Rwanda safari guides.
Everything we are asked before a first journey to Rwanda, written plainly and without marketing — permits and their real cost, the honest month-by-month picture, how gorilla families are allocated, and the parks most visitors never hear about.
The best time for gorilla trekking in Rwanda
An honest month-by-month guide to the best time for gorilla trekking in Rwanda — dry versus green season trails, permit availability, rainfall, temperatures and what each month is genuinely like in Volcanoes National Park.
— PermitsHow Rwanda gorilla permits are actually booked
Exactly how a Rwanda gorilla trekking permit is booked with the Rwanda Development Board — the USD $1,500 fee, the discounted $1,050 combination rate, timing, name changes, cancellations and what an operator does that you cannot.
— The FamiliesThe gorilla families of Volcanoes National Park
Which mountain gorilla families are visited in Volcanoes National Park, how allocation works at the Kinigi briefing, which families involve easier or harder treks, and how fitness is matched to family.
— ComparisonRwanda vs Congo for gorilla trekking
A straight comparison of gorilla trekking in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park and the DRC's Virunga National Park — permit cost, access, safety, lodges and who each destination genuinely suits.
— HoneymoonA Rwanda honeymoon safari
How a Rwanda honeymoon is composed — gorilla trekking from Bisate or Singita Kwitonda, private dinners, Lake Kivu for the quiet days, helicopter transfers, and what a realistic honeymoon budget looks like.
— FamiliesA family safari in Rwanda with children
Planning a Rwanda family safari — the 15-year minimum age for gorilla trekking, 12 for golden monkeys, what younger children do on trek mornings, Akagera Big Six game drives and family-friendly lodges.
— PhotographyPhotographing mountain gorillas in Rwanda
A practical photography guide for gorilla trekking in Rwanda — lens choice, ISO and shutter settings for dark forest, rain protection, the no-flash rule, and how to use your single hour well.
— ArrivalRwanda visas, flights and entry for a safari
Practical entry guidance for a Rwanda safari — visa on arrival, the East Africa Tourist Visa, yellow fever requirements, flights into Kigali, currency, connectivity and driving times to the parks.
— PlanningHow many days do you need in Rwanda?
How long to spend in Rwanda — what four, six, eight, ten and fourteen day itineraries realistically include, where each length falls short, and how the parks fit together with driving times.
— KigaliKigali: what to do before and after the gorillas
How to spend one or two days in Kigali either side of a gorilla trek — the Genocide Memorial, Nyamirambo, coffee, Inema and Niyo art centres, restaurants and where to stay.
— Three ParksCombining gorillas with Akagera and Nyungwe
How to combine Volcanoes National Park gorilla trekking with Akagera National Park's Big Six game viewing and Nyungwe National Park's chimpanzees — routing, driving times and the discounted $1,050 permit.
— Lake KivuLake Kivu: the quiet days of a Rwanda safari
Why Lake Kivu belongs in a Rwanda itinerary — Rubavu and the islands, kayaking, boat picnics, the Congo Nile Trail, coffee estates, and how many nights to spend after gorilla trekking.
— SoloRwanda for solo travellers
Gorilla trekking Rwanda as a solo traveller — safety, single supplements, joining a group of eight at the briefing, what a private guide changes, and how to keep costs sensible.
— ChimpanzeesChimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park
A realistic guide to chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda — permit cost, the 05:00 start, success rates, Cyamudongo versus Uwinka, the colobus alternative and the canopy walkway.
Tailor your journey.
Tell us a little about how you travel. Our team will reply within 24 hours with a draft itinerary composed for you alone.
Private expeditions are typically composed from USD $10,500 per guest, fully inclusive of gorilla permits, lodging, guiding and transfers.