5 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking & Dian Fossey Hike Safari

Seated south of the Equator, Rwanda, often referred to as the land of a thousand hills, is a small landlocked country in East Africa famous for being one of the best mountain gorilla trekking safari destinations in Africa. Rwanda is one of the most inspiring travel destinations in Africa, renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, wildlife encounters, and the vibrant culture. Beyond gorillas trekking, tourists can enjoy a classic Big Five safari in Akagera National Park, chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park, and relaxing escapes along the shores of Lake Kivu.

This 5-days Rwanda safari was a deeply memorable journey combining mountain gorilla trekking and the historic Dian Fossey hike in Volcanoes National Park. The safari started within the hustling and bustling city of Kigali where my clients landed through the Kigali International Airport than slowly drifted away from the noise of the city through the hilly quiet and lush green beautiful sceneries and finally we were at the foot of the Virunga mountain ranges ready for mind blowing encounters of a life time.  

This safari offered a blend of incredible primates’ experiences especially with the gentle yet highly endangered mountain gorillas and meaningful insights into Rwanda’s gorilla conservation efforts and natural beauty of this land of a thousand hills.

Day 1: Arrival at Kigali International Airport

Today marked the beginning of the trip. The clients arrived at Kigali International Airport at 17:56 hours where they found the Five to Five hotel representative waiting for them. The hotel representative warmly welcomed them and transferred them to their hotel in Kigali for relaxation and overnight stay. This evening allowed them time to rest after the long flight and prepare for the adventure that lies ahead since i was scheduled to meet them the next day and begin this adventure.

Day 2: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park and Visit to the Dian Fossey museum

Early in the morning, I woke up and prepared to meet my clients, Richard and Karl, and officially begin the 5 days gorillas and Dian Fossey hike safari. By 8:30 a.m., I had arrived at Five to Five Hotel in Kigali, where i met and greeted Richard and Karl then took them through a comprehensive briefing of the trip during which we discussed the safari program in detail, reviewed the schedule, and talked about Rwanda in general as a country. We also went through the safari itinerary together ensuring we were all on the same page.

After the interactions, it was time leave for Volcanoes national park. I loaded their luggage into the safari vehicle then we set off on a scenic drive north towards Volcanoes national park. The journey took approximately three hours and was filled with beautiful views of the countryside, rolling hills, and we made several stops for photos along the way.

We arrived at Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel just in time for lunch as per our initial plans. After settling in, my clients enjoyed a relaxed hot meal then after lunch, we headed out for a visit to the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of Dian Fossey. Karl found it really incredible to be at the Ellen De Genres campus of Dian Fossey given she had been closely following Dian Fossey’s story over the years.

The visit to the Dian Fossey museum took approximately two hours after which we drove back to the lodge for dinner. While at dinner, I gave my clients a detailed briefing about the next day’s trek advising them on what to pack for the trek, the dress code, and the rules and regulations for the gorilla trek.

After dinner, we retired to our rooms for the night’s rest ahead of the next day’s gorilla encounter.

Day 3: Mountain Gorilla Trekking Experience

Today we woke up to an early breakfast, and by 6:30 hours, we were ready to depart for the Volcanoes national park for the gorilla encounter experience which was the main highlight of this trip. The drive from the lodge to the park headquarters was roughly 30 minutes. Once at the park, we briefly stopped at the Kwita Izina grounds also famously known as the Gorilla naming ceremony grounds for some photos before continuing to the briefing point where the general gorilla trekking briefing by the park rangers and allocation of the gorilla families took place. We were assigned the Muhooza gorilla family, one of the most rewarding gorilla families to trek in Volcanoes national park.

We then left the park and drove to the starting point of the trek. Karl and Richard joined a group of six other trekkers, making eight visitors which is the maximum number of trekkers allowed per gorilla family. Interestingly, all the other trekkers in their group were from the USA, which made it easier for the group to interact and share the experiences.

The hike through the forest took roughly two and a half hours. The terrain was slightly challenging in some places, but the excitement kept everyone motivated. When the group finally encountered the gorillas, this was a dream come true for Karl. They saw a total of 15 mountain gorillas, both adults and babies. The playful babies made the experience even more interesting as they came up close to the trekkers and one of the babies touched Richard- a rare interaction that made the encounter even more special.

After spending an incredible 1-hour with the mountain gorillas, my clients returned from the hike where they met me waiting for them and the smiles they had on their faces said it all. It was without doubt that they had had an incredible time with the Muhooza mountain gorilla family.

We then drove back to the lodge where we enjoyed a hot lunch and spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing in preparation for the next day’s Dian Fossey hike.

Day 4: The Dian Fossey Tomb Hike

It is important to note that most of the activities in Volcanoes National Park begin early morning, and the Dian Fossy hike was no exception. After an early morningbreakfast, we picked up our packed lunch and drove from the lodge to the park headquarters, where we met up with the ranger guides and other tourists who were undertaking the Dian Fossey hike that very day. Before the hike could begin, we got a short briefing by the park rangers which was then followed by a drive to the trail head. Just as we were about to begin the hike, it started raining. This however did not stop us since we were determined to undertake this hike and for my clients, paying respect to Dian Fossey for her great work towards gorilla conservation was something they had always dreamt of and at this moment their dream was just about to come true so there was no going back.

The hike to the Dian Fossey tomb took roughly 6 hours in total both going and returning out of the forest through the muddy trails and steep terrain. It was quite a challenging hike however my clients managed to succeed at it.

Tired but content, my clients made their way back from the forest then we drove back to the lodge for refreshment and relaxation. That evening, all three of us gathered at the bar to celebrate having successfully completed both the mountain gorilla trek and the Dian Fossey hike. Karl and Richard had a taste of the local Rwanda beer and I personally opted for cappuccino since I was not much of a drinker. We later retired to our different rooms for the night’s rest.

Day 5: Return to Kigali- Last day of the trip

Today marked our final day of the trip. There was no early wakeup call this time round given the only activity for the day was a transfer from Volcanoes national park to Kigali International airport where Karl and Richard were scheduled for a late afternoon flight.

We woke up at leisure, had our breakfast then at 11:00 hours, we left Five Volcanoes boutique hotel and embarked on yet another scenic drive back to Kigali with sweeping views of Rwanda’s rolling hills, green valleys, and peaceful countryside with frequent stops to take photos, capturing final memories of the landscapes.

Upon arrival in Kigali, we stopped for a lunch before finally heading to Kigali International airport. We arrived at Kigali International airport at exactly 15:00 hours, and as my clients prepared to check in for their flight back home, we shared our goodbyes then they walked into the departures. This marked the end this 5-days gorilla and Dian Fossey hike safari.