Rwanda · Primates
Gorillas Beyond the Mist
Two gorilla treks in the Virunga volcanoes, golden monkeys in the bamboo, and a final stretch of savannah in Akagera.
- Duration
- 7 nights
- Best season
- June – September, December – February
- Guide price
- $19,800 per person
- Style
- Forest and lodge
Rwanda
The journey
An hour with a mountain gorilla family passes very quickly. The silverback rests a few metres away, a youngster tumbles out of the nettles, and the forest smells of wet earth and crushed celery. We plan two treks rather than one, so the second can be quieter and more observant than the first, and we give you lodge days in between to walk, rest and look at the volcanoes.
7 nights
How the days unfold
- 01Kigali · 1 night
Kigali, gently
A private afternoon in Rwanda's capital: the Kigali Genocide Memorial with a local historian, then galleries and an early dinner. The city is calm, green and easy to like.
- 02Volcanoes National Park · 4 nights
The volcanoes
A lodge on the forest edge with fireplaces in every room. Two gorilla treks on separate days, a golden monkey walk in the bamboo, and an optional hike to Dian Fossey's grave.
- 03Akagera National Park · 2 nights
Savannah to finish
Fly by helicopter east to Akagera, where lions, rhino and elephants have returned. Boat trips on Lake Ihema and game drives in open country make a soft landing after the forest.
- 04Kigali · day room
Departure
Helicopter back to Kigali with a day room for showers and packing before an evening flight home.
Highlights
- Two gorilla permits, on separate days
- Golden monkey walk in the Virunga bamboo
- Helicopter transfers instead of long road days
- Conversation with a conservation team working in the park
- Two nights of savannah in Akagera to close
Included
Gorilla and golden monkey permits, private guide and vehicle, helicopter transfers, all accommodation, meals and most drinks, park fees, porters on trek days and our 24-hour line.
Make it yours
Change anything. Keep what you love.
Shorter or longer, another country added, a different season or a whole camp to yourselves: tell us and we will reshape it.