To trek mountain gorillas in Rwanda, you need to acquire volcanoes National Park gorilla permits which allow you to spend one hour with mountain gorillas in the wild. Volcanoes National Park is one of the four national parks where mountain gorillas left in their natural habitats and can be visited during day time as long as you hold a valid gorilla permit. Located in the great Virunga ranges, Volcanoes National Park shares borders with other national parks in the region which include Mgahinga in Uganda and Virunga National Park in the democratic republic of Congo.  Encounter Africa operates daily safaris to this magnificent National Park as shown below. All these safaris come with gorilla permits.

Sample Gorilla safaris to see gorillas in Volcanoes

• 3 day Rwanda gorilla trekking safari

• 5 Day gorilla trekking holiday in Rwanda

• 5 Day Rwanda gorillas and cultural tour

• 5 Day Rwanda gorillas and Nyungwe forest safari

Booking Volcanoes National Park gorilla permits

A gorilla permit is a document/card issued by RDB (Rwanda Development Board) which allows the holder to spend one hour with a family of habituated mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. You, therefore, need a gorilla permit to spend time with mountain gorillas which should preferably be booked in advance. You can book your gorilla permit through a Tour Operator like Encounter Africa safaris or book it directly through RDB. For more information about booking Rwanda gorilla permit, please contact us

Encounter Africa safaris books Rwanda gorilla permits on behalf of all those that contact us or book all-inclusive gorilla tours to Volcanoes National Park with us. Volcanoes National Park gorilla permit booking process is very simple as we start by checking the availability of permits on your desired day and should we find them, we will notify you. If you are okay with the dates, we will advise on how to make payment and once funds hit our account, we will go ahead to purchase your gorilla permit and where applicable send you scanned copies of your receipts.

How much is a gorilla permit in Rwanda?

A gorilla permit to see mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park costs hooping $1500 per person per trek for one hour. This amount is paid to Rwanda Development Board, the official organization that issue out gorilla permits in Rwanda. This fee includes seeing gorillas for one hour, taking simple videos and photos, services of a ranger guide who will walk with you in the forest, park entry fees, security and a certificate after your gorilla trek. This amount does not include transport, meals and accommodation during your visit. Encounter Africa safaris will assist you in organizing all this.

Enjoy Discounted Gorilla permits in Rwanda

Rwanda offers discounted gorilla permits to see mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park from May to November of every year. This means that one can book gorilla permits in Rwanda and benefit from a 30% discount. The only condition is that you must at least visit one of the two national parks of Akagera National Park or Nyungwe Forest National Park. You should be able to pay for any activity in the mentioned national park and also spend at least two nights in Rwanda. This, therefore, me that instead of paying $1500 for a gorilla permit, you will pay $1050 and save $450 per permit booked during any month from November to May any year.  Are you planning to travel to Rwanda and want to benefit from discounted gorilla permits, contact us and find out how.

Who is eligible to trek Mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park

Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park is open to everyone aged 15 years and above. Children below 15 years are not allowed to visit mountain gorillas in Rwanda. Before you consider visiting mountain gorillas in Rwanda, please check the age of your child as this is very important. There is no maximum limit for gorilla trekking since Uganda and Rwanda have seen old people of 100 years and above trek mountain gorillas. They are able to do this by hiring sedan chairs.  Do you have anyone one with a disability or very old but want to trek mountain gorillas in Rwanda? Please contact us

How many gorilla permits are available in Rwanda daily?

Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda has 20 habituated mountain gorilla families out of which 10 are reserved for research and 10 for gorilla trekking. This means that tourists and visitors are limited to 10 gorilla families per day. Each gorilla family is visited by a maximum of 8 people per day for one hour. 80 gorilla permits are therefore available daily to trek habituated mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. Contact Encounter Africa safaris to book your Rwanda gorilla safari with guaranteed gorilla permits.

When should one book Rwanda gorilla trekking permits?

Rwanda gorilla trekking permits are the most expensive compared to Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. That notwithstanding, gorilla permits to see mountain gorillas in Rwanda tend to sell out quickly, most especially during peak seasons. We advise that you book your volcanoes National Park at least 4-5 months in advance. Once your permit is secured, you can then go ahead and organize your transport and overnight accommodation. Encounter Africa safaris assists in checking availability and booking of your gorilla permits. Do not hesitate to contact us.

Gorilla trekking tours and safaris to Volcanoes National Park

Inspired by the great works of Diane Fossel, a great primatologist, researcher and conservationist, Volcanoes National Park was one of the first national parks where habituation of wild mountain gorillas began. To secure funds to save the then endangered great apes, mountain gorilla trekking started thereby allowing people to pay and see mountain gorillas in Rwanda ever since gorilla trekking has become one of the most sought after and life-changing experience to those visiting Rwanda and Africa at large.

Getting to Volcanoes National Park by road from Kigali

Volcanoes National Park can be accessed from Kigali international Airport, where one has to drive 2-3 hours from Kigali to Ruhengeri. Your road trip to Volcanoes National Park will take you through a countryside full of hills, tea plantations and so much more. By driving 2-3 hours makes Volcanoes National Park the easiest to reach of the three national parks that have mountain gorillas in Africa.

What else can you do in Volcanoes National Park?

Apart from mountain gorilla treks in Volcanoes National Park, those visiting this great park can also trek habituated golden monkeys, watch birds, and or hike volcanoes in this park.  You can also visit communities around the park to know more about their day-to-day activities and culture.

Why use services of Encounter Africa Safaris

Encounter Africa safaris is a local Tour operator with offices in Uganda and Rwanda. It is 100% owned and run by Uganda and Rwanda citizens passionate about selling our country. We have assembled a team of young and motivated office and field staff ready to answer all your queries at any time. We strive to produce extraordinary and reasonably prices safari experience while touching the lives of the local communities in Uganda and Rwanda. With over 15 years in operation, you can be guaranteed of excellent services and timely information to assist you to organize your safari. Encounter Africa safaris is highly rated on Trip advisor as well as Safari bookings.