Booking gorilla permits and accommodation in Rwanda

A gorilla permit is the primary document that every tourist should have when planning a gorilla safari to Rwanda. The Rwanda Development Board issues them on behalf of the Rwandan government. The Rwanda Development Board is the official regulating body for all tourism activities in the country, and they issue permits to regulate the number of people trekking gorillas daily.

Most Popular Safaris

2 Day Bwindi Gorilla Safari through Kigali

3 Day Low Season Uganda Gorilla Safari via Kigali

5 Day Gorilla Trekking Rwanda

3 Days Rwanda Gorilla Tracking Safari

5 Day Uganda Gorillas & Game Safari via Kigali

4 Day Uganda Safari via Kigali

14 Day Uganda Safari via Kigali

3 Day Gorilla Habituation via Kigali

3 Day Bwindi Double trek via Kigali

Rwanda issues only 96 gorilla permits per day, which can only be booked online using the official website of the Rwanda Development Board or a tour operator. The limited gorilla permits printed per day mean that if you are interested in gorilla trekking in Rwanda, you have to book at least six months before the trek date to miss out.

How to acquire a gorilla trek permit in Rwanda

When planning a gorilla trek in Rwanda, you first need to secure a gorilla permit, as it is necessary for tracking gorillas. There are two options that you can use to purchase the gorilla permits.

Rwanda Development Board: Gorilla permits can be purchased through their website or by calling their office. This, however, requires a lot of patience and monitoring. Email reservation@rwandatourism.com or call +252 57 56 14.

Travel agency/tour operator: Booking through a tour operator is the best and most reliable way of purchasing a gorilla permit in Rwanda. Encounter Africa Safaris is one of the best tour operators you can use to purchase your permit, and below are the steps to take when buying a permit.

• Contact a tour operator about the dates you wish to trek gorillas and any inquiries about the safari.
• The tour operator will then check the permits' availability, and you will be informed about the available dates.
• You have to provide clear and right information about yourself, for example, a copy of your passport, passport number, name, and the number of permits you want to purchase.
• Next, you are to make payment for the permit, and once the payment is made, a copy of the permit is shared with you.

Cost of the Rwanda gorilla permit

The Rwanda Development Board sets the cost of a gorilla permit and below is the permit cost per the category of tourists you belong to.

$1500 for foreign non-residents

$500 for African residents

$300 for East African citizens.

Rwanda, however, offers discounts on special occasions. For example, tourists visiting Nyungwe Forest National Park and Akagera National Park for three or more days pay $1050 per person, and tourists at a conference in Rwanda pay $1575 per person.

The best time for booking a gorilla permit in Rwanda

Gorilla permits should be booked as early as possible, at least 6 to 15 months before the expected date of trek and travel. This is because there are few permits printed per day, and they are sold out fast, especially during the dry season. The permits are sold on a first-come-first-serve basis, so you must purchase them when you decide to go on a gorilla safari to Rwanda.

Reasons for booking a gorilla trek permit in advance

A gorilla permit in Rwanda is issued to tourists 15 years and above to access the endangered Mountain gorillas. The gorilla permit allows only eight people to spend an hour with the gorillas after finding them, but all this is possible if you book in advance. Some of the reasons why gorilla permits need to be booked in advance and include:

Proper preparation: Booking a gorilla permit early allows you to plan for the safari with little and no inconvenience. The purchase of a gorilla permit confirms that your safari has been secured. After that, you need to start planning and booking other safari services, including food, accommodation, other safari activities, and transport. All this needs to be booked on time to get better services.

The high demand for mountain gorillas: Mountain gorillas are an endangered species in high demand since they can only be seen in three countries: Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Although the cost is a bit high at $1500, the money paid is worth it, with a 75% chance of being used to protect the gorillas.

Cancellation policy in Rwanda: The cancellation and refund policy does not work in Rwanda. There are no refunds when you cancel your trip, even when you have valid reasons for your cancellation. The only time you get a refund is when you fail to see the Mountain gorillas (75%), but this is rare because there is a 98% chance of spotting the gorillas in Volcanoes National Park throughout the year.

One of the most important things you need to be aware of when purchasing gorilla permits is where you buy the permits from. So many fake gorilla permits are being sold at a lower cost on the internet. Beware because you might lose money and miss out on gorilla trekking in Rwanda. Check the official website of the Rwanda Development Board and find out the current cost of the gorilla permits. When choosing the right tour operator to use, make sure that you read the review on Trip Advisor and check to see if they are legally registered to work in the country.

Booking accommodation in Rwanda for gorilla trekking

Accommodation is essential when gorilla tracking in Rwanda. This is one of the first things to be booked before purchasing the gorilla permit. The accommodation around Volcanoes National Park is categorized into three categories: basic/budget, mid-range, and luxury accommodation facilities. Tour operators will help you choose the best option, considering your needs and budget. The accommodation facilities are also in high demand, especially during the dry/peak season. Some of the recommended accommodation facilities to book during a gorilla trek safari include:

Budget accommodation facilities

Kinigi Guesthouse: Kinigi Guest House is located in the Kinigi district and provides budget-friendly accommodation facilities to travelers visiting Rwanda for a gorilla trek safari. Kinigi offers accommodation to about 40 people. Some of the numerous facilities provided at the guesthouse include a bar, free parking, 4 VIP suites, a restaurant, a lounge, electricity, free WIFI, and warm water in the showers. There is also a standby generator for when there is a blackout.

Hotel Mabura:  Hotel Muhabura is a budget/primary facility in the Musanze district opposite the district headquarters. It is about 20 minutes from the Volcanoes National Park and has 30 rooms that comprise single, double, twin, and triple rooms. There are also six well-maintained apartments. The different facilities offered at the hotel include conference facilities, a massage parlor, a sauna, a reception, a balcony, a restaurant, gardens, and a bar. 

Villa Gorilla: Villa Gorilla Hotel is located near Kinigi and the park headquarters, providing budget-friendly, well-maintained rooms to visitors. The facilities offered at the Villa Gorilla Hotel include a dining area, en-suite bathrooms, 4 well-maintained spacious rooms, a private bath, toilets, and 3 en-suite bedrooms.

Mid-range accommodation facilities:

La Palme Hotel Musanze: La Palme is a 3-star hotel located in Musanze that offers mid-range accommodation facilities to gorilla trekking tourists in Volcanoes National Park. The hotel has facilities including a minibar, a restaurant that provides international cuisines and all types of local food, adequate free parking, a telephone in the room, WIFI, a library, an airport shuttle, and spacious rooms.

Garden Place Hotel: This mid-range accommodation facility is found in Ruhengeri, with about 28 rooms divided into standard, VIP, and double rooms. Facilities and amenities offered at the hotel include a conference hall, private balcony, hair dryer, modern bathrooms with cold and warm water, satellite flat screen, free WIFI, telephone, restaurant, and a fully stocked bar.

Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge: Le Bambou Lodge is located along one of the boundaries of the Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi and is one of the mid-range facilities we recommend you book. The facility was constructed using eco-friendly materials and offers about 23 en-suite cottages that are single, double, twin, and triple rooms. The room amenities and facilities at the lodge include daily housekeeping, coffee and tea making facilities, free WIFI, a fireplace, a bathroom shower, laundry services, a work desk, a restaurant, adequate and accessible secure parking space, a bar and restaurant, and 24-hour service reception.

Garr Hotel: Located near the golf course in Kigali, this mid-range accommodation facility offers amazing accommodations to tourists in a calm and serene environment. Some of the facilities and amenities provided at the hotel include a restaurant, exclusive suites, free WIFI< satellite television set, communal computers, room service, private bathrooms with hot and warm water, a fully stocked bar, and a spacious sitting room with great views.

Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge: This new mid-range facility is about 20 minutes from Volcanoes National Park and was constructed using local raw materials to blend in with the surroundings easily. The lodge has five cottages with amenities like bottled mineral water, a fireplace, heaters, spacious beds with good quality lines, large windows, free WIFI, spacious living rooms, and en-suite private bathrooms. Other lodge facilities include a bar, lounge, foreign exchange bureau, a restaurant, gardens, 24-hour room service, and laundry services.

Luxury accommodation facilities:

Bisate Lodge: This uniquely designed luxurious accommodation facility was constructed in an eroded volcanic cone with great views of the Bisoke and Karisimbi Mountains. The eroded volcanic cone gives the lodge a unique setting and can only accommodate a maximum of 15 guests in the 6 en-suite rooms. All the rooms have been designed with a private deck, en-suite bathrooms, a fireplace, a double bed, and wooden roofs.

Some of the facilities and amenities offered at the lodge include a bar, lounge, fitness center, free WIFI, airport transfers, a restaurant that provides both local and continental cuisines, free parking, and laundry services.

Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel is a luxury 5-star accommodation facility in the Musanze district and one of the facilities you can book during your gorilla trek safari. The lodge is about a 15-minute drive from the park's headquarters and has about 13 twin bedrooms and 1 VIP cottage. All the rooms at the Boutique hotel have features that include an en-suite bathroom, fireplace, refrigerator, a television set, and kettle for tea.

The facilities and amenities offered at the Five Volcanoes Boutique hotel include a well-maintained garden, 24-hour service from the front desk and staff, a restaurant, a swimming pool, a sauna and steam bath, and a bar.

Mountain Gorilla View Lodge: The Mountain Gorilla View Lodge is a luxury accommodation facility that offers tourists some of the best facilities. It is a 4-star hotel that is located in Musanze district. The Gorilla View Hotel is 10 minutes from the Kinigi head office on the foothill of the Mountain Karisimbi. Its primary focus is providing comfortable and luxurious accommodation to visitors, and it was constructed with local materials like grass and stones.

30 chalets have a spacious bed, bedside drawer, woolen carpets, fireplace, living room, en-suite bathroom, and private veranda. Other facilities offered at the Mountain Gorilla View Lodge include a restaurant that uses fresh fruit and vegetables from the neighboring villages, tea and coffee-making facilities, a bar with different drinks, and room service, among others.

Sabinyo Silverback Lodge: This is a 5-star luxury facility in the northern region of Rwanda in the Musanze district, surrounded by rolling hills and green pastures. The Sabinyo Silverback offers many facilities and amenities, including en-suite bathrooms, a gift shop, a tourism awareness room, two patios, a reception area, a library, and a dining room area.

Sabinyo Silverback Lodge has eight beautifully designed cottages categorized into 6 twin/double cottages, 2 suites, and one family cottage with two en-suite bathrooms with a shared veranda. The rooms at the Silverback Lodge are spacious, with a shower with cold and hot running water and a large dressing room.

Virunga Lodge: Situated along the edges of the Volcanoes National Park, the lodge is an hour's drive from Kinigi and found sited on top of the hill (at an altitude of 2175 meters above sea level) with great views of the twin Lakes Ruhondo and Burera. It has excellent views of the north-western part of the park and consists of 10 Bandas.

The ten spacious Bandas are divided into 4 twin rooms, 4 double rooms, and 2 deluxe rooms each uniquely designed using stone. Facilities and amenities offered at the lodge include a massage parlor, spacious en-suite bathroom, connecting walkways that are covered, spa and sauna, butler services, charging amenities, a well-stocked bar with premium drinks, a Dian Fossey map room and entertainment from the local dance troupes among others.

Contact us to help you book the gorilla permit and accommodation in Rwanda, and if you have any more queries, contact us by email, and our staff will be of help.