2-Day Rwanda Gorilla Trek Safari to Volcanoes National Park

Kigali City Tour and Transfer to Musanze

Your 2-Day Rwanda Gorilla Trek Safari journey begins with an insightful and emotional dive into Rwanda’s history. After breakfast, our professional Terenga Safaris guide will pick you up from your hotel or Kigali International Airport to begin your city tour. Kigali, often hailed as one of Africa’s cleanest and safest capitals, is not just a modern city—it is a living testimony to Rwanda’s strength and healing.

Your first stop is Kigali Solaire, a site that represents Rwanda’s stride toward renewable energy and sustainable development. Next, visit Stade Régional, a place of historical significance linked to Rwanda’s sports culture and its past.

The journey becomes deeply emotional as you arrive at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, the final resting place of more than 259,000 genocide victims. Here, you’ll walk through poignant exhibits that chronicle the roots, execution, and aftermath of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Through stories, photographs, and survivor testimonials, you’ll gain insight into one of the darkest chapters in human history—balanced by the hope and resilience that followed.

Next, visit the Dr. Richard Kandt Museum, which honors the first German explorer to settle in Kigali during colonial times. The exhibits provide fascinating insights into Rwanda’s pre-colonial and colonial history. A short drive then takes you to the Belgian Camp, where ten Belgian UN peacekeepers lost their lives while trying to protect the moderate prime minister, signaling the onset of the genocide.

After a traditional Rwandan lunch, you’ll journey to Bugesera, located about an hour outside Kigali. Here, you’ll visit the Reconciliation Village, where genocide survivors live alongside perpetrators in a unique model of healing and forgiveness. Continue to the genocide memorial churches at Nyamata and Ntarama. These churches serve as chilling reminders of the atrocities committed when thousands of people were slaughtered in what were once sanctuaries.

By evening, you’ll arrive in Musanze, the gateway town to Volcanoes National Park. Check-in at the Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel, a mid-range lodge offering comfort, tranquility, and stunning views of the Virunga Mountains. Freshen up, relax, and enjoy dinner at your leisure.

• Main Destination: Musanze (City)
• Accommodation: Le Bamboo Gorilla Lodge
• Meals & Drinks: Breakfast included (Lunch and dinner not included)
• Drinks: Not included

Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park – Return to Kigali

Wake up early and enjoy breakfast at your hotel, mentally and physically preparing for the day’s highlight of 2-Day Rwanda Gorilla Trek Safari in Volcanoes National Park. This park, part of the broader Virunga Massif, is home to about a third of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas and offers one of the most unforgettable wildlife experiences on the planet.

By 7:00 AM, you’ll arrive at the park headquarters in Kinigi for a detailed pre-trekking briefing. Park rangers will explain gorilla etiquette, safety protocols, and how the trekking process works. You will then be assigned a specific gorilla family to track based on your fitness level and interests.

Trekking through the thick forested slopes of the Virunga Mountains can take anywhere from 1 to 6 hours, depending on the location of your assigned gorilla group. The terrain can be steep and muddy, but the surroundings are incredibly beautiful—lush forests, chirping birds, and misty mountain vistas that create a fairytale-like atmosphere.

When you finally encounter the gorilla family, you’ll spend one magical hour observing them from a safe and respectful distance. Watch as the infants play under the watchful eye of the silverback, see the mothers nurse their young, and witness the quiet dignity of these endangered primates. There’s a profound stillness in these moments, a feeling of mutual curiosity that words can hardly capture.

After the trek, return to the park headquarters for your gorilla trekking certificate, commemorating this bucket-list achievement. You’ll then return to the hotel for a quick freshening up and lunch, before beginning your return drive to Kigali. Depending on your travel plans, you’ll be dropped off at Kigali International Airport or your hotel in the city.

• Main Destination: Volcanoes National Park (Gorillas)
• Accommodation: None (End of Tour)
• Meals & Drinks: Breakfast and lunch included (Dinner not included)
• Drinks: Not included