One third of the world’s roughly 1,000 remaining mountain gorillas live on the steep slopes and misty peaks of Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda’s share of the Virunga Massif. Seeing them up close is a safari unlike any other. Our founder, Mark Lakin, has completed four scouting trips across Rwanda, stayed in every top luxury lodge in the country, and trekked to the gorillas 10 times. Here are the top reasons we keep sending travelers back—and why we believe The Legacy Untold is the right partner for the journey.
1. How Close Can You Get to Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda?
Mountain gorillas share over 98% of their DNA with humans. Watching them in the wild is mystical… their body language so distinctly familiar, yet their habitat so wildly different. Guided by experts, you’ll trek on foot through an emerald green rainforest until it’s time for a “family” reunion with our closest relatives in the animal kingdom. Accompanied by expert trackers and local community rangers, you’ll observe them as they eat, play, nap, and feed their young.
Rwanda keeps these encounters intimate by design. Each of the park’s habituated gorilla families hosts a maximum of eight guests per day, and each visit lasts one hour. Treks range from 30 minutes to several hours, depending on where the family has moved. We can also calibrate the pace to each traveler’s fitness level.
2. What Is Dian Fossey’s Legacy in Volcanoes National Park?
This wild and wonder-filled place was once home base for legendary conservationist Dian Fossey. Many credit her with saving the species from extinction. Fossey founded the Karisoke Research Center here in 1967. Her story later reached a global audience through the film Gorillas in the Mist.
Her work continues through the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. Visit its architecturally stunning Ellen DeGeneres Campus, which opened near Volcanoes National Park in 2022. Today it anchors the region as a hub for gorilla preservation and education in Africa. The results of decades of protection are measurable. The Virunga population bottomed out at 242 in 1981 and has since grown to more than 600—bringing the global mountain gorilla count to just over 1,000—so every trek is now part of one of the most successful conservation efforts on the planet.
3. What Are the Best Luxury Lodges for Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda?
Rwanda is home to some of the most atmospheric luxury properties on the African continent. Singita Kwitonda Lodge is set within a landscape of wetlands and lush meadows with chill-inducing views of the Sabyinyo, Gahinga and Muhabura volcanoes. Each of the eight luxurious suites features a private heated plunge pool, wellness treatment area, in- and outdoor fireplaces and large timber-framed windows that welcome breathtaking scenery and volcano views inside.
One&Only Gorilla’s Nest was built sparing no expense. Set within a lush Eucalyptus forest, boasting massive free-standing suites, with heated radiant stone floors, bathtubs on expansive terraces, and unspoiled nature all-around, this property can only be adequately described by words akin to sublime, surreal, and dream-like.
Finally, Wilderness Bisate’s six suites take a whimsical nod to traditional Rwandan techniques for building, dotting the natural amphitheater of an eroded volcanic cone and offering panoramic views of three volcanoes in the area.
The rest of the country delivers, too. The trailblazing Wilderness Magashi in Akagera National Park has six opulent tents offering uninterrupted views over Lake Rwanyakazinga for a Big Five safari, and One&Only Nyungwe House places guests at the edge of Africa’s oldest rainforest for chimpanzee trekking.
4. What Makes Rwanda a Leader in Conservation and Sustainable Travel?
Aptly named The Land of 1,000 Hills, Rwanda is spotlessly clean and boasts a progressive environmental policy, including a ban on single use plastic bags since 2008. In 2019 the ban expanded to most single-use plastics, including bottles, straws, and cutlery. Its gorilla tourism model runs on high value and low volume. Permit fees help fund park protection, and a share of tourism revenue goes back to communities surrounding the parks. The country’s top lodges also support reforestation, wildlife protection, and community development.
Rwanda’s recovery is its own remarkable story. Since the 1994 genocide, President Paul Kagame has led a historic and unprecedented period of peace, justice, and healing. Most lists now rank Kigali as the safest city in Africa. No trip is complete without a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial to honor Rwanda’s darkest chapter while absorbing the inspiring recovery that defines the country today.
5. When Is the Best Time to Go Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda, and How Much Is a Permit?
Gorilla trekking is available year-round, but the ideal time is June through September, Rwanda’s driest season. A secondary window also runs from December through January. A gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda costs $1,500 per person for one day, and trekkers must be at least 15 years old. For what to bring, see our safari packing guide.
- Gorilla trekking permit: $1,500 per person, per day
- Time with the gorillas: one hour
- Group size: a maximum of eight guests per gorilla family, per day
- Minimum age: 15
- Best time to go: June through September, with a secondary window from December through January
6. What If I Want to Travel to Rwanda with Children Under 15?
Plenty of Rwanda is open to younger travelers. Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park has a minimum age of 12, and permits cost $100 per person. Akagera delivers Big Five game drives and boat safaris, Nyungwe has its rainforest walks, and Kigali is worth a few days on its own. The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund welcomes visitors of any age.
For families with children under 15, the trek becomes one day inside a longer itinerary, with the younger travelers doing something of their own while the adults are on the mountain. We planned exactly this trip for Travel + Leisure Editor in Chief Jacqui Gifford and her family. In her Access Issue Letter from the Editor, she writes that her eight-year-old son, Bobby, was too young for the strenuous trek, so he spent that morning at the Fossey Fund campus instead.
The video below follows the Gifford family through Rwanda.
7. How to Plan a Luxury Gorilla Trekking Trip to Rwanda
Mark Lakin has been named to Travel + Leisure’s A-List every year since 2015, sits on its Travel Advisory Board, and has been recognized by Oprah Daily as one of 10 “Trip Fixers We Trust” and by Robb Report as a Master of Luxury Travel. He delivered the keynote address at the Rwanda Tourism Awards four years ago.
In his Travel + Leisure article, How to Plan the Perfect Adventure to Rwanda, According to a Travel Expert, Mark recommends starting with a few days in Kigali—browsing Kimironko Market, meeting local designers now showing on the runways of Milan, and eating at restaurants that tell Rwanda’s story through farm-to-table cuisine—before heading to Volcanoes National Park.
From there, he suggests going deeper into Akagera and Nyungwe Forest. As he writes, travelers could easily spend two weeks in Rwanda alone.
“Mark always has his finger on the pulse of what matters in travel—exceptional experiences that get you to the heart of a place.”
— Jacqui Gifford, Editor in Chief, Travel + Leisure
The Legacy Untold’s trips are completely custom and hand-tailored to your specific interests, budget, and any special occasion. We cover more of what makes the country special in our newsletter, 11 Reasons to Visit Remarkable Rwanda. To start planning your gorilla trek in Rwanda, contact us at [email protected] or visit www.thelegacyuntold.com/travel.