Our 3 Days Gorilla Trekking and Dian Fossey Hike takes you to see the endangered mountain gorillas and also visit the tomb of Dian Fossey at the volcanoes national park in Rwanda. The Volcanoes National Park is without doubt Rwanda’s most visited national park. The park is home to the second largest population of mountain gorillas in the world and is where the great primatologist Dian Fossey established base to study the life of mountain gorillas. Dian Fossey dedicated most of her adult life to researching about the primates and protecting them from poachers and animal traffickers.
The park now has 10 habituated gorilla groups open to tourists throughout the year. It was Dian Fossey who first discovered many of the facts about mountain gorillas and also ways in which to make them comfortable with humans in their presence. She found out that in order to gain the acceptance of all members of the groups, it was important to first win over the dominant silverback. According to Fossey, by mimicking the different gorilla sounds and grunts, they slowly begun to trust a human. In time she changed from focusing solely on research to gorilla conservation in Africa and particularly fighting poachers and traffickers of baby gorillas. In the end this won her many enemies who are believed to have plotted her death. Dian Fossey was found brutally murdered in her cabin built between Mount Karisimbi and Mount Bisoke by someone believed to have been hired by poachers/ traffickers.
Itinerary in Brief
Day 1: Arrival and Pickup from Kigali – City Tour – Transfer to the Volcanoes National Park
Day 2: Gorilla trekking – Visit the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village
Day 3: Visit Dian Fossey Tomb and former Karisoke Research Centre – Departure to Kigali
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and Pickup from Kigali – City Tour – Transfer to the Volcanoes National Park
Our Driver/Guide will come to pick you from either the airport or your hotel in Kigali. The Guide will brief you about the tour and what to expect. If you need to buy anything, he will be the best person to advise you on where to go. After the briefing, the driver will take you for a half day Kigali city tour. During this tour, you will visit the genocide memorial site, the former presidential palace, the main city markets and souvenir shops. You will then have lunch from one of the good eat outs or hotels in Kigali.
After lunch the Guide/Driver will start the journey to the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. This Journey takes two hours and you should be at the lodge by 4pm for check-in and refreshments. In the evening, you can ask the Guide to take you for a tour of Lake Ruhondo and Burera or visit the Musanze town before going back for dinner.
Dinner and overnight stay at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Hotel La Palme (Mid-range) and Muhabura Guest House (Budget).
Day 2: Gorilla trekking – Visit the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village
Wake up early enough and have breakfast as you prepare to be taken to the park offices for briefing. You should ask your hotel staff to prepare for you light snacks that you may need while tracking the gorillas. While at the park offices, you will meet the park wardens, rangers, most of the other park officials and many tourists who have come for different activities. The park officials will brief you about the activity and share with your information about mountain gorillas, what to expect and how to behave while out tracking. After the briefing, you will be assigned a gorilla family depending on your overall fitness, availability and your personal choice.
Gorilla trekking at the Volcanoes National Park takes anywhere between one to six hours depending on the gorilla group you have been assigned and their location or feeding ground. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda can be demanding especially if you are not very fit. You will hike through thick bamboo forests, thickets, rough terrain, hills and valleys before encountering the primates. Always follow the instructions of the rangers especially when with the primates. Never eat while close to the gorillas and keep a certain distance. When in a group never appear to surround the primates to avoid irritating them. Do not use flash cameras while with the gorillas to avoid raising their curiosity or alerting them. You are allowed only one hour once you find the gorillas. After watching the family play, groom and feed, it is time to leave. You will go back to the starting point to find our driver waiting for you and then be taken to the park offices for relaxation.
Later in the afternoon or evening, the Driver/Guide will take you to visit the Gorilla Guardian Village. Formerly known as the Iby’iwacu cultural village, the Centre is where everything about the culture of the three Rwandan tribes can be experienced. You will also get an opportunity to buy souvenirs for your family and friends back home. Don’t forget to visit the local medicine man and learn how common diseases were treated before medicine was embraced.
Dinner and overnight stay at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Hotel La Palme (Mid-range) and Muhabura Guest House (Budget).
Day 3: Visit Dian Fossey Tomb and the former Karisoke Research Centre – Departure to Kigali
Wake up early as usual and take breakfast as you wait for the Guide to take you to the park offices for another briefing. You will then head out to the slopes of the mountains to follow the same path Dian 
Fossey did several times in a month decades ago. During the hike, the rangers will share with you all the information about Dian Fossey, her work with the gorilla, her foundation and her legacy. You will get to meet some of the porters who worked with her at the time to give you their own account about how it was working with her. Dian Fossey is buried close to Digit, her favorite gorilla. You will also visit her former work station and former Karisoke Research Centre which is now a bit dilapidated.
After completing the Dian Fossey grave hike, you will slope down and find the Guide who should take you back to the hotel to checkout and begin your journey back to Kigali.
End of tour
Tour Includes and Excludes
The tour includes:
- Rwanda Gorilla permits.
- Dian Fossey permits.
- A Full time experienced and English speaking Guide/ Driver.
- A Cultural experience at the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village.
- Kigali city Tour.
The Tour Excludes:
- Insurance.
- Accommodation before and after the safari.
- Expenses of a personal nature like tips, laundry services, cigarettes, visas and air tickets.
Accommodation
Mountain Gorilla View Lodge: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge is a Luxury accommodation facility built close to the Volcanoes National Park and on the slopes of Mount Sabyinyo. It has 30 spacious cottages made of stone that are separated to give privacy to guests. All the cottages have their own showers, lounge area and a fireplace to keep residents warm in the cold evenings. The beds are comfortable and large.
Meals are served in a separate bar and restaurant area where you get to meet all the guests. One of the great things about booking with this hotel is the amazing atmosphere and scenery considering that it is set in a forested area overlooking the Virunga volcanoes. It is also one of the least expensive Luxury lodges in the area. If you are planning to do gorilla trekking and visiting the grave of Dian Fossey, this is a good place to stay in – especially if you are looking at the higher end lodges.
La Palme Hotel: This is a mid-range hotel built in the town of Musanze but with easy access to the Volcanoes National Park. It is an excellent accommodation facility for those who want quality services that compare to the very best luxury hotels in the area. La Palme doesn’t target only tourists but also the 
business travelers. The room has three types of rooms and also a presidential palace that go for over $2000. The rooms are all self-contained with a TV, a balcony, refrigerator, large beds, hot water, a bathroom and a shared lounge area. One thing that keeps visitors coming back is the quality of the food (local and international) served in the restaurant. They have specialized in preparing great French cuisine and can prepare you a special meal if you can order in advance. The hotel also has free Wi-Fi, conference facilities and a beautiful garden for relaxation. You can also access a coffee machine and kettle. Shuttle services are available as well as free parking, a gift shop and rooms for storing luggage. Drinks from all over the world are served from the mini bar.
Muhabura Hotel: This budget hotel is also built within the town of Musanze but only a few Kilometers away from the park entrance. It has thirty self-contained rooms with a bathroom, warm showers, satellite television, Wi-Fi and a private balcony. You can choose a single, double, twin or triple room depending on whether you are traveling solo or with a group. The hotel also offers laundry services, beautiful gardens, a children’s playground, camping sites, conference facilities and a gift shop. Moreover, the hotel has a bar and restaurant which is operated by very friendly staff. Muhabura Hotel is an excellent choice of accommodation if you are planning to also tour the town of Musanze after your activities in the park.
Hello. How much does this tour cost? And what kind of deposit is needed?
By chance did you get a response?
My family (of 4) and I would like to more about this tour, it’s costs and it’s availability for December 18,19,20ish.