5 daysPrivate tourLuxuryPermits included

5-Day Gorillas & Golden Monkeys

5.0(56 reviews)·Kigali → Volcanoes·Offered by Virunga Trails

Two treks from one luxurious base: a mountain gorilla family one morning, a troop of endangered golden monkeys — found only in these volcanoes — the next. In between you canoe the Twin Lakes beneath Sabyinyo's jagged crown and walk the trail to Dian Fossey's Karisoke research camp, the place where gorilla conservation began.

Staying four nights in one lodge is the quiet luxury of this itinerary. No repacking, no transfer days; just the volcanoes at breakfast and a different corner of the park each morning. It suits travellers who want Volcanoes National Park in full, not as a single-trek stopover.

Gorilla trek and golden monkey trek on consecutive mornings
Both RDB permits (US$1,600 combined) secured and included
Dawn canoe crossing of the Twin Lakes, Burera and Ruhondo
The Dian Fossey trail to the historic Karisoke research site
Four nights in one luxury lodge — unpack once

Duration5 days

Tour stylePrivate tour

ComfortLuxury · Lodge

Park permitsIncluded ($1,600 pp)

Minimum age15 years (RDB rule)

Solo travelersWelcome

CustomizableYes — request changes with a quote

RouteKigali → Volcanoes

Day by day

1
Day 1Kigali
Arrival & drive to the Virungas
Met at Kigali International Airport, a relaxed lunch and a stop at the Genocide Memorial if your flight allows, then the beautiful two-and-a-half-hour drive north through eucalyptus and terraced hillsides to Kinigi. Sundowners face a horizon of five volcanoes.
Sabyinyo Silverback LodgeCommunity-owned luxury lodge with Virunga viewsLunch & dinner included
2
Day 2Volcanoes National Park
Gorilla trekking
The 7am briefing at Kinigi, then into the forest. Rangers match groups to gorilla families by fitness and preference; your guide will have lobbied for the right fit the evening before. However long the walk, the hour with the family — a silverback at rest, juveniles wrestling through the vines — is the reason this park exists. Afternoon at leisure at the lodge with massage and tea service.
Sabyinyo Silverback LodgeSecond of four nightsAll meals included
3
Day 3Volcanoes National Park
Golden monkey trekking & Twin Lakes canoe
A second, gentler trek: golden monkeys live in the bamboo belt at the forest edge, so the walking is shorter and the wildlife faster — hundreds of copper-flashed monkeys leaping overhead. Back for brunch, then an afternoon dugout-canoe crossing of Lake Ruhondo with a local paddler, volcanoes doubling in the still water.
Sabyinyo Silverback LodgeThird of four nightsAll meals included
4
Day 4Volcanoes National Park
The Dian Fossey trail
A half-day hike through the saddle between Karisimbi and Bisoke to the site of Karisoke, the research station Dian Fossey ran for eighteen years, and the graveyard where she is buried beside Digit and the gorillas she studied. It is a pilgrimage as much as a hike. Afternoon free — or swap the day for a second gorilla permit (at cost) if booked well ahead.
Sabyinyo Silverback LodgeFinal nightAll meals included
5
Day 5Kigali
Return to Kigali
A slow breakfast, a last look at the volcanoes, and the drive back to Kigali with a stop at the Nyirangarama roadside market. You are at the airport or your city hotel by early afternoon.
No overnight — tour ends or day tripBreakfast & lunch included

Rates per person

Group size	Price per person (USD)
Solo	$5,895
2 people	$4,780
3 people	$4,655
4 people	$4,555
5 people	$4,495
6+ people	$4,400

US$1,600 of the pp price is fixed RDB permit cost (gorilla + golden monkey) — group-size savings apply to the rest.
Rates are per person in USD and vary with group size — everyone in the vehicle shares the guide and transport costs.
A 50% deposit confirms your booking; the balance is due 30 days before the trip starts.
Cancellation follows the operator's platform-standard policy shown at checkout.

What's included

Included

Gorilla trekking permit (US$1,500 per person)
Golden monkey permit (US$100 per person)
Dian Fossey / Karisoke hike permit
Twin Lakes canoe excursion with local guide
Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof
Professional English-speaking driver-guide
Airport pick-up and drop-off
Accommodation as listed in the itinerary
Meals as listed in the itinerary
Bottled water throughout the trip
All taxes and VAT

Excluded

Porters for the treks (US$10–20 per trek, recommended)
Optional second gorilla permit (US$1,500, subject to availability)
International flights
Rwanda visa (US$50 on arrival for most nationalities)
Travel insurance
Tips and gratuities (guide, trackers, porters)
Drinks and meals not listed in the itinerary
Personal items and souvenirs

Getting there

Fly into Kigali International Airport (KGL) — it is served by direct flights from Brussels, Amsterdam, Doha, Dubai, Istanbul, Nairobi and Addis Ababa.
This tour starts and ends in Kigali. Airport pick-up and drop-off are included — your guide meets you in arrivals.
Most nationalities receive a Rwanda visa on arrival (US$50). The East African Tourist Visa also covers Rwanda if you are combining countries.
Arriving early or leaving late? Extra nights in Kigali before or after the tour can be arranged with your quote.

Traveler reviews

5.0

Based on 56 traveler reviews

Reviews are verified — only travelers who completed this tour can leave one.

“The complete Virunga experience”

The gorillas are the headline but the golden monkeys stole a piece of our hearts — like watching sparks fly through bamboo. Sabyinyo Silverback is the best lodge we've stayed at anywhere in Africa. Faultless guiding all five days.

Claire & Antoine · France · Traveled January 2026

“Fossey trail was the surprise highlight”

Everyone comes for the gorillas. But standing at Karisoke, where the whole conservation story started, with our guide telling stories of the trackers who knew Fossey — that's what I keep telling people about.

Robert M. · Australia · Traveled July 2025

“Unpack once, trek twice”

Four nights in one lodge was exactly right. Rain caught us on the Fossey hike (October, our own fault) but the team had ponchos and humour ready. Golden monkey morning is much easier than the gorilla trek — do it second like this itinerary does.

Jenny W. · Canada · Traveled October 2025

Showing recent reviews. The full review history arrives with verified post-trip reviews (Milestone 4).