How much does a Rwanda safari cost?

The cost of the Rwanda safari is determined by the activities you choose to do in Rwanda. Gorilla trekking is the main Rwanda safari activity. You need a gorilla permit from Rwanda Developments Board to confirm a Rwanda gorilla permit. The cost of Rwanda gorilla trekking permits is $1500 for foreign nonresidents, $500 for foreign residents, and $250 for East Africans.

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Rwanda has other safari activities like chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park, game safaris in Akagera National Park, canopy walks, Kigali city tour, and other activities.

To enter any Rwanda National Park, you must pay park entrance fees, which is one way to support the conservation of these wild animals and their habitats.

Although Rwanda has limited choices of safari activities to choose from, you need a well-tailored itinerary that can cover your interests while on a Rwanda visit.

Other costs of Rwanda safari to consider are accommodation categorized into up-markets, mid-range, or budget facilities. The cost of transport on Rwanda safaris includes vehicle hire, driver guide fee, gas, and much more.

To find the cost of a Rwanda safari, you need to know the activities you are willing to do, the time to visit Rwanda, the number of days to spend in Rwanda, and other factors.

What Activities to do on Rwanda safari?

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda

For the gorilla trekking experience in Rwanda, the gorilla permit cost is the key to confirming this adventure. Although the Rwanda gorilla trekking permits are limited to a maximum of 8 per gorilla family, their demand is high, especially during the peak tourism season, normally June to September and December to January.

You need to reserve the Rwanda gorilla trekking permit at least six months to a year in advance to reduce the pressure of trying to find availability at the last minute. 

Volcanoes National Park is the only home to gorilla trekking tours in Rwanda, with 15 gorilla families open to the public so far. Some of the gorilla families of Rwanda include Hirwa, Susa, Kwitonda, Umubano, Amahoro, Karisimbi, and others.

The gorilla trek in Rwanda is quite strenuous because of the steep slopes where these primates spend their daytime. To complete the Rwanda gorilla trek, you must bear some level of fitness and wear the right gorilla trekking gear.

What is the cost of a Rwanda gorilla permit and its inclusions?

The cost of Rwanda gorilla trekking permits is $1500 for foreign nonresidents, $500 for foreign residents, and $250 for East Africans. 

Inclusions in the cost of a Rwanda gorilla permit are park entrance fees, ranger guide fees, security, mountain gorilla conservation, local community support, one hour with the mountain gorillas, certificate, and others.

Chimpanzee trekking safari in Rwanda

Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park gets you to share the same area with man’s closest relatives, the chimpanzees. One needs a chimpanzee trekking permit from the Rwanda Development Board to have a chance with the chimpanzees in this park in the morning or the afternoon.

Uwinka Visitor Center is where chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park starts. Then tourists follow the trails leading to where troops of chimpanzees are found, like the Igishigishigi trails, the Usumo trail leading to the Usumo Falls, and others.

A semi-habituated chimpanzee community also lives in Cyamudondo on the outskirts of Nyungwe National Park.

A chimpanzee trekking permit in Rwanda costs $150 for foreign nonresidents, $75 for foreign residents, and $25 for East Africans.

The cost of a Rwanda chimpanzee trekking permit excludes park entrance fees, tips, 

Canopy walk in Nyungwe National Park.

Taking the canopy walk on the 160-meter-long bridge, about 70 meters above Nyungwe forest, is exceptional. You enjoy the view of the dense Nyungwe forest and the different features that surround it. Look out for the other birds, primates, and butterflies from this forest.

You can mark some of your special moments at this bridge because it is one of a kind in East Africa.

Game drive in Akagera National Park

Rwanda is home to Akagera National Park, the home of game drives on Rwanda safaris. Although this park is still recovering from the shambles of the 1994 Rwanda genocide, the rehabilitation program carried out by the Rwanda government and other international bodies is doing good work.

During the game drive in Akagera National Park, you may spot animals like cape buffaloes, zebras, rhinos, lions, giraffes, waterbucks, bushbucks, Impalas, Elands, and others.

The boat trip on Lake Ihema is breathtaking as it offers relaxing moments while enjoying stunning views of highlands, lush vegetation cover, water birds, and others. Feel the cool breeze from this freshwater lake.

You need to pay park entrance fees as the standing cost before being allowed into Akagera National Park. Currently, the park fees of this Akagera National Park are produced according to the number of days you spend in the park, not per day. The more days on safari in Akagera National Park, the less the park entrance fee costs. Even the years are considered when paying the Akagera National Park park fees.

Golden monkey trekking in Rwanda

Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park gets you closer to these endangered primates. About 2,000 to 4,000 golden monkeys live with some in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda. Golden monkeys have larger bodies than other monkeys. They have golden brown hairs on the lower body. 

 Although golden monkeys are habituated to human presence, they keep their natural characteristics, so expect to be on your toes when you are with them.

You must secure a Golden Monkey trekking permit from the Rwanda Development Board.

Rwanda Golden Monkey permit costs about $100 per person but excludes park entrance fees.

Kigali city tour

How do you visit Rwanda and miss the Kigali city tour? Kigali is the commercial city of Rwanda, and you may visit the Kandt house and the Rwanda genocide memorials like St. Famille, Blue Barret, and others. Take a break at a coffee shop where you can taste the aromas of Rwanda coffee brewed to its greatness. 

Dian Fossey Grave Hike

The hike to the Diane Fossey grave in Volcanoes National Park takes you on the walk through the last steps of Dian Fossey, the American primatologist who dedicated her life to the service of securing mountain gorillas. She met her brutal death in 1985 when unknown assassins killed her.

Her remains were buried amongst the mountain gorillas that defended till death. The funds collected from the Diane Fossey grave hike support the research she left behind.

When Is The Best Time To Book Rwanda Safari?

The Rwanda safaris are open yearly, but the dry seasons are most preferred. The dry period in Rwanda is usually June, July, August, September, December, and January. 

Most safari activities in Rwanda are in the wild, and during the dry season, the grass is lower for game drives in Akagera National Park, so you can easily trace animals. This season, the trails and tracks in the National Parks of Rwanda are quicker to navigate, making the trip more exciting and rewarding.

The dry season while on a Rwanda safari provides a conducive environment for taking better photographs. 

Since this is the peak Rwanda tourism season, too, demand for Rwanda safari activities is high, and the purchasing rate of gorilla or chimpanzee permits has increased, creating scarcity. The number of Rwanda gorilla permits is limited to a maximum of 8 per gorilla family, yet this cannot satisfy their high demand worldwide.

The wet season in Rwanda is usually in March, April, May, and November, but this, too, is the low tourism season. The influx of tourists who visit the different Rwanda safari destinations is relatively moderate, giving one the chance to book at the last minute. Even other logistics supporting Rwanda safaris, like accommodation and transport, may offer discounted costs.

If you visit Rwanda during the low season and have a limited budget but wish for an upgrade, chances may be open, especially with service providers wanting to break even.

If you are interested in more private Rwanda safari moments, the low season is the perfect choice where fewer people are booking, and tracks in Akagera National Park for game drives are not crowded. 

A visit to Rwanda is open whenever you feel comfortable traveling as long as you have all the necessary requirements. 

How safe is Rwanda for a safari?

Rwanda is safe for any safari, although most destinations are in the wilderness. The Rwanda Development Board has well-trained ranger guides ready to protect the wildlife and the visitors. They patrol constantly to provide the best security in Rwanda safari destinations.

On the ground are other Rwanda security agencies who work closely with the ranger guides to keep law and order in and out of the Rwanda safari destinations.

Before walking into the forests to search for mountain gorillas or chimpanzees or do birding in Rwanda, tourists must attend briefings to equip them with the dos and don’ts of the wilderness. Missing the briefing sessions may amount to getting penalized. 

Personal security is important too during Rwanda safaris, so only enter the park with an escorting range guide because you may encounter inhabitants who may be harsh to you. Walking into the vast forest of Rwanda that is Volcanoes and Nyungwe forest may lead you to get lost, yet you may have no way of communicating with the people on the ground.

Stay closer to the group you are walking in the wilderness with during Rwanda safari activities like nature walks, gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, and golden monkey trekking because you may be lost in the jungle. The ranger guides follow the pace of the slowest trekker, but you need not sneak away.

What to pack for the Rwanda safari?

• Warm wear to put on early morning and late afternoon because it gets so cold you need to keep warm as sometimes temperatures drop as low as 7 degrees centigrade.
• Use insect repellant to avoid stinging insects that harm you while walking to locate mountain gorillas or other primates in the jungle.
• Garden gloves protect your palms from stinging nettles and even rough surfaces you may land on when you trip and fall.
• Bug spray is in case your room is infected.
• Toiletries in case your skin is very sensitive or your lodge does not provide.
• Snacks to munch on in case you get hungry because breakfast is taken too early to last the entire time in the wilderness.
• A raincoat or poncho is used if it rains in the wilderness. This area receives rain at any time without warning.
• Wear long trousers and a long-sleeved shirt in the wilderness to protect your body from harsh conditions in the forest.
• A pair of stockings to tack in your trousers and protect your body from insects that would creep into your clothes.
• Safari boots can go through the soggy surfaces in the jungle as the wilderness is wet most of the time, and rivers overflow, especially in the severe rainy seasons.
• Safari hat to protect your hair from getting wet in case it rains, or dew drips off the leaves.
• Pajamas to wear in the night when getting to bed.
• Duffel bag to carry with your belongings, as you may get no help offloading your bags.
• Flip flops to change into in case you come from gorilla trekking and are tired of wearing closed shoes.
• Some cash to exchange into local currency when purchasing anything locally.
• Clean Face masks to wear when standing before the mountain gorillas. This was adopted after the Covid-19 period. The mountain gorillas can be victims of this virus since they are susceptible to human infections because they have about 96% human DNA.
• A camera to take photos and protect memories of your experience during gorilla trekking.

Our safari consultants are ready to assist you in planning your Rwanda safari today. Contact us for more information.