Thanks to conservation efforts the population of mountain gorillas in Rwanda has increased some 20% in the past decade. This is crucial because the Virunga Mountains of Rwanda are one of only two mountain gorilla habitats in the entire world (the other one being the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda). These magnificent animals can only be found at elevations of between 8,000 and 13,000 feet. Locating and viewing them in a responsible manner requires the services of expert guides like those at Africa Flash MCTours.
Our guided gorilla safari tours in Rwanda are some of our most popular as they take adventurers up the sides of ancient volcanoes in the northeast of the country, on the border with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These tours bring you into contact with the endangered mountain gorilla in their natural habitat. You are escorted through ancient forests untouched by development up to the gorilla’s home where you will have a rare opportunity to observe and appreciate these amazing primates in all their glory. Our gorilla safari tours in Rwanda include:
Best Time to Go?
Between December to February and June to September (dry seasons)
High Season
The high season is between May and October
Experience of a lifetime
Experience the trip of a lifetime with a Chimpanzee & Gorilla Safari in Rwanda
This is a 5-day tour designed specifically to bring you into contact with the rare mountain gorilla. You will start your adventure at Kigali International Airport in Rwanda where you will be picked up by our driver/guide. From there you will enjoy an enchanting 4 hour drive through Virunga volcanoes region of Rwanda and the highlands of Uganda’s Kigezi District, ultimately arriving at the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. There, you will experience a landscape that has remained unchanged for an estimated 25,000 years and come face to face for the first time with the majestic mountain gorilla.
From the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, you will journey back to Rwanda and Volcanoes National Park. There you will trek on foot to the only other known habitat of the mountain gorilla, on the slopes of Mt Sabyinyo. After spending time observing the gorilla community you will return to the lodge for dinner and a night of reminiscing about your incredible experience before returning to Kigali International Airport the next day.
Price From $3795 USD
This action-packed 8-day Uganda safari combines the special experience of meeting the highly-endangered mountain gorillas in both Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Rwanda’s Volcanoes
Price From $2345 USD
The thrill of gorilla trekking Uganda with the highly-endangered mountain gorillas in their natural forested environment is a moving and unforgettable experience and one of the most special wildlife e
Price From $1415 USD
Conservationists and animal lovers will love this 3-day Ugandan tour. You get to see the gorillas in the Bwindi Gorilla Rain Forest, which, together with another park in Rwanda, provides some of the r
Of all our gorilla safari tours in Rwanda, this is the most comprehensive. It will take you to both known mountain gorilla habitats with savannah and boat safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park as well. The mountain gorilla viewing component visits both the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda and the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, the only known natural habitats of the mountain gorilla.
The savannah and boat safari components of the trip will enable you to view elephants, buffalo, lions, zebras, hippos and other animals from both land and water. As a bonus, we include a trip to Lake Bunyonyi. Known as “Uganda’s Paradise” Lake Bunyonyi is home to dozens of species of exotic birds. Here you will have a chance to relax and reflect before returning to Kampala the next day for your flight out.
Mountain gorillas are one of our closest relatives sharing as much as 99% of our DNA. The only animals more closely related to humans are chimpanzees. Today’s mountain gorillas are thought to have descended from a common primate ancestor some 7 million years ago and are divided into 2 distinct species: the western gorilla and the eastern gorilla. The mountain gorilla is one of 2 sub-species of the eastern gorilla.
Gorillas primarily eat bamboo, but they will indulge in many other types of foliage as well, including leaves, shoots and stems. They are also known to eat fruit when they can find it. But that is a small part of their overall diet. Despite their status as dedicated herbivores, gorillas can reach between 1.25 and 1.9 meters in height, weigh up to 250 kgs and are very powerful. Their arm span can reach up to 2.5 meters.
Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is the only other home of the endangered mountain gorilla besides the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in neighbouring Uganda. Like the BIF, Volcanoes National Park can trace its origins to the colonial period when Belgium held sway over what is now both Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Volcanoes National Park was established in 1925 and was the first national park ever created in Africa. At the time it was comprised of a relatively small area that included the volcanoes Bisoke, Karisimbi and Mikeno. In 1929 the fledgling park was expanded to include some 3,000 sq mi (8,000 sq km) of the then Belgian Congo. Today the park encompasses five volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains of Rwanda only: Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo, with a total area of 62 sq mi (160 sq km).
In 1967 naturalist Dian Fossey arrived in Volcanoes National Park and began conducting research on the mountain gorillas. Her pioneering work, along with her autobiography “Gorillas in the Mist” (later made into a successful Hollywood movie starring Sigourney Weaver) brought much attention to the plight of the mountain gorilla and no doubt helped drive the subsequent growth of gorilla tourism.
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Africa FlashMc Tours and Travel is a member of Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO), membership code: No.AS/687. KATO is one of the key tourism trade associations in Kenya, representing the interests of over 400 of the most experienced professional tour operators in Kenya. As a member, our services have been checked and are bound by the Code of Conduct to provide the highest possible quality of service to their clients. The scheme is insured to guarantee your holiday safari in the unlikely event that a bonded KATO member ceases operating.
