Friendly Gorillas Safaris

Day 1: Journey to Volcanoes National Park – Friendly Gorillas Safaris

Your adventure commences with either a pickup from the airport upon your arrival or from your hotel, depending on your location. The first day includes a brief Kigali city tour, allowing you to explore significant historical and cultural sites. These may include the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, craft markets in Kigali, the Kand National Museum, and the presidential museum (subject to available time).

Following these explorations, you’ll enjoy a meal at a restaurant in the city, where you can savor local Rwandan dishes or opt for continental cuisine, depending on your culinary preferences. It’s essential to communicate your meal preferences to your driver-guide to ensure a suitable restaurant choice. After lunch in Kigali city, your journey takes you to the home of the mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park.

Day 2: Gorilla Tracking in Volcanoes National Park – Friendly Gorillas Safaris

On the second day, you’ll embark on an exhilarating gorilla trekking adventure. After an early morning breakfast, your driver-guide will transfer you to the briefing area, where you’ll receive essential information from the ranger guide about the expectations and guidelines within the park.

While waiting for the group to assemble, you can savor Rwandan hospitality, including traditional dances and a cup of hot Rwandan coffee. The ranger guide will provide gorilla trekking tips, such as refraining from using flash photography. Subsequently, participants will be divided into different gorilla trekking groups. Depending on the gorilla family’s location that you’ll be trekking to, your driver-guide will facilitate your transfer to the trailhead designated for the assigned gorilla group.

The afternoon allows for leisure, providing time for recuperation from the remarkable gorilla trekking experience. Alternatively, you can opt for an optional activity, such as visiting the Musanze caves or exploring the twin lakes.

Day 3: Cultural Tour at Iby’iwacu Cultural Village – Friendly Gorillas Safaris

After the extraordinary gorilla trekking adventure on the previous day, the third day offers an opportunity to delve into Rwandan culture at the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village, also known as the Gorilla Guardians Village. Here, you can immerse yourself in the history and culture of Rwanda.

Notably, some members of this cultural village are former poachers who once relied on the forest for their livelihood. By participating in this cultural village experience, visitors contribute significantly to gorilla conservation efforts, as the local community now earns income from sharing their culture instead of engaging in poaching activities.

Cultural Experience

At JM Jungle Safaris, our commitment is to include cultural experiences in our itineraries, enabling visitors to intimately connect with the regions they explore and directly benefit the local communities through tourism income.

As your 3-day Rwanda gorilla trekking safari concludes, you’ll be transferred back to Kigali, where you can return to your hotel or catch your flight home, marking the end of this unforgettable tour.