Gorilla trekking is a once in a lifetime experience, and the Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, is one of two places in the world that you can visit them in the wild. The park is only a two hours’ drive from the capital, Kigali making it possible to make a short weekend trip from Kigali out of it.
In the 80’s, the park gained world recognition due to the works of American conservationist Diane Fossey, who dedicated her life to studying and protecting the Gorillas, recounted in her book, Gorillas in the Mist. Since then, the park has made a remarkable recovery and has seen the Gorillas which were once on the brink of extinction grow and multiply to over 600 of them now. Take a full day and trek up the steep slopes of the mountains and spend a thrilling and captivating hour watching these creatures in the comfort of their tropical home.
Set off from Kigali and head north-west to the Volcanoes national park. Check in to your lodge situated just outside the park. Enjoy the lodge and prepare for your trekking expedition.
Add-on activities
Village walk – $10 per person
You can take a walk with a guide in the community and learn about Rwandan culture and the life of locals. The walk involves visiting a local market, meeting adorable children along footpaths, and visiting a local non-profit training women to make arts and crafts for income.
Visit Iby’iwacu Cultural Village – $20 per person
The Iby’iwacu cultural village is a recreation of some of the cultural aspects of pre-colonial Rwanda. Visit the village involves taking a tour of the traditional house of the King, watching an authentic medicine man prepare herbal mixtures, trying your hand at bow and arrow shooting or enjoying cultural dances performed by locals in the area.
After breakfast, head to the park headquarters for registration and briefing. Get assigned a ranger and a gorilla family that you will be trekking. Each family is visited by a maximum of 8 people. Head out to the start point and begin the hike up the mountain. Depending with the location of the family, it takes between 1 to 3 hours of trekking each way.
The ranger will locate the gorilla family and you will spend an hour with them before heading back down the mountain.
Head back to the lodge for lunch, and after take the drive back to Kigali
Available extensions
1 day
Golden monkey tracking or Diane Fossey Research center visit – from $200 per person
2 days
Golden monkey tracking and Diane Fossey research center visit – $365 per person
Gorilla Safari Lodge is a private and secluded upmarket lodge with spectacular views of the Bwindi rainforest and located close to the Gorilla Trekking starting point. The lodge consists of spacious chalets, the main lodge area with a restaurant, and a bar overlooking the Bwindi rainforest and a gift shop. It also has free WIFI available at the main lodge area.
These are chalets, each consisting of a spacious room, a private terrace, and en-suite bathroom. They are beautifully decorated and nicely lit with great views of the Bwindi rainforest. Each room is fitted with large comfortable beds, plush linen, mosquito net wrapping around the bed, lounge furniture, and a fireplace. The bathrooms have flush toilets and showers with hot and cold running water.
Meals are all included; 2 breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners. The restaurant offers 3-course meals of local and international specialties.
Spacious and nicely-decorated rooms
Great location
Spectacular views of Bwindi rainforest
Elaborate meals and variety of choices
Spacious restaurant
Free WIFI
No WIFI in the rooms
| Pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price per person | $2,125 | $1,754 | $1,692 | $1,661 | $1,642 | $1,629 |
Prices are based on double room occupancy. You can upgrade to a single room for $106 per person.
Rushaga Gorilla Camp is a mid-range mountain lodge located in the south-eastern part of the park near one of the four gorilla trekking starting points known as Rushaga. The lodge has excellent panoramic views of the Bwindi forest and is a 5 minutes' walk to the gorilla trekking starting point. It also has a restaurant that offers a full English breakfast, an a la carte lunch menu, and a choice of 3 set meals for dinner. You can also access free WIFI at the main lounge and restaurant area of the lodge.
These are spacious cottages with large comfortable beds and linen, lounge furniture, and a private terrace looking towards the Bwindi rainforest. All rooms have a spacious private bathroom with flush toilets, solar-powered hot showers, a sink, and a dressing countertop and mirror.
Your stay includes two breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners. The meals are all made from western or intercontinental cuisine.
Relatively good price
Great location
Spacious rooms
Views of the Bwindi rainforest
Free WIFI
Not nicely decorated
The linen is comfortable but not plush
Limited food items at the restaurant
| Pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price per person | $1,834 | $1,448 | $1,385 | $1,354 | $1,335 | $1,323 |
Prices are based on double room occupancy. You can upgrade to a single room for $146 per person.
Gorilla Valley Lodge is a small, low-budget lodge located in the south-eastern part of the park near one of the four gorilla trekking starting points known as Rushaga. The lodge has a small restaurant that offers a basic continental breakfast and a few options of international cuisine for lunch and dinner.
These are clean and modestly furnished brick and motor rooms consisting of a comfortable bed, linen, towels, and en-suite bathrooms. The bathrooms have solar-powered hot water showers and flush toilets. The rooms also have lighting, power plugs, and mosquito nets over the beds.
Only breakfast and dinner are included in the basic plan. You can order lunch daily at the restaurant.
Affordable and comfortable rooms
Good location
Basic facilities
Small rooms
Limited meal options
Limited views
No internet access
If there are no rooms available at the time of your booking. We will provide a suitable replacement.
| Pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price per person | $1,438 | $1,187 | $1,125 | $1,094 | $1,075 | $1,062 |
Prices are based on double room occupancy. You can upgrade to a single room for $89 per person.
Paraa Safari Lodge is an upmarket lodge with the refinements of a 3-star hotel, located in the center of the park looking over the Nile river. Facilities include spacious rooms, a restaurant, a bar, a pool with a bar, and a gift shop.
Paraa safari lodge boasts the best location in the park and offers the conveniences of being so close to the jetty for your boat safari on the Nile river, and close to the game viewing areas of the park. No lodge offers more conveniences for your 3 Days Murchison Falls Safari than Paraa Safari Lodge.
The rooms are nicely lit, decorated with plush linen, and towels. All rooms have a private bathroom with hot showers and a hairdryer. The rooms have a coffee bar, a reading table, refrigerator, complimentary bottled water, and a private balcony.
Meals are all included; two breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners. The restaurant offers three-course meals of local and international specialties.
Spacious and comfortable rooms
WIFI available in all rooms
Great location for game drives and boat safari
Elaborate meals and variety of choices
The standard rooms have a ceiling fan, but no air-conditioning. You can upgrade to a deluxe room for $35 per person per room.
Note: If there are no rooms available at the time of your booking, we will recommend a suitable replacement.
| Pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price per person | $1,241 | $902 | $825 | $786 | $763 | $748 |
Prices are based on double room occupancy. You can upgrade to a single room for $106 per person.
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Pakuba Safari Lodge is a mid-range lodge, located on the northern side of the park facing the Albert Nile. The facilities include a restaurant, terraced room blocks and a swimming pool.
The lodge is in an excellent location for game drives and with nicely furnished rooms, offering you better value for your money compared to other mid-range accommodations, making Pakuba the ideal lodge for your 3 Days Murchison Falls Safari.
All rooms have a private bathroom with solar-powered hot showers, a reading table, a closet, and a private terrace. The rooms are all air-conditioned.
This plan is inclusive of all meals. The price includes two breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners during your stay. The meals are all made from western or intercontinental cuisine.
Reasonably priced.
Excellent location for game drives
Comfortable rooms with air-conditioning
WIFI at the main lobby and at the restaurant
The lodge is a 45 mins drive from the Paraa jetty, where the boat safari begins and ends.
Rooms lack a coffee or tea bar and Hair dryer.
The linen is comfortable but not plush
Note: If there are no rooms available at the time of your booking, we will recommend a suitable replacement.
| Pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price per person | $1,141 | $763 | $685 | $647 | $624 | $608 |
Prices are based on double room occupancy. You can upgrade to a single room for $146 per person.
Red Chilli Rest Camp is a low-budget camp located in the center of the park on the southern side of the Nile, only 500 meters from the ferry crossing point. You stay in brick and motor, African thatched houses locally known as bandas.
The camp also has a restaurant that offers an a la carte breakfast and lunch menu, and a choice of 3 set meals for dinner. The combination of a great location and a right level of comfort makes Red Chilli Rest Camp the ideal budget accommodation for your 3 Days Murchison Falls Safari.
The bandas all include a double bed or two twin beds with linen and a mosquito net. A few bandas have private bathrooms, but most uses shared bathrooms. All the bandas have lighting, power plugs, and a fan. There’s a limited number of Ensuite bandas. The camp has shared toilets and bathroom stalls with hot water available.
The basic plan includes breakfast. You can buy lunch and dinner every day at the restaurant.
It’s inexpensive and safe.
Even though Red Chilli Rest Camp’s location is better than other budget accommodations, it’s not the best for game viewing. It takes about 30 minutes, including crossing the Nile on a ferry to get to the wildlife. The ferry has set crossing times, and these can limit the amount of time you spend viewing the animals. All the other low-budget camps have the same challenge. None is close to the wildlife.
Electricity is only available at set times of the day, except lights are always on. The set times are from 7 am to 9 am, 11 am to 2 pm, and 5 pm to 10 pm. Outside these hours, guests charge appliances such as phones and camera batteries at the restaurant.
No WIFI
Note: If there are no rooms available at the time of your booking, we will recommend a suitable replacement.
| Pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price per person | $918 | $597 | $520 | $481 | $458 | $442 |
Prices are based on double room occupancy. You can upgrade to a single room for $89 per person.
