6-Day Rwanda Gorilla and Cultural Safari
6 Day Rwanda Gorilla and Cultural Safari
Tour Overview
Trek deep into Volcanoes National Park to encounter endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Witness their gentle nature, human-like expressions, and powerful presence up close — an experience that promises to stay with you long after you return home. Go behind the scenes with the Gorilla Doctors, a dedicated team of veterinary experts who care for and protect these majestic creatures. Learn first-hand about their crucial conservation initiatives, from treating injured gorillas to educating local communities on anti-poaching practices and conserving the fragile ecosystem upon which these primates depend.
Immerse yourself in Rwandan culture at the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village, where locals celebrate their traditions through handicrafts, music, and storytelling — a wonderful opportunity to connect with a community that has successfully turned eco-tourism into a tool for conserving their heritage and environment. This journey makes the perfect addition to your East Africa adventure, seamlessly combining the highlights of Kenya and Tanzania with the intimate, unforgettable experience of Rwanda’s wilderness and people.
Trip Highlights
- Meet the Gorilla Doctors who care for sick and injured gorillas
- Track endangered Rwandan mountain gorillas through the Virungas
- Trek to Dian Fossey’s tomb and nearby gorilla graveyard
- Visit Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village — a former poaching community now conserving gorillas
- Tour Kigali City and the Genocide Memorial
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1:Arrive in Kigali
Welcome to Rwanda — the Land of a Thousand Hills! On arrival, enjoy a warm meet and greet with express service through immigration. Once your visa is processed, you’ll be assisted through customs and introduced to your guide. After meeting your guide, transfer to your hotel in a comfortable safari vehicle. Enjoy a delicious dinner and a restful night’s sleep in preparation for the adventure ahead.
Overnight – Kigali Marriott Hotel or similar
Day 2: Kigali City Tour and Transfer To Ruhengeri
After a good breakfast, set out on a city tour of Kigali. Your first stop is the Kigali Genocide Memorial & Museum. Located just outside Kigali’s city center, the memorial offers a powerful, transparent, and educational journey through the causes, tragedy, and eventual reconciliation and rebuilding led by the Rwandan people — a visit you will not soon forget. Next, visit the Nyamirambo Women’s Centre for a rich and intimate local experience. Established in 2007 by 18 Rwandan women in Nyamirambo, this center aims to empower women through education and vocational training, helping them find employment and become financially independent.
Your experience starts with a walking tour of the neighborhood. Begin with a traditional snack, a short Kinyarwanda language lesson, and an introduction to the center’s mission. The tour then weaves through Nyamirambo — one of Kigali’s oldest districts — and guides will take you into a women’s hairdressing salon (with a chance for the adventurous to get a free braid), a family compound to pound cassava leaves, past two mosques and a lookout over Kigali, and into a tailor’s shop to view colorful fabrics. The tour concludes with a traditional lunch made and served in the home of Aminatha, NWC’s best cook.
After lunch, leave Kigali and drive through the beautiful, terraced hills that characterize much of Rwanda’s landscape, gradually climbing toward the base of the Virunga Volcanoes (about 115 km | 2 hours 40 minutes). If the skies are clear, you may view up to 5 dramatic peaks. Upon arrival at your lodge, check in and take time to rest and enjoy the stunning views and traditional dancers.
At 5 pm, we take you for a captivating, behind-the-scenes presentation at the Gorilla Doctors. Working closely with the Karisoke Dian Fossey Mountain Gorilla Fund, this team of experts provides veterinary care to injured and sick Mountain Gorillas. The presentation offers a rich insight into their knowledge of gorilla anatomy, genetics, behavior, and the remarkable care provided to these majestic creatures — a wonderful addition to your gorilla trek tomorrow.
Return to your lodge for dinner at about 7 pm. Many ingredients come directly from the chef’s garden and nearby farms. (L,D)
Overnight – Mountain Gorilla View Lodge or similar
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking
Today you will have the rare opportunity to observe endangered Rwandan Mountain Gorillas in their natural habitat. Tracking these majestic creatures through the forested slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes is a magical experience. If you’re fortunate, you may find them quickly, enjoy an hour in their presence, and return in time for a late lunch. Some gorilla families, however, are more elusive, and your trek may take like 7 hours — especially if conditions are wet and muddy.
Your journey begins at about 2,000m above sea level, winding through scenic rainforest. The ground can be slippery, temperatures may fluctuate from warm and humid to a chilly damp, and rain can fall at any time — a vivid reminder that you’re close to the equator. Once you reach a family of gorillas, you will enjoy a remarkable encounter. Gorilla groups range in size from 6 to 40 members and typically include at least one majestic silverback. Your guide will advise you on proper behavior to help keep both you and the gorillas comfortable and safe in their territory.
This afternoon, you will visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. Built as a permanent home for the fund’s education and research initiatives, this extraordinary center was a birthday gift from Portia de Rossi to Ellen — a symbol of her passion for wildlife conservation and her lifelong admiration for Dian Fossey. The campus plays a key role in conserving Mountain Gorillas while strengthening the future of nearby communities.
After this visit, you will return to your accommodation. (B,L,D)
Overnight – Mountain Gorilla View Lodge or similar
Walking/Trekking Time – approximately 2-6 hours.
Difficulty level: moderate – difficult
Day 4: Dian Fossey Tomb Hike
Following an early breakfast, embark on a special trek to Dian Fossey’s grave site. This courageous pioneer devoted almost 20 years of her life to studying and protecting Mountain Gorillas. She is buried here alongside her beloved Digit and other gorillas — a resting place that occasionally attracts the very creatures she fought to save.
The trek covers about 3 km round-trip and typically takes 3–6 hours, depending on the weather, trail conditions, and the fitness of the group. Starting at 2,500m, you will climb to Dian Fossey’s resting place at 2,967m. The trail can be challenging, depending on conditions, but the journey is rich in history, wilderness, and breathtaking views. After returning to the lodge for lunch, enjoy a leisurely afternoon or select from a range of optional activities:
- Community Walk: Take a guided walk around Musanze and nearby villages to experience local life.
- Twin Lakes Sightseeing: Enjoy stunning views of two neighboring lakes, set 100m apart in elevation.
- Basket Weaving Workshop: Try your hand at traditional crafts with a weaving session at the base of the volcanoes.
- Canoeing Experience: Glide across gentle rivers and rapids by canoe and observe rural life from the water.
- Relax with a massage, pedicure, or manicure in a peaceful setting.
The evening is yours at leisure. (B,L,D)
Overnight – Mountain Gorilla View Lodge or similar
Day 5: Iby’Iwachu Cultural Village Tour
After breakfast, you will visit the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village — a sustainable tourism initiative designed to empower communities living around Volcanoes National Park. The project aims to reduce poaching and raise income levels by offering locals a participatory role in conserving their natural heritage. It’s a place where traditions are kept alive, and people and culture come together to celebrate their rich history alongside the future of conservation.
After your visit, return to the lodge for lunch before departing the wonderful Volcanoes National Park. Drive south through scenic countryside, past rich coffee, tea, and banana plantations, on a breathtaking journey back to Kigali (about 119km, 3 hours).
Once in Kigali, you will enjoy a final activity: a masterclass with Question Coffee. Rwanda is renowned for its specialty coffee — high elevations, abundant rainfall, and rich volcanic soil create perfect growing conditions. Question Coffee, a leading producer, roaster, and exporter, will take you through the rich story of Rwandan coffee. During this 3-hour masterclass, you will learn about the coffee history of Rwanda, coffee growing practices, roasting techniques, packaging methods, tasting — and you’ll take home a branded bag of coffee at the end of the experience. Then we transfer you to check in at Kigali’s finest hotel, the Kigali Marriott. (B,D)
Overnight – Kigali Marriott Hotel or similar
Day 6: Departure
This morning, enjoy a leisurely start to the day and a wonderful breakfast at Kigali’s finest hotel, the Kigali Marriott. The rest of the day is yours to explore at your own pace. We can arrange transfers to a range of optional activities if you wish:
- Kigali Fashion & Art Tour ($100 USD) — Explore the city’s vibrant creative scene.
- Ntarama Genocide Memorial ($30 USD donation) — Pay your respects and learn more about Rwanda’s past.
- Women’s Twongerre Coffee Cooperative ($60 USD) — Experience a community-run coffee enterprise and its rich traditions.
Most flights depart late in the evening from Kigali International. To celebrate your journey, we have arranged a farewell dinner at Kigali’s renowned Republika restaurant. After dinner, it’s a short transfer to the airport, where we bid you a warm goodbye and wish you a safe journey home, with wonderful memories that will last a lifetime. (B,D)
What Is Included
- Return airport transfers
- VIP meet and greet at the Airport.
- Complimentary water in the vehicle
- Professional English-speaking driver/guide
- Private transportation in 4×4 jeeps/Safari Vehicle
- 4 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 5 Dinners
- 4 nights’ accommodation
- Kigali Genocide Memorial Visit
- Nyamirambo Women’s Walking Tour
- Gorilla Doctors Presentation
- Mountain Gorilla Trek
- Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Fund
- Dian Fossey Tomb Trek
- Iby’iwacu Cultural Village
- Question Coffee Master Class
- Local Emergency Medical Evacuation
- Services of an English-speaking local guide
- National Park fees
Exclusions
- International flights
- Visas
- Travel and medical insurance
- All services, meals other than those indicated above
- All activities other than those indicated above
- Any changes to the proposed and confirmed program.
- All items of a personal nature e.g. drinks, laundry, telephone calls, tips etc
- Optional activities on days 3 and 5
- Early check-in/Late check-out
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