Our seven-day gorilla safari to Virunga Lodge, Rwanda and Mount Gahinga Lodge, Uganda, offers the opportunity to experience ancient Batwa culture, hike a volcano, see the rare golden monkeys, and trek the majestic mountain gorillas in both Rwanda and Uganda.
This safari starts and finishes in Kigali, Rwanda, from where you will drive to Mount Gahinga Lodge, nestled in the Uganda foothills of the Virunga volcanoes. Spend three nights at both Mount Gahinga Lodge and Virunga Lodge and trek gorillas in Parc National des Volcans in Rwanda and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda.
Participate in unique community and conservation activities around the lodges, run by Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust, including the Gahinga Batwa Village and the Virunga “One Sheep” project.
Enjoy a fireside chat in the Virunga Lodge Map Room the evening before your gorilla 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.
2025 Rates from $9,460 per person in low season for this all-inclusive 7-day safari. As a special offer, book before 31 March 2025 and receive a complimentary night at Mount Gahinga Lodge worth up to $1,700 and a complimentary golden monkey permit as part of your safari.
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.
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.
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.
In 2024, a new vocational center near Virunga Lodge will offer training in carpentry and tailoring to local youth, empowering communities with practical skills and apprenticeships. This initiative supports sustainable livelihoods for neighboring communities.
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.
Virunga Lodge provides water tanks to local communities facing water shortages despite heavy rains. Since 2016, tanks have been donated to all households in Sunzu and many in Bugeyo village, improving access to clean water for drinking and farming. The project aims to support more families by 2024.
The Batwa Cultural Heritage Site at Mount Gahinga Lodge preserves Batwa traditions through a herbal garden, traditional huts, and a trail where they demonstrate forest life, hunting, and honey collection to Volcanoes Safaris guests. The VSPT aims to expand this site to safeguard Batwa culture.
The Batwa are thought to be one of the oldest surviving indigenous people in the Central African Region. Known for their unique culture in the forests, the Batwa of the Virunga Mountains survived by hunting small game, gathering plants and fruits, living in caves and constructing huts of leaves and branches.
No Team Members Assigned
Write to us on [email protected] or send us a message via the form on our contact page.
Rwanda: +250 (0) 252 502 452
Uganda: +256 (0) 414 346 464
© Volcanoes Safaris 1997 – 2024. All Rights Reserved
Write to us on [email protected] or send us a message via the form on our contact page.
Rwanda: +250 (0) 252 502 452
Uganda: +256 (0) 414 346 464
| High Season Safari Rates 2025 | Per Person Sharing | Single Traveler Supplement |
|---|---|---|
| 7 day Gorilla, Golden Monkey and Batwa Culture Safari | $ 13300 | $ 3415 |
High season rates are applicable on bookings from 1st June to 30th September and 15th December to 28th February. Rates are based on a minimum of 2 people.
| Low Season Safari Rates 2025 | Per Person Sharing | Single Traveler Supplement |
|---|---|---|
| 7 day Gorilla, Golden Monkey and Batwa Culture Safari | $ 9460 | $ 1570 |
Low season rates are applicable from 1st October to 14th December and 1st March to 31st May. Rates are based on a minimum of 2 people.
Tracking chimpanzees in their natural habitat, as they swing from the branches in the canopy high above the forest floor is nothing short of exhilarating. The chimps effortlessly cross and scamper through the trees above the gorge, and visitors on the other hand must cross the river using natural bridges in order to keep up with the chimps. So although the walk usually lasts only 2–3 hours, descending the steep gorge and crossing the log bridges over the river requires some agility and fitness.
Chimpanzee tracking is also available in nearby Kalinzu, a forest reserve 30 minutes drive from Kyambura Gorge Lodge where there is a community of about 40 habituated chimpanzees.
