Gorilla Trek – 5★

If you need an overnight in Kigali we'll be happy to assist. Many flights arrive during the day and with the limited attractions available in Kigali city we believe it best that you get up to the park as quickly as possible to give yourself as much time as possible to acclimate to the altitude before the trek.

You'll be privately transferred from any place in Kigali city or from its airport to Parc de Volcans. This is a spectacular drive. Almost the entire country is 5-7,000 feet high and incredibly lush. You'll arrive at your lodge 2 to 3 hours after leaving Kigali depending upon the traffic. Check-in to the rooms is not before 2 p.m. although you'll be most welcome to relax in the very elegant public areas until your room is ready. There are walks in the area, as well as visits that can be arranged to the research facilities and nearby town.

Dinner and overnight at Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge.
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At seven o'clock your driver takes you from the lodge to park headquarters only a few minutes away. There you get your family assignment and meet your fellow trekkers and guide before returning to your vehicle for the drive to the assigned volcano. All the ranger/guides speak French, and most speak English as well.

Everyone regathers at the starting point at the base of the volcano. There are also porters available for hire who can pack everything for you from your camera, picnic lunch and day pack.

The trek begins on established walking tracks and may then veer overland over farmer's fields before reaching the forest's edge where the guide gives you your final set of instructions. Trek lengths and difficulties vary considerably. It's not uncommon to trek for a mere 20 minutes before the hour visit with the gorillas at altitudes hardly more than 6 or 7,000 feet. At other times a trek can take four or more hours ascending to altitudes as high as 11,000 feet. Gorilla families do not stay put. There is no way in advance to estimate the difficulty of your trek.

Hackers generally find the group quite a while before you arrive with your guide. You'll be asked to leave behind anything you're carrying except your binoculars and camera before approaching the family. Visitors must maintain a distance of 20 feet from the gorillas (although that's often up to the gorillas!).

The ranger carefully positions everyone and the hour's experience begins. This is as varied as the animals themselves. Often juveniles are very active not needing the rest that the aggressively feeding adults require. Close encounters with visitors are frequent although discouraged but rarely aggressive or violent. Nonetheless, these are extremely powerful animals and since studies began with them in the late 1960s about a dozen researchers and tourists have been killed or hurt. Statistically this is very favorable when compared with tourists and bears, for example, in American national parks.

After the visit the descent is always much easier than the ascent and can take a fraction of the morning's travel time. A meadow is located on the way down for the picnic lunch. You then transfer back to Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge for dinner and overnight.
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Room checkout is at 10 a.m. At your convenience your driver will return you to the Kigali airport, a drive of about 3 hours, for your departure from Rwanda.
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Don't go home yet! The great safari savannas are just ahead! Check our many East African safaris or call us for suggestions.