3 Days / 2 Nights:
Visiting: Volcanoes National Park, Kigali.
Our shortest programme including gorilla tracking, Gorillas Through the Mist is a great extension to travel in Kenya and Tanzania. The safari can operate in reverse to simplify connections as needed. This safari also makes up part of our “Wings over East Africa” found on page 121 where we have packaged it along with Kenya and Tanzania. We have four options taking advantage of a variety of accommodation styles.
Itinerary:
Day 1
Upon arrival into Kigali, you are met and transferred to Virunga Conservation area (approximately 2.5 hours drive).If time permits, visit the markets, villages and local communities (at an extra cost) or an optional visit to the little known by compellingly beautiful twin lakes Bulera and Ruhondo (payable directly).
Day 2
Morning transfer to the Volcanoes National Park offices. Briefing by the park’sguides on how to behave in the forest and in the presence of mountain gorillas. You then transfer over mildly bumpy roads to the trail head to start the trek. From the trail head, there is a 10-20 minute walk through fields (cultivated land) to edge of forest. Here you enter the park for a gorilla trek which will take you until around midday depending on where you find them. Once the gorillas are located all fatigue is forgotten, as the experience is often described as being the most profound natural history experience in the world. It is important to take plenty of water. Good cameras and plenty of fastspeed film or memory cards are recommended. It can rain at a few minutes’ notice, hence waterproof clothing is a good essential including zip lock bags for cameras and film. After the trek, lunch will be at your hotel. After lunch you will return to Kigali for overnight.
Day 3
After breakfast, you are transferred to Kigali Airport to connect for your onward flight. End of our services
Additional Days
Should you wish to add an additional day with second additional gorilla trek, the additional day will be as follows and start as Day 2:
Morning briefing by the Volcanoes National Park’s guides on how to behave in the forest and in the presence of mountain gorillas. You then enter the park for a gorilla trek which will take Mountain Gorillas
you until around midday depending on where you find them. Once the gorillas are located all fatigue is forgotten, as the experience is often described as being the most profound natural history experience in the world. It is important to take plenty of water. Good cameras and plenty of fast speed film or memory cards are recommended. It can rain at a few minutes’ notice, hence waterproof clothing is a good essential including zip lock bags for cameras and film. After the trek, lunch will be at your hotel followed by time at leisure. Dinner and overnight at the lodge as per the programme.
The last day of trekking will then be as per day 2 of the original itinerary with travel to Kigali
Safari Note
In order to control the number of people trekking in Rwanda and Uganda to view the gorillas, the governments use a strictly followed permit system and only a limited number of permits are made available for each family of gorillas each day. With such high demand, they attract a high price and are sold on a first come, first served basis. They are non-refundable and non-transferable.
