Volcanoes National Park

In 1967, an American zoologist named Dian Fossey hiked into the Virunga volcanoes of northwestern Rwanda and began the study that would change our understanding of mountain gorillas — and ultimately cost her her life. The camp she established at Karisoke, the families she habituated and named, and the protection she fought for with increasingly desperate intensity are the foundation of everything that Volcanoes National Park is today. Without Fossey, the mountain gorilla might not have survived at all.

Today the park protects approximately 400 mountain gorillas across the Rwanda section of the Virunga Massif — a chain of dormant and active volcanoes straddling the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and the DRC. Ten gorilla families are habituated for trekking, each visited by a maximum of eight people for exactly one hour per day. That hour — sitting in the dense Hagenia forest as a 200kg silverback moves around you with an authority that makes the ground feel slightly insufficient — is one of the most significant wildlife experiences available anywhere on Earth.

Where is Volcanoes National Park?

The park is in northwestern Rwanda, near the town of Musanze (Ruhengeri), approximately 110 km from Kigali by road (2–2.5 hours). The park shares boundaries with Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to the north, and DRC’s Virunga National Park to the west. Together they form the transfrontier greater Virunga Conservation Area.

Gorilla trekking: what to expect

Trekking starts at the park headquarters at 07:00 with a briefing and allocation to one of the gorilla families. Groups of maximum eight visitors are accompanied by a lead guide, tracker team and armed ranger. The trek itself ranges from 30 minutes (if the family has spent the night close to the forest edge) to 4–6 hours of steep forest hiking if they have moved deep into the mountain.

Once with the family, you have exactly one hour of observation time. Phones and cameras can be used; flash is prohibited. You stay at a minimum distance of 7 metres (though gorillas regularly ignore this protocol and approach on their own terms). The one hour is not negotiable — it exists to protect the gorillas from excessive stress and disease transmission.

The permit

Gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda cost USD 1,500 per person as of 2026. The high cost is a deliberate conservation tool — it limits visitor numbers while generating substantial revenue for park management and community benefit. Book through Rwanda Development Board or a licensed operator. Permits sell out months in advance for the June–September dry season. Book 6–12 months ahead for peak dates.

Golden monkey tracking

The golden monkey (Cercopithecus kandti) is a strikingly coloured endemic of the Virunga highlands — a subspecies of blue monkey with a vivid gold-orange patch on its back. Two habituated groups in the park’s bamboo zone can be tracked daily, with a permit significantly cheaper than gorilla trekking. The experience is joyful and frenetic — golden monkeys move fast, feed noisily and interact constantly. An excellent activity for days when you have a gorilla trek scheduled in the afternoon.

The Dian Fossey hike

A 3-hour steep trail from the forest edge leads to the site of the Karisoke Research Centre, established by Fossey in 1967, and to her grave alongside gorilla skeletons poached during her lifetime. The hike passes through old-growth Hagenia forest draped in old man’s beard lichen. It is physically demanding but historically profound.

Combine Volcanoes NP with…

• Kigali Genocide Memorial — always an essential part of any Rwanda itinerary.
• Nyungwe Forest — chimpanzee trekking in the south of Rwanda.
• Akagera National Park — the Big Five savanna contrast in eastern Rwanda.
• Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest — additional gorilla trekking across the border.

Frequently asked questions about Volcanoes NP

How difficult is gorilla trekking?

Moderate to strenuous. The trek involves steep forested terrain at 2,500–3,000 m with no established path through dense undergrowth. Fit walkers manage comfortably; those with limited mobility can sometimes request the Susa or Kwitonda families whose ranges tend to be lower. Porters are available (and provide meaningful community income) — hire one.

Is gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda better?

Rwanda is more expensive (USD 1,500 vs ~USD 700 in Uganda) but the infrastructure, camp quality and Kigali airport connections give it an overall smoother experience. Uganda offers the same gorilla quality at lower cost. Many serious wildlife travellers do both on a combined Great Apes circuit.

What do I wear for gorilla trekking?

Long-sleeved shirt, long trousers (tucked into socks), waterproof hiking boots, rain jacket and gloves for gripping vegetation. Garden gloves work better than trekking gloves in the forest understorey.