Rwanda is a beautiful country. It was on the bamboo-covered slopes of Rwanda’s Virunga Volcanoes that the late Dian Fossey studied the behaviour of the endangered mountain gorilla for 20 years, followed by the filmmakers who shot ‘Gorillas in the Mist’ on the same location. Join us for a Rwanda safari, and discover a country that is today embracing a bright new future, and offers one of the most memorable wildlife encounters on earth.Its forested mountains, bursting with birds, butterflies and primates offer one of Africa’s most fascinating experiences: a Rwanda Gorilla Safari.
Rwanda has a number of unique delights to offer travelers. Parc National des Volcans in the Virunga volcanoes is home to the mountain gorillas to which Dian Fossey dedicated her life. Nyungwe Forest, one of the largest montane forests in Central Africa, is renowned for its large troops of colobus monkeys and rich variety of orchids. Akagera National Park is a savannah park with elephants, hippo and crocodile. Lake Kivu is a beautiful inland sea enclosed by steep terraced hillsides. There are a large variety of birds. Rwanda has a rich culture with its second city, Butare, having one of the finest cultural museums in Africa
We offer gorilla trekking safaris specifically designed to deliver this once-in-a-lifetime experience – try our 4-day Gorillas in Parc National des Vulcans – a Rwanda Gorilla Safari is the perfect add-on to a Kenya , Tanzania or Uganda safari.
The critically endangered mountain gorillas are by far Rwanda’s prime attraction – and the experts quietly affirm that it’s probably Africa’s best destination to see these magnificent primates but let’s not forget the country’s other attractions.
With its classic Central African ecology of mountains, rainforests, volcanoes and lakes; bird watching, fishing expeditions, hiking and even game viewing are just a few of the exciting excursions that you could find yourself on – just familiarize yourself with Rwanda’s climate by checking out our ‘When to go to Rwanda’ section to make sure you get the timing of your trip right – after all, you are in the tropics.
Safaris in Rwanda are varied for such a small country: try our 4-day Primates and Birds in Nyungwe Safari, a thrilling wildlife experience in pristine montane forest where you can view an amazing 13 species of primates; or for a more rigorous adventure there is also the 12-day Classic Rwanda & Uganda Safari that stretches from Kigali to Kampala and just about every wildlife hotspot in between, taking in a Rwanda gorilla safari trek.
This tour includes climbing Visoke Volcano and visiting three gorilla parks, the first of which is the Volcanoes National Park, home to approximately 350 mountain gorillas and the best place for a Rwanda Gorilla Safari.
Top Gorilla Tours and Safaris
Please find below a selection of sample itineraries with approximate costs for Rwanda gorilla safaris. Some of these itineraries may also be combined with wildlife safaris to both Tanzania and/or Uganda. These are by no means all of the itineraries that we offer however they will give you a taster of what is available…We offer small group and tailored safaris for both the adventure traveller and the luxury traveller. For further itineraries or enquiries please do not hesitate to fill in our contact form and we will get back to you with a detailed quote and itinerary at the earliest possible convenience.
Gorilla Express Uganda or Rwanda 3 Days
Gorilla & Game Park Safari 7 Days
Classic Uganda & Rwanda 13 days
Gorillas in Virungas & Bwindi 6 days
Classic Rwanda & Uganda Tour 11 Days
Gorillas in Parc National des Volcans & Mgahinga Gorilla Park of Uganda 6Days
When to go – Rwanda Safari Guide
Rwanda a tropical, equatorial country is a year-round destination but the best time to visit Rwanda depends on your priorities. The climate also varies geographically – eastern Rwanda is drier than the dripping forests of northern and western Rwanda, and in winter in Kigali it’s sometimes cold enough to require a warm top.
It’s also important to realize that Rwanda has 4 distinct seasons: You can however visit Rwanda anytime of the year.
Short Dry Season (mid-December to early February)
This is a good time to plan a trip to the Volcanoes National Park to go gorilla trekking as the forests, being drier, is slightly more accessible.
Long Rainy Season (mid-February to June)
When thinking about when to go to Rwanda, bear in mind that the long rainy season takes place from mid-February till about the beginning of June. All of Rwanda’s unsurfaced roads turn into stripes of muddy slosh and hikers get drenched
However, photographers will find it the best time to visit: the air is clearer and the stunning scenery less hazy, and chimp-trackers in Nyungwe Forest will have an easier time as the chimpanzees aren’t foraging for food in the more remote and inaccessible corners of the forest.
Long Dry Season (June to September)
The dry season is from June to September. The ground is dry, the roads are in reasonable shape and mosquitoes are less numerous. This is the best time to travel to Rwanda for hiking in Nyungwe Forest and the best time to go tracking gorillas in Volcanoes National Park.
Short Rainy Season (October to mid-December)
This is a period when you can expect it to rain quite heavily in the eastern mountains – not the best time to go gorilla trekking, although it should be emphasized that the montane forests are fairly damp all year round and the gorillas are resident – they’ll be there all year round.
The months from November to March are best time to visit Rwanda for bird watchers as the local avifauna, already amazing despite the country’s modest size, is augmented by migratory Palaearctic species.