chance to observe these rare primates in their natural habitat.
Guests at Virunga Lodge and Mount Gahinga Lodge can embark on exhilarating climbs of the Virunga volcanoes—Mt. Gahinga, Mt. Sabyinyo, and Mt. Muhavura. Each offers unique challenges and stunning views, with hikes starting early and lasting a full day.
Established in 1967, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund is dedicated to protecting and studying gorillas and their habitats, as well as empowering the communities that live near these forests. With a team of nearly 300 professionals working in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Fossey Fund is the world’s longest-running and largest organization focused entirely on gorilla conservation.
Join a veterinarian from Gorilla Doctors for an enlightening briefing on gorilla health and conservation strategies. Learn about their unique One Health approach and life-saving veterinary practices dedicated solely to the conservation of endangered mountain and eastern lowland gorillas.
Located in a beautiful meadow nestled between the Karisimbi and Bisoke volcanoes are the graves of Dian Fossey and some of her beloved research gorillas. For anyone interested in gorilla conservation in Rwanda, or interested in Fossey’s personal story, the trek to her grave is highly recommended. This trek starts early in the morning, can take 6-8 hours and is operated by the National Park.
Experience the vibrant Intore dancers in the afternoon, a local troupe supported by the Volcanoes Safari Partnership Trust since 2004. With 18 performers, they showcase Rwanda’s traditional ballet, ‘The Intore,’ a powerful courtly dance honoring the victory rituals of the Rwandan kings.
In 2014, Virunga Lodge launched the “One Sheep per Family” project, providing sheep to families in nearby villages. The sheep produce manure for crops and offspring for income. With support, hundreds of families in Sunzu, Bugeyo, Kigugu, and Nyagatoki villages have benefited, fostering sustainable farming and community growth.
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Arrive in Rwanda at Kigali International Airport where you will be welcomed by your expert safari guide who will provide knowledge and assistance throughout your safari. Explore Kigali with an afternoon city tour.
Overnight in Kigali at The Retreat (breakfast).
Enjoy a city tour and a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial. A visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial is a moving testimony to this country’s past that it has courageously overcome (guests to pay/donate entrance fees directly).
Drive through Rwanda’s magnificent landscape (known as the land of the thousand hills) on your journey to Virunga Lodge near the Virunga volcanoes.
Before dinner join our conservation partners, Gorilla Doctors or Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, for drinks and a fireside chat in the Virunga Map Room to learn about the conservation and health of mountain gorillas and reminisce on your gorilla experience.
Overnight at Virunga Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
Driving time approximately 3 hours.
Wake up early and have breakfast before setting off for gorilla tracking in Parc National des Volcans.
Hike through the enchanting bamboo forest on the slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes. After a climb of between one and three hours, you will spend one hour in the company of the majestic and gentle mountain gorillas before returning to the lodge in time for a late lunch. Some gorilla families can be more elusive, and tracking can take a full day, especially if it is wet and muddy.
Visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, near Kinigi.
Relax after your trek and enjoy complimentary spa treatments and massages, including the famous Rungu massage at Ikirunga Spa and Sauna.
Overnight at Virunga Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
After enjoying an early breakfast, set off to track the rare golden monkeys through the bamboo forests of the mountains. The monkeys travel in large groups and are as energetic as they are photogenic, often seen playing in the high branches or foraging on the ground for bamboo shoots.
Overnight at Virunga Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
Drive to Kigali (approximately 3 hours), transfer to the airport in time for your return flight.
Please book international flights departing after 8pm.
To make a booking, please complete this form or click here to chat to one of our sales consultants via our live chat. Alternatively, send us an email on enquiries@volcanoessafaris.com.
